The Charters Towers region of Queensland will soon be the first to have Ergon Energy’s state of the art Grid Utility Support Systems (GUSS) units installed. Ergon will install two GUSS units at New Moon Station 150 kilometres north of Charters Towers, which will feed power into its single wire (SWER) network supplying a number of remote properties in the […]
Demand management
Empowering Mackay to manage demand
Utility Journalist Demand management, Electricity, News, Sustainability 0Ergon’s innovative demand management initiative, the Mackay Empower program, has begun providing benefits to both Ergon Energy and its customers with the recent announcement that Mackay Regional Council (MRC) has formalised a Network Support Agreement to participate in the program. Under the terms of the agreement, MRC will synchronise three of their diesel generators located at their Paget and Bakers […]
Hunter Water to invest $1billion in infrastructure
Utility Journalist Demand management, News, Water 0Hunter Water (NSW) will invest $1.1 billion into better infrastructure during the next 10 years, to support the increase in the region’s population to one million people by 2050. Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water, Niall Blair, said for the Hunter region to hit one million people by 2050, Hunter Water needed to be planning now. “The Hunter region […]
Dr Kerry Schott awarded AO
Utility Journalist Company news, Demand management, Desalination, News, Water 0Sydney Water’s former Managing Director Dr Kerry Schott AO has been congratulated by the company for her appointment into the order of Australia. Serving as Sydney Water’s Managing Director from 2006-2011, Dr Schott AO oversaw a number of vital infrastructure projects that helped to protect Sydney’s drinking water supply during time of prolonged drought. Sydney Water’s acting CEO, Eric de […]
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has released a draft determination that encourages electricity distribution networks to find lower cost solutions to managing their systems. The draft sits in line with proposals from the Total Environment Centre and COAG Energy Council. The determination modifies the existing demand management incentive scheme which is part of the regulatory framework governing how networks […]
Incentivising innovation, encouraging demand management
Utility Journalist Demand management, Electricity, Policy 0As the demands placed on Australia’s energy grids continue to evolve, demand management activities play an increasingly important role in ensuring a reliable supply of electricity, without the need to build costly additional infrastructure that will only be required at times of peak demand. In the wake of the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC’s) Power of Choice review, various changes […]
New demand side participation rule for energy networks
Utility Journalist Demand management, Electricity, Features, News, Policy 0As part of reforms to the National Energy Rules based on the 2012 Power of Choice review, the Australian Energy Market Commission has created a new rule enabling the Australian Energy Market Operator to obtain better information on demand side participation from electricity market participants. This information will be used to inform its electricity load forecasts. Currently, AEMO conducts voluntary surveys of electricity […]
Solar power systems installed at STP
Utility Journalist Civil Construction, Demand management, Electricity, News, Renewable Energy, Solar, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Queensland Urban Utilities has harnessed solar power at three sewage treatment plants and one depot in the Lockyer Valley. In a first for the region, almost 250 solar panels have been installed. Queensland Urban Utilities spokesperson, Michelle Cull, said the solar panels will cut power use at the facilities by more than 20 per cent. “It makes sense to harness […]
ENA supports demand management solutions
Utility Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, News 0The Energy Networks Association has strongly supported changes to national electricity rules which would support alternative options to manage peak demand, without building new infrastructure. Energy Networks Association CEO John Bradley says that electricity networks support a level playing field for “non-network” solutions like demand management, to ensure all options are on the table to provide efficient, safe and reliable […]
Horizon Power has installed three additional gas fired generators (1MW each) for the town of Onslow (WA) in time to meet the summer peak demand. Managing Director of Horizon Power, Frank Tudor said Clarke Energy had fully commissioned three gas-fired generators for Horizon Power and reliability testing of the units has been successfully completed. “This important milestone will ensure that […]
Shining a light on solar research
Utility Journalist Civil Construction, Demand management, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar, Sustainability 0A new solar research facility being completed at the University of Queensland’s Gatton campus will be the largest in Australia – and the entire southern hemisphere. The facility will support innovation in the Australian solar industry and provide new insights regarding the integration of large-scale renewable power plants into the electricity grid. The Gatton research facility is the product of […]
Regulated natural monopolies: can electricity and gas networks reinvent themselves?
Utility Journalist Demand management, Electricity, Policy, Retail 0by Tony Wood, Energy Program Director, Grattan Institute Grattan Institute Energy Program Director Tony Wood weighs in on the electricity and gas market ‘death spiral’ debate, and shares his thoughts on the impact regulating these markets could potentially have. Charging for electricity by measured consumption rather than the number of light bulbs per consumer was introduced in the first decade […]
Low cost, robust energy storage is set to change the energy landscape in Australia for the energy industry and for energy consumers. A new representative body – the Australian Energy Storage Council – has been formed, as the energy sector enters a stage of rapid growth. The Energy Storage Council (ESC) is a national member-based not-for-profit organisation and was established […]
AusNet Services trial battery-supported network
Utility Journalist Batteries & Storage, Company news, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, News, Projects 0In an Australian first, AusNet Services is trialling a one megawatt (MW) ‘network’ battery to support the electricity grid during peak demand periods. Housed in four 20-foot shipping containers in a Thomastown industrial estate, the battery system – known as the Grid Energy Storage System (GESS) – is the company’s latest innovation to efficiently meet peak demand and reduce investment. […]
By John Bradley, Chief Executive Officer – Energy Networks Association In the first edition of Utility I wrote that 2014 promised to be a busy year for those interested in the energy supply chain. As expected – a year is a long time in the energy industry. Since last year Australia has added the equivalent of a large power station […]
Cost-reflective pricing: giving consumers the power of choice
Utility Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Policy, Projects, Retail 0The Australian Energy Market Commission has released the final determination on distribution network pricing arrangements, setting out a number of reforms to the National Energy Market (NEM) at both state and federal levels as part of the Power of Choice reforms. This will be achieved through an incentive-based network regulation framework that rewards customers for behaviour that helps the network […]
COAG dismisses gas reservation possibility
Utility Journalist Demand management, Gas, News, Policy 0The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council has dismissed the idea of possible gas market interventions via a ‘gas reservation’ policy or ‘national interest test’. Gas industry body APPEA states that this decision “is clear recognition such calls present no viable way to securing gas supply and putting downward pressure on gas prices”. APPEA Chief Executive David Byers said: […]
Water industry embracing intelligent water networks
Utility Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, News, Sustainability, Water 0An online survey and in-depth interviews conducted with urban water businesses in Australia and New Zealand by Smart Water Research Centre has shown 80 per cent of respondents are actively pursuing smart metering or intelligent water networks. Momentum for these projects continues to grow in the region as businesses pursue pilot and operational projects. “It is clear that urban water […]
Cost-reflective network pricing enables power of choice
Utility Journalist Demand management, Electricity, News, Policy, Retail 0Changes to the National Electricity Rules effective from 1 December will require regulated network companies to structure their prices to better reflect the consumption choices of individual consumers. Under these changes, network prices will reflect the costs of providing the electricity to consumers with different patterns of consumption. The new rules follow extensive consultation over the past year, and take […]
Thousands of homeowners across Queensland are set to participate in the state’s largest annual research project of household energy use. The sixth Queensland Household Energy Survey started the week 27 October, with more than 3500 home owners and renters being asked a range of key questions regarding current and planned energy use. The survey aims to identify trends in household […]
National Energy Efficiency Conference 2014
Utility Journalist Demand management, Electricity, News 0The National Energy Efficiency Conference 2014 is taking place at Swissôtel Sydney, on 11-12 November 2014. Australia’s leading event for energy efficiency, cogeneration and demand management, the National Energy Efficiency Conference brings together over 200 professionals from across the sector for two days of keynote presentations, technical session, workshops and networking. Conference highlights include keynote speeches from The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, NSW […]
Desalination plants: the insurance policy we have to have
Utility Journalist Demand management, Desalination, Features, Projects, Sustainability, Water 0Desalination plants have had a rough start to life in Australia – their critics are many and they argue that they are too expensive to build, too expensive to run and ultimately unnecessary. However Keith Davies, Chief Executive Officer of Sydney Desalination Plant, argues that on the planet’s driest continent, desalination plants are the insurance policy we simply have to […]
A word from the ENA
Utility Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Renewable Energy 0By John Bradley, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Networks Association At some point in the last five years, Australia’s energy policy debate started to feel more like an episode of Jerry Springer than the 7.30 Report. From carbon policy to renewables, from claims of gold-plating to utility death spirals, energy policy debate in Australia is too divisive to advance the long-term […]
Smart Grid, Smart City: the future of Australia’s electricity networks
Utility Journalist Asset management, Civil Construction, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, Maintenance, Policy, Projects, Sustainability 0Over four years, the Smart Grid, Smart City project saw the trial of Australia’s first commercial-scale smart grid rollout. The final report, released in July 2014, offers valuable insights into smart grid technologies and their adoption, and provides a variety of recommendations spanning the breadth of the energy sector. Why smart grids? The […]
Green Paper recommends reform in natural gas policy
Utility Journalist Demand management, Electricity, Gas, News, Pipelines 0The National Energy Green Paper highlights some of the reforms needed to enhance Australia’s international competitiveness and improve the oil and gas industry’s ability to supply both domestic and export markets. An improved energy policy framework, including a reform of Australia’s labour markets, would remove unnecessary barriers to continued investment in exploration and production and enable the industry to increase […]
Energy efficiency in the spotlight
Utility Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, News, Renewable Energy, Sustainability 0Registrations are now open for the National Energy Efficiency Conference 2014, which will take place at Swissôtel Sydney on 11 and 12 November. Delivered by the Energy Efficiency Council, the conference will see global efficiency experts, business leaders, senior policy makers and major energy users come together to explore the biggest issues currently facing the energy efficiency sector. Critical issues […]
Bringing about the power of choice
Utility Journalist Asset management, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, Policy, Retail 0In late 2012, the Australian Energy Market Commission’s Power of Choice review recommended substantial reforms to the National Energy Market (NEM) at both state and federal levels. These reforms aim to support the electricity market in meeting consumer needs over the next 15-20 years and provide consumers with a greater variety of options regarding their electricity use. Following extensive industry […]
ERM Power enters metering market
Utility Journalist Company news, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, News, Retail 0ERM Power is breaking into the contestable electricity metering market after its new metering business was given regulatory approval to begin operations. ERM Power’s wholly-owned subsidiary Powermetric Metering Pty Ltd has received accreditation from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to provide metering and meter data services to large business customers. Chief Executive Officer Philip St Baker said network companies, […]
Improved power supplies for Mid-West
Utility Journalist Company news, Demand management, Electricity, Maintenance, News, Renewable Energy 0Towns in Western Australia’s Mid-West region will benefit from a reliable new power supply which Horizon Power forecasts will save taxpayers millions of dollars. Energy Minister Mike Nahan recently announced a new power purchase agreement with WA company Contract Power Australia for the supply of electricity to the Mid-West towns of Cue, Meekatharra, Yalgoo, Wiluna, Sandstone, and Mount Magnet. “This […]
New SA to VIC interconnector planned for Black Range
Utility Journalist Civil Construction, Demand management, Electricity, News, Projects, Renewable Energy, Retail 0A new electrical installation will be constructed at Black Range as an important part of the South Australia to Victoria Interconnector Upgrade project. The South Australia – Victoria Interconnector Upgrade project has been jointly developed by ElectraNet, the owner and manager of South Australia’s electricity transmission network, and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). The project involves the installation of […]
Balancing act: future-proofing Australia’s electricity network
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