Region applauds new study
The Wimmera’s peak development group has welcomed government backing for a study into managing national electricity-transmission weaknesses amid growing levels of renewable-energy generation.
A northwest Victorian electricity-supply network, which includes much of the Wimmera and southern Mallee, will be a case study for a $1.3-million desktop project.
Australian Renewable Energy Agency, ARENA, on behalf of the Federal Government, confirmed $495,680 in funding for a Grid Innovation Hub at Monash University to run the study.
Researchers at the university hub will explore issues and plans associated with connecting renewable-energy generation through solar, wind and battery projects into weaker parts of the National Electricity Market, NEM.
Developers and development leaders have long identified problems based on a lack of capacity in ageing electrical infrastructure as a stumbling block in fully exploiting renewable-energy opportunities in the region.
Wimmera Development Association, in identifying clear regional socio-economic growth opportunities in the sector, has been a major lobbyist seeking a system overhaul.
It has also worked on the issue through Grampians New Energy Taskforce, GNET, to highlight the need for large-scale adaptive work to turn renewable-energy potential into reality.
Association executive director Chris Sounness said the investigation, especially with much of western Victoria as a case study, was a positive move forward.
“While it is only a desktop study, it hopefully represents a critical first step in improving and strengthening the grid,” he said.
“Critically, it opens one of the first doors to making the most of renewable-energy-industry expansion and the opportunities that come with that.
“At the moment wind farms are simply providing power to the grid and helping strengthen the overall system supply. But in the near future, they might also represent growth in ‘behind-the-metre’ energy opportunities to develop value-adding industry in our region.
“Australia will be looking to rebuild its manufacturing capabilities in areas such as food production and in the past, one thing that has held us back in this area is a lack of reliable power.
“This all becomes quite profound when you consider developing technologies in power storage through batteries and hydrogen.
“Not only will our region have the potential to generate its own power in the future, it is likely to be able to store it and that makes us very attractive to industry.”
Understanding
The study will analyse grid-stability issues and explore techniques to manage them, including the siting and operations of technology such as synchronous condensers, wind and solar farms, and battery systems incorporating advanced inverter systems.
The main reason for the study is to improve the understanding of approaches to mitigate grid-connection risks for renewable-energy developers, increase hosting capacity in weak networks and support a greater understanding of power-system security and reliability when operating with increasing levels of renewable energy.
ARENA chief executive Darren Miller said Australia’s power system was undergoing major transformation with the rise in inverter-connected solar and wind energy.
“These renewable resources are typically located in weaker areas of the grid, causing stability issues,” he said.
“Monash’s study, while looking at northwest Victoria, will aim to provide a solution for other renewable-energy zones across Australia and help increase the value of renewable energy, reduce or remove barriers to renewables uptake and help increase the overall skills and capacity in this important area.”