Victoria invests $30 million to support renewable energy technology

30 August 2010
Source: Government of Victoria

A new Office of Solar Energy and a $30 million boost to support renewable energy technology will drive new investment and the development of cleaner energy in Victoria, Premier John Brumby announced today.

Visiting Solar System’s factory in Abbotsford with Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor, Mr Brumby said the $30 million funding boost would support the development of alternative energy technologies.

“This initiative is about partnering with industry to develop the technologies needed for the future to deliver clean energy for Victorian households,” Mr Brumby said.

“Our Government is rising to the challenge of climate change, supporting new initiatives to cut emissions and creating a climate of new economic opportunity.

“The funding will be available for parties interested in developing pilot-scale demonstration projects or research and development proposals for sustainable energy technologies in areas such as solar, wave, geothermal and bio-energy.”

Mr Brumby said the Victorian Government had committed to cut emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020 and increase the amount of electricity supply from renewable energy.

“The results delivered from these grants will help us produce and operate the technologies we need to make renewable energy sources commercially viable,” he said.

The grants are part of alternative energy initiatives announced in the Victorian Government’s Climate Change White Paper and include $5 million for projects specifically in the Latrobe Valley as part of the Latrobe Valley Advantage Fund. Grant applications are open until September 30.

In addition to the $30 million fund, Mr Brumby announced a new Office of Solar Energy to bring together under one umbrella the extensive work being done on solar energy in Victoria.

“This new office will become the first point of contact for industry, small business, the community and educational institutes looking for information about Victoria’s solar potential and work already underway,” Mr Brumby said.

“The Office is another important step in positioning Victoria as a global player in solar development. It will be particularly important for assisting potential investors to access information about our comprehensive range of support programs for solar energy.”

Mr Batchelor said the new office would run through the Department of Primary Industries, providing a first point of contact for solar programs being run by various government agencies.

“International interest in Government-supported programs, intense competition for the $100 million Victorian Large Scale Solar Program tender and companies investigating opportunities in regional Victoria, demonstrates huge interest in our solar potential,” Mr Batchelor said.

“Work underway in Victoria includes mapping of the best locations for solar plants and grant programs to encourage solar energy development. We need to champion these efforts under one banner and that will be the Office of Solar Energy.”

Mr Brumby and Mr Batchelor visited the Solar Systems’ factory to inspect a solar receiver and dish due to be transported to the company’s pilot solar station at Bridgewater.

“The solar receiver and dish have been produced at the factory and are a great example of how we are making progress in developing the expertise and technology needed to harness our huge solar potential,” Mr Batchelor said.

Mr Batchelor also announced the appointment of a Medium Scale Solar Working Group, which will examine current barriers to investment and what additional measures are required to encourage the use of solar energy in Victoria.

The working group will be chaired by Tony Wood, Director, Clean Energy Program of the William J Clinton Foundation, which was set up by former US President Bill Clinton to focus on worldwide issues such as climate change.

Other members include technical experts in the solar and finance industries as well as representatives from the unions, the commercial building sector and the community:

• Ian Porter—Alternative Technologies Association
• Cameron O’Reilly—Energy Retailers Association of Australia
• Andrew Blyth—Energy Networks Association
• Peter Lunt—Vic Super
• Dean Mighell—Electrical Trades Union
• Mark Twidell—Australian Solar Institute
• Mark Clover—ANZ
• Rod Menzies – Clean Energy Council
• Damon Moloney – Green Buildings Council

For more information on Victoria’s solar energy programs and resource visit the Office of Solar Energy Victoria website.

Call for gas taskforce

5 August 2010, Jackie Range
Source: AFR, page 14

The Energy Networks Association will today call for the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to sanction the setup of a government and industry taskforce to look into using natural gas instead of conventional fuels for transport.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Gas and electricity shocks for Brimbank residents

3 August 2010
Source: Brimbank Leader

ANNUAL gas and electricity costs for the average Victorian household have risen by more than $300 over the past two years, a report from the St Vincent de Paul society has revealed.

The Victorian Energy Prices: July 2008-July 2010 report also found that energy costs had risen “most significantly” in the inner west and northern suburbs of Melbourne.

St Vincent de Paul Society manager of policy and research Gavin Dufty said energy bills for an average “dual fuel” household in those suburbs were up by $420 since July 2008.

Are rising electricity and gas costs biting your family budget? Have your say below or email brimbank@leadernewspapers.com.au

Mr Dufty said that figure comprised an increase of $260 for electricity and $160 for gas.

The higher costs in Melbourne’s west and north may be driven by higher infrastructure costs, Mr Dufty said.

“Also, we suspect there may not be as much (retail) competition in the markets out there,” he said.

Mr Dufty said it was important for people to “shop around” for the best deals from energy retailers because households could potentially save hundreds of dollars.

He said households with low energy consumption should also be “very mindful” of the fixed charges that formed part of their bill.

“If there’s lower consumption, the higher fixed charge actually penalises those households,” Mr Dufty said.

Electricity network provider Jemena said the biggest change in residential customers’ bills since 2008 was “likely to be as a result of increased retail charges”.

Jemena spokesman Scott Parker said the Jemena Electricity Network charge – charged to retailers, who may then pass it on – had increased by an average of $148 between 2008 and 2010.

Mr Parker said more than 90 per cent of that increase had come in the second year and reflected a combination of smart meter implementation costs and a significant increase in transmission, as opposed to distribution, costs.

In a media statement, the Energy Networks Association said energy prices had been increasing recently because of a range of factors, including the cost of meeting the challenges of ageing infrastructure, growing demand and greenhouse gas emission reduction policies.

“Energy consumers typically see one bill which can be affected by price and cost changes across the entire energy chain, so price changes can reflect developments in the energy generation sector, the wholesale market, the cost of transporting energy through pipes and wires, or (the) retail sector,” it said.

Decision delayed on Royal Commission power line recommendation

2 August 2010
Source: ABC PM

MARK COLVIN: Replacing ageing electricity infrastructure in bushfire prone areas is likely to be the most costly recommendation to implement. But the Victorian Government says it needs to consult further.

It is a decision with potentially far-reaching implications. The peak national body for energy distributors says any decision shouldn’t be rushed because it may have implications for other states as well.

Samantha Donovan reports.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The Royal Commission found that five of the 15 fires it examined in detail were caused by the failure or age of electricity infrastructure. The Kilmore East fire was the deadliest, killing more than 100 people.

The commission report says the ability to upgrade the infrastructure is constrained by the industry’s regulatory regime which favours the status quo and makes it difficult to bring about substantial reform. But the commission is urging that the replacement of ageing infrastructure start now.

Commissioner Ron McLeod acknowledges that it’s likely to be the most expensive of the recommendations.

RON MCLEOD: Essentially we were driven by a desire to make Victoria a safer place to live in and there’s hardly a more important objective for government. In that respect we felt it was appropriate for us to make that kind of recommendation, not withstanding that we were very conscious of the high costs involved but a long implementation period at least is some sensible way of being able to plan for the future in a sensible way.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The Victorian Premier John Brumby says his Government isn’t yet prepared to support the recommendation even in principle.

JOHN BRUMBY: It’s a very, very significant recommendation indeed and you had SP AusNet out at the weekend saying that the cost just in their distribution system is $5 billion plus but it’s not, in a sense these things aren’t questions about money, they’re questions about getting a policy right.

There are in addition something like 43,000 Victorians who’ve got powerlines, private SWER (single wire earth return) lines on their property and again the advice I’ve seen suggests that the average cost for those individuals to underground their lines would be about $10,000 per property.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The Energy Networks Association is the peak national body for Australia’s energy network businesses.

In a statement released this afternoon, its chief executive Andrew Blyth said that the energy network industry is “acutely aware of the importance of the commission’s recommendations and is committed to creating a safer environment for the community while maintaining the viability of the energy network businesses.”

Mr Blyth says the commission’s recommendations may influence the way electricity networks are structured in other jurisdictions. And the association will therefore wait for the Victorian Government’s final response to the recommendations.

Trevor Blackburn is an associate professor at the University of New South Wales. He gave evidence at the Royal Commission on the causes of two fires that were sparked by electrical infrastructure. Dr Blackburn supports the recommendation that ageing electrical infrastructure be replaced in bushfire prone areas.

TREVOR BLACKBURN: I think generally for, say, 22,000 volt feeder lines where you have multi-phases, it’s probably in the vicinity of about three to four times the cost of the equivalent capacity of overhead lines to put them underground.

But that will depend on the environment and what sort of access there is to put the cables underground. In the case of replacement of SWER lines by underground cables, you’re probably talking maybe six or seven times the cost of the equivalent SWER line.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Dr Blackburn says that if the infrastructure were to be upgraded the consumer would ultimately bear the cost unless the Victorian Government stepped in.

TREVOR BLACKBURN: Certainly the utilities will have to fund the cost of the lines. In the case of replacing 22,000 volt feeder lines the utilities would have to get that out of their own coffers. They would then have to apply to the regulator to get an increase in the cost of their electricity supply.

MARK COLVIN: Associate professor Trevor Blackburn from the University of New South Wales ending Samantha Donovan’s report.

Australian Electricity Supply Industry Skills Passport

23  July 2010

Source: Licensing Line News

The Australian Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) Skills Passport is an individual’s record of skills, authorisations, inductions and refresher training. Essential passport information is also duplicated on a national database.

The Passport may be issued as a paper-based booklet or data-access card bearing a unique passport number

The purpose of the passport is to enable workers to work with different network operators, including in different states and territories. However, local inductions, training and authorisations for each utility are still required.

The Passport is the result of a project commenced by Energy Networks Australia (ENA) in 2008 to establish new skills set within the Transmission, Distribution and Rail sector training package.

These objectives led ENA member companies in 2008 to commence the development of a national skills passport and common refresher training.

This project is well underway and, with the assistance of EE-Oz and the CEPU, has resulted in a new skills set within the Transmission, Distribution and Rail sector training package. This set of standards now means that when launched and supported by a national Passport, there will be common refresher training competencies for the (ESI) workforce.

The standards are supported by additional material such as learning and assessment plans (LAPs). LAPs are used to define the depth and breadth of knowledge and skills required for the competency standard to be achieved and the minimum assessment requirements. They also provide a list of resources suitable in the delivery of the material.

The Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the peak national body representing gas and electricity distribution businesses throughout Australia.

For more information visit the ENA website, or download the Skills passport brochure [PDF 1.8 MB]

Study into benefits and impacts of renewable energy on networks in Australia

12 July 2010
Source: Smart Metering

Canberra, Australia — (METERING.COM) — July 12, 2010 – The Energy Networks Association (ENA) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) have commenced a joint project focused on exploring the impacts and benefits of embedded generation for Australian electricity networks.

This project expands on earlier work commissioned by CSIRO in 2008 to study the value and impacts of embedded generation from an electricity network perspective, and the main outcome will be a comprehensive and practical report for network organizations to use in developing strategies, operational plans, and staff training material that will assist in the future development of the network.

‘This important joint project between ENA and CSIRO will provide valuable information for electricity network businesses to increase their understanding of the potential benefits and impacts of embedded generation, as well as preparing network businesses for higher penetration of renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic cells,” said ENA Chief Executive, Andrew Blyth.

In addition to considering different scenarios and case studies, the project will look at the ability of renewable energy technologies to integrate effectively into a network. The study will also look at possible barriers that may impact on the benefits of utilizing the uptake of renewably energy.

ENA expects the report to be finalized and completed by November 2010.

Letter from TRUenergy to the AER

12 July 2010
Source: TRUenergy

Dear Sir/Madam
TRUenergy welcomes the opportunity to provide the following comments in relation to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Approach to Compliance with the National Energy Retail Law, Rules and Regulations Issues Paper (the Paper).
…
TRUenergy would also encourage the AER to meet regularly with the peak industry bodies, such as the Energy Retailers Association or the Energy Networks Association to provide feed back about practices in the market.

read more…

Adelaide discussions inspire a greener future

28 June 2010
Source: Fast Thinking

A Clean Energy Innovation Centre TechClinic has been held in Adelaide to evaluate how technology can be developed locally to achieve greater energy efficiencies in smart grid projects across Australia.

The “smart grid” is the next generation electricity network, giving consumers much greater control over how and when they use electricity, to reduce costs and improve energy efficiency.

TechClinics, held throughout Australia, promote the adoption of innovation and technology to solve industry-wide problems and challenges. Previous TechClinic topic areas have included deploying energy storage devices to smooth the electricity produced from renewables sources and how to use the water that comes from coal seam gas mining.

The Adelaide-based TechClinic was organised by the Australian Institute for Commercialisation (AIC) and its partners including Smart Grid Australia and the Energy Networks Association, and focused on “Driving Energy Efficiency through Developing Technology Solutions for Australian Smart Grid Projects”. A range of live industry Smart Grid projects were presented by utility organisations with the aim of assembling relevant Australian capability that could fill current technology or capability gaps in these projects.

Projects were presented by Western Power (Perth Solar CityWA), Energy Australia (NSW) and Land Management Corporation (Lochiel Park SA).

Phil Donaldson, Director of Sustainability Policy and Programs at the Land Management Corporation said “The unique opportunity to present the challenges of a real world, live Smart Grid demonstration project such as Lochiel Park to a broad selection of representatives of industry suppliers, researchers and government organisations has been worthwhile. This has complemented our efforts in developing solutions for our infrastructure, and equipment installation through generation of new ideas and connections to additional local capability. As such it provides opportunities for further analysis of LMC projects in demonstrating smart grid technologies and approaches”.

The TechClinic drew on experience from an earlier R&D Forum, held in Sydney in March 2010, where a range of specific issues, industry needs and commercial opportunities were first identified. The workshop presented some of these commercial opportunities in more detail and created collaborative opportunities for organisations within the Smart Grid value chain to participate.If you would like to find out more about Tech Clinics please visit www.ausicom.com/techclinics or call (07) 3853 5225 or e-mail info@ausicom.com for further information.

Renewable energy study

29 June 2010
Source: Beyond Building

A study by the Energy Networks Association and CSIRO has begun. The study is focusing on renewable energy in Australia.
The study will have a focus on renewable energy developments for electricity networks.

It will look at the impacts renewable energy has on the networks as well as its benefits, while assessing its ability to integrate renewable energy into the network.

The study aims to prepare network business for higher penetration of renewable energy, in particularly utilising solar systems.

The report means it will provide an improved plan and improved design of grids to handle the increase in renewable technology.

The report will be completed by November 2010.

Renewable energy study

29 June 2010
Source: Beyond Building

A study by the Energy Networks Association and CSIRO has begun. The study is focusing on renewable energy in Australia.
The study will have a focus on renewable energy developments for electricity networks.

It will look at the impacts renewable energy has on the networks as well as its benefits, while assessing its ability to integrate renewable energy into the network.

The study aims to prepare network business for higher penetration of renewable energy, in particularly utilising solar systems.

The report means it will provide an improved plan and improved design of grids to handle the increase in renewable technology.

The report will be completed by November 2010.

Next Page »