AGL Energy is reaffirming its commitment to the proposed Queensland Coopers Gap Wind Farm by progressing a revised Initial Assessment Report (IAR). AGL’s new Coopers Gap Wind Farm project manager, Neil Cooke, said AGL is reaffirming its commitment to the wind farm project by progressing development activities. “Coopers Gap Wind Farm remains AGL’s foremost renewable energy project in Queensland with […]
The latest project news, developments and opinion pieces from industry experts from Australia’s electricity industry.
By: Aleks Zids, Quest Events As Australia’s energy infrastructure transitions away from fossil fuels and towards a low carbon and increasingly distributed future there are difficult questions and decisions to be made concerning the future of the sector. There is a two-fold energy challenge – meeting the needs of millions of consumers and high energy intensive companies with low-cost, reliable […]
NSW Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, Anthony Roberts, has introduced legislation that makes NSW the first state in Australia to support a voluntary, market-led rollout of smart meters. Mr Roberts said the Electricity Supply (Advanced Meters) Bill 2016 supports the rollout, which will lead to innovation in product development and improved services for customers. “Around 40,000 smart meters have already […]
The Western Australian Electrical Trades Union has responded to the proposed sale of Western Power with warnings that privatising the utility will undermine bushfire safety. In response to the recent downgrading of Western Australia’s credit rating, WA Premier Colin Barnett and Treasurer Mike Nahan confirmed the Government was considering the privatisation of Western Power’s poles and wires. ETU WA Branch Secretary, […]
Water is a natural resource that the human race cannot live without, so the need to access and transport this essential liquid has been critical for centuries. While the need is still the same as it was centuries ago, technology has come a long way and today provides us with pumping stations that allow the movement of water from one […]
The Victorian Government has introduced a bill that will make it easier for households and small business with rooftop solar to connect to the electricity grid. Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, introduced the National Electricity (Victoria) Further Amendment Bill 2015, to switch Victoria to national arrangements for connection, which require electricity distributors to follow tighter timeframes when […]
Victorian customers are helping AGL and United Energy in the first retailer-led trial investigating how emerging technologies can help with energy demand in hot weather and reduce energy costs. AGL is currently undertaking the demand response trial with 68 residential customers in Carrum Downs with local network provider United Energy. All customer homes have had cloud-interfaced air conditioning units installed […]
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $8.4million in funding for Canadian Solar and Scouller Energy to construct a solar farm in Queensland. The 5MW DC (4.5 MW AC) Normanton Solar Farm will be jointly owned by Canadian Solar and Scouller Energy and be located near Normanton in far North-West Queensland. Canadian Solar Australia has been contracted to construct […]
Horizon Power will develop five, off-grid solar-powered energy systems following damage to the electricity network caused by bushfires in Esperance in late 2015. The stand-alone systems will power properties in the region, using solar power and lithium ion batteries for energy storage. WA Energy Minister, Mike Nahan, said lithium ion batteries will store solar power generated in the stand-alone power […]
By Patricia Alfaro, Conference Director, Australian Energy Week 2016 Australia’s energy industry is undergoing a significant transformation as the sector decarbonises, decentralises and digitalises, and as consumers become increasingly engaged and active. These significant market forces are compelling the existing players in the market to rethink their business strategies, with many leading utilities realigning their executive teams and organisational structures […]
APGA Chief Executive, Cheryl Cartwright, said privately owned transmission infrastructure which delivers natural gas to households saves on customer energy bills, with gas costing less than half the price of electricity. At the Australian Domestic Gas Outlook 2016 conference, Ms Cartwright said Australian households consume almost equal amounts of gas and electricity, but the cost of gas per energy unit […]
Victorian Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, Lisa Neville, and Member for Buninyong, Geoff Howard, have announced the contractor selected to design and build the mini hydro-electric power station at Lal Lal Reservoir. Tamar Hydro has been awarded the contract for the hydro-electric power station, located south-east of Ballarat, following a tender process run by Central Highlands Water. Victorian […]
The former CEO of Western Power has been announced as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TransGrid. TransGrid has appointed Paul Italiano as its new CEO, effective from mid-2016. Having recently completed its 99 year lease transaction from a State Owned Corporation to private ownership, TransGrid is focused on providing a safe, reliable and efficient electricity transmission and related […]
Western Power has completed a project to move 6.5km of powerlines underground, as part of restoration efforts following the January 2016 bushfire in Waroona, Western Australia. More than 300 Western Power employees worked on rebuilding the network after the fire destroyed almost 950 poles and approximately 50km of powerlines. Western Power’s Asset Operations Executive Manager, Dave Fyfe, said the Waroona […]
The Moree Solar Farm in New South Wales has achieved first generation and is now providing 56MV of renewable energy into the National Electricity Market. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) welcomed the news that the solar farm was producing enough energy to power up to 15,000 homes. Moree Solar Farm was developed by […]
Australia has a new energy retailer aiming to help consumers use more renewable energy and reduce their power consumption. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and SBCVC have backed a $5million Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund investment into new retailer, Mojo Power. ARENA CEO, Ivor Frischknecht, said Mojo Power was a home-grown Australian business and the world’s first energy retailer, […]
Arc faults have been a hot topic in the electrical industry for more than a decade with much of the discussion centred on aging oil-based medium voltage switchgear and the increased risk that they pose. While the risk of an arc fault still exists in modern medium voltage switchgear, both the likelihood and the damage they can cause are greatly […]
The 2016 Australian Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition will provide a forum for engaging debates about energy storage solutions at the fringe of the grid as well as remote and mining communities. Australia’s dedicated energy storage event will take place between 1 – 2 June at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney. The organising committee in conjunction with Principal Event […]
Jemena has announced the opening of the Eastern Gas Pipeline (EGP) expansion, which connects gas from Victoria’s Gippsland Basin to the east coast market. The expansion has increased capacity of the pipeline by 20 per cent, and will provide for the growing demand for natural gas on Australia’s east coast. The EGP is a 797km pipeline transporting gas from Victoria’s […]
The Western Australian Government and Western Power plan to develop an electricity microgrid to improve reliability between the Geraldton and Kalbarri communities. WA Energy Minister, Mike Nahan, has announced that Western Power will contribute $300,000 towards a feasibility study to develop a microgrid, to support the 140km network between the regions. “The Kalbarri microgrid will be an important test for […]
The Australian Competition Tribunal has handed down its decisions on the limited merits review of the Australian Energy Regulator’s April and June 2015 electricity and gas revenue decisions in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. These appeals were brought by the NSW and ACT electricity and gas distribution network businesses seeking greater revenue to be recovered from customers […]
The Tasmanian Government and Hydro Tasmania have approved temporary measures to ensure the continuation of the state’s energy supply following detection of a fault in the Basslink cable in January 2016. Tasmanian Minister for Energy, Matthew Groom, said the Tasmanian Government, in conjunction with Hydro Tasmania, has developed an energy supply plan, which includes the installation of diesel generators at […]
Territory Generation has selected the contractor for its Tennant Creek Power Station upgrade, after the Northern Territory Government announced it will invest $26million in the project. Clarke Energy has been selected as the contractor for the upgrade and will supply and install three of GE’s high-efficiency, gas-fired, spark ignition Jenbacher J612 reciprocating gas engines, which will be located adjacent to […]
EY Oceania Power and Utilities Leader, Matt Rennie, predicts 2016 will be a big year for utilities with a surge in renewable energy investment, a shift in the way customers interact with the energy sector and Government asset sales set to dominate deal value. These predictions follow the release of EY’s global report, Power transactions and trends: 2015 review and […]
South East Water has collaborated on a new housing development built on the site of a decommissioned purification plant, which aims to increase water efficiently in Melbourne’s south east. The soon to be launched Aquarevo estate is a collaboration between South East Water and Villawood Properties and will try to cut household demand for mains drinking water by 70 per cent. […]
The Victorian town of Newstead is now a step closer to becoming the first to be powered by 100 per cent locally generated renewable energy, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Powercor Australia. Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, visited Newstead to witness the signing between Powercor Australia and the community group driving the project, Newstead 2021. […]
Arc faults have been a hot topic in the electrical industry for more than a decade, with much of the discussion centred on aging oil-based medium voltage switchgear and the increased risk that it poses. While the risk of an arc fault still exists in modern medium voltage switchgear, both the likelihood that it will occur and the damage it can cause […]
The South Australia’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission has highlighted the critical role of natural gas in Australia’s energy future. The inquiry found that nuclear energy would not be commercially viable to supply baseload electricity to the South Australian subregion of the National Electricity Market from 2030, the earliest date for its possible introduction. Instead, it points to a growing […]
With many existing water treatment plant control systems using aging equipment and operating beyond recommended life expectancy, new upgrades are often required to avoid costly breakdowns and loss of service. However, deciding when to upgrade or if you should upgrade at all, is an important decision that can be overlooked at times and considered too difficult, which then places unnecessary […]
Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, announced that almost $2.5billion in renewable energy projects have been proposed in response to the Queensland Government’s energy policies. Ms Palaszczuk said the Queensland Government’s energy policies aimed to increase renewables’ share of the Queensland energy mix, to reduce emissions, and boost jobs and regional development. “We have been overwhelmed by the response from the private […]
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