nbn has responded to a report which estimated a future value of the National Broadband Network from 2015 to 2030, with nbn stating that the values are not accurate. The Infrastructure Australia report, Modelling of potential policy reforms, drew on information contained in nbn-related reports including the 2013 strategic review, the 2010 implementation study, the 2014 cost-benefit analysis volumes one […]
Retail
Report suggests nbn privatisation
Jessica Dickers Features, News, Policy, Retail, Telecommunications 0A new Infrastructure Australia report is recommending the nbn be split into distinct business units and privatised. The report, Australian Infrastructure Plan: Priorities and reforms for our nation’s future proposes that the Australian Government should split nbn into distinct business units to encourage infrastructure competition, promote private investment, and allow for specialisation in managing different networks. The report says the […]
Tesla teams up with Australian distributors
Jessica Dickers Batteries & Storage, Company news, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Retail, Solar, Sustainability, Telecommunications 0The biggest name in energy storage for 2015, Tesla, has teamed up with a number of Australian distributors to bring their low-cost batteries into homes in 2016. In December, Tesla and Origin Energy announced that they had teamed up, with Origin acting as a retailer of Tesla’s Powerwall battery storage option. The Tesla Powerwall is a wall mounted rechargeable lithium […]
Embedded networks: are utilities ready to embrace the opportunities?
Jessica Dickers Batteries & Storage, Electricity, Embedded networks, Policy, Renewable Energy, Retail 0by Dan Howard, Partner, Clayton Utz While much recent attention has been focused on distribution and transmission networks, and pressure on their returns, the role of the embedded network has also been facing significant change. In many ways, the embedded network is at the leading edge of network development and is a barometer for the success or otherwise of our […]
Analysing the options: what’s best when it comes to big data?
Jessica Dickers Asset management, Big Data, Digital Utilities, Retail, Sponsored Editorial, Telecommunications 0There’s a sea of options available to utilities when it comes to measuring and analysing the data they have access to. We spoke to Sanjay Krishnaa, Senior Vice President & APAC Head of engineering and technology-based solutions provider Cyient to find out more. What are the biggest challenges facing utilities that want to begin using real time meter data or […]
Hunter Water seeks to renew contracts
Jessica Dickers Company news, News, Pipelines, Retail, Stakeholder Engagement, Water 0Hunter Water is contacting customers near Dungog, NSW who draw water directly from the Chichester Trunk Gravity Main (CTGM) to remind them that they need to have a second source of water. Hunter Water requires the 71 properties to renew their water contracts in order to avoid disruptions to their supply. Hunter Water are trying to avoid a repeat of […]
AGL’s new major storage investment
Jessica Dickers Batteries & Storage, Company news, Electricity, News, Projects, Retail, Sustainability 0AGL has announced a US$20million investment in a US-based energy storage company, in order to enhance its energy storage management capabilities. AGL’s investment in Sunverge Energy will also help to accelerate the adoption of energy storage in the Australian market. As part of the agreement, AGL is the exclusive channel partner for the sales of Sunverge’s intelligent energy storage systems […]
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that gas provides almost as much energy as electricity to Australians but costs 60 per cent less. The statistics come from the ABS report, Energy Accounts Australia 2013-14 and show that gas and electricity supplied almost the same amount of energy to households within that year. Australian Pipelines and Gas Association Chief Executive, […]
The brave new world of personalised energy
Jessica Dickers Big Data, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Gas, Retail, Stakeholder Engagement, Telecommunications 0by Greg Guthridge, AsiaPacific Utilities Lead, Accenture In an everchanging world of digital devices and new technologies, there is an unprecedented demand for personalised energy options, shifting how Australian consumers interact with utilities and ultimately how the utility businesses run. Welcome to the brave new world of personalised energy, where utilities must utilise the streams of data at their disposal […]
Level measurement for any setting
Jessica Dickers Features, News, Retail, Sponsored Editorial, Water 0Whether it’s continuous level measurement, point level measurement, or a combination of the two, SICK has a wide range of solutions for process control, storage, and protection. Whatever the requirements of the installation situation, the nature of the liquids involved, or the prevailing measuring conditions, the aim always remains the same: to enable efficient processes. With its LFP Cubic and […]
Saving Victorians money on energy bills
Jessica Dickers Electricity, News, Projects, Retail, Stakeholder Engagement, Telecommunications 0The Victorian Government has launched a price comparison website to help Victorians save money on their power bills. Victoria Energy Compare is an independent comparison website that has every generally available electricity, gas and solar tariff on the market, and allows consumers to use their energy usage to find a deal that can save them on their bill. The average […]
Supporting renewables in Gippsland
Jessica Dickers Batteries & Storage, Electricity, News, People and appointments, Projects, Renewable Energy, Retail, Solar, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability 0The Victorian Government is encouraging businesses in Gippsland to develop renewable energy projects through the $20million New Energy Jobs Fund. The fund will support growth in the uptake of renewable energy generation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, drive innovation in new energy technologies, and assist community groups to develop renewable energy projects. Advances in technology have triggered a wave of ‘smart’ […]
A new Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC) report exploring future global business deals in the power industry, predicts a slow turn after 2016 if current business models don’t evolve with new technologies. The report, Power & Renewables Deals-2016 outlook and 2015 review, also highlights a surge in Asia Pacific power deals and a strong global demand for renewables. PwC Energy, Utilities […]
Drones take flight: from fad to powerhouse
Jessica Dickers Condition Assessment, Digital Utilities, Drones, Electricity, Land access, Maintenance, Powerlines, Retail, Safety and Training, Substations, Water 0In recent years, the uses for drones have dramatically expanded, as online retailers, the construction industry, wildlife rangers and the media, to name just a few, explore the ways drones can make their day-to-day operations easier, safer and more efficient. Utilities have also been quick to explore the potential applications for drones, and here we take a look at the […]
Inmarsat voice services now in Aus
Jessica Dickers Company news, News, Retail, Stakeholder Engagement, Telecommunications 0Australian mobile satellite provider, Pivotel Satellite, has launched the Inmarsat voice service for its customers. The addition of Inmarsat means Pivotel customers can now use global L-band voice connectivity throughout Australia. Pivotel is known for providing standard “04” Australian mobile numbers across its range of satellite voice services and until now, Inmarsat satellite voice customers in Australia have been unable […]
The Victorian Government has introduced new regulations for energy companies which include tougher penalties and new consumer protection obligations. The Energy Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Act 2015 has strengthened consumer protections in the energy sector and the enforcement powers of the regulator, Essential Services Commission. The new legislation includes doubling the payment that energy retailers must make to wrongfully disconnected […]
Grants to support renewable energy
Jessica Dickers Electricity, News, Projects, Renewable Energy, Retail, Sustainability 0The Victorian Government are awarding grants to renewable energy projects in order to support the growth of renewables and create industry jobs. Under the $20million New Energy Jobs Fund, the Victorian Government will help Victorian communities and businesses develop renewable projects by providing grants of between $50,000 and $1million. Under exceptional circumstances, up to $2million can also be made available […]
Energy reshuffle lowers electricity bills
Jessica Dickers Company news, Electricity, News, Policy, Retail 0The Northern Territory Government’s restructuring of the Power and Water Corporation has resulted in reduced electricity tariffs and significant savings for families. Northern Territory Chief Minister, Adam Giles, said electricity tariffs would be reduced by five per cent from 1 January 2016. A CPI increase of up to 2.5 per cent had also been ruled out. “This means a saving […]
Origin now selling Tesla Powerwall batteries
Jessica Dickers Batteries & Storage, Company news, Electricity, News, Renewable Energy, Retail, Solar 0Origin Energy has begun selling Tesla Powerwall home battery solutions to be installed in February 2016. The Tesla Powerwall is a wall mounted rechargeable lithium ion battery which is suitable for indoor and outdoor installation. Origin Chief Executive Officer Energy Markets, Frank Calabria, said, “By offering rooftop solar with home batteries, Origin is able to provide households with greater control […]
APGA calls for focus on gas economy
Jessica Dickers Gas, News, Policy, Retail, Stakeholder Engagement 0Australian Gas and Pipeline Association is calling on ministers to focus on the critical role that gas plays in the Australian economy. Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) Chief Executive, Cheryl Cartwright, said, “The challenge for ministers – and the nation – is securing sufficient gas supply to ensure its key roles are maintained,” Ms Cartwright said. APGA said development […]
Ioana gas storage rights secured
Jessica Dickers Company news, Contracts awarded, Gas, News, Policy, Projects, Retail 0One of Australia’s leading energy companies has secured the long-term gas rights utilising the Iona Gas Storage Facility. AGL Energy Limited (AGL) has entered into a 15-year Gas Storage Services Agreement (GSSA) for the provision of gas storage services from the Iona Gas Storage Facility. The facility will be owned and operated by a consortium managed by QIC on behalf […]
Natural gas production will more than double in the next five years, a new report predicts. The latest Resources and Energy Quarterly released by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science confirms the strong contribution the oil and gas industry is making to Australia’s economy. The quarterly report found that the growth rate of 0.9 per cent that occurred during […]
TransGrid lease reaps $10billion for NSW
Jessica Dickers Company news, Electricity, News, Policy, Retail 0The NSW Government has announced a $10billion lease of electricity asset TransGrid, providing billions of dollars for new infrastructure. NSW Premier, Mike Baird, and Treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, said that the transaction will deliver gross proceeds of $10.258 billion which will help fund several infrastructure projects across the state as part of the Government’s ‘Rebuilding NSW’ plan. The successful Australian-led group […]
Challenges for battery storage
Jessica Dickers Batteries & Storage, Electricity, Features, News, Renewable Energy, Retail, Solar, Sustainability 0Battery storage may not be economically viable or able to manage peak demand, new research suggests. New research from the University of Queensland, commissioned by Ergon Energy, has found that battery storage faces several challenges in the future. The research found that battery storage is not yet at a price point to make it economically viable for mass uptake and […]
The Australian Energy Regulator for Australian Gas Networks and ActewAGL have released draft decisions detailing falling network charges for gas customers in SA and the ACT. Energy Networks Association CEO, John Bradley, said falling gas network charges meant lower retail gas bills for customers using this low-emission energy source. “Falling network costs is good news for customers and it is […]
Sale of water to benefit Vic irrigators
Jessica Dickers Contracts awarded, Irrigation, News, Projects, Retail, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability, Water 0The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has sold environmental water allocations for $6.458 million to be used to improve the Murray Darling Basin. Of the 22.864 gigalitres sold, more than 95 per cent was bought by Victorian Goulburn and Murray irrigators. The remaining allocations were sold to primary producers in South Australia. The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, Mr David Papps, said […]
New AEMC rules for energy companies
Jessica Dickers Electricity, Embedded networks, News, Policy, Retail 0The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has released new retail rules that remove the networks’ effective metering monopoly, giving consumers access to more energy services. AEMC Chairman, John Pierce, said,“It is consumers themselves who are in the best position to decide what works for them – and much of our work over the past five years has been about providing […]
Battery trial tests energy future
Jessica Dickers Electricity, News, Projects, Renewable Energy, Retail, Sustainability 0Horizon Power (WA) has combined with China’s Lishen Power on an industrial battery trial in Carnarvon that aims to lower the cost of energy demand through battery storage. Energy Minister, Mike Nahan, recently announced that two industrial batteries capable of delivering up to two megawatts (MW) of power will be used in the trial at Horizon Power’s Mungullah Power Station, […]
Icon Water pricing under review
Jessica Dickers Company news, News, Policy, Retail, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0The ACT Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) have released a discussion paper reviewing Icon Water’s tariff structure. The paper is the first step in its review of Icon Water’s water and sewage services tariffs. Senior Commissioner, Malcolm Gray, said, “The current structure of Icon Water’s water and sewage services tariffs has served the ACT community well over the last […]
Balancing act: future-proofing Australia’s electricity network
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