Reports

Some important messages have emerged from our most recent study into the National Energy Market. These include some warnings on what may likely go wrong the in the short term and what might be a more sensible scenario than those proposed by others.

The purpose of this book is to clear the air on key aspects of grid technology assessment and give some insight into what a future grid may look like. This is not an easy task, as comparisons of the cost and value of electricity generation resources for the NEM have become increasingly complex.

Changes in the market’s mix of generation, plus the public and political focus on the need to maintain a fit-forpurpose system, mean that cost comparison metrics used in the past have become less useful today.

This study highlights the need for firm zero-carbon dispatchable generation to support the NEM.  It also clearly shows that a net-zero grid will be much more expensive, the total system of today’s grid is ~S11Bn/y – this will TRIPLE by 2050 with very deep decarbonisation.
Restricting VRE, CCS or nuclear has a mostly modest impacts, but no CCS means a ~$5Bn/y impact.  Excluding both CCS and nuclear results in a very large increase in TSC at 99% decarbonisation.

The National Electricity Market has embarked upon a pathway to a gradual decarbonisation, driven at State and Federal Governments and some by commitments made in Paris.

This report gives insights into a new modelling approach and initial results to encourage a different energy conversation.

The National Electricity Market has embarked upon a pathway to a gradual decarbonisation, driven at State and Federal Governments and some by commitments made in Paris.

This summary highlights the key messges and gives insights into a new modelling approach.

Our report in partnership with Red Vector has been chosen as part of a series of reports that "the Energy Policy Institute of Australia believes may influence future policymaking and ought therefore to be taken into account."  This latest MEGS report seeks to examine a “very high renewables world” that minimises fossil fuel consumption whilst aiming for 90% decarbonisation. The end result is that there still isn't a silver bullet - a diverse grid is needed.

This study has examined the impact of Snowy 2.0 and the Battery of The Nation, as well as scenarios beyond these two projects, to examine what benefit large scale pumped hydro storage could provide to the NEM as it decarbonises.  In line with previous studies, the analysis undertaken focuses on total system cost (TSC) and CO₂ emission reductions as the key metrics.  Decarbonisation is assumed to be the objective and TSC optimised, as this is what the consumer will ultimately have to fund.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of four substantial upgrades and how they may impact the shape of the anticipated decarbonisation transformation.  When comparing the four  infrastructure upgrade options, it was clear that they offered very different options and services to the grid and result in different impacts / benefits to the system.

How much does a technology actually cost to add to a power grid? Well that depends. On the Australian National Energy Market - the System Cost of Replacement Electricity is described using the NEW and exciting method.

Most Australian states and territories have relied on coal fired power for their electricity supplies. More recently, Qld, Vic, SA and ACT have adopted policies to increase their electricity from renewable energy and targeting net zero emissions aspirations. How this impacts on the physical operation of the NEM has been examined in this work, takeing account of the enduring need for grid strength and reliability services.

The Surat Basin is well positioned to enable a low emissions future for Queensland’s industry as a CO₂ Storage Hub. The region has three of Australia’s four supercritical black coal power plants and a natural gas combined cycle power plant within 250 kms and other potential CO₂ sources also exist in the region.

This report provides an overview of retrofitting Post Combustion Capture (PCC) technology to existing Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plants in Australia. It examines the opportunities to apply carbon capture and storage (CCS) to natural gas power plants, with a view to understanding the role of fossil fuels more broadly with carbon capture and storage in a diverse, clean and robust electricity sector.

Retrofitting Baseload Power- Enhancing Australia’s Energy Security is a supplementary report to the 2015 Australian Power Generation Technology Report.  This retrofitting report responds to the opportunities for retrofitting brown and black coal plants in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland and provides an analysis of retrofitting coal fired power stations with carbon capture and storage.  Rev 1.

This report provides a roadmap to assure Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as an option for achieving emissions reductions in a timely manner in Australia. It is intended for policy-makers associated with energy, emissions-intensive industry and trade sectors in state and Federal Government departments across Australia. It is also for investment decision makers, and those involved in upcoming energy and climate reviews.

This CCS Roadmap working paper provides an overview of global energy scenarios developed by the International Energy Agency, Shell and BP; an Australian outlook, including the electricity sector, natural gas processing operations and other industrial CO2 sources; and an overview of climate change polices and targets.

This CCS Roadmap working paper provides an overview of incentives and regulatory mechanisms to accelerate CCS projects.

 This CCS Roadmap working paper provides an overview of published CCS roadmaps; Australian CCS projects; and international CCS projects.

More than 30 major Australian utility and energy providers, industry and environmental organisations, and governments worked together to support an independent study on the costs and performance of current power generation technologies.  Looking out to 2030, the Australian Power Generation Technology study costed commercially available and fast emerging technologies used for power including their emissions intensity, technical efficiencies, and water use.