Flicking the Switch on Peak Days Could It Really Change Australia’S Energy Future?

ISSUE 105 | APRIL 18 OFFICIALLY ENDORSED BY THE CLEAN ENERGY COUNCIL

Flicking the switch on peak days Could it really change Australia’s energy future?

241

Place name LEGEND Storage FRONIUS ENERGY PACKAGE kWh/m2/day 24 HOURS OF SUN Solar radiation Solar 4.25 - 4.50 1 Commissioned www.fronius.com.au 5.50 - 5.75 1 Commissioned 6.50 - 6.75 4.00 - 4.25 1 Under construction 47 5.25 - 5.50 1 Under construction 6.25 - 6.50 3.75 - 4.00 1 Project 5.00 - 5.25 1 Project 6.00 - 6.25 2.75 - 3.75 19 4.50 - 5.00 5.75 - 6.00 DARWIN 16 23 24

The New CBI Battery Storage 239 22 45 MCB Range. 243 104

Up to 250 A 80 Vdc Circuit Breakers & Enclosure Solar Map of 109 106 www.cbi-electric.com.au Cairns » 1800 770 870 »

Australia 2018 244 before February 2018. The Solar Map 2018 represents major solar projects across Australia of 1MW or greater that are planned, under construction or were commissioned 74 57

Source data courtesy of Sustainable Energy Research Analytics, Sydney | ph: (02) 8067 8468, email: [email protected] 91 Compiled and published by Paragon Media Pty Ltd | ph: (02) 9439 1955, email: [email protected] 116 Townsville Visit ecogeneration.com.au for the latest news on Australian solar projects. 49 86 50 70 52 111 For additional copies of this map, visitenquiries the EcoGeneration email [email protected] online shop at ecogeneration.com.au/shop and for advertising 80 81 118 Broome 97 105 94 This map is a schematic representation only. It does not show exact project locations. 120 48 55 114 NORTHERN TERRITORY 61 58 56 101 125 Commissioned: 12MW solar 240 63 245 59 119 Under construction: zero Project: 47MW solar 108123 127 113 100 8 107

98 71 21 53 121 WESTERN AUSTRALIA 72 99 79 Free engineer Commissioned: 22MW solar/22MWh storage 246117 103 96 Under construction: 32MW solar/0.5MWh storage 43 64 62 54 84 with every power system. 3 Project: 2,321MW solar/13MWh storage 92 78 129 73 85 224 QUEENSLAND 4 Commissioned: 51MW solar 102 17 Under construction: 1,098MW solar/9.3MWh storage 20 Project: 11,099MW solar/6,578MWh storage =

Exmouth 87 95 112 223 83 For enquiries call 18 89 1300 364 877 242 67 68 76

77 90 122 44 88 69 sustainable energy 75 126 82 51 110124 sera researcha rystad energy analytics company 225 128 60 1 93 Australia’s largest SOUTH AUSTRALIA 66 BRISBANE Commissioned: 1MW solar/129.5MWh storage 46 115 data, research and insights Under construction: 226MW solar independent O&M into the renewable energy Project: 2,784MW solar/2,930-3,100MWh storage industry in australia service provider. • wind • storage 230 solar Coober Pedy 131 141 to explore 179 140 149 Visit www.seranalytics.com NEW SOUTH WALES 157 +61 2 9867 5500 a FREE version of the SERA Tracker 171 170 [email protected] Commissioned: 222MW solar 25 235 163 www.twps.com.au 37 Under construction: 318MW solar 190 15 156 159 248 228 Project: 5,530MW solar/3,816MWh storage 183 Bankable asset 130 management for 188 161 11 2 132 renewable energy 250 172 Geraldton 33 developments 41 139 23427 165 26 236 144 151 u Operation 30 u Commissioning 29 Port Augusta 147 152 Construction 32238 231 229 168 155 189 232 39 181 237 136 137 Over 690 MW of renewable energy successfully managed 28 174 Newcastle 35 34 Port Pirie 173 5 40 167 249 12 36 Bathurst 158 www.cwpam.com.au 42 9 31 191 207 233 Ground Floor, Block E, 34 [email protected] St, Bruce ACT 2617 203 206 SYDNEY 10 210 187 6 197 199 148 138 180 FREE +61 (0)2 6100 2122 Email: Phone: 218 160 142 134 227 198 145 184 133 253 150 154 14 202 135 169 176 143 221 7 146 178 162 196 Wollongong New Solar inverter series UNO-DM-PLUS PERTH 201 164 252 13 ADELAIDE 195 186 Efficient. Connected. Smart 226 38 175 185 Esperance Port Lincoln 200 247251 192 193 www.abb.com/solarinverters 213 166 153 194 217 219 216 177 182 209 CANBERRA 208 211 Commissioned: 46MW solar 212 220 VICTORIA 214 205 Under construction: zero “Jacobs, providing solutions Project: 50MW solar 204 for a more connected, Bendigo this is thesustainable only one world” done!!! 254 Commissioned: 3MW solar Ballarat Albany Under construction: 248MW solar MELBOURNE [email protected] Project: 1,557MW solar/194MWh storage jacobsworldwide Geelong jacobs 215

102 2 208 Wunghnu Numurkah Phase 2 66 27 195 Mount Majura 50 209 60 Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Perth | Adelaide | Darwin | Hobart 196 Capital Solar 210 Red Cliffs 48 195 183 Gunnedah 24 Tatura East Currawarra 184 Leeton 22 211 150 186 VICTORIA 3 Maryvale 185 Wagga Wagga 16 212 Numurkah Phase 1 42 36 119 Collinsville Solar stage 2 36 35 151 180 Mildura 120 186 Environa 15 197 95 213 Greenswitch 35 120 Bowen 34 152 Wellington 140 TASMANIA 75 86 Townsville South 120 198 Wemen 88 153 Finley 138 187 Gidginbung 12 214 Mooroopna 30 87 Childers 121 Middlemount 33 199 Bannerton 50 1 53 Clermont 68 Carrick 188 Bogan River 5 215 Kig Energy Chinchilla (Hadstone) 115 122 Kingaroy 33 154 137 Gannawarra Project 54 Emerald (RES) 57 88 Summerhill 5 200 15 2000 110 Glenella 155 Mumbil 189 216 Grey Box Energy Field 30 Whitsunday 89 Teebar Stages 2 & 3 112 112 123 30 201 Swan Hill 250 244 Kidston Stage 2 500 26 Bungala Phase 2 110 55 57 Gunnedah (Photon) 127 190 Moorabilla 3 CleanGEN 2-Kerang 30 600 28/2/18 11:51 am Dalby 30 156 120 217 SOLAR SITES Hamilton Solar 50 90 Chinchilla 110 124 Dareton 202 Nowingi 250 232 Whyalla Steel 400 245 Burdekin Hydro 50 27 Bungala Phase 1 56 157 Narrabri 112 191 CleanGEN 1-Red Cliffs 30 91 Rollingstone 125 Cloncurry 20 Mallee Solar Park 218 30 Barcaldine Stage 2 IN MEGAWATTS Whyalla (SSE) Stage 1 6 57 Kidston Solar 50 110 ewongle 203 130 IN MEGAWATTS 233 Riverland Solar 246 28 Chinchilla 14 158 Br 110 219 Acciona-Kerang STORAGE 11 58 Hayman 42 92 Emerald 100 126 AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL 204 Horsham 120 234 Port Augusta Renewable Energy WESTERN AUSTRALIA 29 Whyalla Steel Phase 2 480 159 Orange Grove 110 Launceston 300-400 11/3/18 10:38 am 93 Yarranlea 100 127 Paget Solar Farm 10 Glenrowan 220 Wangaratta Solar Farm 20 20 WESTERN AUSTRALIA 11 NEW SOUTH WALES 16 1 De Grussa 10 Port Augusta Renewable 59 Collinsville Solar 25 Hay Sun Farm TERRITORY 20 205 112 Park Phase 2 200 Mapads.indd 3 30 369 Ebenezer 160 105 Ouyen Mount Newman Tarleigh Park 2 Greenough River Oakey Solar 22 94 Upper Haughton 128 TBC Royalla Solar 206 Yatpool 112 221 223 Kingfisher 247 3600 Energy Park 60 161 Nevertire 100 192 13 235 200 Karratha Airport Solar Farm 1 Hughenden 95 Susan River Solar 100 100 129 Blackwater Karadoc 224 Marble Bar/Nullagine 0.5 1 248 Oven Mountain 3 31 Riverland Solar Storage 330 61 15 Springdale 193 Mugga Lane 11 207 236 Cultana 162 100 Jemalong Hybrid Solar Park 50 4 Marble Bar/Nullagine 1 20 62 Longreach Solar 96 Lilyvale Williamsdale 225 De Grussa 0.5 Crystal Brook Energy Park 30-100 249 66 32 Port Augusta Renewable Energy300 NEW SOUTH WALES 102 163 Metz 100 194 Mapads.indd 2 237 1100 5 Emu Downs 10 63 Kennedy Energy Park 15 11 97 Haughton Stage 1 100 100 226 Garden Island 10 250 Dunedoo 44 Park Phase 2 250 130 Nyngan Solar 56 164 Bomen 95 HOBART 238 Aurora 6 Northam Solar 2 64 Barcaldine II 5 98 Dysart 100 Northam 251 Currawarra 40 33 Yorkeys Crossing 200 Moree Solar 53 165 Beryl 90 227 3 Garden Island 99 Crinum Creek 100 131 5 7 Whyalla Steel 65 Normanton 2000 Tarleigh Park 228 Kalbarri QUEENSLAND 252 Bomen 34 Copabella 132 Broken Hill Solar 10 166 85 8 Asian Renewable 2000 66 Bulli Creek 1000 100 100 239 Lakeland 35 Whyalla (SSE) Stage 2 150 140 133 Gullen Solar Farm 167 Hillston 70 Energy Hub 100 67 Wandoan South 800 101 Collinsville North 100 SOUTH AUSTRALIA 240 Kennedy Energy Park 4 8 VICTORIA 160 36 Whyalla 125 134 Shellharbour Shopping Centre150 1 168 Goonumbla 66 9 Merredin 100 Lower Wonga 102 Baralaba 96 Hornsdale Power Reserve 129 Yorke Peninsula 253 Nowingi 37 Kingfisher 110 68 Coleambally 169 Glen Moira 60 229 241 4000 Cunderdin Solar 103 Tieri 80 135 51 Bulgana Green Power Hub 34 10 45 Tailem Bend 69 Western Downs (Neoen) 550 400 Narrabri South 230 Coober Pedy Renewable 0.5 242 Lower Wonga 20 254 38 100 Lakeland 136 Parkes Solar 49 170 55 11 Walkaway 2 40 70 Majors Creek 350 104 Hybrid Project 243 Lakeland 39 Port Germein 137 Manildra Solar 25 171 Wee Waa 55 400 500 100 12 Waddi Solar Farm 30 Clarke Creek 105 Burdekin Solar Farm 79 75 300 40 Crystal Brook 100 71 300 Griffith Solar 172 Dunedoo 200 231 Whyalla Steel Australian solar map inside 138 24 13 Byford 5 72 Broadsound 280 106 Chewko 60 0 100 Energy Park ) 80 139 Dubbo Solar 20 173 Jemalong Hybrid Solar Park 5045 14 Fremantle Solar 1 73 Bouldercombe 270 107 Rugby Run 60 41 Bungala (Reach) 50 140 White Rock Solar 600 174 Vales Point 45 15 Kalbarri 74 Kidston Stage 2 108 Mirani 60 kilometres 42 Snowtown North Sundown 175 Gregadoo 40 109 Mareeba 55 141 275 75 Western Downs Solar Project 250 Gilgandra NORTHERN TERRITORY Oakey 2 142 Darlington Point 263 176 38 QUEENSLAND 20 76 Delga 240 110 55 Darwin International Airport 4 3 143 Gunning Solar 250 177 Corowa 35 16 Barcaldine 77 Columboola 235 111 Koberinga 53 43 Wellington North 178 Junee 30 17 Uterne 2 2 Comet 112 Teebar 50 144 250 44 Sunshine Coast Solar Farm 15 11 78 215 179 Walgett 30 18 Yulara Nebo 50 145 Limondale 234 45 Lakeland 4 79 Gregory 113 Casuarina Shopping Centre 1 1 146 Kywong 220 180 Riverina 30 19 Chillamurra 80 Haughton stage 3 200 114 Kelsey Creek 44 46 1 Suntop 181 Molong 30 20 Uterne 1 1 Haughton Stage 2 200 115 Warwick 40 147 47 Weipa Solar Plant 150 81 150 182 Moama 21 TKLN Solar 25 116 Yabulu 148 Sunraysia Solar Farm 200 200 48 Daydream 125 82 Beelbee 140 22 Katherine Solar 12 117 Barcaldine Stage 2 40 37 149 Sapphire Solar 49 Sun Metals Solar 120 83 Aramara 125 23 Manton Dam 10 118 Clare II 50 Ross River Solar 84 Bluff Stage 2 125 24 Batchelor 51 Darling Downs Solar 110 100 85 Bluff Stage 1 SOUTH AUSTRALIA 52 Clare Solar 25 Coober Pedy Renewable Hybrid

BUSINESS OWNERS SEEING AUSTRALIA ON TRACK BREWING BY THE SUN THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT OF SOLAR FOR 2020 TARGET IN VICTORIA Page 40 Page 20 Page 74

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ECO0418_allads.indd 3 5/3/18 10:34 am ECO0218_Allads.indd 4 8/1/18 10:15 am ECO0218_Allads.indd 5 8/1/18 10:15 am ISSUE 105 | APRIL 2018

CONTENTS

SOLAR Business gets an energy rush...... 40 Maintenance - Respect the power...... 48 UQ Solar enablement initaitve gets underway...... 52 NSW government moves Sydney towards the sun...... 58 World’s first renewable trial in two NSW schools...... 26

SMART SYSTEMS Record year of investment for renewable sector ...... 20 Job market - Clean energy crunch time...... 22 STC’s: Where do we stand now?...... 64 58

REGULARS THE THE SOLAR INSTALLER From the editor...... 8 SOLAR April 2018 INSTALLING NON APPROVED PRODUCTS

BREWING BEER BY THE SUN

PROFILE: SPEEDING UP THE News in brief...... 10 INSTALLER TRANSITION TO SOLAR Industry update...... 14 Calendar of events...... 73

The solar installer PAGE 67 sponsored by: FEATURES

ECO418_SolarInstallerCover.indd 67

Five minutes with Andrew Coughlan...... 16 8/3/18 6:26 pm Energy’s Game of Thrones Pt 4...... 18 Panel: Demand management...... 34 THE SOLAR INSTALLER SA surges ahead in renewable leadership...... 44 Solar accreditation update...... 69 Leading from the front...... 56 Market wrap...... 70 Seeing the bigger picture from lighting to solar...... 57 What’s new...... 72 Australia’s most progressive city...... 62 Installer case study: Stomping Ground...... 74

ELECTRIC CARS Installer profile...... 76 Charging ahead in the sunshine state...... 30

HYDRO Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook @EcoGenMag facebook.com/EcoGenMag Is there an economic case for pumped hydro?...... 54

ECO418_Contents.indd 6 12/3/18 10:40 am ECO0418_allads.indd 7 28/2/18 11:35 am EDITORIAL

FROM THE EDITOR

Editor: Kylie Field t’s with great excitement that I take over the role of editor with [email protected] EcoGeneration and as I am quickly learning the road to a Art Director: Lee McLachlan Irenewable future looks like a long one but maybe not quite as Publisher: Ian Brooks long as it use to be. States like South Australia are showing the [email protected] Sales Director: Julie McConachy Commonwealth what can be done when government and [email protected] industry work together. Long may it continue! We are proud to Phone: 0409 381 813 bring you the 2018 solar map, which you’ll find in this month’s edition. The map represents the major solar projects across Published by: PARAGON MEDIA Australia of 1MW or greater that are either under construction or ABN: 49 097 087 860 SSN: 1447-2309 planned and it brings home just how many projects are underway PO Box 81, St Leonards, NSW 1590 across Australia. In this edition of EcoGeneration, we ask a Tel: +61 2 9439 1955 roundtable panel of experts the question: if incentives are offered Email: [email protected] during those rare peak days could the affect be massive for the www.ecogeneration.com.au electricity network and change the sector in Australia? (page32) We have a report on the status of STC’s - where do we stand now

(page 64) and we look at the economic case for pumped hydro OFFICIALLY ENDORSED BY THE CLEAN ENERGY COUNCIL ISSUE 105 | APRIL 18 (page 2) There’s also a feature on the Queensland governments recent announcement to increase EV chargers along the states

coastline which will create one of the world’s longest EV Flicking the switch on supercharge highways (page 30). Now if only the federal peak days Could it really change COVER IMAGE: government would change the import laws on second hand EV’s. Australia’s energy future? By Thorsten Schier/

FRONIUS ENERGY24 HOURS PACKAGE OF SUN 241 www.fronius.com.au

47 Place name Storage ed The New CBI Commission LEGENDSolar 1 Battery Storage ay Shutterstock Under construction kWh/m2/d 4.25 - 4.50 1 Commissioned 1 MCB Range. 5 Solar radiation 5.50 - 5.7 - 4.25 der construction Project 19 4.00 1 Un 1 23 6.50 - 6.75 5.25 - 5.50 DARWIN 16 osure 3.75 - 4.00 1 Project 24 239 akers & Encl 5 - 6.50 5 5 45 ircuit Bre 6.2 5.00 - 5.2 - 3.7 A 80 Vdc C 2.75 243 Up to 250 6.00 - 6.25 104 om.au 4.50 - 5.00 -electric.c 5.75 - 6.00 » www.cbi » 1800 770 870 22 109 106 Cairns

244 74 57

91 116 Townsville 49 86 50 70 52 111 8 80 81 11 94 97 105 120 Solar Map of 48 55 114 58 56 101 n or were commissioned 59 nstructio 61 245 119 240 63 108 123 125 127 f 1MW or greater that are planned, under co y 2018. 7 8468, email: [email protected] 113 h: (02) 806 generation.com.au lar projects across Australiabefore o Februar query@eco 100 Analytics, Sydney | p 55, email: s. vertising NORTHERN TERRITORY Australia 2018 represents major so gy Research | ph: (02) 9439 19 2018 Commissioned: 12MW solar 107 d n Australian solar project news o m.au/shop and for ad Broome Under construction: solar zero Free engineer The Solar Map tesy of Sustainable Ener y Paragon Media Pty Lt he latest p at ecogeneration.co Project: 47MW 98 ublished b ion.com.au for t m.au 71 Source data cour t ia.co roject locations. 53 121 Compiled and p 72 Visit ecogenera show exact p with every power system. visit the EcoGenerationemail juliem@paragonmed online shooes not 99 79103 enquiries 117 96 itional copies of this map, 246 84 73 For add 64 54 43 92 78 129 85 This map is a schematic representation only. It d 62 21 = 102 8 r QUEENSLAND storage orage Commissioned: 51MW r/9.3MWhsola WESTERN AUSTRALIA er construction: 1,098MW sola orage Und 11,099MW solar/6,578MWh storage 87 95 Commissioned:ction: 22MW 32MW solar/22MWh solar/0.5MWh st storage Project: For enquiries call solar/13MWh st 112 Under constru 83 1300 364 877 Project: 2,321MW 17 89 20 242 68 3 224 67 4 76 122 44 77 90 88 69 75 126 82 51 110 124 18 128 60 Australia’s largest 93 66 BRISBANE independent O&M 223 115 Exmouth 46 service provider.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA1MW solar/129.5MWh storage 131 oned: on: 226MW solar orage 141 Commissi 140 m.au 225 er constructi 149 +61 2 9867 5500 Und solar/2,930-3,100MWh st 179 [email protected] 1 784MW com.au Project: 2, 157 www.twps. 171 170 163 230 Coober Pedy pany 222MW solar 248 sustainable energy NEW SOUTHissioned: WALES 190 156 159 d energy com Comm researcha rysta analytics 183 sera Under construction: 318MW solar 5,530MW solar/3,816MWh storage 130 25 235 Project: 188 37 161 250 172

139 165 data, research and insights 132 144 151 into the renewable energy 2 industry in australia 147 15 189 33 41 155 168 181 174 Newcastle solar • wind • storage 234 7 136 137 2 236 to explore 26 30 173 alytics.com Port Augusta 249 Bathurst 15 29 32238 167 158 228 231 229 Visit www.seran 232 39 S FREE 237 SYDNEY O-DM-PLU a FREE version of the SERA Tracker 28 Port Pirie 35 34 40 verter series UN r in Smart Bankable asset 2 36 191 207 187 134 New Sola cted. 11 138 180 133 rs Geraldton 42 31 206 154 Efficient. Conne inverte management for 203 148 142 184 143 233 210 199 160 0 Wollongong abb.com/solar 197 15 176 www. 218 145 135 169 162 196 198 178 renewable energy 253 146 164 252 186 202 195 There’s plenty more, of course, and while the road may be long, developments 221 185 3 175 192 19 u Operation 201 251 194 ssioning 247 u Commi ADELAIDE 200 r 38 213 166 153 CANBERRA 46MW sola Construction nergy successfully managed 5 12 oned: ble e 219 177 Commissi f renewa 9 217 r construction: zero 90 MW o 216 182 209 Unde Over 6 208 50MW solar Port Lincoln 211 220 Project: 2617 10 212 6 214 205 www.cwpam.com.au 34 Thynne St, Bruce ACT 227 VICTORIA Block E, [email protected] Ground Floor, Email: 14 204 Bendigo +61 (0)2 6100 2122 7 PERTH Esperance hone: 254 P 22613 r r Ballarat Commissioned: 3MW sola MELBOURNE Under construction: 248MW sola Project: 1,557MW solar/194MWh storageGeelong 215

“Jacobs, providing solutions 102 2000 for a more connected, 66 500 Albany Wunghnu 244 Kidston Stage 2 sustainable world” 2 208 60 600 50 this is the only one done!!! Numurkah Phase 2 Burdekin Hydro am 209 48 TASMANIA 245 10:38 50 400 11/3/18 om Red Cliffs Barcaldine Stage 2 s.c 195 Mount Majura 210 2 232 Whyalla Steel 246 renewables@jacob 27 Solar le Energy 16 Capital Solar 211 Tatura East Riverland newab ldwide 196 36 233 e 0 jacobswor 24 Numurkah Phase 1 4 rt Augusta R 300-40 NEW SOUTH WALES 3600 ah 3 212 35 IN MEGAWATTS 234 Po 0 jacobs 183 Gunned 22 20 247 Tarleigh Park 195 VICTORIA 95 213 Greenswitch STORAGE 11 Park Phase 2 Leeton 16 ura 30 200 Oven Mountain 184 Mild Mooroopna 248 66 186 Wagga Wagga 197 88 214 WESTERN AUSTRALIA 235 Kingfisher 0 ng Hybrid Solar Park 50 185 15 Wemen unt Newman 30-10 Jemalo 150 Currawarra 180 198 50 15 Kig Energy 223 Mo 1 Cultana 249 44 186 Environa 12 2 Launceston 236 1100 Maryvale Bannerton 30 Marble Bar/Nullagine 0.5 250 Dunedoo 40 e 2 36 151 n 140 Gidginbung 199 15 216 Grey Box Energy Field 30 224 0.5 7 Crystal Brook Energy Park 35 187 5 2 23 Currawarra | Darwin | Hobart 152 Wellingto 138 200 Gannawarra 250 CleanGEN 2-Kerang De Grussa s.indd urora 251 Adelaide Collinsville Solar stag 34 Bogan River 5 217 225 Mapad 10 238 A erth | 0 119 Finley 188 Swan Hill 1-Red Cliffs 30 30 n Island Bomen P 12 Bowen 153 137 201 250 CleanGEN Garde 5 252 | Brisbane | 120 33 ick 189 Summerhill 3 wingi 218 226 3 ourne 120 154 Carr 202 No 130 ciona-Kerang QUEENSLAND 160 Sydney | Melb 121 Middlemount 33 Moorabilla 219 Ac lar Farm 20 227 Northam 86 Townsville South 15 Mumbil 190 3 Mallee Solar Park o 20 Lakeland VICTORIA 75 Kingaroy 0 155 120 Dareton 20 120 Wangaratta S Kalbarri 239 gy Park 4 8 Childers ne) 1 122 3 Gunnedah (Photon) 127 191 Horsham 220 HOBART 228 253 Nowingi Australian solar map inside 87 Hadsto Glenella 156 112 CAPITAL 204 112 240 Kennedy Ener Green Power Hub 34 68 4000 Chinchilla ( & 3 112 123 30 ri 221 Ouyen Bulgana Clermont 88 112 157 Narrab 110 205 Glenrowan Yorke Peninsula 254 53 57 Stages 2 124 Dalby 20 AUSTRALIAN 20 ol 112 SOUTH AUSTRALIAReserve 129 241 nga 20 1 89 Teebar am Brewongle Yatpo wer Wo Emerald (RES) 18 11:51 110 158 110 206 Hornsdale Power Lo 54 57 28/2/ 125 Cloncurry 14 Grove 13 229 Renewable 242 110 90 Chinchilla 110 Orange TERRITORY Karadoc Pedy 0.5 ject 55 Whitsunday lar 50 Chinchilla m 159 105 Royalla Solar 207 Coober 243 Lakeland Pro 110 n So 1 Rollingstone 126 Far 10 Hay Sun Farm 192 Lane 11 230 100 Hamilto 9 100 Paget Solar 160 100 rid Project Bungala Phase 2 56 50 Emerald 127 TBC 193 Mugga Hyb 26 Kidston Solar 92 100 zer 161 Nevertire 100 eel 57 42 128 Ebene 94 Williamsdale 500 Whyalla St 27 Bungala Phase Stage 1 1 6 0 93 Yarranlea 2 Springdale 1 400 231 48 58 Hayman lar 25 Blackwater 16 100 SOLAR SITES 28 Whyalla (SSE) Upper Haughton 100 129 Metz 300 le Collinsville So 94 Solar 100 163 95 200 IN MEGAWATTS Whyalla Steel Phase 2 59 lar 22 Susan River 102 11 29 369 Oakey So 95 164 Bomen 90 Port Augusta Renewab 60 15 NEW SOUTH WALES 56 0 100 WESTERN AUSTRALIA 10 30 k 0 96 Lilyvale 100 Beryl 85 61 Hughenden olar 130 Nyngan Solar 53 165 ark De Grussa3 Energy Par torage 33 Haughton Stage 1 100 0 Solar Tarleigh P kilometres 1 .indd Longreach S 97 10 Moree 166 70 Mapads Greenough River Riverland Solar S le Energy 62 11 131 10 2 1 31 300 y Energy Park 15 98 Dysart 100 ken Hill Solar Hillston 66 63 Kenned 5 Creek 132 Bro 167 3 Karratha Airport Solar Farm 1 20 32 Port Augusta Renewab ine II Crinum Goonumbla 250 Barcald 0 99 100 Gullen Solar Farm 168 a 60 Marble Bar/Nullagine 10 Park Phase 2 64 n 200 Copabella 133 150 Moir 4 ssing 200 Normanto 100 100 Shellharbour Shopping Centre 1 169 Glen uth 55 Emu Downs rkeys Cro 65 1000 134 51 5 2 33 Yo 101 Collinsville North 96 Narrabri So 5 teel 66 Bulli Creek 00 Coleambally 49 170 5 Northam Solar Whyalla S 0 South 8 Baralaba 135 r 6 34 Stage 2 150 14 Wandoan 102 80 Parkes Sola 171 Wee Waa Garden Island 00 Whyalla (SSE) 67 Tieri 136 lar 25 7 20 35 125 Lower Wonga 103 79 172 Dunedoo 45 Asian Renewable 68 400 137 Manildra So 24 8 100 36 Whyalla 110 ern Downs (Neoen) 550 104 Lakeland 75 Jemalong Hybrid Solar Park 50 45 69 West 350 138 Griffith Solar 20 173 Energy Hub 100 7 Kingfisher 5 Burdekin Solar Farm olar Vales Point BREWING BY THE SUN 3 100 10 60 40 70 Majors Creek 300 Dubbo S 174 oo 9 Merredin ar 45 Tailem Bend Creek Chewko 139 600 Gregad 38 mein Clarke 106 60 White Rock Solar 175 38 Cunderdin Sol 71 280 by Run 140 275 andra 10 40 39 Port Ger 100 und 107 Rug 60 Gilg 35 72 Broadso 270 41 Sundown 3 176 11 Walkaway 2 30 Crystal Brook mbe 8 Mirani 1 Point 26 Corowa 40 80 Boulderco 10 55 Darlington 177 30 Waddi Solar Farm 5 73 142 250 12 Energy Park ) 50 Project 250 109 Mareeba 55 Solar 8 Junee 30 la (Reach) 74 Kidston Stage 2 250 3 Gunning 17 t 13 Byford 1 Bunga Oakey 2 14 250 Walget 41 Western Downs Solar 110 53 Wellington North 179 30 4 Fremantle Solar Snowtown North 75 240 Koberinga 144 234 1 ri 42 111 50 180 Riverina 30 Kalbar 76 Delga 235 145 Limondale 220 15 20 lumboola 112 Teebar 50 181 Molong 77 Co 215 146 Kywong port 4 QUEENSLAND 15 Nebo 44 Moama Farm 8 Comet 113 Suntop 182 NORTHERNernational TERRITORY Air 3 Barcaldine olar 11 7 200 Kelsey Creek 147 200 43 Gregory 114 40 16 Darwin Int 2 Sunshine Coast S 79 148 Sunraysia Solar Farm 200 44 4 on stage 3 115 Warwick 40 Uterne 2 80 Haught 50 9 Sapphire Solar 17 45 Lakeland 1 on Stage 2 200 1 Yabulu 14 Yulara Haught 0 116 37 18 1 Chillamurra 81 14 Barcaldine Stage 2 asuarina Shopping Centre 1 46 150 Beelbee 117 19 C 1 Weipa Solar Plant 82 125 47 125 a 118 Clare II 20 Uterne 1 25 ream 83 Aramar 125 Solar 48 Dayd 120 TKLN 12 84 Bluff Stage 2 21 ine Solar 49 Sun Metals Solar e 1 2 Kather 10 85 Bluff Stag 2 n Dam 50 Ross River SolarSolar 110 100 Manto ling Downs 23 51 Dar Batchelor 24 52 Clare Solar SOUTH AUSTRALIAy Renewable Hybrid ber Ped Coo IN VICTORIA 25 Page 74 AUSTRALIA ON TRACK FOR 2020 TARGET Page 20 BUSINESS OWNERS SEEING THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT OF SOLARPage 40 the journey will no doubt be dynamic, interesting and at times a 12/3/18 9:41 am

ECO418_Cover.indd 1 little rocky. I can’t wait! EcoGeneration is printed on Lumi paper which is PEFC-certified and manufactured in an ISO 14001-certified mill. Lumi paper also contains premium white waste paper, reducing matter going into landfill. Kylie Field This magazine is available to interested parties EcoGeneration editor throughout Australia and overseas. The magazine is also available by subscription. The publisher welcomes editorial contributions from interested parties, however, the publisher and the Editorial Board accept no responsibility for the content of these contributions and the views contained therein THE ECOGENERATION EDITORIAL BOARD are not necessarily those of the publisher or of the Editorial Board. The publisher and the Dani Alexander is a research principal at the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute Editorial Board do not accept responsibility for any claims made by advertisers. for Sustainable Futures. Her current research is investigating how to promote sustainable Unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing, by solutions by leveraging demand management and renewable energy generation. Dani’s providing editorial material to Paragon Media, experience is broad across policy, program management, governance and engagement. including text and images, you are providing Dani has managed projects at the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the Second permission for that material to be Generation Biofuels R&D Program and the Australian Solar Institute. subsequently used by Paragon Media, whole or in part, edited or unchanged, alone or in Tristan Edis is the director analysis and advisory at Green Energy Markets, where he combination with other material in any publication or format in print or online or helps clients understand and make informed decisions about renewable energy, energy howsoever distributed, whether produced by efficiency and other carbon abatement markets. His involvement in the clean energy Paragon Media and its agents and associates sector dates back more than a decade. He has been editor of Climate Spectator, a or another party to whom Paragon Media has research fellow at the Grattan Institute think tank, and worked for the Clean Energy provided permission. Council, Ernst & Young and the government’s Greenhouse Office.

Gero Farruggio is co-founder and director of Sustainable Energy Research Analytics. Prior to SERA, he was director of Wood Mackenzie Australia and Barlow Jonker and a founding Average Net Distribution 6,329 member of the group’s Asia-Pacific executive committee. His initiatives and leadership Period ending October 2015 were instrumental in establishing greenfield research products and markets. He brings more than 20 years’ industry and community service experience, including directorship, senior management, consulting and advisory roles.

Stefan Jarnason is a pioneer in the development of the solar industry. His 20 years of experience includes PV research, development of the world’s first AC module system Plug&Power, developing the Combined Cycle durability test program used globally, building a 20MW manufacturing facility in Germany, PV system design, large-scale solar power plant development and solar monitoring. He holds several patents and as co-founder and CEO of Solar Analytics leads a team of engineers, developers and designers.

8 / ecogeneration April 2017 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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ECO0418_allads.indd 9 1/3/18 5:16 pm NEWS IN BRIEF NEW TECHNOLOGY, NEW PROJECTS, NEW IDEAS

WIND POWER A WINNER FOR ALL BUT QLD

New research from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes and School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at the University of NSW has found there are clear winners and losers for wind power generation across Australia in the century ahead even though climate change will have little impact on wind speeds. The research published in Environmental Research Letters looks at changing winds caused by climate change across Australia, advances in technology and investment risk factors to explore how the economic viability of extracting energy from wind farms may change in the future. According to the report, states south of the 20° latitude generally come out ahead with Tasmania and Western Australia the biggest winners in terms of power generation and profitability. But it’s an ill wind for Queensland, which becomes less competitive with other states because of a slight drop in wind speeds and the increased investment risk that comes with the ever-present threat of cyclones.

NEG PAPER EXPECTED TO OPEN UP DIALOGUE ON THE HARD ISSUES

The National Energy Guarantee (NEG) consultation paper released energy and address issues with market concentration. recently, should start the dialogue on the hard policy issues “Strong and clear emission abatement settings will be essential needed to overcome the chronic long-term uncertainty to provide the necessary level of incentive for new clean energy confronting energy investors, the Clean Energy Council has said. projects, which will also ensure new power supply to drive down Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said the wholesale power prices. consultation paper presented a good opportunity to commence “Ultimately the enduring success of any national energy policy serious consultation and design of the policy. will require not just careful policy settings but the support of the “While investment has been booming recently behind the 2020 state governments and the federal Labor Opposition. We Renewable Energy Target, the lack of a coherent and bipartisan encourage all parties to consult in good faith towards the national policy puts further growth in doubt over the long term,” development of a workable policy that will deliver clean, Thornton said. affordable and reliable energy over the long term,” Thornton said. “Our industry’s broad position on the NEG remains the same. “The clean energy industry is looking forward to further We are open-minded about its potential but many questions developing its views on the consultation paper and working remain, including the fundamental question about whether the closely with the Energy Security Board and the Federal policy signals will be able to underpin new investment in clean Government.”

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10 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_News.indd 10 7/3/18 3:57 pm Stay Connected.

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ECO0418_allads.indd 11 5/3/18 10:27 am NEWS IN BRIEF

SA GOV INSTALLING FREE SOLAR IN 50,000 HOMES

The South Australian Government is planning to build the world’s largest virtual power plant, drawing on solar PV and storage systems installed free in at least 50,000 homes. The project will use Tesla Powerwall batteries and Premier Jay Weatherill said the virtual power plant will be financed by the sale of electricity. A trial has begun in Housing Trust properties. The first 100 homes will have systems installed by June 30 2018, with another 1,000 planned for the following 12 months. A further 24,000 systems are set to be installed in Housing Trust properties on completion of the trial. South Australian households will then be offered the deal, bringing total installations to 50,000 systems within four years.

PROJECT AIMED GULLEN OFFICALLY TO SLASH LAUNCHED HOUSEHOLD Australia’s first co-located wind and solar farm Gullen Solar Farm has POWER BILLS officially been launched by Beijing Jingneng Clean Energy (BJCE). Located in the NSW Southern Tablelands, the 28-hectare solar farm was GETS UNDERWAY jointly funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and is jointly owned by BJCE and Goldwind (Capital) Australia. Consisting of 42,000 solar panels and generating enough electricity IN QLD to power over 3,100 homes on an average day of sunshine, Gullen Solar Farm will offset more than 18,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the A Brisbane start-up has been given a $4 million NSW grid every year, which equates to the average annual emissions of investment from the Queensland government to approximately 7000 passenger vehicles. develop a tool that is set to slash power bills and According to NSW Energy and Utilities Minister Don Harwin the 10 create jobs in the renewable energy sector in megawatt Gullen Solar Farm, is the first of seven large-scale solar Queensland. projects expected to start operating this year. “Redback Technologies is at the forefront of “This is playing an important role in our energy security and regional moves to make battery storage technology more development,” said Harwin. affordable, with a system that will enable a reduction The Gullen solar farm has been producing electricity since last year and in energy costs for consumers and help to pump ARENA chief executive officer Ivor Frischknecht says Gullen is an important renewable energy into the grid,” said Innovation milestone for co-located renewable energy services in Australia. Minister Kate Jones. Minister for State Development Cameron Dick said Redback Technologies was one of eight companies investing over $200 million and generating more than 500 new jobs in Queensland through the $60 million Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund (AQIAF). Redback managing director Philip Livingston said the smart power monitoring platform would enable home owners and businesses to understand and control their energy usage and will help networks to more efficiently manage the grid, allowing for increased penetration of renewables.

12 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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ECO0218_Allads.indd 13 8/1/18 10:18 am INDUSTRY UPDATE

Is the NEM facing its darkest hour?

The continued lack of a national energy approach is threatening to undermine the National Electricity Market, writes Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton.

lthough it is often taken for granted, the NEM that it was never designed for. the National Electricity Market When combined with a challenging A(NEM) is a remarkable example of political environment, a slow reform agenda governments and industry coming together and a lack of long-term national energy to solve a uniquely Australian problem. policy, the strain on the NEM was acute at Stretching 5000 km from Port Douglas in several points over the summer, Queensland to Port Lincoln in South particularly with some of our ageing coal- Australia, the NEM is the longest fired power stations going MIA in the heat interconnected power system in the world. when they were most needed. Through its 40,000 km of transmission lines, the network services nine million customers NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS and accounts for approximately 80% of GO TO WASTE Australia’s total electricity consumption. The September 2016 statewide blackout in Considering its complexity and scale, the South Australia may prove to be a key NEM has served households and businesses moment in Australian energy policy history, Kane Thornton has more than a extremely well in Queensland, New South as it set in motion a series of events that could decade’s experience in energy policy Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and ultimately change the future of the NEM. and leadership in the development of South Australia, by providing them with Instead of waiting to see what caused the the renewable energy industry. reliable and – at least until recently – blackout – a freak once-in-50-year storm – Deconstructing industry trends and affordable electricity. the Federal Government adopted the old movements as well as federal and state However, the rapidly accelerating Winston Churchill adage “never let a good renewable policies for the benefit of the wider industry, Kane’s column is a transition from centralised fossil fuel crisis go to waste” by using the blackout to regular feature in EcoGeneration. generators to distributed renewable criticise the South Australian government’s

generation has placed added demands on adoption of renewable energy. Fotoaray/Shutterstock

14 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_Kane.indd 14 8/3/18 4:11 pm INDUSTRY UPDATE

This scathing criticism left the South study of the challenges and opportunities While the Federal Government has claimed Australian government with little choice but facing electricity markets as they transition that its National Energy Guarantee can to respond, and respond they did. from large-scale centralised fossil fuel incorporate the various state policies, it Instead of bowing to the pressure, South generation to distributed generation from remains to be seen whether this can be Australian Premier Jay Weatherill doubled multiple small-scale renewable sources. achieved to the satisfaction of all involved. down on South Australia’s renewable energy The policy will ultimately need the support ambitions. He increased investment in DIFFICULTIES MASTERED ARE of all the states and territories of the COAG renewable energy projects and delivered a OPPORTUNITIES WON Energy Council to be successful. number of exciting new initiatives that have The continued absence of an overarching Despite the many slings and arrows given the state greater energy independence. national energy policy has resulted in the between the states and the Commonwealth In addition to the already completed 100 other states and territories adopting their and the chopping and changing of federal MW lithium-ion battery in Jamestown, the own transitional pathways and varying energy policy, it is not time to give up on a South Australian government has revealed levels of clean energy ambition. States such national energy approach. While it will never be perfect, a unified approach is more efficient and more likely to deliver superior “Instead of bowing to pressure, South Australian reliability and price outcomes for Australian households and businesses than a Premier Jay Weatherill doubled down on South piecemeal, state-based approach. Our hope is that we can get to a stage where the NEG Australia’s renewable energy ambitions.” policy architecture is one that all parties can live with, and then we can dial up the level of emissions reductions as we go. plans to build the world’s largest virtual as Victoria and Queensland have followed The transition to an electricity system power plant, a 150 MW solar thermal power South Australia’s lead by introducing based entirely on clean energy is a plant and a seawater pumped hydro facility. ambitious renewable energy targets, while monumental task. And it makes more sense These projects have quickly propelled South Tasmania has raised the prospect of to tackle the challenges together so that we Australia to a position of global leadership in assuming greater energy independence from can reach our goal faster than if we were to renewable energy technology. the mainland. go it alone. To borrow another phrase from In addition, the South Australian Obviously, this fractured policy landscape Churchill, “difficulties mastered are

Fotoaray/Shutterstock experience is serving as a real-life case is not optimal in the context of the NEM. opportunities won”.

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 15

ECO418_Kane.indd 15 8/3/18 4:11 pm 5 MINUTES WITH

First Solar Series 6 test site in Bents Basin, NSW. Second to left is Andrew Coughlan, Anthony Fuller, Emmanuel Cooray and Michael Wasson. Is there an advantage in co-location of wind and solar or is that a bit of a gimmick? There is a huge advantage. Grid connections costs are amortised over two assets when wind and solar are co-located. The economics are also incredibly compelling for brownfield wind sites to be co-located with solar.

If you could snap your fingers and solve a few problems in the NEM, what would they be? Image one day of most of Melbourne’s traffic decided to drive around Ballarat, Adelaide’s traffic went to Claire, and Brisbane’s traffic to Toowoomba and most of Sydney’s traffic was in Glen Innes. The road network would be stressed. This is akin to where we are heading with the NEM. Currently, all power lines lead to coal. Electric vehicle load is an enormous step change in load size and location and there are no plans to retire aged generators and regulatory investment tests make it almost impossible to organise new large transmission lines to renewable hot spots where developers are building lots of cheap new green generation and storage assets. Adding to this, Marginal Loss 5 minutes with… Factors are discouraging development of some of the generators we need the most.

2018 will be a very busy year of project Andrew Coughlan construction. Will EPC’s be able to manage? Australia, right now is like a kebab shop for Multidisciplinary engineering and construction firm Zenviron international EPC’s who are leaving the pub alongside Vestas have been working together to deliver the at 2am. There is plenty of appetite for projects. Some domestic and international Salt Creek Wind Farm Project in Victoria. EPC’s are already buckling under the pressure, taking huge losses due to a high n an exclusive interview with PV in the coming years e.g. bifacial PERC tolerance for risk and desire to gain EcoGeneration, Zenviron’s manager of modules and large format thin film modules significant immediate share market. Iutility scale solar Andrew Coughlan says in mass production. there is plenty of appetite for projects. How will the industry be different in five What are some of the difficulties or even ten year’s time? You’re involved in large-scale solar and in finding the best sites for new I expect the domestic solar EPC market in wind projects, but do you have a generation as competition from other Australia will follow trends of other favourite technology type? developers intensifies and much is markets, with significant consolidation after Definitely solar PV. I can’t see the cost of unknown about the National Energy the initial boom. Most of the crystal ball large scale, on-shore wind dropping at the Guarantee? gazers are indicating that the cost of solar same rate as solar in the future. The main The biggest problem for developers right energy will convincingly undercut its wind avenue for a reduction in the cost of energy now is other developers. Second to that is equivalent in the near future, which seems for wind projects is to build larger probably AEMO’s constantly changing grid completely logical. Not sure if I subscribe to machines, but this classic approach provides condition requirements. The NEG the belief that we will enter a block-chain diminishing returns due to transport uncertainty does hamper off-take driven peer to peer energy sharing death restrictions, mobile crane lifting capacity agreements and the flow on effect is spiral but I certainly don’t believe it is and collector cabling throughput restricted debt financing for some projects, understated to suggest the phase that we limitations. Compare this slow gradual but this doesn’t spook developers because are in now will be the biggest change to the reduction in LCOE with the huge efficiency the equity competition is so fierce and electricity network since the replacement gains and price reductions forecast for solar often willing to take merchant risk. of gas lanterns.

16 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_5MinsCoughlan.indd 16 8/3/18 3:52 pm ECO0418_allads.indd 17 7/3/18 12:01 pm ENERGY MARKET

Energy’s Game of Thrones Pt 4: The Battle for Duck Curves

As the legion continues to grow the excess of daytime market demand and PV owners will be faced with a use it or lose it scenario, writes Brian Innes.

here are many players in the grid and the advantages of installing solar versus battery however, as gas will always be Australian energy industry who are rooftop systems, with 50% growth on 2016 there and increasingly become a pure security Tjostling to establish their place in the in the <100kW market. Eventually, as the service (see Episode 5). The critical battle will low emissions grid of the future. In my number continues to grow, the installation be where do we put the battery, and do we previous article, I described the energy of PV will grow well in excess of the have one big one or many small ones. sector Battle for the Day as energy players daytime market demand and PV owners Batteries ability to stabilise our grids can fight to service our daytime energy both small and large will be faced with a use be best thought of as the spring in a GOT requirements. In the Battle for the Day, it or lose it scenario as network curtailment Mattress, and when the number of solar energy providers will ultimately events become common place. The Free participants increases on the mattress, or establish themselves as the dominant low- Folk’s ability to utilise excess power by Tyrone Lannister starts to jump about, cost providers, with distributed solar and controlling loads and storing excess power generally you are best off with lots of small battery systems suppling 90% of the energy in batteries to use later will mean they will springs rather than a few big ones. Clouds needs of Australian homeowners, or the have the ultimate advantage in value and hitting our future high penetration PV grid Free Folk. Here I continue my analogy and costs. For example, they can direct excess will act like Tyrone jumping on one side of outline the Battle for the Duck Curves, power to pool pumps, hot water systems, the bed and to ensure we don’t bounce which are the morning and evening peaks air-conditioning in the day or charge everyone off the grid, the networks will see that now exist between the night lows and electric vehicles at night from their batteries more value in the stability, a grid with many the day lows caused by reduced consumer if they have an excess. batteries can provide. As the evening and energy use. But first a quick recap. The peak in energy use in the evening is morning peaks can also be very The Battle for the Night will be won by traditionally where there are high prices, geographically specific, the Free Folk’s wind farms (The Night’s Watch), supported driven by the requirement for dispatchable distributed batteries will add value where by existing investments in dispatchable energy supplies and the morning peak will others can’t: meaning they win the Battle energy sources (Dragons) while the coal increasingly follow this price trend. for the Duck Curves. industry and its lobbyists (Night King and his Dispatchable Gas Generation (Dragons) will In the next five years, we’ll see a surge of Army of the Dead) will be pushed out of the have a critical role in the duck curve peaks homeowners and businesses take up PV and night time market. During the daytime, as the fuel of last resort, however much like batteries. These systems will make them homeowners and businesses (the Free Folk) the dragons in the Game of Thrones saga, greater than 90% self-sufficient and have who install solar PV will reduce daytime their utilisation will become less frequent as the ability to aggregate these systems into loads and prices for all large-scale generators. load reduction continues into the evening distributed energy storage systems to The politics between the Night King and the with increased uptake of energy storage. provide reliable and clean power around the Free Folk will get interesting but ultimately Batteries will begin to play a dual role; clock, paving the path to a sustainable and the political class will realise the power of dispatching stored solar in the evenings and greener future. the Free Folk, much like Cersei realised that stored wind in the morning. religious clerics and their supporters could As batteries begin to dominate the Duck overthrow her from the throne. Curve Peaks, the critical Australians are embracing this future battle will not be gas

Brian Innes is the managing director of Redback Energy.

18 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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ECO0218_Allads.indd 19 8/1/18 10:18 am RENEWABLES

Record year of investment for renewable sector

Australia is on track to meet the 2020 Renbewable Energy target after a momentum picked up in 2017 and has looks set to reach a major milestone ahead of schedule.

he Clean Energy Regulator recently RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT PIPELINE PROGRESS released information which indicates Accredited,Renewable committed and energy probable capacity project by state pipeline progress TAustralia will meet the 2020 (sinceAccredited, 1 January committed 2016 – 31 and December probable capacity 2017) by state (since 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2017) Renewable Energy Target. 163 MW Committed Committed 43 MW Accredited Accredited, committed and probable capacity by state (since 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2017) Renewable energy project pipeline progress 12 MW Accredited Probable 4 MW 4 1 MW 1

According to the Regulator, in order to projects projects MW = Megawatts Accredited meet the 2020 target of 33 000 gigawatt projects Accredited 107 MW hours of additional renewable energy, projects Committed approximately 6000 megawatts of large- 4 MW 1864 MW WA Committed scale generation capacity would need to be Probable 1 MW announced and built between 2016 and 2019. NT 65 MW 6532 MW 345 MW 471 MW Following a record level of investment in 221 MW Committed Accredited Probable renewable energy in 2017, Clean Energy QLD projects Total Accredited NT Regulator chair David Parker suggests projects Total 6532 MW 529SA MW Australia has reached a major milestone WA Committed ahead of schedule. SA 526 MW Accredited Probable TAS projects 144 MW Probable NSW MW 1 projects Accredited NSW QLD 43 MW ACT ACT 351 MW Accredited “Of the firmly Committed projects 12 MW Accredited 26 MW projects announced projects Probable 163 MW 221 MW 26 MW projects Accredited since 2016 solar makes Committed 65 MW Probable 1864 MW Committed 107 MW projects Accredited 471 MW VIC VIC 540 MW Probable 996 MW Committed 60 MW projects Accredited Accredited Probable up 46% of the total projects 345 MW TAS 60 MW 351 MW Probable 526 MW Committed 529 MW projects Accredited Accredited Committed new capacity.” projects 1 MW 996 MW Probable Probable “While announcements started slowly in MW = Megawatts 144 MW 540 MW 2016, the momentum we saw in the later part of that year continued throughout 2017 and has now reached a level that we believe will be sufficient to meet the 2020 target,” Image supplied by the Clean Energy Regulator Parker said. Of the 6532 megawatts of new large-scale “In 2017, more than 1000 megawatts of the energy mix, particularly on long generation firmly announced since 2016, renewable projects were completed and summer days. Over the next few years as more than 4900 megawatts is fully financed, began generation, the biggest year ever for more of these projects become operational with most already under construction or new build coming online,” Parker said. they will make an increasing contribution operating, while the rest is expected to “We expect 2018 and 2019 to be even to meeting peak electricity demand,” begin construction early this year. A further bigger, with each year having more than Parker said. 1600 megawatts of projects have a power doubled the new build completed compared “There is still a long way to go on the purchase agreement in place which we to 2017.” journey to reach the 2020 target, but we expect will progress to financial close. Of the firmly announced projects believe it will be met due to the hard work Queensland will see the bulk of this new since 2016, solar makes up 46% of the total and tenacity of the electricity sector, the construction, followed by Victoria and New new capacity. renewables industry and those that have South Wales. “Solar is an important emerging player in financed these projects.”

20 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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Clean energy crunch time … where are the workers to build $10bn in projects?

22 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_JobMarket.indd 22 8/3/18 4:08 pm ENERGY EFFICIENCY

There’s good news and bad news in the world of clean energy. First the good news. The solar PV and wind projects required for Australia to hit its 2020 Renewable Energy Target are being built. In fact, there’s a surplus. The bad news is that there is simply not enough skilled talent to handle the backlog of work.

he latest estimate from the Clean existing players after new staff. He admits Energy Council suggests 5,500 jobs some of the established companies in the Twill be created to complete more than Australian renewables market are “raising 50 wind and solar projects worth more than an eyebrow” over what work there will be $10 billion. for any new entrants and how they will win “It’s busy all over the place,” says market share, but the ones he’s spoken to ACRWorld director of renewable energy are very positive. “I don’t know quite Rob Lawrence. “Everyone knew this was [which side] to believe. The reality is coming. The industry will cope, but it’s probably somewhere in the middle of that,” certainly very tight.” Green says. At global business growth and expansion Other than the more traditional wind and consultancy Polyglot, head of renewable solar, inquiries from overseas have come energy and infrastructure Jan Rieche from companies working in energy thinks constraints in the talent pool may efficiency, cryptocurrencies and energy test the limits of some projects. retail, he says. “We’re even doing some Everyone knew 2018 would be a busy year, recruitment for a new EPC that’s entering says Rieche, but things got “crazy busy” the market from the US.” about November last year and haven’t let up. The most gaping skills shortage is Polyglot’s seeing inquiries from across the developers, says Green, the skilled talent board – EPCs, contractors, development who find sites, negotiate with landholders, companies, project finance companies, government and authorities, design power smaller contractors – and Rieche expects purchase and offtake agreements and apply things will get even busier when workers for grid connection and permits. “You’ve are required to bolt hundreds of thousands really got to dig very deep to fill a of panels in place. development role at the moment,” he says. “This will put immense cost pressure on Salaries offered for developers have risen. EPCs and eventually also developers,” Nine months to a year ago he says it would Rieche says. “If you marry that problem take about $150,000 to lure an experienced with increasing panel and general developer. Now it’s more like $175,000 to equipment prices, it might squeeze their $200,000. “And even then it’s not easy.” margins quite a bit. This year will show us As Australia gears up to replace its fleet of who did their planning and financial ageing coal-fired generation, developers are modelling really well and who didn’t.” scouring the country non-stop to find new Rising panel prices are a function of rising sites that would fit renewable energy demand, as manufacturers channel supply to projects. “There is full employment in international markets where margins are developers,” he says. It’s full steam ahead, favourable. “In some countries, even in India, and Green admits employers seldom make the margins are bigger [for panel mention to him of the National Energy manufacturers than in Australia],” he says. Guarantee or what will happen beyond the “So they send to where the margins are bigger.” 2020 Renewable Energy Target. Rieche predicts some projects that are pinched by rising costs may even be sold UP AGAINST THE TUNNELLERS entirely or partly to other investors or The recruitment market has been developers. “I’m pretty sure we’ll see some,” “incredibly busy”, says ACRWorld director he says. of renewable energy Rob Lawrence, with an emphasis on construction of wind and solar BEES TO HONEY farms mainly on the east coast and in South At Bradman Recruitment Group director Australia, with some in the west as well. Michael Green is taking calls from The challenge is to fill positions, especially companies looking to enter Australia or as it is also a boom time in infrastructure.

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 23

ECO418_JobMarket.indd 23 8/3/18 4:08 pm ENERGY EFFICIENCY

“It’s got to the point where really the build. If workers are thin on the ground in and financial backing comes through, industry is at maximum capacity now, so Australia and need to be sourced from every developer wants its wind and solar anybody who has experience in wind or overseas, developers will be hoping the plants built as soon as possible, and they’ll solar is employed and people are just trying paperwork around visas can be processed want workers who have done it before. to pinch off each other,” Lawrence says. quickly. That’s not been the case recently, For them, there isn’t the time to train The other way to relieve that pressure is however, and Lawrence says processing has whoever is looking for work in the area. to recruit from overseas or from other been “very slow”, with applications taking “It’s almost as though they’ve thought industries. It was once the time that workers up to 12 weeks. about this too late [and they] should have left over from a waning mining sector could Changes to the visa requirements in 2016, been training people two-plus years ago,” be attracted to clean energy projects in where the 457 was abolished and replaced says Lawrence at ACRWorld. “But that’s regional areas. When you’ve been working with the Temporary Skill Shortage visa, just not how it’s worked.” on energy infrastructure projects or at the requirement for skilled workers, had a It’s a good time for Australian workers mines far from the state capitals it’s not such knock-on impact, he says. Well-resourced attracted overseas to think about returning, a jolt to the system to take a job on a wind or developers in the infrastructure sector especially from the UK, for example, where solar farm. Since then, work has begun on have plenty of experience managing the renewables sector has been hit hard. A vast infrastructure projects in the cities. applications and guiding recruits through trip back home could pay off, although the “There’s a renewable energy boom the visa process whereas some companies number of Australian clean energy workers happening but in Sydney and Melbourne in the renewables sector may struggle roaming the world is a drop in the ocean there are hundreds of billions of dollars with it. Some may even shy away from compared with the number required back at worth of intrastructure projects going on at recruiting offshore simply because it’s seen home to complete the backlog of projects. the same time,” Lawrence says. “Our as a bit tricky. company recruits across both areas – and The Temporary Skill Shortage visa is WHAT COMES NEXT? those areas are just booming.” offered in three variants: a short-term The rush to build clean energy generation In the minds of some jobseekers there are stream, up to two years; a medium-term isn’t so much driven by uncertainty over the a couple of forces that may appear to be stream, up to four years, and; a labour National Energy Guarantee, says Rieche at aligned against renewables: infrastructure agreement stream for sponsored migration, Polyglot, but by the Renewable Energy work pays better, and in the current market with the possibility of permanent residence. Target. “It’s a question of can we build it and there are plenty of roles offered in the cities The attitude towards finding talent commission and connect it on time,” he says. or very near them. “That’s really who the overseas varies from client to client, says “And with what kind of margin, if any, can renewables sector, from a construction Green at Bradman Recruitment, and some we build it.” Panel price and cost of labour perspective, is competing with.” are “dead against it”. For them, the will be the two major pain points. In this market, Lawrence says recruiters rigmarole involved with applying for visas After the RET’s been met he expects a have to rely on networks of contacts and relocating workers and families is a lull in the industry, but it won’t “fall off a established over the long term. A step too far. As a recruiter he can see the cliff”. Companies that managed the building prospective worker’s skills and flexibility benefit of sometimes looking offshore for boom will have learned valuable lessons about location must be matched with the the right person, even if a few extra costs along the way and be faster and more developer’s requirements, all within the are incurred. Immigration and relocation efficient at delivering projects, including constraints of a tight labour market. “It’s can add about $20,000 to a package, but managing labour costs. There may not be as tricky,” he says. “Everybody’s looking for that could work out being good value if it many projects after 2020 but those who are the same sort of people: civil and electrical means an employer finds exactly who it’s building them will have a much better project engineers, construction site looking for. “If you have an open mind I understanding of the costs and structures. managers, site supervisors – and those think you’ll have a stronger short list,” he “Those projects, most likely including people are easily transferrable into says. “I guess each company has to make storage, will be able to compete definitely infrastructure projects and other projects, that decision for itself.” with coal-fired and potentially with gas,” so they’re not all gagging to get into he says. renewables.” HOLD ON TO YOUR TALENT It will be a different landscape, where But let’s not overlook the clean energy As demand for workers exceeds supply, some companies will exit Australia in sector’s pulling power, where so many who wages are beginning to feel some upward search of the next boom market, possibly work in it are happy to admit they were pressure and employers are taking caution Africa, and the rest will progress with a attracted by a personal sense of purpose. to hold on to the staff they have. Some little more confidence and perhaps test the Everyone knows clean energy is good companies are placing key employees on merchant market. “If you do it right in the energy – that it can be done and so it needs retention plans or increasing notice periods next year-and-a-half – and you’re happy to to be done. To take part in that revolution is in an effort to retain staff. Any increase in work some crazy hours this year and suffer a to take part in a massive cleansing of the salaries will be reflected in higher project couple of blows as well as the good times – economy and all that drives it. “That costs, but there haven’t been any major then I think there is a great opportunity for attracts a lot of people.” blow-outs – so far. local businesses to learn and for overseas If more workers in regional areas were businesses to localise their workforces more VISA WELCOME offered training in renewables the job and more.” Compared with other types of generation market wouldn’t be so tight today, but it’s So, now that we’re all up to date on the job wind and solar plants are pretty quick to a bit late for that now. Once approval market, let’s get back to work.

24 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School in Holsworthy, NSW

World first renewable trial underway in two NSW schools

In the not too distant future, classrooms across Australia could be powered entirely by renewable energy as a landmark trial gets underway.

wo classrooms in NSW, Dapto High energy generation of 7,600 KWh per year School in Dapto and St Christopher’s which Hivve director of operations David TCatholic Primary School in Wrench says is why solar PV is a perfect, Holsworthy in Sydney’s south western environmentally sustainable energy source suburbs are trialling Hivve, a portable for schools. classroom incorporating solar PV “Schools use most of their energy during David Wrench generation, real time energy metering, CO2 the middle of the day when solar generation is Executive metering, data capture and communications is most productive. The rapid growth in Director at Hivve to actively manage energy demands and school populations combined with ageing Technology. control indoor environment quality. and insufficient infrastructure is resulting Monitored over a 12 month period, each in an urgent demand for new classrooms. classroom has the potential to generate Modular classrooms, such as Hivve are the enough electricity to power itself and two ideal solution because they can be deployed other classrooms in the school. quickly and have unique flexibility over the As it currently stands a regular classroom long term,” said Wrench. can consume on average 3,800 KWh per “New research shows the quality of the year, but according to reports, when a Hivve built environment has a significant impact classroom is in use, there is an estimated net on learning outcomes. The design

26 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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parameters identified by the research will when external temperatures reached 40c, generation to be involved in renewables at lead to better outcomes, which are at the the Hivve still generated four times what an early age and educate them as to what the core of the Hivve project.” they consumed.” positive benefits will be, as Australia Wrench says the standard Hivve “Pleasingly the buildings have been continues its shift towards a renewable classroom is 7.2m x 9.0m open plan with a generating more solar energy than expected energy future,” 1.8m wide extended covered veranda with and, in addition, the thermal efficiency of “The success of the Hivve project could high ceilings and large windows with the design has exceeded expectations as the lead to a nation-wide adoption of the thermally efficient glazing maximising air conditioning units are using much less modular classrooms, reducing reliance on natural light and creating a welcoming energy than anticipated to consistently the grid and even providing a significant environment. maintain comfortable indoor temperatures,” amount of electricity back to the NEM.” “Extensive use of whiteboards and pin said Wrench. Frischknecht said. boards on internal walls give the teacher “The Hivve will continue to generate Wrench expects the performance of the and students flexibility to personalise the electricity during weekends and school Hivve buildings will show that this ground space. The building includes an 8.4kW solar holidays with the energy being used within breaking approach to the design, PV system, energy efficient LED downlights the school to power electrical systems construction and operation of classrooms and a 10kW air conditioning unit which which still run at those times with any can make a real difference to schools and automatically introduces fresh air,” said surplus being exported to the grid.” school systems. “Over the next five years, our aim is to have many more schools embrace Hivve and provide truly environmentally sustainable “New research shows the quality of the classrooms that support and enhance built environment has a significant impact learning outcomes for their students,” said Wrench. on learning outcomes.” “We believe there is great potential to extend the Hivve technology, design and building approach to health, child care and aged care facilities where energy efficient Wrench adding that the building has a range The two schools participating in the trial management of indoor environment quality of metres and sensors that constantly over the next 12 months will be regularly is equally important.” monitor the classrooms’ energy production assessed in terms of building performance use, and it’s environment including which Wrench says will provide data to temperatures, humidity and Co2 levels. support and validate the benefits in terms of “The data is collected and communicated energy generation, energy efficiency and to the cloud so that energy and environment academic performance. conditions can be viewed in real time. The “The early results we are seeing are very teacher is then easily able to manage the encouraging as the buildings are already building to maintain an optimum supplying a significant amount of zero CO2 WHAT’S IS HIVVE? environment,” said Wrench. emissions and renewable energy to host their schools.” • Eastern Portable Buildings (EPB) has GENERATING ENERGY “We are already installing the Hivve developed a portable modular With our summers continually reaching technology and solar PV generation in other classroom called Hivve. record highs and humidity levels at times classrooms and schools and will be • Hivve reduces a school’s reliance on expensive coal-fired electricity and unbearable there have been discussions installing a new Hivve at a Brisbane high exposure to peak energy costs. around how practical it would be to install school in April 2018,” said Wrench. • Based on EPB estimates, portable air conditioning units into classrooms “It’s also been great to see that the classrooms have a useful life of up to considering the expense and space for schools are using Hivve data directly to 50 years. motors and with schools sitting empty for learn how sustainable design and renewable • The project aims to actively manage six to eight weeks during the hottest time of energy works in the real world. Both energy demands and control indoor environment quality. the year, renewable energy generation schools have been very enthusiastic • Hivve contributes on average $3000 seems the logical way to go. supporters of the project.” per year in energy savings. According to Wrench, Hivve generates • Hivve keeps working all year round, enough energy to power all of its electrical FUNDING generating power even when schools systems including air conditioning. In fact ARENA provided Hivve with $386,000 in are closed and during school holidays. he says, since the start of the trial the two funding to pilot the two modular classrooms • Hivve monitors energy use around Hivves have each been generating about five and ARENA chief executive officer Ivor the clock. If the A/C gets left on Hivve will notify the relevant people. times what they use. Frischknecht said there was enormous Hivve are able to evolve and adapt as “The surplus energy is exported and potential for Australia’s public schools to • a school changes. consumed within the schools, reducing the not only educate on renewables, but also • ARENA Funding (50%) $368K amount of energy they would otherwise reduce their reliance on the grid. Total Project value $736K have bought from the grid. Even on hot days “This is a great way to get the next •

28 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_Hivve.indd 28 12/3/18 9:26 am ECO0418_allads.indd 29 26/2/18 12:56 pm ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Charging ahead in the Sunshine State

A recharging station for two electric vehicles located in Carmilla, Queensland, Australia. Mr Privacy/Shutterstock.com

30 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_QueenslandEV.indd 30 8/3/18 4:15 pm ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Electric vehicles (EV’s) offer a range of social, economic and environmental benefits but one of the key barriers to electric vehicle (EV) uptake has been a lack of public charging infrastructure which has lead the Queensland government to recently announce charger stations at Townsville and Carmila.

he first phase of the chargers has been supercharge highway is a great first step by chosen to allow Queenslanders and a state government towards encouraging the Ttourists to travel in EV’s to the uptake of EV’s. majority of the states’ larger towns and “The Queensland Super Highway will cities and were selected using a allow Queenslanders to drive longer comprehensive set of guidelines, which distances in their EV’s, provide a visible included consideration of: signal that the electric vehicle market in • the driving range of EV’s, Australia is expanding and will also help • access to amenities such as food, drinks raise public awareness of electric vehicles,” and restrooms, and said Fumei. • the electricity grid’s capacity at each “In our research into consumer attitudes, location. 53% of survey respondents identified the Fast charging stations have been installed provision of public charging infrastructure in Bowen, Cairns, Carmila, Childers, as a policy that would encourage them to Gatton, Hamilton, Gold Coast Airport purchase an electric vehicle.” (Coolangatta), Mackay, Marlborough, “The QLD government following advice Maryborough, Miriam Vale, Rockhampton, from Climate Works and The Climate Springfield, Sunshine Coast (Cooroy), Institute has set a target to reach zero net Townsville, Towoomba and Tully. emissions by 2050 and an interim target for Minister for Transport and Main Roads at least a 30% reduction in emissions on Mark Bailey said the QLD government had a 2005 levels by 2030,” said Fumei. vision to encourage the uptake of EV’s in “They acknowledge that decarbonising QLD by getting as many people as possible the transport sector will be essential to on board the EV revolution as part of the meeting these targets, and EV’s provide a government’s commitment towards a 50% great opportunity to decarbonise passenger renewable energy target by 2030. transport.” Bailey said it was the QLD government’s “They also highlighted a range of other plan to expand the QESH and continue potential benefits of a switch to electric rolling out charging stations across the vehicles. This includes the potential state’s vast road network as part of The contribution of EV charging to grid stability, Future is Electric: Queensland’s Electric the potential for the generation of new jobs Vehicle Strategy. in the industry and reductions in the health “The QESH is a series of fast-charging impacts of pollution from internal electric vehicle stations that make it combustion engine vehicles.” possible to drive an EV from the state’s Bailey says EV ownership rates around southern border to the far north.” the world were increasing with global sales “We knew our vision was ambitious, but passing two million last year which he says this shift is happening around the world and is due in part to significant advances in unfortunately Australia is lagging behind,” battery technology and continued cost said Bailey. reductions of EV’s. Climate Works Australia project officer “The global market continues to head full-

Above: Sarah Fumei is a project officer with Climate Sarah Fumei says the announcement by the speed towards a future where EV’s Mr Privacy/Shutterstock.com Works Australia QLD government regarding the EV dominate the transport space, with major

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 31

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QUEENSLAND ELECTRIC SUPER HIGHWAY manufacturers unveiling their newest Fast Charging Station - Phase 1 models in recent expos in the United States Fast Charging Station - Proposed future site and making major commitments to increasing the range available to consumers.”

THE INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON Fumei says while there are no direct government restrictions on EV purchases, Cairns there are some existing policies that may have the unintended consequences of Tully limiting EV uptake. “Restrictions on the importation of Townsville second hand vehicles can limit the Bowen availability of low cost EV’s. This can be seen in comparing EV uptake in Australia to Mackay New Zealand where there are fewer Carmila restrictions on the importation of second hand vehicles. In New Zealand, 3679 EV’s Marlborough were purchased last year and 2570 of these Rockhampton vehicles were second hand. Taking into Miriam Vale account New Zealand’s small population this represents a much higher rate of uptake Childers Marborough for EV’s,” said Fumei. “Internationally, there’s been great work Cooroy by governments to encourage EV uptake. Gatton Brisbane Toowoomba Helensvale For example, Norway has provided rebates Springfield on EV’s, deployed public charging 0 100 250km Coolangatta

infrastructure and implemented community Final site selection is ongoing and some locations are subject to review

“The ACT provides stamp duty and “We now have the world’s longest EV registration discounts for the purchase of supercharge highway in a single state stretching new EV’s and other states are considering similar incentives. This could also all the way up our beautiful eastern coastline.” encourage manufacturers to bring more models to the Australian market. Governments can also use policy to address awareness initiatives to achieve much greater “In our report last year, half of our survey the barriers of recharging concerns and levels of EV uptake than we see here.” respondents would consider buying an EV if consumer awareness.” “Governments in Australia are beginning in the market for a car. However, price is “The Queensland initiative will help to follow the international lead and are clearly an important issue for consumers. address the barrier of recharging concerns considering a variety of policy proposals to While 35% of respondents would be willing through reassuring consumers that they’ll promote electric vehicle uptake. Some state to pay more for an EV than petrol or diesel be able to take their EV’s on longer journeys governments have already implemented a vehicle, most would only do so if there were if needed,” said Fumei. number of EV policies; this is shown by the more support, incentives and infrastructure Bailey suggests that the driving range of QESH. Australia’s Electric Vehicle Council in place. An additional 34% would buy an EV’s and local network capacity were taken is also working with government to help EV if it were at price parity with similar into account in mapping the network, so the design policies to address barriers for EV petrol or diesel options.” charging stations could be connected uptake,” said Fumei. “The Australian EV sector faces three without significant additional In 2017, the Electric Vehicle Council and challenges; cost and model availability, infrastructure costs. Climate Works Australia released a report recharging concerns and consumer “The sites were chosen so that while titled The State of Electric Vehicles in awareness. The biggest challenge is currently people recharge their EV they can also enjoy Australia. According to the report, EV sales cost and model availability. There are very a break to stop, revive, survive. We now fell from 2015-2016, with Australians few affordable EV’s in Australia. Our State of have the world’s longest EV supercharge purchasing only 701 plug-in hybrid EV’s, and Electric Vehicles report found that in 2016 highway in a single state stretching all the 668 fully EV in 2016, making up 0.1% of the there were only two EV’s available for sale at way up our beautiful eastern coastline. We total Australian market. less than $60,000 and these were both want Queensland to be at the forefront of Fumei believes Australians are ready to unavailable part way through the year,” said these changes,” said Bailey. embrace EV’s and says we would see a much Fumei adding that governments can play an “The QESH is just one of the actions being greater uptake if there were cheaper models. important role in addressing cost barrier. undertaken to encourage a shift to EV’s.”

32 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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ECO0418_allads.indd 47 7/3/18 10:55 am 16318 AES FULL PAGE ADVERT 210x297mm_V8_OL.indd 1 7/3/18 4:23 pm ROUNDTABLE

If energy users are offered incentives to switch off during those rare peak days the affect could be massive for the electricity network. Ecogeneration asked a panel of experts where the future lies for Australia’s energy future.

34 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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How can demand management be used process, which in turn will have flow on to by networks to solve peak problems smaller projects. and do current regulatory frameworks Dani Alexander, UTS Institute for support this? Sustainable Futures: Demand Annabel Wilton, BNEF: A large proportion management, which includes demand of network costs currently go towards response and energy efficiency, is often a far supplying peak demand, which occurs for more affordable way to meet the peak only a small number of hours every year. demand than building expensive new The question is how can network operators generation or storage capacity. A major be incentivized to efficiently use demand challenge for Australia’s electricity system response as an alternative to traditional is that average demand is declining even as network investment? Regulators globally peak demand is rising, as we are hit with are trying different approaches to tackling more extreme weather and consumers are this issue. In the UK, for example, network relying more on energy intensive appliances, operators can now earn a return on such as air conditioning. Building more operating expenditure and five of the six supply capacity (e.g. gas fired generation, distribution operators have subsequently pumped hydro or batteries) to meet developed plans to tap into demand occasional peaks in line with Australia’s response. In Australia’s National Electricity stringent standards or reliability* can be Market, the regulator has recently very expensive. Reducing demand can be implemented a new demand management much cheaper**. However, demand incentive scheme and the rule maker will management is often neglected for a number this year review the need for an alternative of reasons e.g. because regulation regulatory model to remove any preference discourages its use, or because new for capital expenditure. technologies, such as smart grid control for Matt Coleman, GreenSync: Firstly, our demand response are yet to be widely current regulatory frameworks do support deployed and demonstrated in Australia. this. The key thing here is a clear precedent Marija Petkovic, Energy Synapse: Up for demand management for network grading the electricity network can be very support programs - it’s called the expensive. Some of these costs can be Regulatory Investment(RIT). That’s exactly avoided or deferred by using demand what the RIT does, it allows networks to management to reduce peak demand. engage non-network solution providers to Several approaches are currently used help when the network is under stress. across Australia. Large energy users have Currently, RIT projects are for network been able to negotiate agreements directly programs greater than $5 million, which with network providers, while some only allows for the resolution of large scale residential consumers have had access to network problems. Our view is that new controlled load tariffs. Furthermore, nearly technologies, like deX, will allow that same all large energy users, and an increasing support to be contracted and dispatched number of small consumers, have some form economically at the low voltage level of the of demand charge as part of their network network - this hasn’t previously been tariff. Unfortunately, the time windows for possible. For example, it costs too much these charges are often extremely wide and from a networks perspective, to justify apply every working day of the year. This PANEL PARTICIPANTS project managing a $50k asset upgrade means that energy users need to take very replacing a pole-top distribution sub. deX frequent action to see a reduction of their ANNABEL WILTON is an analyst at will enable small assets in that local area to bills. For the majority of industries having to Bloomberg New Energy Finances in the Sydney, specializing in distributed be contracted, and incentivised, to support curtail load often means the amount of load energy. the network at that local level. Furthermore that can be curtailed each time is limited. MATT COLEMAN is the director of the digital nature of deX can help the AER I would like to see us moving towards Market Development at Green Sync. to speed up, streamline and expand the RIT a coincident peak demand pricing DANI ALEXANDER is a research principal at the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for *that is to limit annual unserved energy (USE) to 0.002% per region. Sustainable Futures. **For instance, the Australia Conservation Foundation commissioned a team at the Institute for MARIJA PETKOVIC is the managing Sustainable Futures (ISF) to model alternatives to extending the life of the Liddell coal-fired power director of Energy Synapse. station in order to meet peak demand, specifically after its proposed closure in 2023-24. The MATT GROVER is the manager of modelling found that energy efficiency alone could address the potential shortfall at a lower cost than Market Development at EnerNOC. all other generation alternatives. However, Australia’s electricity system has historically had a supply side focus and cheaper demand side options are often missed or disregarded. For example, the recent Finkel Review largely neglected policy options for driving energy efficiency and time-varying pricing.

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 35

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structure. This would mean than an energy somebody is quite difficult. It involves one- Because of these two factors, there is user pays for the power they consume on-one agreements with aggregators or limited local expertise in how to undertake during the one hour (or handful of hours) other energy services companies (for cost effective demand response in a customer- where electricity demand is at its highest on example a retailer), then there might be friendly way (although that is changing as that particular network. A few network another agreement with a network and then electricity prices rise and customers look for providers have been trialling this concept other agreement with the same aggregator ways to cut their power bills). in Australia but there is a lot they can learn to participate in market programs (such as Aggregators and energy specialists can from their US counterparts when it comes AEMO’s RERT). The key barrier is the help users better understand the energy to effective manipulation. complexity both in terms of time and money market, where it makes sense and participate Matt Grover, EnerNOC: The new Demand for the contracting price and technology like actively. As these businesses thrive and Management Incentive Scheme the AER is deX is looking to reduce complexity and individuals gain a greater understanding of starting to roll out should be a good first transactional costs. If you can establish a the benefit and potential of demand response, step towards incentivising networks to market place then aggregators can bundle so the culture will change. consider “non-network” options when it comes time to replace an asset. The million dollar question is whether networks will successfully manage to harness DER and Demand response should “virtual power stations” to solve future problems (instead of building more poles absolutely play a role in the and wires), and whether they’ll look to indpendent technology companies, or only NEG’s reliability mechanism. to their own ring-fenced businesses to help them do it. Annabel Wilton, BNEF

What are the barriers that energy users the value for their customers. Marija Petkovic, Energy Synapse: Energy face in accessing the benefits of demand Dani Alexander, UTS Institute for users who are exposed to the spot market do response today? What role can aggregators Sustainable Futures: Biases in our not need a demand response agreement and specialists play in helping energy energy system have created barriers to the with their retailer. This enables them to users overcome those barriers? efficient use of demand management *, keep 100% of the benefit from their demand Annabel Wilton, BNEF: Aggregators including demand response where users response activities. However, due to the reduce the burden on any one load and voluntarily reduce their load at critical complexity and volatility of the spot market, make markets accessible for a broader times. Some particular barriers for demand their biggest challenge is capturing the range of energy users. They develop response include: benefit in the first place. At Energy Synapse, expertise in enabling technologies and Australia does not have a strong track we have developed advanced predictive how best to integrate them into customer record of demand response, so limiting or models of energy markets to help optimize work processes – often specializing in moderating demand is often considered our clients operations in the spot market particular types of businesses or loads. inconvenient or unacceptable: and overcome this major hurdle. Successful demand response markets The regulation of the electricity market has Conversley, energy users who use an have aggregators participating. made it more profitable for our utilities to agreement for demand response either in Matt Coleman, GreenSync: The problem build new network and power station the energy market or ancillary services, face energy users face today is that if you do have infrastructure than to help customers to barriers in terms of how much value they an asset, the ability to have it contracted by save energy; and can capture as well as how much of the captured value they can keep for themselves. An unfortunate side effect of A major challenge for Australia’s demand response becoming a buzzword over the last 18 months is that the quality of electricity system is that average demand response deals on offer has demand is declining even as peak deteriorated significantly. We believe that energy users should be receiving the demand is rising, as we are hit with overwhelming majority of the dollar savings. Unfortunately, we have observed more extreme weather and retailers and aggregators trying to take consumers are relying more on shares that are inappropriately large and under unreasonable contractual terms. energy intensive appliances, such Furthermore, the fact that the major retailers also control the generation means as air conditioning. that the interests of gentailers are not well aligned with demand response customers. Dani Alexander, We have been very active in helping large UTS Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures. energy users to navigate these emerging

36 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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pitfalls in demand response agreements and negotiating fairer deals on their behalf. We’d like to see the AEMC Matt Grover, EnerNOC: In the wholesale create a competitive market energy market the biggest barrier is that energy users (large and small) can only sell for DR provision... their demand response to a single buyer – their current retailer. If their retailer Matt Grover, EnerNOC doesn’t operate a DR scheme, or thinks the customer is too small to bother facilitating a scheme for them – the customer is out of luck and their flexibility will sit on the shelf Dani Alexander, UTS Institute for greenfield DR resources and contract those unused. We’d like the AEMC to create a Sustainable Futures: While demand-side resources to the retailers who need them competitive market for DR provision, so that resources are an ideal fit for meeting most. This will require the AEMC to create a independent aggregators can develop DR reliability and emissions requirements new mechanism to credit a demand where retailers haven’t and can compete under the NEG, there is a risk that they will reduction and allow it to be transferred with retailers to offer energy users the best not be fully considered and integrated between participants. Without such a new service offerings and pricing for DR. The within the policy platform. While early mechanism, retailers will continue to AEMC opened the Ancillary Services information on the NEG suggested that preference supply side reliability contracts, markets up to aggregators in mid-2017 and retailers could invest in either generation or and we won’t see any changes to the status aggregators immediately entered the market demand response, the Energy Security quo. DR will remain underutilised in the and started bidding in a new capacity and Board’s most recent report to COAG sadly wholesale market. The Reliability increasing competition. If the AEMC can did not mention demand-side alternatives at Frameworks Review the AEMC is find a way to make the same change in all*. If retailers do not evaluate and procure undertaking at the moment is the NEM’s best the wholesale energy market, aggregators demand-side resources as part of their opportunity to get this bit right, and in doing will repeat the exercise – they’ll arrive, portfolio, it is likely that their investments so set the NEG up for the lowest-cost outcome. innovated, disrupt and increase competition. will be more expensive. And it will be the end user who pays. Policymakers must As more renewable energy sources enter What role should demand response play ensure that the NEG incentivises retailers to the system to replace fossil-fuelled in the mooted National Energy contract for demand management generators, do demand management Guarantee, and what should policy alternatives, including demand response, participants face the prospect of weaker makers do to ensure the NEG wherever this is a lower cost option. incentives? incorporates the demand side? Marija Petkovic, Energy Synapse: Demand Annabel Wilton, BNEF: On the contrary, as Annabel Wilton, BNEF: Demand response response is dispatchable and in most cases, the penetration of variable renewables rises should absolutely play a role in the National produces low or zero emissions. Therefore, and existing generators exit the market, we Energy Guarantee’s reliability mechanism. demand response is well positioned to satisfy will need more flexible capacity to balance It can be an efficient and reliable resource both the reliability and emissions guarantees. the output, provide emergency capacity and and in other markets globally provides The Government has clearly indicated that to regulate frequency. Between 2014 and around 5% of peak demand. it wants demand response to participate in 2016, frequency control services revenues in Matt Coleman, Green Sync: At its core, the NEG. This is a great first step. However, the National Electricity Market already the NEG is all about making sure that it will be important that all technologies increased from $A30m to A$121m. generation is reliable and we can deal with under the NEG are on an even playing field, Matt Coleman, GreenSync: No, in the the intermittency issues associated with rather than a situation where some short term, it’s actually the other way renewable generation, be that wind or solar. technologies receive arbitrary advantages. around. As more renewables come on board, The support for those assets to reduce Matt Grover, EnerNOC: The ESB’s early it increases two things. Firstly, it increases intermittency, or increase flexibility, doesn’t documentation seems to duly consider the requirement for additional flexibility need to be delivered by the large generator incorporating the demand side into the in our grid to support the firmness itself or from that generation site. It can be NEG. This is encouraging, but it will prove to of those renewable generators and reduce delivered by any participant who has a DER, be lip service unless the ESB and the AEMC intermittency. Secondly, demand or a group of DERs, which can be dispatched can find a way to allow retailers to contract management can provide support that in order to support that specific asset, or a DR from outside their own customer base in traditional synchronous generation assets group of assets, at any given point in time. order to meet their obligations under the would “normally” provide. For example, Harnessing demand services is the most Reliability Guarantee. In such a future, these participants can provide frequency effective and efficient long-term solution. independent aggregators would develop control ancillary services, whether that is near instantaneous frequency support or emergency frequency support during outages.

* Instead the Board notes that the NEG will require retailers to “contract for a certain level of We believe establishing a market will find dispatchable generation…either thermal generation, or dispatchable renewable generation such as the optimal balance. solar thermal or hydro”. Energy Security Board Advice: The National Energy Guarantee, 20 Dani Alexander, UTS Institute for November 2017: http://www.coagenergycouncil.gov.au/sites/prod.energycouncil/files/publications/ Sustainable Futures: On the contrary. Due documents/Report%20on%20the%20National%20Energy%20Guarantee.pdf to technology improvements and the

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ECO418_Roundtable.indd 37 12/3/18 11:32 am ROUNDTABLE

sustainability imperative, we are moving towards a more flexible electricity system, both in its supply and demand. As the proportion of variable generation (like wind Customers are now building or solar) increases, the market will need complementary means to balance variable our energy infrastructure. demand. While batteries and pumped hydro (like Snowy 2.0) are getting a lot of Matt Coleman, GreenSyn attention, demand management – and particularly demand response – is likely to be the cheapest way to do this and integrate Annabel Wilton, BNEF: In the near-term curtailing load is much cheaper than renewables effectively. demand response and large-scale storage installing large-scale storage e.g. buying For this reason, we are seeing more may compete for existing revenue batteries or upgrading a hydro system. It’s incentives for demand-side resources in the opportunities. There is potential for value the well-used adage, “the cheapest form of market, such as the recent round of demand erosion in the currently lucrative but energy is the one that is never used”. This response pilots funded by the Australian relatively shallow frequency control holds true even when incentivised through Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in ancillary services market, in particular - programs such as the AEMO/ARENA trial collaboration with the Australian Energy as has been observed in PJM in the United where the demand resource is expected to Market Operator (AEMO). As we are starting States. In the future decarbonized power cost approximately $69/kW.year*, compared from a low base compared to our international systems, both storage and demand response with $586/kW.year* for grid-scale battery counterparts – Texas’s available demand-side will be valuable sources of flexibility. storage. Nonetheless, we cannot reduce resource last year was more than double the Matt Coleman, GreenSync: It’s important demand to zero so there is still likely to be a capacity of the Hazelwood coal-fired power that we view storage as another “super” place for storage during peak events and to station – these incentives are likely to ramp form of demand management – you can be directly moderate supply variability. up over the coming years. generating with it or you can be providing However, if we install large-scale storage Marija Petkovic, Energy Synapse: Our support through curtailing. So, with storage before considering alternative demand-side view is that the growth of renewable energy assets you can be increasing load on the grid opportunities, there is a risk that it will be will actually create stronger, not weaker, to provide support (for example) to bigger – and cost a lot more – than it needs incentives for demand management. The distribution assets where there are high to be. We need to understand the demand merit-order/price suppression effect of levels of solar PV generation which can resource first and make the big investments renewable energy has been well documented impact voltage. Or, you can decrease the with a clearer picture of our long-term and hence we can expect the average price of amount of load on the grid, by providing energy needs. electricity to go down as more renewables more traditional network support to address Marija Petkovic, Energy Synapse: come online. However, instantaneously thermal capacity constraints. Storage assets Different types of energy storage as well as balancing supply and demand at every point are just another tool that we have in our demand response, all have their own in time is going to become much more demand management toolbox and like any strengths and weakness. There is no single difficult when the supply side of the equation technology, can provide services to support technology that is best suited for every becomes largely outside of our control, unless the grid. Storage just has a different profile single application. Therefore, a diverse we can harness the demand side. Thus, while in terms of asset performance and cost for portfolio of resources will be the most the average price can be expected to go those services compared to other demand resilient and cost effective. The best down, there is likely to be more volatility in management technologies. outcome for consumers is for there to be a the market. This volatility will create a In order to solve any given issue there will variety of technologies, operated by a strong incentive to have an actively engaged be some technologies, be that storage or variety of participants, all competing in a demand side. curtailment, which will best meet those market to deliver the lowest cost energy. Matt Grover, EnerNOC: The contrary - as economic and technical needs. Matt Grover, EnerNOC: Load curtailment more variable renewable energy generation Dani Alexander, UTS Institute for and large-scale storage are complementary sources enter the market, the value of Sustainable Futures: Storage and demand technologies that will both play a major role balancing resources and resources that can management are both required in the in helping integrate renewables in the ramp quickly will increase. Demand electricity transition to provide clean and future NEM. The trick is that if the NEM response is capable of responding very flexible capacity that addresses increasing continues to be underutilised the latent quickly to help correct brief imbalances in supply-side variability and peaking demand. demand-side capability of flexible loads, the supply and demand and so is well suited to However, the value of both will be heavily NEM (or governments) will end up building play a role in the future NEM. influenced by the way they are implemented. considerably more large-scale storage than The challenge lies in how to most efficiently it needs to - which will add unnecessary Does the imminent arrival of large-scale deploy these new forms of flexible capacity. costs that will ultimately flow through to storage present threats or opportunities In general, energy efficiency and energy users. for demand response? In a future system with lots of storage, will there be any need for (and value associated with) * Cost estimates are derived from the ACF/ISF report, Beyond Coal: Alternatives to Extending the load curtailment? Life of Liddell Power Station (2017)

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What are your long-term hopes for COST AND EMISSIONS COMPARISONS OF OPTIONS demand management and demand TO REPLACE LIDDEL COAL-FIRED POWER response? Annabel Wilton, BNEF: Eventually all 4500 45 demand and distributed energy resources Carbon Value (@$10/CO2) should be better integrated into the system 4000 40 Carbon Emissions (5yrs) so that they can be op-timized with large 3500 35 scale generation and aid rather than harm network operations. This will require 3000 30 significant changes to market design and 2500 25 will be aided by technological innovation to Cost over 5 years ($m) 2000 20 allow extensive demand-side participation to occur automatically with minimal 1500 15 disruption to end users. 1000 10 Matt Coleman, GreenSync: The transition Emissions over 5 years (Mt C02e) that’s happening inside our energy system is 500 5 not being driven by traditional utilities – it’s 0 0 being driven by the customer. Customers are now building our energy infrastructure. -500 -5 They’re doing it in their homes and in their businesses. As this shift in investment occurs we need to introduce more flexibility into our grids to handle this shift to a grid Energy with a large portion of decentralised Expanded Clean Energy Clean Energy AGL Proposal AGL Extend Liddell Extend generation. In order to facilitate that only Efficiency flexibility, we believe the best way is (Beyond Coal: Alternatives to Extending the Life of Liddell Power Station, 2017) image supplied by Dani Alexander. through demand response, whether that’s batteries, curtailment or (more likely) a mix of different ‘responses’ and increasing use of transition to change the way with think dispatch process. Demand response smart controls and automation. about how we use electricity, not just how participants would be able to bid any What will happen over the long term, as we make it. If we could make the leap volume, at any price, at any time and it customers invest in their own assets, is that forward, where we see demand as an makes economic sense for them to do so. utilities and energy service companies will equally important resource as supply, we This injection of extra competition in the develop the technology and processes to could short-circuit many of the ill-conceived dispatch process would be a significant make sure we can harness those assets to arguments against a clean energy system. benefit to all consumers, including those provide flexibility for our whole system. In practice, I see this becoming a reality as who are unable to provide demand Indeed – that is what GreenSync is working available smart technology is adopted so response themselves. Furthermore, it on now. Ultimately those new technologies that demand management, including would give demand response participants and processes combined with (customer demand response, becomes invisible – the same price certainty that generators owned) DERs will arbitrage the price of automatically adjusting to the most efficient currently enjoy. For economic demand electricity down to the minimum cost to run solution in real-time. A smart, low-cost response to be most effective, it would also our networks and power our society. clean energy system in perfect balance need to be decoupled from retail electricity When DERs and Demand Response would be a beautiful thing. supply, similar to what has been done with harness the new capabilities of this digital Marija Petkovic, Energy Synapse: In ancillary services. transformation, they are enabling the grid addition to coincident peak demand pricing Matt Grover, EnerNOC: We’d like to see to transform and allow for the higher for networks, I would like to see market the NEM avoid the temptation to whack in penetration of renewables. integrated economic demand response. lots of expensive batteries and temporary Dani Alexander, UTS Institute for This would involve demand response diesel generators to solve problems, and Sustainable Futures: I sincerely hope that bidding into the energy market and instead lean on utilising existing storage we can take the opportunity within this competing directly with generation in the and flexible capacity from demand-side assets that already exist, but which are being underutilised today. The best way to increase the utilisation of DR is to allow There is no single technology independent aggregators and technology companies that control DER to develop that is best suited for every flexibility and participate in the NEM’s markets directly – rather than forcing them single application. to work through retailers. If facilitating DR remains solely the domain of retailers, DR Marija Petkovic, Energy Synapse will remain underutilised.

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ECO418_Roundtable.indd 39 12/3/18 8:53 am COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL SOLAR

Business gets an energy rush

It took a while but the message has finally gotten through to business owners that they can cut costs and boost profits by investing in solar PV. But can Australia’s commercial and industrial solar installers keep up?

nce upon a time business owners Huon Hoogesteger. “So solar is the only way in a four-week burst with the added didn’t feel so bad if they gorged on they can get back some control of their complication of battery storage. Oelectricity. The stuff was so cheap energy mix.” With workloads bouncing around like that power bills barely caused a blip on It’s no wonder businesses owners are that, a design and installation company will bottom lines. investing in little electricity generators of need quick access to extra engineering and But times have changed. These days, some their own, if they have the roof space. And project management resources. When work managers of small and medium-sized so the surge in commercial and industrial drops back to normal levels after a crazy enterprises tasked with renegotiating solar PV that took off in earnest last year busy month, just as suddenly there are too electricity contracts are facing rate raises continues into 2018 and beyond … hopefully. many staff and operating costs must be of up to 60%. The only downside is that an increase balanced against profit margin. When costs jump to that extent profit in demand for new systems has tested “Unfortunately, when you tender on big margins get squashed. the resources of installation companies projects against [the largest commercial “The bill shock that’s been felt in at all levels. installers] it always comes down to price,” [the commercial and industrial sector] “The challenge is finding the balance Hooper says. “I doesn’t matter what is something that’s going to resonate for between having a big enough operational and portfolio of projects you’ve delivered many years to come because for the first engineering team to support peaks in sales successfully – that all becomes irrelevant time these businesses have realised that volume,” says GEM Energy CEO and founder – it all comes down to price.” one of their top five overheads is way out Jack Hooper, giving an example where work When customers are choosing a supplier of their control,” says Smart Commercial might tick along at 1MB a month for a few based on cost it becomes harder for an Solar founder and managing director months and suddenly there’s 3MB to handle installation company to make sure it has the

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it will slowly go mainstream. “There’s good A battery needs to be cycled about 250 momentum now,” he says. times or more a year to be financially viable, As for batteries, it’s a different story. Hooper says, which makes the technology “There’s a lot of hype about batteries and better suited to sites with low base load and there has been for years now,” Gadd says. short periods of high peak demand. “There are a lot of people trying to sell them Businesses are and not as many people trying to buy them.” IT’S BUSINESS realising they can cut costs and boost Autonomous is working on systems that The commercial and industrial solar PV profits by installing include storage but Gadd says he suspects sector is “relentlessly competitive,” says their own solar PV. the industry has a lot to learn about Hoogesteger at Smart Commercial Solar. calculating optimal battery solutions for “But the reason why it is competitive isn’t clients compared with solar. “The industry just because we are competing against other is on a learning curve,” he says. “We see a lot solar companies, it’s because we are of the same characteristics in the global competing against the energy price – and we battery market as there were in the PV are trying to give our customers really clear market historically. There is huge potential financial benefits against traditional energy for the cost of battery technology to come sources which have often been subsidised.” down … in which case it all changes and we As electricity prices have ripped ahead of GEM Energy CEO have a great opportunity to add batteries to inflation solar has changed from a luxury to Jack Hooper solar and microgrids.” a necessity, Hoogesteger says, as businesses try to control financial pressure on CHARGE IT overheads. This doesn’t mean installation There are definitely niches where batteries companies can relax their sales practices. stack up, he says, and installers who can “Even though it’s now more order-taking identify those opportunities and explain the than ever before – less selling – we’re still Smart financial case for batteries to those energy selling and lowering our costs to be more Commercial users will create business for themselves. competitive.” Solar founder “It’s about finding those opportunities.” If demand for solar systems is high and and managing GEM had about 9MW of rooftop projects installation companies are working at director Huon on the go when Hooper spoke to capacity then you’d figure prices would go Hoogesteger EcoGeneration, including a 680kW system up, but Hoogesteger isn’t holding his with 1MWh of Tesla Powerpack storage, a breath. “The market at some point in time 380kW system with 680kWh of Tesla has to mature, but I’ve been saying that for talent to really deliver quality, says Hooper, storage and two 100kW systems with nine 10 years,” he says. Despite the Australian who admits he has passed up jobs where Tesla Powerwalls each. dollar hovering around US80c costs have GEM has made the short list simply because Hooper says GEM’s on target to deliver risen, with panels up around 10% over the its workload is already onerous. 8MWh of storage this financial year, but he past six months. “Making sure you can handle the swings doesn’t want to give too much away about It’s about presenting a solid business in increases and decreases in volume is the those customers’ load profiles. “There are case to managers, he says. It helps that the biggest challenge,” he says. various industries and it’s not always benefits of solar are so obvious that the financial,” he says. If customers are confident option of doing nothing about rising energy STORAGE STILL IN STORAGE about a proposed system and if the installer costs can’t be seriously considered – Autonomous Energy managing director can show a track record of delivery, they will unless a manager wants to face some Mark Gadd has seen a surge of interest from accept return on investment of up to eight shareholder fury. commercial and industrial energy users years. “It’s a matter of how you present it.” over the past six months and expects the The battery market is far from mature, SELLING QUALITY high level of interest to last, as business though. “We are finding it really difficult to Hooper says when GEM has quoted manager’s twig to the benefits of solar and spec a battery that’s financially viable for commercial tenders using premium panels tire of paying ever higher energy bills. “The peak demand shaving or load shifting,” he such as Sunpower or LG it has seen fundamentals are great and have been says. “We can’t make batteries work immediately that customers don’t continuing to improve,” he says. economically in that space at the moment.” understand the point of paying more when The economics of commercial solar Sectors where batteries are making sense the warranties are identical to cheaper reached a tipping point around 2015, he says, in some cases are education, agriculture and brands. “It’s really hard for them to where rising bills and falling costs made it a some public service applications, he says. An differentiate the quality aspect between the viable investment. If it took a few years “for example is a 100kW system with 200kWh of different panels,” he says. “You price the penny to drop” and managers to have storage for a disaster management centre in yourself out and don’t really get the chance systems installed then Gadd says that’s often Bundaberg, Queensland, which operates as a to explain the benefits [which become how it is in business. But as word spreads PCYC multiplex during the week and will apparent after about seven or eight years].” around boardrooms and among executives provide accommodation and other services It’s almost impossible for customers to about the acceptance of solar he’s confident when disaster strikes. differentiate between the top commercial

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Clients whose solar PV systems are supplying between 50% and 60% of their total electricity are doing well, he says. “Once you’re going over that you’re oversizing the system for the load, so the return on investment numbers start to get lower.” There has been a little bit of interest in storage in the smaller sites, he says, but larger energy users are still holding off. Some customers may not grasp where they can better manage energy use and Fisk says Solaray helps many SMEs with power factor correction, demand management, energy contract negotiation and energy efficiency. “A lot of SMEs are still on onerous pricing contracts,” he says. “If companies have been on two-or three-year supply contracts they are getting a bit of a shock at the moment.” Some are facing increases on supply charge of between 45% and 50% compared with three years ago. Above: Bundaberg Christian College Battery Container BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED installation companies, he says. They all the Small-scale Technology Certificate Most briefs Smart Commercial Solar is have the same certifications, they all install market, says Gadd at Autonomous Energy. seeing are to meet daytime load. Regardless systems around the same size, they all do “If the price drops and you haven’t worked of that, the question of batteries is often quality work – so it comes down to price, out a hedging strategy you’re going to be out raised. Hoogesteger feels it’s probably a even when tenders are managed by of the money,” he says. “We lived through result of a mild mania about storage, consulting engineers. the last time they went to $20 in 2011 so we because “it’s very difficult to find a solid And pity the SME owner who thinks all saw the writing on the wall and hedged our financial case for batteries – we get asked a solar installers are the same. “There is a exposure and managed it that way.” lot and spend a lot of time talking people out whole bunch of door-knockers out there Hooper says installers should make sure of batteries … or dispelling the myth.” who just go wham, bam, thank you ma’am,” their customers understand the clean Customers will appreciate an installer who says Solaray director Jonathan Fisk. energy certificates markets are volatile and doesn’t appear to be flogging all the extras, he The systems Solaray is installing for its that contracts make it clear that variations says, because for so many years the industry commercial and industrial customers are can be passed through to the client. Hedging has been hampered by heavy sales tactics used optimised at the panel-level, Fisk says, so it’s exposure to STCs instils confidence when by large-volume install companies. “There has more expensive, using higher-quality quoting, he says. always been a trust issue.” panels. It takes more effort to sell quality The tide is turning against disreputable systems, he admits, but it’s worth it. Does he KNOWN VARIABLES operators, he says. “Probably five years ago I have any tips for installers looking to enter At Solaray Fisk says his clients are only would have said 60-70% of the market was the commercial and industrial market? planning for self-consumption. Most not playing a straight bat. Now I would say “Come and work for us,” Fisk says. “We’re customers’ systems will be limited by that’s come down to about 30%.” really selective with our installers … and we the available roofspace, so they will only Commercial customers are becoming have a requirement for more installers.” be exporting on weekends. “There’s no smarter and because the systems are getting point putting in storage to store Sunday’s bigger there is more emphasis placed on due ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS power for use on Monday morning,” Fisk diligence. (Eighty percent of Smart The surge in interest in commercial PV says. “You’ve got to charge and discharge Commercial’s work is between 100kW and solutions was driven by steep rises in every day.” 2MW.) Hoogesteger expects capacity wholesale electricity costs, says Hooper at A sweet spot for systems for Solaray’s installed in 2018 to be double that of 2017 GEM Energy. Prices might not rise as sharply SME clients is 29kW, he says, beyond which and that strong demand will continue for again, but business managers will still be grid protection becomes a requirement. about three to five years. “It depends very looking to invest in solar as they follow the Demand takes off again for systems above much on the advance of the battery market,” trend. “People will see a lot of this commercial 50kW. Negotiating grid connections is he says, pointing to the technology’s ability volume going in and start to think about it always interesting, Fisk says. “It’s often easy to capitalise on off-peak energy and themselves,” he says. He’s not sure this year and often tricky – it depends on the site.” moderate overall energy costs. “Storage has will beat last year. “It was a record year – A recent job which tests the maximum a lot to do with our future. They will be I don’t think we’ll get there again.” capacity for the street has taken months to playing a very strong market mechanism And it’s not just about competitors. negotiate whereas others are approved role, which will sustain the value of solar Installers should also plan for volatility in straight away. and wind. The potential is unlimited.”

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South Australia surges ahead in renewable leadership

An Australian-first, $11.4 million demonstration plant that produces hydrogen will be built in Adelaide.

delaide-based Australian Gas renewable electricity,” said Staniford. • Expediting research and development Infrastructure Group (AGIG) will “And importantly, it propels South which will inform and accelerate a Aconstruct and operate a state-of the- Australia’s status as a leader in renewable commercial hydrogen economy. art plant at Tonsley Innovation District, in technology and a first mover in hydrogen. This “Hydrogen is an emerging industry, with Adelaide’s southern suburbs. project will provide an opportunity to develop real potential to develop into a global This follows a $4.9 million grant from the an Australian-first integrated hydrogen project commodity utilised by homes, business, South Australian government through its which paves the way for the commercial industry and vehicles,” said Staniford. $150 million Renewable Technology Fund. deployment of a hydrogen economy.” “Given the early nature of the technology, The power-to-gas demonstration plant The project will involve the construction it is key to bring together government, – to be called Hydrogen Park SA (HyP SA) of a hydrogen production and distribution industry and researchers into one facility will produce hydrogen from renewable facility using a 1.25MW PEM electrolyser to to work together to ensure these electricity, which will then be injected into produce hydrogen utilising electricity from opportunities are realised and to educate the local gas distribution network at the the grid and potentially on-site solar. and train our community.” Tonsley Innovation District south of The produced hydrogen will then be “An example of the research opportunities Adelaide to provide low carbon gas to homes injected into AGIG’s local gas network to includes the interaction of electrolysers and businesses. power the Tonsley Innovation District but with the national electricity grid, the ability AGIG chief customer officer Andrew with the ability to be expanded to supply a of electrolysters and the gas grid to assit in Staniford said: “The aim of the demonstration proposed residential development in the maintaining electricity grid stability and plant is to reflect how energy will be provided area and other remote customers through operation of a hydrogen house.” to businesses and homes in the future.” tube and trailer facilities. “It will also illustrate the complementary The key features of the pilot plant will be: nature of gas and electricity in meeting the • The largest PEM- electrolysers decarbonisation challenge – a key in in Australia balancing the energy trilemma.” • Australia’s first integrated “The project is expected to be the first in hydrogen-electricity-gas-project Australia where renewable electricity is SA-based energy leaders working together • AGIG chief stored and distributed in the gas network as Decarbonises gas supply including a • customer officer hydrogen, providing an additional market green-gas residential development Andrew for fluctuating renewable electricity and • Provides a centre for research, training, Staniford thereby also improving the economics of education and engagement

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ECO418_AdelaideHydrogen.indd 44 12/3/18 8:34 am INDUSTRY FORUM BRISBANE CONVENTION 15 MAY 2018 AND EXHIBITION CENTRE

The Clean Energy Council’s annual Large-scale Solar Industry Forum brings solar industry professionals together to share knowledge and work towards technical excellence in the local industry. Featuring in-depth sessions on all the technical challenges currently facing the solar sector, this full-day conference is an essential professional development opportunity for anyone interested in the technical side of large-scale solar. Book your tickets now at cleanenergycouncil.org.au/solarforum

ECO0418_allads.indd 53 7/3/18 11:13 am WIND PROJECT

WindAid is helping communities in Peru with renewables to generate energy.

Wind aid launches Community Wind Workshop in Peru

eru-based non-government WindAid which specialises in small-scale community has put in all corner posts for organisation WindAid Institute is wind energy has been working with Playa the building, fitted walls and a temporary Pbuilding a community wind workshop Blanca on an electrification program for the roof to the first three rooms and installed a in Playa Blanca in Peru. past four years, taking advantage of the test turbine to provide power and for Play BlancaPlaya Blanca is a small beach abundant wind supply. trialling new turbine designs. Volunteer community on the north coast of Peru in the WindAid’s goal is to have a network of groups are already staying in the living district of Sechura. It is around 5 km from these ‘regional hubs’ supporting its turbines accommodation and in November last year, the nearest town (Bayovar) and 40 km from – now numbering over 50 across multiple they fitted a very important facility - a the city of Sechura. It has little communities in the coast and highlands of composting toilet! infrastructure for its 60 families, including northwest Peru. The Playa Blanca project ‘Directiva’ no connection to the electricity grid which Nick Warren, co-founder of WindAid (community committee) has chosen an impacts on every aspect of the residents Institute said: “We are excited to take this Education Officer to deliver training to the lives. Diesel generators are expensive and next step where we don’t just electrify the community on wind energy and general polluting and Peru is already suffering the houses but we give the whole community sustainability, and also a Technician who will effects of climate change but doesn’t have lasting access to clean renewable energy and start training with WindAid throughout the the ideal conditions for generating energy a source of education and empowerment.” year, which will further deepen the from renewable sources. The joint team from WindAid and the community’s involvement with the project.

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ECO418_WindAid.indd 46 12/3/18 11:27 am MAINTENANCE

Respect the power … why it pays to look after your solar system

Regular maintenance of a solar PV system will ensure it is to the system performing properly. The performing at maximum efficiency and minimise the causes are not always related to sloppy installation standards or cheap equipment. possibility of hazards – it’s just a shame not everyone does it. “Over the years I’ve seen ants, termites, possums, cockatoos, rats – you name it I’ve t might be great to harvest free electricity things have improved since then, but system seen it destroy a solar power system,” says from your own rooftop power plant but if owners shouldn’t be complacent about their Bidwell. “Cows, horses, sheep – the whole Iyou want it to work properly you have to investment. Maintenance of a solar PV lot. I’ve seen bats roosting under arrays, all look after it. A few simple checks and some system is about so much more than cleaning sorts of things.” housecleaning now and then may be all that’s the modules. Many variables that are completely needed to keep a system running efficiently. “System maintenance is crucial to the unforeseen and unpredictable may impact In 2012 solar consultancy SunWiz looked ongoing optimised performance of the system the performance of a system, Bidwell says, at data from 8,000 PV systems connected to – if you want it to go well, you’ve got to look so owners should understand why an annual NSW network AusGrid and found the average after it,” says Solar Analytics technical sales inspection by a qualified solar installer – small-scale system was performing nearly account manager Brett Bidwell. even it is to clean the panels – will be a good 19% below capacity, with around 18% of The basics of maintenance include looking way to spot and fix issues that could become systems performing 20% below expectations at the performance of the inverter and going serious if left to fester. “There are and 7% about 40% below expectations. over the solar array structure, the cabling and opportunities there for maintenance to be That was six years ago and here’s hoping assessing whether anything has contributed discussed [with owners] very early on in the

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disconnect in that respect,” Pickles says. Body text “But some companies that sell a system may include a maintenance visit as part of the sale price.”

DC DANGER ZONE The presence of rooftop DC isolators in the Australian Standard is a serious bone of contention within the installer network in Australia, Bidwell says. “Rooftop DC isolators are the single highest contributors to system underperformance or failure. DC electricity with no protection inside a plastic box that’s filled with water is not good. It will cause a problem.” Pickles says when a system fails it’s invariably because water has got into a DC isolator, which can also be a safety hazard. “The sooner you get on to that the better it will be.” This often is a result of a poor installation, where substandard workmanship has led to little holes here and there where water can get through. “If someone drove a screw through the back of it to fix it in place, it ceases to be suitably IP protected,” Pickles says. Bidwell puts a general negligence about maintenance down to the hard sales tactics of the large installer groups, where the motivation is to sell systems, get them up and then move on. “We’ve seen the end user have a lot of information withheld or just not given,” he says. “If you buy a new car [the seller] will talk to you about maintenance and maybe even incentivise you to maintain your vehicle with them at regular intervals,” he says. “Why on earth A few simple checks now and again is all that’s would you not do that with the third most needed to keep a system running efficently. expensive purchase you make in your life? You don’t drive your car around until it goes clunk and then say, ‘Maybe I should have piece, even before the purchase of the running around doing regular maintenance,” put some oil in it.’” system,” he says, emphasising that solar he says. “Quite often the return on As a representative of solar PV monitoring sales companies and installation companies investment of those types of funding software company SolarAnalytics, Bidwell should clearly explain the benefits of approaches is completely dependent on the reminds EcoGeneration that performance maintenance to their clients. optimised performance of the system, so monitoring systems will alert system that if it works better you get paid more.” owners to problems, if owners are prepared TEAM EFFORT Any good commercial and industrial solar to pay a little extra. “The optimised Installers are working all hours to get system agreement should include a clause performance of any system is down to the systems on rooftops, with record numbers about operations and maintenance, Bidwell movement of data and the collection and of small-scale Technology Certificates says. “It’s not an option. If it’s not there, analysis of data,” he says. “If you can do that created last year and hopefully the same you’re dealing with the wrong people.” remotely you can optimise the performance again this year, so how can they be expected At the Clean Energy Council, technical of a number of systems.” to find the time to go around maintaining and compliance officer Luke Pickles says it’s SolarAnalytics monitors inverters at the 1.6 million systems already in place? not really incumbent on the installer to about 17,500 sites in Australia, New Simple, says Bidwell – employ more people. carry out maintenance – it’s up to customers Zealand, the US and on some Pacific Islands. For a start, installers who have contractual to request it. “The problem is there’s a cost commitments to maintain systems should associated with doing maintenance and SOMETHING’S NOT RIGHT… manage schedules and staff especially for people normally buy a solar system with the Owners will be the first ones to know their the purpose. “Suddenly you’ve got a crew purpose of saving money, so there’s a system is underperforming, but only if

48 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_Maintenence_v2.indd 48 12/3/18 10:03 am ECO0418_allads.indd 49 23/2/18 12:07 pm MAINTENANCE

parts of the world, however, such as the sandy Middle East, some owners of plants have installed low-tech cleaning technology akin to rollers in a car wash, but waterless, and in regions where labour is very cheap workers are employed to wash arrays. “There are robot technologies for the solar farm level but there is nothing on a domestic level,” he says. A couple of international studies have shown the importance of cleaning systems in desert locations: a system in Doha, the capital of Qatar, was 3.7% more efficient the day following cleaning (after accounting for the difference in solar irradiance levels the day before); and a laboratory study that aimed to simulate conditions for a system in the Algerian desert found that energy output dropped in line with the level of soiling, with loss of 180MWh a year for a 1MW plant.

LET IT RAIN A recent study out of the University of “Panels are easy to clean but owners shouldn’t Wollongong tested the effectiveness of cleaning by measuring output from six think of getting up on roofs and doing the job sections of a solar system on the roof of the themselves,” says Luke Pickles. Sustainable Buildings Research Centre and compared results for yield where one section was never cleaned, one was cleaned they’re paying attention. First, the owner says. “If it’s very dusty or you’ve got a every six months, one every four months, can check the output of the system via problem with bird droppings it can be one every three months, one bimonthly and monitoring or the inverter, which will tell substantial.” one monthly. them how much energy it’s produced over Data was collected for the 12 months various defined periods. This data can be ONLY IF IT’S WORTH IT ending June 2017 and at year’s end the compared with the system performance Although soiling does have an impact on the researchers compared the unwashed section estimate the customer will have received efficiency of PV installations, the cost of with the one that was cleaned on a monthly from the installer. “They should line those cleaning needs to be lower than the basis. “It could be intuitively suggested then two things up,” says Pickles. “If they’re told regained panel efficiency for it to be worth that if any discernible difference is to be it’s going to produce, say, 20kWh a day they doing. Owners of large-scale systems have a noticed due to the effect of soiling the most can check on the unit to see if that’s lot of money on the line and won’t tolerate noticeable would be between sections one actually happening.” flagging yields, so they use formulas to work [unwashed] and six [cleaned each month],” For many owners the first sign out what additional energy they’ll get versus authors Jason David of the university’s something’s wrong is when their electricity the cost of operational maintenance. Australian Power Quality and Reliability bill jumps. Such was the case with Pickles’ For the past couple of years, NSW Centre and Duane Robinson of the Sustainable mother’s installation in Queensland, where company SolarClear has been working on a Buildings Research Centre wrote. she only twigged there was something cleaning system that clips onto panels and When daily yields in kilowatt hours were wrong with her solar system when her simulates a rain shower of between three compared, however, the researchers noticed electricity bill increased “by a lot”. Sure and four minutes’ duration. Large systems almost no difference. “The effect of soiling enough it turned out the inverter had failed. in arid zones would be a key target, says had very little impact on the yield of either “She’s not out there every day checking its marketing director Andrew Petersen, who system,” the team wrote, going on to working but she is checking her bill when estimates about 40% of Australian conclude that good levels of rainfall in the it’s time to pay,” Pickles says. residential systems are located in parts of coastal region are enough to keep systems Panels are easy to clean but owners the country where regular cleaning would performing well. “For a system clean to be shouldn’t think of getting up on roofs and be advised. financially viable a considerable increase in doing the job themselves, he says – most Petersen says developers of some efficiency, and thus power generated, must window-cleaning companies will do the Australian solar plants he’s spoken with be resultant in order to recoup the money work. In general the CEC says washing dirty claim they accept some loss of efficiency spent on cleaning,” they wrote. “In the case or dusty arrays will boost production by from soiling as a fact of life, hopeful that presented … the cost is not redeemed about 5%. “It depends on your location,” he rain will clean systems for them. In other throughout the entirety of the project.”

50 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_Maintenence_v2.indd 50 12/3/18 11:35 am Reliability – made by Schaeffler

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ECO0418_allads.indd 55 7/3/18 10:44 am UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND RESEARCH

UQ solar enablement initiative gets underway

Most people who understand the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy will agree that the sooner it fills the grid and replaces coal, the better.

here’s just one big problem. The system network. The system works fine when it’s where solar PV penetration is among the of poles and wires that connect designed to take it in at one end and highest in the world. Tcentralised generation sources in well- distribute it at the other. If some users start out-of-town places with all the factories and pumping water back the other way, however, RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS houses around Australia is designed to there’s a problem. Pressure starts to build in Exports from residential systems are deliver electricity in one direction. the system and leaks occur. limited in Queensland to the extent that As homeowners have installed solar PV “That is exactly what’s happening with there isn’t a financial incentive to owners systems on their suburban rooftops, the the low-voltage and medium-voltage beyond savings from self-consumption. “It distribution networks have adapted to take networks [where solar penetration is high],” makes for a more expensive connection than “exported” surplus electricity from those says Professor Simon Bartlett of the would otherwise be the case,” Bartlett says. addresses and pass it along. University of Queensland. Erratic voltage levels in high-solar areas Things can operate OK that way for a If power is pushed back in, the voltage is evidence that the current methodology while, but when more and more mini power goes up and inverters trip. “It can cause used by networks to assess connections stations appear on the roofs of houses and damage to people’s appliances and public could be improved, to put it lightly. As a businesses there comes a point where safety risks,” Bartlett says. “It is a serious result, the growth of PV is being stunted things snap. issue”, especially in Queensland and parts of and surplus generation is being wasted. Think of it as being like a water supply South Australia and Western Australia It’s not that networks want to discourage

52 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_UniQueensland.indd 52 9/3/18 10:53 am UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND RESEARCH

RESEARCH and the participants can justify an upgrade Bartlett thinks it’s a problem that can be to the regulator, then ideally the system solved, and he and a team of researchers would be installed across their networks. have been given $2.9 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy PROVIDING VISABILITY Agency (which pitched in $1.2 million) and The trial will be adapted to three very financial support from the Australian Power different systems. Energex has meters Institute, Energy Networks Australia, installed on a good proportion of its Energex, TasNetworks, United Energy, transformers, Bartlett says, so the Aurecon Australasia, Redback Technologies, researchers will grab that data and see what Queensland University of Technology and they can do with it. “They won’t need to put Springfield City Group. in a lot more equipment; it’s just a question Along with researchers at the University of the communication links,” he says. In the of Queensland he will apply a technique case of United Energy, the researchers can developed by colleague Dr Olav Krause to access data from smart meters (installed in increase “visibility” in distribution the homes of all Victorians) and separate out networks to encourage greater penetration what they need for residences or businesses of PV. The technique has been run as a along the feeders surveyed. In Tasmania, it prototype in small trials and now it’s time is likely temporary meters will need to be to extend testing to see if the method can be added into parts of networks for the team to applied across networks. Energex in understand what’s going on. Queensland, United Energy in Victoria and “It’s a bit different, but that’s the way the TasNetworks in Tasmania have invited the power system is because it’s grown up researchers to trial the system along around the states – there isn’t a medium-voltage feeders in their standardised system,” says Bartlett, who distribution networks. knows plenty about the challenges networks The university will also be working with face from 40 years’ experience working in the networks to help develop a computer the power industry including a stint as chief system to better assess new PV applications operating officer at Powerlink Queensland. with greater rigour. “Thereby we’re going to “By doing this project in three different see more PV connected to the network, states we’re going to be trialling three those residents will get the benefit of that different existing technologies so that all and then the power system will get the of them will have the same common benefit of it coming back into the system at interface eventually.” the bottom end,” Bartlett says. A typical low-voltage feeder usually hosts Whenever discussion turns to the about 100-150 electricity users, he says, and a possibilities of optimised networks of medium-voltage feeder will connect to about distributed energy resources, there tends to 20 low-voltage feeders and so distribute to be eager anticipation of savings for about 2,000 customers. The researchers will new solar, it’s that they must manage distribution networks, where high costs of measure the effects of PV on seven medium- safety in the grid. “They are responsible maintaining and augmenting all their poles voltage feeders over two years. for the safety of those networks,” and wires are deferred or delayed. Yes, “I’m quite confident we’re going to Bartlett says. “They have to take an networks get a lot of pressure form the demonstrate that this is a feasible way of appropriate position.” regulator and the public about the high cost providing the utilities with visibility of What most people don’t realise, Bartlett of electricity, and Bartlett says they see the those systems and, secondly, equip them says, is there is very little metering on some research as one benefit of the study, but with a tool so they can take that networks. “They’re flying blind,” he says. maybe not the primary one. As for ARENA, information and run studies so that when “They don’t have the information at their he says the funding body is keen on customers want to put more PV on they can disposal to assess what is the state. They anything that will increase the amount of have a more rigorous way of examining can’t see what is going in those networks.” renewables in the grid. that. I’m confident that will result in them If in doubt, and with safety as priority Some solar installers may grumble about being able to say to people, hey, we can one, the solution is to curb exports to avoid the networks’ perceived reluctance to make connect you safely onto this network and overloading parts of networks. The side things easy on them, going on allow you to feed more power back into effect is that investment in PV is not EcoGeneration’s occasional chats with the grid that would be the case with the encouraged or enabled to the extent it might practitioners on the field, but in parts of the current approaches.” be if there were “better visibility” that country where penetration of residential If all goes well, the program will help would be supplied with adequate metering. solar is high the networks really do have a remove barriers to greater uptake of PV in It’s a worldwide problem, Bartlett says, problem on their hands. the capacity range 15kW to 5MW that but it’s an acute problem in areas with high The trial will take place on seven feeders connect to low- or medium-voltage penetration of solar – which means us. on the three networks partners. If it works, distribution networks.

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 53

ECO418_UniQueensland.indd 53 9/3/18 10:54 am HYDRO

Is there an economic case for pumped hydro?

Nick West is a civil engineer at Donald Entura with Vaughan is more than 16 principal years of consultant for experience, primary primarily in electrical hydraulics and engineering at hydropower. Entura. Tasmania’s Tarraleah hydro electric power station

54 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_PumpedHydro.indd 54 12/3/18 9:14 am HYDRO

As the proportion of renewable energy in the grid continues to grow pumped hydro energy storage offers a solution for greater reliability, write Nick West and Donald Vaughan of Entura. But can the business case for storage stack up?

he future is bright for pumped hydro thermal sector, etc), demand (including increasing value in a grid with significant in Australia and for storage in general. changes in industrial load, impacts of amounts of non-synchronous generation. At THowever, no energy solution can exist electric vehicles, etc), fuel prices, this stage, the markets for these network outside of the real and competitive government policies, and bidding strategies support services are very shallow and pressures of the market. Technical viability for large-scale wind and solar projects. competition is increasing. However, the and environmental benefits won’t be enough A business case for pumped hydro relies need for such services is likely to increase to to get projects over the line if they can’t on all the assumptions that go into regular the point where more significant markets demonstrate their financial soundness. power plant financial modelling and adds are required. So how can pumped hydro generate the complexity of arbitrage. sufficient revenue to be attractive to A further complication is the impact on Renewable firming: Government energy investors? And will that revenue continue to market prices of the presence of the policy continues to be fluid, yet under the be predictable enough over the longer term? developer’s own project. In other words, proposed National Energy Guarantee it is No doubt there are opportunities, but how will the proposed project influence the possible that there will be value in providing developers may need to explore a range of market in which it participates? firming services – in other words, pairing different revenue sources in both existing For a storage project, the influence is dispatchable generators (such as storage and emerging markets since the arbitrage likely to be both an increase in low prices projects or open-cycle gas turbines) with opportunities of the past may not be present and a decrease in high prices. If the market intermittent renewable sources of energy to in the future. is robust enough and the proposed project is improve reliability. relatively small, the influence could be WHERE TO FOR ENERGY minor. However, a very large project is likely Behind the meter generation: Storage ARBITRAGE? to influence the market to such an extent projects are exposed to market prices The traditional revenue source for pumped that the utilisation of the project may be during both modes of operation (pumping/ hydro is arbitrage – in other words, making significantly reduced, which would reduce charging and generating). If, however, there the most of generating when the spot price project returns. was an option to pump/charge for “free”, is high and pumping when the spot price is wouldn’t that reduce the risk? low. But this relies on a certain level of BUILDING A BANKABLE BUSINESS Genex Power’s Kidston K2 Project will predictable variability in the electricity CASE pair a 250MW pumped hydro facility with a market and for that variability to continue How can the confidence in a forecast be 270MW solar PV farm. During the day, solar into the future. increased enough for a lender to commit energy can be used to power the pumps in The upcoming retirement of several coal- funding to a project, given that variance of the pumped storage project. The pumped fired power stations and the continued any one of these assumptions could disrupt hydro project will then generate into the investment in renewables are likely to the revenue streams for the project? While evening (and morning) peak. If the upper cement a market in which variability in the transition to a renewables-dominated storage is charged during the day, the power generation and the consequent market continues, it may be that lenders K2 solar project can generate into the volatility in energy prices are the norm. need assurance that other revenue streams Queensland market and realise the benefits exist to reduce the project risk. of large-scale generation certificates (LGCs). FORECASTING REVENUE – Of course, this arrangement relies on NO EASY TASK Price insurance: High price events in the sufficiently high prices during peaks to Financing an energy project requires a firm electricity market will certainly continue to recover the additional cost of the solar farm, revenue forecast. Lenders may consider occur, but it’s impossible to predict their transmission losses and any LGC liability. “firm” to be a 90% confidence limit, which timing. Energy storage projects can provide As our electricity mix evolves, so will the means the developer must demonstrate that insurance to exposed customers (such as economics of storage. While forecasting the project can generate a certain amount of retailers and major industrial customers) revenue for storage projects in the revenue 90% of the time, or, say, in 9 out of through a cap contract in a similar way to Australian electricity market is still an 10 years. This means that a robust and gas turbines and other peaking plant. In uncertain business, there are many reliable forecast of project utilisation must practice, this may mean that the storage opportunities in both the existing and be made. project rarely operates unless the price emerging markets to guarantee project Forecasting revenue for an asset with a regularly exceeds the cap. revenues to a level sufficient to satisfy a lifecycle of up to 100 years requires detailed lender’s requirements. modelling of a wide range of factors Network support services: Storage projects influencing the electricity market, including have the ability to provide network support Entura provides technical advisory services to supply (factoring in new entrants, storage, services such as frequency control, inertia prospective investors and developers and is the retirements and developments in the and fault level control. These services have consulting arm of Hydro Tasmania.

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 55

ECO418_PumpedHydro.indd 55 12/3/18 9:14 am COMPANY PROFILE

Leading from the front

ayWa r.e. is at the forefront of the realising its portfolio of consented projects as BayWa r.e. say they are not only looking global energy transition, with a well as securing further sites through towards the future of renewable energy but Bdiverse range of expertise, creativity acquisition or greenfield development. actively working towards shaping it. The and capabilities that have been built on the BayWa r.e. is part of the established business further continues to broaden its experience of successfully realising 2,000 BayWa AG group from Germany, a 15 billion customer base by catering for the renewable MW of renewable energy projects and EUR family of globally successful businesses energy needs of the agricultural sector and managing 3,000 MW of operating originally founded in 1923. During the providing off grid solutions for those in renewable assets around the world. company’s 90 year history, BayWa has been remote locations. BayWa r.e. has offices throughout Europe, providing market solutions within food, BayWa r.e.’s technology capabilities and North America and Asia-Pacific. energy and the built environment, driven by established relationships has seen the As a systems supplier to the solar its desire to tackle some of the biggest business install renewable energy wholesale market, BayWa r.e. extended challenges faced by society. The energy technology across 870 projects, and its global footprint by setting up in division is the second-largest, with all the currently manage and service renewable Australia, in September 2016. Its Perth activities for renewable energy concentrated energy assets across 20 countries world- headquarters is supporting its national within BayWa r.e wide. They say they have also sold over 1.8 wholesale operations, with warehousing BayWa r.e. is an integrated global group of GW of solar PV modules, 3.7 GW of inverters in all major capital cities. Recently businesses that work across multiple and 7000 energy storage systems. BayWa re set up its first East Coast office- markets within solar, wind, and biomass. BayWa r.e. has actively been involved in warehouse facility, in Loganholme QLD. The business also incorporates a range of numerous EXPOs, conventions and The location has a training centre to activities and services for third parties, conferences around the world which support customers become familiar and including renewable energy project ensures the company is aware of the latest learn about new products. development, operations and commercial technological advances and able to best BayWa r.e.’s interest in Australia’s utility- management, wholesale product supply advise its customers. scale solar projects took shape with the including the solar installer market and BayWa r.e. say they are focused on the acquisition of over 200MW of consented combined energy solution provisions for future. Whether it is in anticipating solar PV Projects and the establishment of commercial and public sector organisations. changing customer needs, developing new the BayWa r.e. Solar Project company in early BayWa r.e. say they are committed to products and services, or embracing the 2017. The project pipeline is now at an ensuring that renewable energy is a reliable, benefits of digitalisation, BayWa is advanced stage with the first project in final flexible and integrated option for both the continuing to explore new opportunities as commission. BayWa r.e. have also invested in private and public sectors. The company the sector continues to evolve. the Australian wind-sector via the work alongside installers and utilities in the However, BayWa r.e.’s core values acquisition of the Future Energy team and residential sector and with global businesses remain the same - trust, reliability and portfolio in late 2017, and are now working on in the commercial and industrial sectors, innovation.

56 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_AddedValue.indd 56 12/3/18 10:20 am COMPANY PROFILE

Seeing the bigger picture from lighting to solar

Beacon Lighting has been a household name in Australia for over 50 years providing energy efficient lighting so the move into solar was a natural progression.

eacon Solar is part of the Beacon moving into solar power was the perfect Lighting Group, a brand that many opportunity to offer renewable energy BAustralians would instantly solutions as part of our core products. recognize. Starting with one store in 1967, they are now over 50 years old. What makes Beacon solar stand out from With the brand already established in other solar suppliers? providing energy efficient lighting it was a A complete end-to-end energy efficiency natural progression for the company to package and solution for all businesses move into renewables and solar was the regardless of scale. Beacon Solar have a obvious one. long-term strategy in that we will service In an exclusive interview with and maintain the consumers system after Ecogeneration, Beacon Solar and Energy installation. Our design and installation Efficiency general manager Mani Kaparakis team have a vast knowledge of solar projects discusses the core values of the business and with some having been involved in the why solar is a growing and dynamic sector industry for over 20 years. We have an to be part of. experienced team of engineers and project managers alongside industry specialist who How long have you been at Beacon solar deliver more than just a commercial solar and why did you choose to get involved in solution across our 100 stores. the solar industry? Above: Beacon Solar general manager Mani Kaparakis I’ve been with Beacon Solar for six and a What is the most satisfying project you half years, having started as business have worked on? development manager and very quickly We successfully deployed over 4Mw’s of moving into the role of business manager solar and other energy efficiencies within within the first year. In 2017, on the back of the Beacon Lighting store network under a growth and the commercial direction that unique PPA arrangement. division was taking I was appointed to This arrangement future proofs the group general manager. against further unavoidable price increases. My background has been in senior The Beacon Lighting store energy management and sales management in the efficiency rollout cements the group’s “My passion for telecommunications and corporate banking overall commitment to the growth of sectors but I have always been interested in Beacon Solar as well as leading the way with renewables has only the renewable energy sector and in Green Energy credentials for one of particular commercial solar as I recognize it Australia’s leading retailers. With the grown in this time and being the next big industry. rollout of this project, we have raised the I find it a very dynamic My passion for renewables has only bar for other retailers to follow. grown in this time and I find it a very sector to be part of...” exciting, dynamic sector to be part of with Where do you see the commercial solar huge growth potential for the Beacon group. sector in the next five years? For me personally, I’d like to continue to Why did Beacon decide to get involved in lead the Beacon Solar division into a broader solar when it’s a household name in commercial product offering other lighting? efficiencies in the solar sector. The Beacon The Beacon Lighting brand was already Group is a global company so the leading the way in energy efficient lighting, opportunities are limitless.

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 57

ECO418_AddedValueP57.indd 57 12/3/18 10:09 am SOLAR NSW government moves Sydney towards the sun

RFI installs the largest solar system for NSW government.

FI has completed supply, installation and commissioning of a 1.12 MW Rrooftop solar plant on the Northwest Rapid Transit Facility in NSW, Australia. The installation is the largest solar system ever installed on a NSW government building, located at Rouse Hill, in Sydney’s north-west. The system consists of 3,287 solar modules and 15 large commercial grid- connected inverters. From June to early October 2017, RFI supplied and delivered all the main system components on site and successfully installed the solar arrays and racking system within a strict project time-line. “We are very proud to be involved in such an important infrastructure project for the people of Sydney”, said RFI CEO Scott Magee. “With energy costs continuing to increase, we look forward to supporting

58 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_RFI.indd 58 12/3/18 9:08 am We make grid connection easy. We deal with the distribution networks so you don’t have to.

SOLAR GRID APPLICATIONS GRID PROTECTION BOARDS WITNESS TESTING Let us remove the headache. Combined secondary protection Our in-house team can cover and AC distribution units to the entire commissioning Our CEC accredited designers meet any utility’s requirements. process including Injection and engineers provide testing, power quality studies complete assistance with Off the shelf and fully and Inverter functionality network applications for customised options available to meet approval of distributors nationwide. with fast lead times. connection agreements.

We guarantee fast and flexible lead times and pride ourselves on installer support.

For a free consultation visit: greenwoodsolutions.com.au/eco

ECO0418_allads.indd 59 Greenwood 23/2/18 11:27 am solutions SOLAR

Above: Project manager Lois Lui overlooks the project during constuction.

“We are very proud to be involved in such an important infrastructure project for the people of Sydney.”

governments across Australia in their efforts to minimise operating costs through solar energy”. The Northwest Rapid transit facility will be the new home of the Sydney metro trains project. The Rapid transit facility is a brand new state of the art facility designed for train stabling, maintenance and the Operations Control Centre. All Sydney Metro trains will be serviced at this facility once the $8.3 billion rail network comes into operation in early 2019. The solar system generates 1.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enabling Sydney Metro HQ and the new metro stations to reduce electricity operating costs and its carbon footprint. RFI has delivered this 1.12MW roof top solar plant at Rouse Hill for Northwest Rapid Transit facility. It is one of the largest roof top solar systems in Australia, consisting of 3287 of 340W solar modules and 15 large commercial grid-connected inverters.

60 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_RFI.indd 60 12/3/18 9:08 am SIX ISSUES FOR $65, STRAIGHT TO YOUR DESK

TAKE PART IN THE CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTION! SUBSCRIBE TO

Details at ecogeneration.com.au/magazine

ECO0418_SubsHouse.indd 17 1/3/18 7:05 pm COMPANY PROFILE

South Australia continues to establish itself as an Australian leader in renewable technology.

Australia’s most progressive city is hosting AES 2018

As South Australia establishes itself as the renewable state, it’s never been a better time for Adelaide to host AES 2018.

t’s hard not to miss the renewables emissions by 20% from 2007 to 2013 due revolution currently underway in to carbonisation of the electricity supply IAustralia. It’s a sector that is constantly through its large-scale wind projects and developing, improving and advancing in solar infrastructures. technology which looks set to continue In 2017, one of the biggest storage onwards and upwards. projects got underway between the The fifth annual Australian Energy and South Australian government and Storage Conference and Exhibition (AES energy tech giant TELSA, to build the 2018) will be held at Adelaide’s Convention largest lithium-ion battery in the world. Centre on the 23 and 24 May 2018. The The project attracted global attention theme of this year’s conference is “Storing after TESLA CEO Elon Musk said if the Energy for a Sustainable Future” and will battery was not installed within 100 showcase the newest simulations, days from contract approval, TELSA developments and technological innovations would deliver the battery and its in battery systems, which are currently one installation for free; Adelaide got the of the fundamental technologies in the battery and TELSA got their fee. industry and are quickly creating an The conference creates opportunities extremely competitive market. for delegates and representatives to The technological advancements in network with leading companies in the storage being exhibited are broadly focused renewable sector including Redflow, ranging from flywheels and hydrogen TELSA, Toshiba, ANT Solutions, electrolysation, to large and small scale Kokam, ABB, GNB Industrial, Sungrow battery systems, which maximise efficiency and NEC Energy solutions. and effectiveness of electricity generation, The conference and exhibition is open with the aim of driving Australia to its to commercial companies, installers and renewable energy goals. contractors, energy system providers, The AES 2018 will also include site tours building management, government, utilities from commercial and utility energy storage and network providers, mining communities companies around Adelaide including a tour and any one working or requiring services of the TELSA battery installation site. from the renewables energy sector and As one of Australia’s most progressive storage sector. cities when it comes to renewable energies, We look forward to seeing you in Adelaide Adelaide will showcase how it plans on at AES 2018. Register now for the conference becoming the first carbon neutral city in the and exhibition by visiting www.australian world. The city decreased its carbon energystorage.com.au/register

62 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_AdelaideConference.indd 62 12/3/18 9:30 am ECO0418_allads.indd 63 23/2/18 11:48 am CERTIFICATES

The Status of STCs Where do we stand now?

Small-scale technology certificates (STCs) are the product of the Federal Government’s support scheme for small-scale renewable energy (appropriately named the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, or SRES).

hey represent the main financial cash discount against the cost of the system around government energy policies, the end incentive for residential and small (often referred to as a ‘point of sale’ of 2017 saw a number of advertisements Tcommercial solar PV installations up discount). The number of STCs available which urged home and business owners to to 100kW. Prior to the official publication of for the system depends on its size and the purchase a system before the ‘rebate’ ends. the proposed and actual amendments, resource availability at the site (for solar Fortunately for the industry, there are no rumours were circulating regarding the PV systems, this is essentially how sunny immediate plans to remove the STC impact of these to the scope of the scheme the town or suburb is). The equation to incentive scheme. and hence viability/financial impacts. calculate the number of STCs a system is The long-term plan for the SRES has eligible for is: always been a gradual reduction in the BRIEF REVIEW OF STCS The person or company purchasing the quantity of STCs earned, over the course of The SRES provides eligible renewable system owns the right to create STCs. a decade and a half. The deeming period energy system installations with an However, typically the right to create STCs mentioned earlier is the mechanism for this. entitlement to create a certain number of is transferred to the system retailer or Before 2017, the deeming period was 15 small-scale technology certificates (STCs). installer in exchange for a discount on the years; it reduces by one year every year after These certificates form part of a market cost of the system to the expected value of 2016 (Table 1), with the effect of ending the mechanism: electricity retailers and the certificates. In either case, the STCs are scheme in 2030. generators are required to purchase a then sold into the STC market, where they Therefore, a 1.5kW PV system installed in required number of STCs as part of the are bought by electricity retailers to meet Sydney with a STC postcode multiplier of Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme, their RET obligations. 1.382 would have been eligible to create 31 thereby giving these certificates a financial STCs in 2015 and 2016, while the same value. STCs can be created upfront for every THE FUTURE OF STCS system could only create 26 certificates if 1 MWh of electricity the system is expected The suggestion that a discount will shortly installed this year (2018), and only 22 to generate over a certain number of years, no longer be available is a well-known certificates if not installed until 2020. called the deeming period. marketing technique to prompt sales. By definition, the available quantity of STCs can therefore provide an upfront Combined with the current uncertainty STCs eligible for creation for a system

64 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_GSES/STC.indd 64 8/3/18 3:59 pm CERTIFICATES

installed in 2018 is reduced by approximately 7%, or one fourteenth of the 2017 value. In other words STC pricing depends STC PRICING on accurate prediction of the number The price of STCs, and the exact discount that solar installers can offer customers, of new systems installed. varies depending on supply and demand of the STC market. Supply of STCs depends on the number of solar PV systems installed in supply of STCs and the demand (i.e. the from the replacement panels should not be a given year, but demand is more predicted supply): more certificates were considered additional generation. Removing complicated. Demand for STCs is created produced than expected, causing a surplus the panels early and claiming STCs for their artificially by the Clean Energy Regulator and pushing down the STC selling price. In replacements is akin to ‘doubling up’ on the (CER) as a part of the RET; each year, the other words, STC pricing depends on deemed generation. After 31 January 2018, quantity of certificates that will be produced accurate prediction of the number of new STC applications for systems with replaced in that year is estimated and converted to a systems installed. panels will no longer be considered if the percentage of estimated total electricity It is important to note that while the STC systems have already received certificates. consumption. Electricity retailers are then target set by the CER is a component of the required to purchase or produce STCs in legislated RET, the 33,000 GWh renewable 10-100 KW PV SYSTEMS AND LGCS proportion to the amount of electricity they energy generation target by 2020 is a target Until this year, PV systems that had a rated are responsible for, such the total number of specific to the large-scale renewable energy capacity of 10 kW to 100 kW and annually STCs acquired by retailers in a year equal to target (LRET) scheme. STC creation is generated 25-250 MWh had a choice of the initial estimate of the number that anticipated to continue until 2030 as participating in the SRES or the Large-scale would be produced. specified in Table 1, and the STC targets and Renewable Energy Target (LRET). The While in the past few years STC pricing associated market structure should be LRET makes up the majority of the RET, and has been relatively stable and hovered close maintained in their current form until the allows renewable energy generators to create to $40, prices as low as $26 per certificate scheme’s end in 2030. However, the long large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) for occurred in mid-late 2017, and at the time of term STC price and scheme operation may each megawatt of electricity produced on an publishing, the market price has returned still be affected by changes in energy policy. ongoing basis. These are then sold on a closer to the $40 mark. Price volatility separate and often more lucrative, albeit means the effect of decrease in the quantity OTHER RECENT CHANGES TO THE volatile, market. However, participation in of STCs which can be created each year can SRES AND RET the LRET has additional requirements, such either be magnified by low STC prices or Other than the annual reduction of the gaining accredited power station status and negated by higher STC prices. deeming period, there have recently been ongoing reporting obligations. There have The decrease in STC prices in 2017 was additional changes to the SRES and RET been issues with meeting additional caused by an imbalance between the actual rules and regulations. administration and compliance requirements for smaller systems under 100kW. The ELIGIBILITY OF SYSTEM UPGRADES Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment THE SRES DEEMING PERIOD FOR AND REPLACEMENT PANELS (Exemptions and Other Measures) Regulations PV SYSTEMS by year of installation. The CER has provided clarification on the 2017 legislation thus removes the option to eligibility of system upgrades for STCs. participate in the LRET for all PV systems INSTALLATION DEEMING PERIOD Where a system has been upgraded with with installed capacity of 10 kW to 100 kW YEAR (YEARS) increased system capacity, the additional that were installed on or after 1 January 2018. 2016 15 system capacity is eligible for STC creation, 2017 14 provided that the whole system meets CONCLUSION 2018 13 Australian Standards and CEC guidelines While the STC market pricing and the year- applicable at the time of the upgrade. For to-year reduction in certificate creation can 2019 12 some systems, this may mean replacing or affect the system cost as experienced by the 2020 11 upgrading existing wiring and/or system consumer, the SRES ‘rebate’ is not in 2021 10 components. immediate danger of ending. However, it is 2022 9 Clarification was also provided on essential to keep up with changes to the 2023 8 eligibility of replacement panels for STC regulations that may affect eligibility of creation. Previously, it was possible to particular systems to participate in the 2024 7 replace one or more of the solar panels on a intended RET schemes. Staying up to date 2025 6 PV system that had already received STCs, with trends in the STC market will also 2026 5 and to create certificates for the replacement reduce the financial risk for installers and 2027 4 panels. This was contrary to the aim and retailers quoting customers for PV systems 2028 3 methodology of the SRES; systems receive inclusive of an STC discount. credit upfront for their expected production 2029 2 over 15 years (or less) – when panels in this This article was submitted by GSES. For further 2030 1 system are replaced, the energy generated information go to www.gses.com.au

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 65

ECO418_GSES/STC.indd 65 8/3/18 4:00 pm Easy Set Up

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ECO0418_allads.indd 68 23/2/18 11:52 am SOLAR ACCREDITATION UPDATE | SOLAR INSTALLER

Solar installation integrity

Don’t get caught out installing non-approved products as product standards have recently changed writes Clean Energy Council executive general manager installation integrity Sandy Atkins.

t the start of February over 3600 date their listing expires. (unless IEC certification expires before types of solar panels were removed The Clean Energy Council communicates this date, in which case you will need to Afrom the list of approved products changes to listing status in a number of ways: re-apply earlier). maintained by the Clean Energy Council. • On our website Additionally we have increased our I will go in to the full details of why they • The Installer News e-bulletin testing and compliance program for both were removed later in this column, but • Member communications solar panels and inverters. In 2017 the certainly one of the main reasons is that • Separate emails to manufacturers and program resulted in 16 companies and 488 there have been a lot of changes to product suppliers, as well as individual emails models being suspended or de-listed. So far standards recently and these products no relating to their product expiry. Product in 2018, eight companies and 156 models longer comply. expiry emails are sent automatically at have been either suspended or delisted. Given the record year in 2017 for rooftop three months and one month before In addition, the results from the inverter solar, installation integrity has never been panels are due to expire) tested under the Inverter Test Program are more important. But the crunch comes • An email bulletin sent out to all starting to come in. when installers or solar retailers are sitting manufacturers Two inverters have failed anti-islanding on stock which no longer makes the grade. In addition to this, the expiry dates are tests and have been removed from the Recently an installer called in to the available via an online database. approved inverter list. Clean Energy Council quite upset as he was The Clean Energy Council has been Suggested actions for people with stock trying to claim STCs for a large system extremely focused on raising the bar when it of these inverters are as follows: which used products that had recently been comes to approving the solar panels and • Do not install these inverters de-listed. The STC claim was rejected inverters to be listed on our approved • If you have installed this inverter, contact because the panels were no longer on the products lists. This has been an ongoing your supplier and await advice from the approved list. In order to ensure continued process since 2016. We have introduced manufacturer or electrical safety compliance, the manufacturer or stricter requirements in the terms and authorities on what action you should take responsible supplier would need to have the conditions for companies wanting to list • At the time of writing, no advice has been module tested to the new product standards their products. given by the company or electrical safety for solar panels. Therefore we were not able As mentioned in the intro to this column, authorities. Keep an eye out for updates to help him. there have been a series of product standard in Installer News and on our website. A lot of people are responsible along the changes which products must comply with, At the end of the day I encourage you supply chain for making sure the modules including new versions of IEC 61215 and to double or triple check that the modules that get installed are on the approved list. IEC 61730. you are buying are on the approved These include the module manufacturer, the Some other important dates include: products list. importer, the wholesaler, the solar retailer, 1 Apr 2018 All listed thin film PV modules I would even suggest getting the the designer, and the solar installer. But not covered by new T&Cs must demonstrate wholesaler or supplier to send you a photo ultimately the buck stops with the person compliance with new versions of IEC 61215 of the label from the module before you who is offering a sale price for a system and IEC 61730. purchase them and use the model number which factors in the value of the STCs. They 1 Dec 2018 All listed PV modules on new from the label to check the Clean Energy are the ones who need to stay up to date T&Cs must demonstrate compliance with Council’s online database. Do your research with which products are approved and what new versions of IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 and you shouldn’t get stung.

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 69

ECO418_SandyAtkins.indd 69 12/3/18 11:48 am SOLAR INSTALLER | MARKET WRAP

Clean energy market wrap

LARGE-SCALE GENERATION and updates to the timelines of existing to be followed by a figure that is at least in CERTIFICATE (LGC) MARKET projects, that may change. the high 20ms in order to be even close to Despite repeated statements from the Clean accurate, given the current rate of creation Energy Regulator across January and SMALL-SCALE TECHNOLOGY and the more than 8m oversupply carried February that it expects the LGC market to CERTIFICATE (STC) MARKET forward from 2017. avoid a shortfall over the 2018-2019 period, The growth of solar installs and thus STC STC prices were largely stable across the despite several periods of volatility, the submission numbers across 2017 appears to first two months of the year with large shorter end of the LGC forward curve have continued in early 2018 with volumes transacting in the 2018 and 2019 remained generally stable. This indicates anticipation mounting as the market awaits forward markets during this time in the that the market is either not yet convinced the release of the 2018 Small-scale $38.60-$39.00 range, as creators decided to that the current project timeline will be Technology Percentage (STP). There is little lock in some of their expected generation at met, or that it believes that any surplus of doubt the 2018 STP will be dramatically a price only modestly below the market’s LGCs in this time will be small enough to larger than the 2017 target, with most $40 cap. The 2018 STP must be released by continue to represent an effective shortfall. believing the 12.45m target in 2017 will need 31st March. The Cal 20 contract however is a different matter. After a an extended period of illiquidity across December and January, DOMESTIC CREATION SPOT PRICE ($AU) the return to activity in February saw the LGC — Large-scale Generation Certificates 201,573,346 84.35 market fall sharply, opening at $50.00 and STC — Small-scale Technology Certificates 186,105,272 38.40 ending in the high $30s. This outcome reflects the fact participants put more VEEC — Victorian Energy Efficient Certificates 46,702,729 23.50 credence in the Clean Energy Regulator’s ESC — NSW Energy Saving Certificates 22,573,346 24.15 assertions that the target will be fully met INTERNATIONAL DEC ’18 PRICE (€) DEC ’18 PRICE ($AU) by 2020, with the extra year allowing more EUA — European Emission Allowances 9.99 15.80 time for delays in the current pipeline. While this view appears to prevail right now, as further information arises WEEKLY STC SUBMISSIONS surrounding future project commitments

STC SUBMISSIONS STC SPOT PRICE WEEKLY SUBMISSIONS REQUIRED

40.50 800,000 39.50 700,000 38.50 37.50 600,000 36.50 500,000 35.50 34.50 400,000 33.50 Marco Stella is senior broker, 300,000 32.50 environmental markets at TFS Green Australia. The TFS Green Australia 31.50 200,000 team provides project and transactional 30.50 environmental market brokerage and 100,000 29.50 data services across all domestic and international renewable energy, energy 28.50 0 efficiency and carbon markets. $/MWh Sep 17 Nov 17 Jan 18 Mar 18

70 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_MarketWrap.indd 70 7/3/18 3:44 pm MARKET WRAP | SOLAR INSTALLER

ENERGY EFFICIENCY DAILY CLOSING SPOT PRICE

ENERGY EFFICIENCY MARKETS ENERGY26 EFFICIENCY DAILY CLOSING SPOT PRICE (VEEC AND ESC) ESC

equiv 2429 ENERGYThe Victorian EFFICIENCY Energy Efficiency MARKETS Certificate 2 VEEC ESC (VEECSmarket stunned AND ESCS) everyone in May and June 22 equiv Thewith VEEC a sharp market increase experienced in supply despitea solid rally the 2 26 VEEC 20 acrossconsistent the firstsoftening two inmonths the spot of the price. year, The movingsurge appears from the to be$20 the mark result in theof much spot up as $/tonne CO 1823 highcheaper as $24.50 high-bay on severalLED technology, occasions, which only to $/tonne CO 16 settlehas blown back awayinto the previous $23s at estimates the time offor a 20 writing.floor price With required the transition for financial arrangements viability. 14 underwayThe increase which in will supply reduce meant the that number as of of 1217 VEECslate June created there werefor commercial already 7.5 lighting million 10 installs,VEECs in VEEC the system submission (registered numbers plus showed 14 somepending signs registration) of reduction to acrossmeet the February, 2017 8 supportingtarget of 5.9 the million, theory with that seven underpinned months the 11

more to create. At the time of writing the Jul 17

earlier rally. How much further the Oct 17 Apr 17 Feb 18 Sep 17 Dec 17 Jun 17 Mar 17 Jan 18 Nov 17 Aug 17 Mar 18 Mar May 17 numbersspot market fall sat in theat $10.80, coming though months forwards will be Jul 16 Feb 17 Feb Apr 17 Oct 16 Jan 17 Jun 17 Mar 17 Sep 16 Dec 16 Jun 16 Nov 16 Aug 16 into 2018 were trading at a healthy May 17 the key to determining whether the heavily 1 YEAR DAILY CLOSING SPOT LGC PRICE oversuppliedescalation above VEEC the market spot market. will continue on its Thebullish news run. in the NSW Energy Savings 1 YEAR DAILY CLOSING SPOT LGC PRICE CertificateThe general (ESC) trend market in the ESCwas almost market as in bad, 90 thewith early ongoing part strengthof the year in wassupply also also upward, adding 85

$/MWh 95 withto the modest very large registration surplus andnumbers pushing prices 80

contributingdownward. Having to the move. broken Determining through the the $14 $/MWh underlyingmark early inlevel June, of activity the market based pushed on ESC to a 9075 registrationslow of $12.60 hasby month’s always beenend with challenging. a record- 70 Acrossbreaking the weekly last 12 registration months this figure practice of hasmore 85 65 becomethan 700,000 even more to bring difficult. the market With to changesa level to thenot commercialseen since late lighting 2014. Atmethodology the time of 60 80 expectedwriting there to be were gazetted 4.9 million in April ESCs and to take 55 effectregistered in October, to meet thethe failure2017 target to see of an about SPOT 50 increase4 million, in with ESC 2017 registrations vintage ESCs in the still short able 75 CAL 18 termto be couldcreated result until in the higher middle prices of 2018. should the 45 CAL 19 changes proceed as expected. 70 The above information has been provided by CAL 20 TheTFS aboveGreen informationand relates, hasunless been otherwise provided by TFSindicated, Green toand the relates, spot prices unless in otherwise Australian Jul 16 Feb 17 Feb Apr 17 Oct 16 Jan 17 Jun 17 Mar 17 Sep 16 Dec 16 Jun 16 Nov 16 Aug 16 May 17

indicated, to the spot prices in Australian Jul 17 Feb 17 Oct 17 Apr 17 Jan 17 Sep 17 Dec 17 Jun 17 Mar 17 Mar Jan 18 dollars, as of July 3, 2017. Nov 17 Aug 17 Mar 18 Mar May 17 dollars, as of 1st March 2018.

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Skillbuild-120x90mm.indd 1 30/08/2016 4:28:12 PM www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogenerationecogeneration August April 20172018 / / 7571

ECO0817_SI_MarketWrap.inddECO418_MarketWrap.indd 71 75 7/7/177/3/18 3:353:44 pm SOLAR INSTALLER | WHAT’S NEW

WIND TURBINE MOUNTING INNOVATION

ew designs of wind turbine roller capacity of more than 609 megawatts roller bearing unit in O arrangement, with Nbearings with a direct flange operating or under construction. grease lubrication and seals, is supplied mounting are simplifying installation and Robust bearing technology is pre-assembled. maintenance and allowing more reliable particularly vital to the reliability of wind The inner rings are flange-mounted to generation of renewable energy. power. Because all the forces from the the rotor, while the outer ring is flange- The latest designs complement wind act directly on the rotor bearing mounted to the nacelle. The bearing spherical roller bearings that have been support in a wind turbine, rolling bearings clearance is pre-set, which significantly optimised to the last µ (coefficient of are subjected to highly dynamic loads and reduces logistics and mounting costs. friction); including new asymmetric operating conditions. A range of As an option, the flange- spherical roller bearings that allow powertrain designs have mounted tapered roller wind turbines to generate energy even established themselves on the bearing unit can be fitted more reliably. market, each of which ex works with a These new technologies are particularly requires a different GreaseCheck system. timely given the expansion of wind power bearing support. GreaseCheck’s grease as a proportion of renewables generated The new flange- sensor is parameterised in Australia and New Zealand. Ease of mounted tapered roller to the specific type of installation and reliability in service are bearing innovation grease and provides key requirements of both countries’ allows all forces and optical measurement of programmes, with more than 4,300 moments in a bearing the water content, megawatts of wind energy already to be safely supported, owing to the turbidity and mechanical accounting for a third of renewable energy large pressure angle and tight wear, as well as the grease produced in Australia and with New axial guidance of the rotor. temperature directly, in the Zealand aiming to rapidly expand installed The double row tapered bearing support.

DELTA’S NEW HIGH FRONIUS OHMPILOT

EFFICIENCY INVERTER ue to launch in Australia in April 2018, the Fronius DOhmpilot is Fronius’ latest solution for optimised energy management elta’s newest inverter range, the H3 Flex packs a punch Energy management solutions have been used by the with its ultra-low start-up voltage of >35V considering D industrial and commercial sectors for some time and are it has a tiny footprint of only 380x318x130mm. This new becoming increasingly popular in domestic households due to single phase solar inverter range is simple to install making rising electricity costs and reduced feed-in tariffs - it is it ideal for residential PV applications where maximum becoming increasingly lucrative for owners to consume power versatility and profitability are crucial. It also has high themselves rather than feed it into the grid. Energy maximum efficiency and optimum yield from the PV plant is management in its simplest form is load shifting to when the ensured from this range. sun is shining. It is a significantly cheaper alternative to The integrated Wi-Fi communication allows the user to storage for increasing self-consumption. commission and view the status of the inverter via the The Fronius Ohmpilot is a power MyDeltaSolar app on a mobile device which is compatible with diverter designed to use excess both iOS and Android. solar power to supply resistive The robust IP65 dust-proof and water-proof rated loads supplies. aluminium housing ensures long lasting protection against The Fronius Ohmpilot is moisture and corrosion making it suitable for both indoor and compatible with every outdoor installation. The extra-large heat sink ensures SnapINverter and operation in the highest of temperatures without the need for communicates with cooling fans. For the system planner, maximum flexibility is the inverter via ensured thanks to a wide input voltage range of 30 to 600V. WLAN, LAN or The H3 3 Flex compact design only weighs 9.2kg allowing Modbus. for easy transport and installation.

72 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_WhatsNew.indd 72 12/3/18 10:30 pm WHAT’S NEW | SOLAR INSTALLER

ADOPTING SMART TECHNOLOGY

ungrow brings two brand new products to the Australian Smarket in 2018: the new grid-connected PV inverter series, ‘Crystal G2’, consisting of the SG2K-S, SG2K5-S, SG3K- S, SG3K-D and SG5K-D, and the energy storage system (ESS) PowCube 4.8. Sungrow’s new generation of products widely adopt the aluminum alloy die casting enclosure, coming in elegant metallic grey housing and providing better anti- corrosion ability as well. With five power ratings ranging from 2kW to 5kW, the new grid-connected inverters are lighter and more compact than ever, providing excellent performance and higher efficiency, which leads to more yield. It has plug and play installation, and simple and fast commissioning via the integrated LCD or an app to minimise the time and initial cost on site. DIGITAL ENERGY The PowCube 4.8 is a virtual ‘all-in-one’ system, which is composed of the brand new hybrid inverter, SH5K-20, and up NEEDS INCREASING to three SBP4K8 battery packs. The highly reliable prismatic battery cells are manufactured by Samsung SDI, one of the world’s largest lithium battery providers. The integrated multi- lobal energy leader, SMA Solar Technology, has recently level protection and creative smart hibernation technology of launched ennexOS -an IoT platform for Cross-Sector G PowCube maintain the battery’s state of health and maximise Energy Management. As the energy market evolves and the usable energy of the ESS as well. becomes increasingly decentralised, the need for digital The separate design of the ESS brings a smaller footprint energy solutions has never been greater. With no end in sight and greater flexibility for installation. for electricity price hikes, customers are trying to leverage the PowCube can be installed either cost advantages of self-generated electricity with indoors or outdoors thanks to sophisticated solutions for energy monitoring, control and the high IP rating of both the management. The latest innovation from SMA aims to provide battery (IP55) and the inverter a holistic recording of energy flows from all sectors such as (IP65). photovoltaics to loads like heating, refrigeration, cooling and With an optimised EMS, energy storage systems into one single platform. customised battery usage Helping the ennexOS platform to reach its full potential is the strategies and smart load Data Manager M - the hardware that ensures perfect control built in, PowCube is communication between multiple interfaces and ennexOS. As suitable for both new the next generation of the SMA Cluster Controller, the Data installations and retrofitting Manager M and new Sunny Portal powered by ennexOS offers solar systems to make the electric utility companies, direct marketers, service technicians most out of solar in houses. and PV system operators a highly intuitive user interface.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS EVENT DATE / VENUE WEBSITE Commercial Solar Sales Masterclass 9 APR International Convention Centre, Sydney supplypartners.com.au/events 5th Australasian Emissions Reduction Summit 2018 1-2 MAY Melbourne Cricket Ground summit2018.carbonmarketinstitute.org Australian Energy Week 2018 8-11 MAY Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre energyweek.com.au CEC Large-scale Solar Industry Forum 2018 15 MAY Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre cleanenergycouncil.org.au/cec/events/ upcoming-cec-events/sif-2018 Australian Energy Storage Conference 23-24 MAY Adelaide Convention Centre australianenergystorage.com.au and Exhibition 2018 Energy Networks 2018 5-7 JUN International Convention Centre, Sydney energynetworks2018.com.au

www.ecogeneration.com.au ecogeneration April 2018 / 73

ECO418_WhatsNew.indd 73 12/3/18 11:37 pm SOLAR INSTALLER | PROJECT CASE STUDY

Xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxx

eon Energy Solutions is installing the 96.39kW system, which features 357 Bsolar panels and will generate about 130,000kWh a year – enough energy to Brewing by the sun power 20 homes. The installation is set for completion by the end of February 2018. Beon’s Solar design co-ordinator, Peter Oxley, said Stomping Ground had completed Independent craft brewery Stomping Ground Brewing Co. will several months of research prior to making its decision and was well informed about the become the first beer hall in Collingwood to be powered by the options available. sun, joining a small but growing number of Victorian micro- “They were very well informed about the options available to them and were also very breweries installing solar panels. interested in ongoing monitoring to track the system’s performance”, Oxley said.

ENERGY-INTENSIVE BUSINESS Microbreweries are typically energy- intensive businesses due to the numerous steps involved in the brewing process. The

74 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

ECO418_StompingGround.indd 74 9/3/18 11:31 am PROJECT CASE STUDY | SOLAR INSTALLER

beer then needs to be kept in cold storage, SYSTEM DESIGN AND EXPECTED energy costs as running a brewery is a very once again relying on electricity to power PERFORMANCE energy-intensive operation. refrigeration. The system uses Jinko solar panels with “We’re extremely passionate about the In Stomping Ground’s case, there is also a SolarEdge inverters and optimisers. The products we produce and know that many of full commercial kitchen and beer hall SolarEdge system allows the client to our customers share our commitment to connected to the brewery, plus air- monitor each panel individually to see how environmental sustainability. conditioning units to keep customers cool in each one is performing over time. “Beon Energy Solutions also shares the the summer. All of this increases the site’s energy requirements. With a high energy load and limited “It also helps that this will reduce our energy amount of available roof space, the challenge was to come up with a viable costs as running a brewery is a very energy- solution to meet business needs. intensive operation.” THE ROOF SPACE CHALLENGE The biggest constraint on the system was the space available for installation. There SolarEdge also has Safe DC functionality same of kind of passion for their business were also significant shading issues to be that reduces the system voltage in the event and customers which is why we chose them overcome due to the saw-tooth roof design of a grid outage to protect anyone who may to install the panels.” and the HVAC (heating, ventilation and come into contact with the system. Glen Thomson, general manager, Beon air-conditioning) equipment that was The system is expected to produce Energy Solutions, said it was exciting to work already there. 118kWh per year and save around $19,000 on the project adding that it would make a Early in the design process it was clear annually. real difference to how the business operated. that not all shading could be avoided by “We’re delighted to be partnering with a adjusting panel positioning without a A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY grassroots business that is so passionate reduction in the overall system size. The Guy Greenstone, director at Stomping about achieving their goal to become more proposed solution was to use either DC Ground Brewing Co, said installing solar sustainable,” Thomson said. optimised panels or SolarEdge technology was a significant step towards achieving the “At Beon Energy Solutions, we work with with external optimisers to reduce the company’s sustainability goals. businesses to find ways to reduce their impact of shading. “At Stomping Ground, we already use a energy usage based on their specific needs In addition, there were some structural rainwater irrigation system, recycle our and budget.” issues identified with the roof that limited spent grain, use biodegradable eco straws To help with its decision, Stomping the amount of space available to mount and have our wine delivered direct into Ground sought assistance from the Yarra panels. Several stages of redesigning were barrels so installing a solar system is Energy Foundation (YEF), an independent required to reach a final layout that would another big step towards becoming as organisation that works with households, be safe to install on the roof and still sustainable and environmentally-friendly as businesses, community groups and provide a system large enough to meet the possible,” Greenstone said. governments to guide them through client’s load. “It also helps that this will reduce our the transition to solar energy.

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In 2018, Elliott Hayes What are the latest developments in the says they are focusing on residential and small to sector and where is the technology medium businesses, as coming from? well as branching into battery storage. The biggest development in the solar industry, I believe, is the storage capabilities that now allow homeowners to store their solar energy at a price that’s affordable in comparison to the grid. There have also been huge developments when it comes to peer to peer trading for consumers with the help of Blockchain technology. I really hope to see peer to peer available in Australia soon.

Do commercial customers understand the benefits of solar and what it can generate? A vast majority of would be customers are renters, and see no real long-term benefits of going solar in their circumstances because the landowner would own the solar system once the lease is finished. However, with the recent acceleration of PPA in Australia, we are now able to offer commercial tenants a cheaper electricity rate whilst giving the landowner extra revenue. Hopefully, more renters and landowners start to become aware of these mutually beneficial options for solar.

What concerns do you have about the Customer sector and investment in renewables? I have absolutely no concern or doubts that the world will transition to renewable satisfaction is the energy. I’ve been working in renewable energy for seven years and have seen it impact tens of thousands of people core of what we do throughout the world by improving the quality of life, creating jobs, saving people money, reducing carbon emissions, the list goes on! Two friends originally from the UK saw an opportunity to provide an environmentally friendly affordable and enduring You’ve seen remarkable growth in your business since it was established. Where alternative to polluting electricity generators. do you see Smart Energy Group in the next five years? mart Energy Group was founded on finishing school. I’ve always been passionate In a little over a year we’ve opened branches the simple premise of helping about renewable energy, and want to in Byron Bay, Newcastle and Sydney. During SAustralia realise its full solar dedicate my work to speeding up the this time we’ve been extremely residential potential says co-founder of Smart Energy transition to solar power in Australia. It’s focused, as we believe this is where the Group Elliott Hayes. particularly important now with the ever- biggest impact can be made. From all of the rising energy rates, and of course the residential dwellings in Australia, a third of How did Smart Energy Group come abundance of sun! those are apartment buildings and currently about and what interests did you have those people don’t have access to cheaper in solar when you established the What changes have you seen in the sector and cleaner power. We’ve already started business? since you established the business? creating partnerships that will allow us to Smart Energy Group was created in late Easily the most significant change I’ve seen bring those people solar and plan to steadily 2016 when I was twenty-two with my is the price of solar and storage becoming grow those in the coming years. Over the hometown friend Beau Savage after both of cheaper than actually purchasing energy next few months we’ll also begin focusing us had worked in the solar sector since from the grid! on home storage.

76 / ecogeneration April 2018 www.ecogeneration.com.au

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