Energy Magazine November 2023

Will consumer confidence stall the transition?

The role of DER s in natural disasters

Optimising electric vehicles for the energy industry and beyond

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And just like that, we’re at our final edition of Energy Magazine for 2023. The energy industry has faced some large hurdles this year, from supply and grid stability concerns, a significant need to expand the workforce, as well as consistent political conversations on the benefits of renewable versus nuclear energy.

There are more challenges to come, as we prepare for another summer with unpredictable weather and the expected El Niño weather patterns, which will once again put pressure on our national grid.

But as well as the challenges, we have also seen major growth in our transitioning industry, from federal and state budgets committing billions to clean energy, battery and storage technologies, electric vehicles, and green hydrogen; to an increase in Traditional Owners and First Nations people engagement and partnerships across energy projects.

In our end-of-year edition, we hear from some major players in the sector, including Horizon Power sharing its lessons from the Kimberley floods that ravaged the region at the start of 2023; and think tank Beyond Zero Emissions, sharing insights into Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts, and the connection these will have to improving demand

management. We also spoke with a team of scientists at UNSW Sydney, who are working on ways to improve the efficiency and cost of hydrogen fuel cells to increase access to clean fuel.

I look forward to seeing the industry continue to evolve and find better, more equitable, sustainable solutions for our communities.

I hope all readers have a wonderful holiday season, and we’ll be back in 2024 with our Energy Networks 2024 edition of Energy Magazine.

Holly Tancredi Editor

If you have a story idea, tip or feedback regarding Energy, I’d love to hear it. Drop me a line at holly.tancredi@monkeymedia.net.au, and don’t forget to follow us on social media – find us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.

Energy Magazine acknowledges Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to their cultures and Elders past and present.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

14 Capturing global attention: carbon capture, utilisation and storage

16 Wavering consumer confidence could stall the energy transition

18 Using conversations and connections to shape the energy transition

HYDROGEN

22

As we approach the end of another year, the impending 2030 Renewable Energy Target gets closer, and industry continues to network, engage and develop solutions for the betterment of society, the environment and the planet. Paramount to this are the diverse and inclusive conversations that are helping to explore the myriad possibilities for renewable energy. Megan Richardson, Iberdrola Australia Senior Manager –Environment, Planning and Communities and founder of the Women in Energy Network, discusses her experience and the new industry-wide collaboration. 22 30 RENEWABLES

DEMAND MANAGEMENT

30 Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts key to demand management

The Australian Energy Market Operator’s recent Electricity Statement of Opportunities report notes: “Forecasts of energy consumption and maximum demand are higher in some NEM regions, driven by projected electrification of households and businesses, and forecast expansion of industrial facilities.” This projection of increased energy demand, combined with industries electrifying, puts pressure on the grid to find new ways to do more-with-less. With Australia now at a critical point in the energy transition, Beyond Zero Emissions’ (BZE) research points to establishing Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts (REIPs) as the key to industrial demand management and a successful future energy mix.

34 Solving the engineering challenges of Battery Energy Storage Systems

36 How batteries can protect against unreliable energy supply

38 Optimising EV charging for a cheaper and greener future

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

42 Innovative flood response powers flood-ravaged Kimberley communities

46 Distributed energy resources may hold the key to surviving natural disasters 42

When Western Australia’s Kimberley region was devastated by once-in-a-century floods, innovative thinking and plenty of planning, teamwork and communication, helped Horizon Power keep the lights on for customers – when they needed it most. With another cyclone season looming, the regional energy provider explains how climate resilience and lessons learned from the crisis will shape its future disaster relief efforts.

54

60

CLIMATE CHANGE

60 A duel of dual crises: charting governance priorities

At the intersection of humanity's most pressing challenges lie the housing and climate crises – two behemoths casting shadows upon our socio-economic landscape, especially within the Australian context. It would be convenient, albeit naïve, to think that these two concerns operate in isolation. But, as our actions interweave through the fabric of society, these crises mirror each other in their roots and ramifications. The pertinent question emerges: in an era where strategic governance is paramount, which crisis should take precedence, and why?

AEMO: ENERGY TRANSITION NEEDS 10,000KM OF NEW TRANSMISSION

Australian Energy Market Operator CEO, Daniel Westerman, has highlighted the challenges of a transitioning energy grid and the need for more transmission lines across Australia, offering a suite of recommendations and solutions to the industry as it grapples with the evolving energy grid.

According to Mr Westerman, the three key challenges the industry will need to overcome as the energy grid transitions and evolves are generating enough clean energy to transition away from coal; building the transmission to deliver this renewable energy to the markets where it will be used; and ensuring the opportunities provided by residential rooftop solar can be shared among all Australians.

“The fact is that the historic mainstay of the power system –coal-fired generation – is on the way out,” Mr Westerman said.

“So there’s an urgent need for replacement generation. That’s the first challenge.

“Second, as firmed renewables are the cheapest form of replacement energy, they are, understandably, built in places where wind, solar and hydro resources are strong. And that’s often in dispersed locations and at the electrical fringes of the grid,” said Mr Westerman.

“So that’s the second challenge – building transmission lines to these new areas of generation and firming to maximise the clean and low-cost power that can flow into the grid.

“And thirdly, we need to make sure that Australians’ love of rooftop solar can continue to flourish, but in a way that works in the best interests of all Australians.”

Renewable generation to meet demand

Speaking to the challenge of developing enough clean energy projects to meet demand, Mr Westerman noted that the demand for energy throughout the country is continuously growing, and is driven by a combination of factors including population growth and the electrification of areas where the economy was previously dependent on fossil fuels.

“There is no doubt renewable solar and wind generation are the cheapest replacement technology for those retiring coal power stations, even taking into account firming and integration costs.

“(And) Australia does have a substantial pipeline of proposed generation projects for the NEM, around 250GW, but the critical thing is to get these projects from spreadsheets and analyses, through investment committees, and turned into real assets that generate, store and transmit electricity to Australian homes and businesses,” Mr Westerman said.

Mr Westerman also noted that rising project costs further increase the challenge of getting new clean generation projects.

“Australia is of course among many nations around the world that are navigating this energy transition, so we are competing not only for material and labour in Australia, but in global markets and through global supply chains.”

Another hurdle is the constraint on skilled labour broadly, and specifically Australia’s engineering workforce.

“Australia has a limited pool of skilled labour for the enormous task ahead. Like all big challenges the solutions will be varied, from incentivising greater female participation in STEM careers

and thereby growing the talent pool, to enhanced university offerings and skilled migration.”

10,000km of new transmission

Discussing the transmission challenge, Mr Westerman said that Australia needs to update its transmission layout, making it fit for the 21st century, and suggested that 10,000km of new transmission lines would be needed to connect renewable energy generation to the markets where it will be used.

“Australia’s existing transmission network was laid out to convey the huge outputs of coal fired generators located centrally in places like the Hunter and Latrobe valleys. Now of course, the new sources of generation are located in geographically dispersed locations of strong wind and solar resources, often at the electrically weak fringes of the grid.

“Around 10,000km of new transmission is needed to connect these areas to demand centres, and to ease congestion on existing transmission lines, which are increasingly operating at the outer limits of capacity and, at times, effectively gridlocked.”

Solar for the people

Speaking on the third challenge, inspired by Australia’s love of rooftop solar, Mr Westerman called upon policy makers to have the courage to develop settings that will allow all Australians to benefit from rooftop solar – not just those that can afford to install costly systems on their own roofs.

“25 years ago, policy makers had the courage and vision to make the most of the generation and transmission infrastructure that had been built. And today, we face a similar opportunity, to maximise the benefit of Consumer Energy Resources for all Australian consumers, not just a few.”

Preparations for a record summer

Mr Westerman also said that the AEMO has been closely collaborating with industries and government to create its summer preparedness plan, as the weather starts to get warmer.

“As you would expect, AEMO, together with industry and governments, have been busy implementing our summer preparedness plan.

“For our part, we have been coordinating with generators about their summer readiness programs which ensure that their plant is fit and ready for periods of high demand and hot temperatures. Ensuring maintenance has been completed or scheduled, fuel supplies are reliable, and any limitations are identified early.

“Summer readiness plans, and, indeed, the quest to navigate Australia’s energy transition, are motivated by the same principles that inspired the creation of the NEM 25 years ago.”

According to Mr Westerman, these principles, which also underpin the fundamental expectation of Australians for their energy supply, are that we have an energy system that is safe, reliable and affordable.

“So while a new market was the answer to the needs of 25 years ago, today’s need is about new infrastructure.

“When the next generation looks back in 25 years’ time, I hope they’ll see we collectively rose to the challenge and created an energy system fit for Australia’s net zero future.”

LARGEST NSW BATTERY GOES LIVE

New South Wales’ largest and most advanced battery has gone live and fully operational, and is expected to power 240,000 homes with electricity during peak time and add grid stability, marking a milestone in the state’s energy transition.

Federation Asset Management and Edify Energy announced that the 150MW/300MWh Riverina and Darlington Point Energy Storage Systems (Riverina BESS) is now fully operational, importing and exporting electricity at its full nameplate capacity and benefiting New South Wales energy consumers.

Located in Wiradjuri Country, the largest Aboriginal Nation throughout New South Wales, Riverina BESS will also provide critical stabilising services to the transmission grid due to the advanced features of the Tesla Megapack systems. The battery’s output is sufficient to supply 240,000 homes with two hours of electricity at peak times.

The facility the BESS is located on consists of three independent but co-located units, with its output contracted to Shell Energy and EnergyAustralia for ten years.

Riverina BESS is a collaboration between Federation and Edify, with Federation owning a 90 per cent interest in the project, and Edify owning the 10 per cent balance as well as providing long term operational asset management of the facility.

Designed and developed by Edify, the Riverina BESS utilises Tesla Megapacks, one of the most cutting-edge battery systems within the National Electricity Market (NEM). The Megapack systems are fitted with state-of-the-art grid-forming inverters, operating in a ‘virtual synchronous generator’ mode.

The distinctive capability ensures the reliable dispatch of clean energy on demand, and also empowers the storage system to function analogously to a traditional generator, providing indispensable system strength services, facilitating the seamless integration of clean energy power plants within the region.

$6.6 million in funding was provided by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, for the Riverina BESS project, with an additional $6.5 million granted by the New South Wales Government, as part of its $75 million Emerging Energy Program.

Edify Chief Executive, John Cole, said the potential for battery storage technology is immense.

“It is a key part of the clean energy transition and goes hand in glove with harnessing and firming Australia’s abundant renewable resources.

“This new system in the Riverina elevates the playing field with innovative firming technology ironing out the variable output of wind and solar, delivering affordable and reliable electricity to New South Wales homes and businesses,” Mr Cole said.

Co-founder and Head of Renewable Energy for Federation, Stephen Panizza, said “As the nation’s ageing coal plants retire, the need for energy storage becomes ever more pressing.

“Advanced grid-forming batteries like the Riverina BESS are critical to extracting the maximum capacity from our existing grid infrastructure, allowing timely integration of additional wind and solar generation into the NEM while our grid infrastructure is upgraded.

“Advanced inverter technologies are a superior solution to challenges in the grid than legacy systems.

“Providing this solution to our electricity system will deliver benefits to energy users across the NEM. We plan to accelerate our roll-out of large scale energy storage,” Mr Panizza said.

The Riverina BESS system in New South Wales. Image courtesy of Edify.

CEC RELEASES RENEWABLE ENERGY PLAYBOOK

The Clean Energy Council has released its Power Playbook, a package of 45 strategic recommendations for the Federal Government to keep Australia on target for 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

The submission, titled Power Playbook

– Accelerating Australia’s Clean Energy Transformation, is a fully integrated plan for seizing Australia’s global opportunities in renewable energy.

The submission sets out a structure for the creation of a formalised national master plan and details a raft of recommendations, designed to work together, that include:

» A Clean Energy Transformation Investment Package capable of boosting and retaining Australia’s international competitiveness in the order of $10 billion per annum for at least ten years, or a minimum of $100 billion

» The Federal Government should formalise a ‘Renewable Energy Superpower Masterplan’

» The full decarbonisation of the electricity sector by 2035, recognising that low-cost, renewable energy will be the

foundation of Australia’s competitive advantage in a net zero economy

» A long-term national policy mechanism to drive increased and sustained investment in large-scale renewable energy projects – an increased Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) extended beyond 2030 to at least 2040 is the preferred option

» Evaluation of the benefits of a coordinated national delivery plan for all transmission projects of national significance to deliver cost and time savings

» New national targets for rooftop solar and distributed energy storage for 2030 and 2040

» Expansion of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme to support distributed battery uptake

» A national offshore wind target to provide investor certainty in relation to the scale and ambition of Australia’s offshore sector, supported by a policy support mechanism which can drive contracting

» Major investment allocations for green hydrogen, green iron and energy transition minerals processing

» Additional capacity within Federal, State and Territory Government planning and environmental assessment units to expedite project assessment processes

» Development of a National Clean Energy Supply Chain strategy

» Alignment of higher education funding models with industry needs for the clean energy transformation

Clean Energy Council CEO, Kane Thornton, said that Australia had a historic opportunity to leverage its abundant natural resources to maintain a competitive edge relative to other nations.

“In a blizzard of ideas, our renewable energy future needs a single cohesive strategy for us to progress as a nation, our playbook helps Australia chart that course,” Mr Thornton said.

“The decisions we make now will impact future generations; we can’t leave our energy future to chance.

“Our goal with the Power Playbook is to spark serious discussion and focus our national efforts on establishing a masterplan to direct our collective resources and deliver on our aspirations.”

FIRST AUS REZ REACHES MAJOR MILESTONE

The Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) has lodged an Environmental Impact Statement for a transmission project that will connect it to the energy grid, marking a major milestone for the zone and making it the first REZ to reach this stage of development.

Once complete, the Central West Orana REZ will deliver at least 3GW of transmitted electricity, which is enough to power 1.4 million homes. It will take New South Wales closer to the target of replacing 12GW of renewable energy generation, and 2GW of long-duration storage by 2030. The transmission and generation projects in the Central West Orana REZ will deliver up to $10 billion in private investment to the region and around 5,000 jobs at the peak of construction.

The Central West Orana REZ is approximately 20,000 sq km, and takes in cities and towns including Dubbo, Dunedoo and Mudgee.

The Environmental Impact Statement is the result of more than two years of technical studies and community consultation. This includes detailed assessment of potential impacts on visual amenity, agriculture, roads, noise, biodiversity, water resources and cumulative impacts on community infrastructure and services such as housing supply and health services in the region.

The Department of Planning and Environment will publicly exhibit the Environmental Impact Statement between 28 September 2023 and 26 October 2023. EnergyCo will also be hosting information sessions to help the community learn more about the Environmental Impact Statement.

All stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback via the New South Wales Planning Portal before the Department of Planning and Environment makes a determination.

New South Wales Minister for Energy, Penny Sharpe, said that the lodgement of the Environmental Impact Statement demonstrates the State Government’s commitment to ensuring New South Wales households, businesses and industry can access clean, affordable and reliable energy as coal-fired power stations retire.

“It shows the New South Wales Government is getting the roadmap to renewables back on track, so we can ensure there is enough renewable energy to replace ageing coal-fired power stations.

“The Central-West Orana transmission project will be capable of connecting at least 3GW of renewable energy generated by wind and solar projects, which is enough to power a quarter of the state’s energy demand, as well as another 2GW of firming storage.

“We will be working closely with communities through the Environmental Impact Statement process.”

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR HYDROGEN HEADSTART PROGRAM

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has called for expressions of interest for the $2 billion Hydrogen Headstart program, which aims to establish Australia as a global hydrogen leader.

Announced in the 2023-2024 budget, the program has been designed by ARENA and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), following consultation with a broad range of key stakeholders, which involved 114 written submissions and three public forums with over 400 participants.

Projects seeking to produce renewable hydrogen or derivatives at scale can apply for a production credit delivered over ten years to bridge the gap between the cost of producing renewable hydrogen and the market price.

Renewable hydrogen is a promising zero emissions energy vector and feedstock with the potential to transform Australia’s energy system, including in hard to abate sectors, but the emerging industry requires government support as it scales up.

Hydrogen Headstart builds on ARENA’s success as a leader in renewable hydrogen, having committed over $308 million to 46 renewable hydrogen projects since 2017.

ARENA has been instrumental in the early development of an Australian renewable hydrogen industry. Support for renewable hydrogen spans early-stage research deployment projects through to first-of-a-kind deployments including hydrogen refuelling and hydrogen trucks, hydrogen for producing renewable ammonia, hydrogen for use in alumina refining and remote power.

ARENA CEO, Darren Miller, said the Hydrogen Headstart program represents a change in Australia’s renewable hydrogen efforts.

“ARENA has been there at every step of Australia’s hydrogen journey, and we’re thrilled to be delivering this transformative program,” Mr Miller said.

“With Australia’s abundant renewable energy resources, we’re well placed to be a global leader in the renewable hydrogen industry.

“As other countries step up their ambitions, Australia is meeting the challenge and providing the investment we need to stay competitive in the global hydrogen race.

“This is the Australian Government’s largest investment in renewable hydrogen to date and a critical step in unlocking Australia’s renewable energy superpower.”

The Clean Energy Council has welcomed the opening of the Expression of Interest process for large-scale green hydrogen projects under the Hydrogen Headstart program.

Clean Energy Council Policy Director for Decarbonisation, Anna Freeman, said that the program is a critical step in

scaling up Australia’s green hydrogen sector, and signalling the country’s intentions to become a leading producer in the emerging global market.

“It is encouraging to see the Australian Government moving swiftly to the next stage of the competitive process, following the consultation period on program design concluding in August,” said Ms Freeman.

“With the real prospect of other regions stealing a march on Australia in activating their domestic green hydrogen sectors, speed is the key to staying a credible contender in the global clean energy investment race.

“We currently have the largest project pipeline of any single country in the world. But proponents have been finding it extremely challenging to convert this renowned potential into commercially viable projects.

“Hydrogen Headstart can help get at least a couple of largescale projects over the line by helping them bridge the gap between costs and returns.

“Noting that there are 22 GW of large-scale green hydrogen projects currently in the wings, we are also calling on the Government to outline its larger, long-term project support arrangements for early mover projects as soon as possible. This support should have the objective of accelerating the scale-up of Australian industry to an internationally cost-competitive basis,” Ms Freeman said.

The Australian Hydrogen Council also welcomed the launch of the expression of interest process for the program, with CEO Dr Fiona Simon stating she was pleased with the Federal Government and its efforts to quickly establish the process following industry consultation.

“AHC called for the Federal Government to act quickly to ensure hydrogen projects in Australia have certainty in the face of fierce global market competition, and we are pleased they have recognised the urgency.

“We’re at a critical stage where we need to get large hydrogen projects off the ground so we can scale up to gigawatt capacity. Hydrogen Headstart can make a significant difference by providing production credits for projects that will produce renewable hydrogen or derivatives at scale.

“AHC is committed to working with the Federal Government as it refreshes the National Hydrogen Strategy, and continues its response to the US Inflation Reduction Act.

“This is the swift action we need to remain competitive across the global hydrogen industry and we hope for further investment in Hydrogen Headstart to support the large pipeline of hydrogen projects underway in Australia,” Dr Simon said.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY RECALL: HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR BATTERY’S SAFETY?

LG Energy Solution Australia is undertaking a safety recall for certain residential energy storage system batteries (ESS Home Batteries). Affected batteries can overheat and catch fire. This can cause injury, death or damage to property. Incidents have occurred and caused damage to property.

What is the issue?

LG Energy Solution Australia is undertaking a safety recall for certain residential energy storage system batteries (ESS Home Batteries) equipped with cells manufactured between 29 March 2017 and 13 September 2018 (Replacement Recall).

LG Energy Solution Australia first announced the safety recall on 24 February 2021 and later expanded the recall in August 2021 to include additional models. A recall notice is available on the Product Safety Australia website.

Additional batteries subject to recall

A new safety recall (Diagnostic Software Recall) was recently notified to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission by LG Energy Solution Australia which covers ESS Home Batteries equipped with cells manufactured between 21 January 2016 to 28 March 2017, or between 14 September 2018 to 30 June 2019 (PRA2022/19550).

If you have not already had your unit replaced or refunded as part of the Replacement Recall, you should check your product again to see if your unit is subject to the Diagnostic Software Recall.

Your safety matters. Don't forget to check your battery.

ENGINEERING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS:

Australia’s most respected engineering and climate experts will headline the 2023 Climate Smart Engineering Conference (CSE23). Engineers Australia’s flagship event is to be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 29 and 30 November 2023.

The CSE23 plenary and technical programs will bring the latest in world-leading views and engaging debate on solutions to address climate change, responding to extreme events, biodiversity loss, boosting the circular economy and upholding the principles of sustainable practices in engineering.

Five CSE23 plenary sessions you won’t want to miss:

» Calling for engineers to work on the largest economic transition since the dawn of agriculture:

Dr Alan Finkel AC, former Chief Scientist of Australia

CSE23

» Navigating transition and transformation in all parts of our economies:

Zoe Whitton, Managing Director and Head of Impact, Pollination

» The crucial role of technology and innovation on the path to net zero:

Larry Marshall, former CEO of CSIRO

» The circular economy as an accelerator:

Lisa McLean, CEO, Circular Australia

Prof John Thwaites AM, Chair, Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Chair, Climateworks Centre

» The engineering mindset – making change happen:

Eytan Lenko, CEO, Boundless Earth Join Engineers Australia for the must-attend sustainability conference 2023. Connect with like-minded professionals and explore the latest solutions to pave the way for net zero emissions in Australia.

Climate Smart Engineering Conference 29 – 30 November 2023 | Melbourne

To view the full CSE23 program and to register, visit

engineersaustralia.org.au/cse

A conference connecting engineering minds, ideas and opportunities.

29-30 November 2023

Plenary speakers include:

Dr Alan Finkel AC Former Chief Scientist of Australia

Amy Lezala Zahr EngExec FIEAust Chief Engineer - Rail Department of Transport and Planning

Eytan Lenko CEO Boundless Earth

Register now

engineersaustralia.org.au/cse

Conference partners

FORECASTING THE ENERGY TRANSFORMATION AT EN2024

Energy Networks 2024 Conference + Exhibition is less than six months away! We are thrilled to announce the EN2024 program is taking shape and we can share just some of the exciting themes and case studies that will be explored.

The plenary sessions will tackle the big, strategic questions facing the energy industry with leading thinkers and decision-makers from within the sector.

These topics include:

Forecasting Australia’s energy transformation

What additional innovations do we need to see for engineering, planning, investment regulation and policy to deliver net zero at speed while at the least-cost.

Where are we now? A whole of system perspective

We keep talking about the energy future, but it’s important to take stock of what has already occurred and what the lessons have been.

Can Australia achieve a just transition?

How do we ensure the transition to net zero is fair, equitable and provides values for consumers and communities across Australia.

Technology and the future of energy

How are rapid technological advancements impacting how people and systems interact and what will this mean for the future of Australia’s energy sector.

The concurrent sessions will be jam packed with current, relevant case studies and examples of what is happening in the energy system today across all aspects of the network system - transmission, renewable gas, regulation, and distribution.

Speakers will be drawn from a broad spectrum of industry participants including member companies, state and federal government departments, industry and market bodies as well as consumer and community advocates.

The event will have a special focus on innovation, consumer outcomes and the need to create resilience in systems that promotes social license and community engagement.

Taking place in Adelaide, the conference will highlight the world leading innovations from South Australia and showcase what other networks can learn from the highest penetration of renewable energy globally. More broadly, the integration of renewables will be a prominent topic of discussion.

There is a limited number of sponsorship and exhibition opportunities still available. To ensure your organisation is keeping company with the energy network leaders and decision-makers, contact Natasha Pembroke-Birss on +61 409 790 530 or email partnerships@energynetworks.com.au to learn more about how you can get involved.

Adelaide Convention Centre

Exhibition and sponsorship opportunities available and selling fast!

This is your organisation’s opportunity to support the only conference and exhibition on the energy network event calendar run by the industry, for the industry.

Go to www.en2024.com.au to find out how you can get involved.

www.EN2024.com.au

Capturing global attention:

CARBON CAPTURE, UTILISATION AND STORAGE

As we respond to the global impacts of climate change and transition to a net zero emissions future, key components of many sectors are having to evolve rapidly. These sectors include energy (particularly electricity systems), industry, transport and energy exports.

Different countries and regions are responding to the common challenge of climate change through a variety of carbon management solutions. To achieve the necessary mitigations, they are taking actions considering their specific needs, options and circumstances.

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, is working to provide reliable, actionable, evidence-based research to help Australia and other nations meet net zero emissions by 2050 goals.

It is widely recognised that a broad portfolio of emissions reduction and carbon management solutions is required to reduce and remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the system to meet future emission targets. Some of these technologies, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), are viewed as contentious. However, several decades of experience with geological storage projects across the world have shown that CO2 can be stored securely with very low risk of leakage.

Nature-based solutions – such as reforestation and soil carbon farming – will contribute towards Australia’s emissions reduction efforts. But they are unable to deliver at the magnitude required to meet our targets. Excessive reliance on land-based carbon credits will inevitably lead to competition with other land use options. This could be at the expense of vital industries such as agriculture.

This is why the deployment of engineered solutions such as large-scale carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) continues to be important. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change report, said CCUS is “an essential element of scenarios that limit warming to 1.5°C or likely below 2°C by 2100.”

The IEA World Energy Outlook 2022 notes that under a net zero emissions by 2050 scenario, global CCUS facilities will have to increase their capacity. This is from the current level of 45 megatons (Mt) of CO2 each year, to 1.2 gigatonnes (Gt) per year in 2030, and to 6.2 Gt per year in 2050.

The Final Results of the 2023 Net-Zero Australia study indicate all scenarios for Australia to reach net zero by 2050 will require the development of a large CCUS industry, capable of storing 80 to 1,000 Mt of CO2 per year.

What is CCUS?

CCUS is a proven technology that captures and either stores or utilises CO2. This helps reduce the amount of CO2 currently in, or being released into, the atmosphere.

Captured CO2 can be compressed, transported to a well, and injected into deep underground reservoirs. These are either depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs or saline reservoirs with a porous rock such as sandstone. These microscopic spaces, called pores, hold the CO2 securely. The reservoirs are capped with an impermeable layer of rock that stops the CO2 from moving upwards. CO2 can be stored in these vast reservoirs for thousands to millions of years.

About a sixth of Australia’s emissions come from industries including cement, steel, and aluminium. These industries can still produce some CO2 as an inherent part of the production process, even when they are using zero-emission energy sources. Unlike the power sector, these industries do not currently have the same range of decarbonising options (for example, using renewables). However, CCUS is one option that is often compatible and can be applied, either directly or indirectly, to these hard-to-abate industries to reach net zero.

Australia can also capitalise on CO2 as a resource. Captured CO2 can be utilised by converting it into new, low-emission products. These can include conversion into synthetic fuels used in aviation, locking it into carbon fibre or using it in building materials.

The volumes of CO2 used, and the size of the markets, are not yet big enough for utilisation to be a global climate change mitigation strategy. But CO2 utilisation in Australia could be seen as a net-zero-compatible economic opportunity.

What is happening nationally and internationally?

The global pipeline of CCS projects currently stands at 30 projects in operation, eleven under construction and 153 in development, according to the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (GCCSI).

Spurred on by greater investment and enabling regulatory mechanisms, the research, deployment and expansion of this pipeline is undergoing rapid growth. The GCCSI notes CO2

capture capacity of CCS facilities under development has jumped 44 per cent in the last 12 months.

The US, UK, Canada, and other nations have announced additional funding support for CCUS development. The US support is largely through its Inflation Reduction Act. This legislation includes unprecedented financial support for clean energy and climate change initiatives, with specific allocation to CCUS.

The European Union has set CO2 injection targets and streamlined the procedures for securing CCUS permits. And this year Indonesia became the first country in our region to establish a legal and regulatory framework for CCUS projects.

What are the opportunities for Australia?

In Australia, we have several comparative advantages when it comes to CCUS development. Our geology, landmass, existing infrastructure, and potential for cheap, renewable energy resources all offer opportunities for domestic and international CO2 transport, storage and utilisation.

There are currently 18 CCS projects at various stages of progress in Australia, with current planned projects forecast to sequester 20 million tonnes of CO2 a year by 2035. The number and scale of these planned projects indicates the growing interest in CCS as an essential component for global decarbonisation.

In addition to storing domestically captured CO2, there is potential to import and store CO2 from other countries less able to rapidly reduce their emissions.

Managing trans-border transport of CO2 as part of a global energy system could empower countries endowed like Australia to support global efforts. This could help to reduce emissions, maintain revenue from its geological resources, develop new markets for CO2 sequestration and address the indirect CO2 emissions generated by countries using Australian sourced energy supplies - known as scope 3 emissions.

For example, Australia supplies more than 50 per cent of Japan’s liquified natural gas, which generates CO2 emissions when combusted for electricity generation. Japan has limited CO2 storage potential. However, if emissions are captured locally and exported for storage, it could see our nation compete for

and participate in a new market for international transfer and storage of CO2. This will help support global efforts toward 2050 emission goals.

What is CSIRO doing to further develop CCUS?

We have more than two decades of experience in CCUS research, technology development and collaboration. Our expertise has been engaged on most CCS projects in Australia at some stage of their progress.

Through our National Geosequestration Laboratory and CO2 In-situ Laboratory facilities, our research is focused on deploying large-scale demonstration projects that enable substantial reductions in emissions and provide a pathway for industry to adopt the technologies at full scale.

We have operated point source CO2 capture pilot plant programs at power plant locations in three different eastern states in Australia. We are also undertaking research into direct air capture to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. This is a relatively new research area with emerging opportunities in Australia, Europe and the US. Our collaborative work to date includes Airthena™ , CarbonAssist and the Ambient CO2 Harvester.

In 2021, we published a CO2 Utilisation Roadmap to explore the opportunities presented by emerging CCUS technologies for Australia to support new industries and reduce carbon emissions. A subsequent, more targeted report, Opportunities for CO2 Utilisation in the Northern Territory, was released in 2023 to help inform the business case for the proposed Northern Territory Low Emissions Hub.

Through a combination of robust science and strategic investment, Australia can build on past successes and comparative advantages to position itself as a world leader in CCUS. Collaboration between governments, industry, communities, and researchers continues to be essential if we are to implement CCUS technologies at scale and meet net zero 2050 emission targets.

WAVERING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

COULD STALL THE ENERGY TRANSITION

By Damien Hudson, Partner, Digital and Emerging Technology and Emma Hawthorne, Associate Partner, EY Australia

Consumer confidence is the compass that can either propel the energy transition forward or risk stalling its momentum. As energy providers navigate the evolving landscape of rising prices, security concerns, and the decarbonisation agenda, it is taking its toll on consumer confidence.

Consumer confidence matters. It is a strong predictor of consumer behaviour and investment as confident consumers will be more certain about their future and more likely to spend money. The confidence of energy consumers underpins investment in new energy technologies and solutions and will either accelerate or hinder the breadth and momentum of the energy transition.

Consumer confidence is also a powerful force that aligns government policy, corporate sustainability, and personal responsibility. When consumers show a strong preference for sustainable products or services, they create a virtuous circle that influences government policies and which, in turn, encourages more corporations to prioritise sustainability.

Put simply, consumer confidence is a non-negotiable requirement if we are to align with our net-zero targets.

According to EY Energy Consumer Confidence Index, only 38 per cent of consumers express confidence in the affordability of their energy, and a mere 36 per cent of Australians are confident in the stability of their energy providers.

It also shows that consumers’ expectations are not being met today across all aspects of the energy experience. Nearly half (47 per cent) of Australian consumers don’t understand the actions and investments they can make to be more sustainable.

Energy consumers are moving beyond basic expectations and their purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by their values, but those values – for clean, green, and socially responsible energy – must align with value for money. As cost-of-living pressures continue to rise in Australia, with nearly one-third (30 per cent) of the population perceive themselves as being in “energy poverty”, a premium for green energy is a hard sell.

Energy providers must work harder to understand the concerns of energy consumers, empower them to understand their important role in the energy transition, and ultimately rebuild confidence in the path to cleaner energy.

The Energy Consumer Confidence Index (ECCI)

The Energy Consumer Confidence Index (ECCI) looks at consumer energy confidence across the globe, highlighting the opportunities and challenges present in each country. In this process, the Index draws on analysis to consider the stability of energy providers’ businesses; the value that providers create for consumers and their community; the ability of consumers to access clean energy options; their ability to access affordable energy; and regulator or government support for a fair and equitable energy transition.

Looking from end to end of the ECCI spectrum, confidence in Japan is very low, with consumers facing rising energy prices, market deregulation, and the lasting impact of the Fukushima

nuclear disaster. On the other end, consumers in mainland China are extremely confident in their energy future, perhaps driven by the significant focus on, and investments in, energy infrastructure and renewables.

The Index shows Australia to be higher than the global average, but the global landscape itself indicates there is still cause for concern. The trajectory of consumer confidence often follows a pattern of initial optimism, followed by a decline as the complexities and challenges become apparent to the population. The data highlights that Australia might be in this phase, facing a dip in confidence as the energy trilemma –affordability, reliability, and sustainability, come into play.

Given the important role of consumer confidence in the energy transition, energy providers have a critical job ahead.

Opportunities for energy providers to build consumer confidence

Energy providers need to change the narrative on the energy transition, rebuild the confidence deficit in the integration of renewables into the grid, and engage in meaningful discussion with their consumers. This begins with simplifying the consumer journey, offering trustworthy advice, and showing the tangible benefits of the energy transition and how it will create value for the consumer personally.

Building a robust energy system that instills confidence requires a collaborative ecosystem. All stakeholders in the energy sector – energy companies, retailers, technology giants, and installers – must have the unified goal of simplifying the consumer experience. Stakeholders need to work together to make it easier for consumers to adopt clean energy and foster a sense of shared purpose, reinforcing consumer confidence in the transition.

Energy providers need to start making the intangible benefits of cleaner energy solutions real for consumers, beyond reliability and safety. They can do this by illustrating how renewables and greener options can amplify community impact, convenience, pricing, and comfort.

Finally, by harnessing the power of behavioural science, energy providers can also build on learnings from successful campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic to appeal to consumer emotions, foster personal accountability, and link behavioural change to the collective benefit of playing a role in Australia’s energy transition.

Making the energy transition real and appealing, and a concept that we can all contribute to, is critical to the success of Australia’s energy transition. We hope to see a more united effort from businesses, government bodies, and community organisations to reshape messaging and stimulate a new wave of consumer confidence that transcends tangible investments and resonates with societal values.

TO SHAPE USING AND

THE ENERGY TRANSITION CONVERSATIONS CONNECTIONS

As we approach the end of another year, the impending 2030 Renewable Energy Target gets closer, and industry continues to network, engage and develop solutions for the betterment of society, the environment and the planet. Paramount to this are the diverse and inclusive conversations that are helping to explore the myriad possibilities for renewable energy. Megan Richardson, Iberdrola Australia Senior Manager – Environment, Planning and Communities and founder of the Women in Energy Network, discusses her experience and the new industry-wide collaboration.

With compounding environmental concerns in the energy sector, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture –that in order to support and nurture our communities, there needs to be a sustainable planet to call home. Part of the challenge as the transition continues developing, is the connection between governments and service providers to the communities they serve.

Engaging with people

Throughout Ms Richardson’s more than 17 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, she said there has been a marked change in how communities and stakeholders are being engaged with.

“I have worked closely with communities and stakeholders throughout my career – from running consultation workshops in Fair Isle (the remotest inhabited island in the UK) to meetings with project neighbours over the kitchen table in Central West New South Wales. It’s in the communities and stakeholder engagement space where I have seen significant changes, not only in the industry’s approach to engagement but also in community and stakeholder sentiment towards renewable energy.”

With Iberdrola Australia since 2016, Ms Richardson said she has witnessed a consistent evolution in how industry has been connecting with communities and stakeholders.

“Industry has moved on from a minimum tick box exercise late in the development of a project, if at all, to early, genuine and impactful engagement. I think that industry has realised the value that commencing early and genuine engagement with communities and stakeholders brings to a project as well as the power of listening and how these engagement principles can help deliver better outcomes for the project and the community,” Ms Richardson explained.

“The benefits that renewable energy developments can deliver for local communities are changing too, with the industry

offering innovative benefits in the communities hosting our projects such as good neighbour benefit sharing schemes, local electricity discounts, and co-investment opportunities in projects.”

This awareness of and action regarding sustainable development of projects across the energy sector and its transition is something that Ms Richardson said Iberdrola Australia was proud to have led for decades.

Diverse discourse

It’s more important than ever to be united against the challenges of the energy transition. Diversity and inclusion are buzzwords that have grown in prevalence in recent years, and research behind inclusion in the workplace has shown the organisations that support diversity outperform those that don’t. Not only is ensuring an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace the right thing to do as it creates better outcomes for the organisation and improves workplace engagement, but it better represents and serves their diverse communities.

Delving into a new branch of Iberdrola Australia, Ms Richardson discussed the 2023 commencement of the Women in Energy Network to ensure a more inclusive, fairer transition for all, and provide a place for women in the sector to connect and engage with each other.

Calling the establishment an ‘organic’ development, the network was founded by Ms Richardson, Tahlia Nolan, Claudia Williams and Briar Blount. The concept of the network grew from the exchanging of ideas, sharing of podcasts and articles, and from conversations between meetings about how the group could support gender diversity within the workforce and in leadership positions.

“These discussions coincided with our attendance at industry networking events with a focus on women (the Clean Energy Council’s Women in Renewables networking drinks and GE’s Women, Talking and Golf) and a recognition of the value of these events for women in our industry. And it was from there that the idea of creating a network and running a series of

networking events to showcase the incredible female talent in the industry was born.”

Throughout the year, the Women in Energy Network have hosted many events across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with Ms Richardson saying they have been representative of the expertise and innovations that are helping shape a fair, and just energy transition.

“My favourite part of the event presentations has been the honest, straight talking, informative nature on topics that our industry is currently trying to wrap their heads around. Event topics have included the Federal Government’s Nature Positive Plan and the Queensland Government’s Energy and Jobs Plan When unpacking these policies, we decided that a panel format would be best suited for discussion.

“These panels were fantastic; they had a real collision of the ideals with practicalities for building out the infrastructure at the pace needed to decarbonise while protecting, engaging and allowing our biodiversity and regional communities to thrive.

“For our events focusing on hydrogen, electric vehicles and distributed energy resources we opted for a presentation format and our speakers delivered informative and engaging presentations on innovations, the lagging government support and solutions for our industry to grow adoption of these new technologies and integration into our current markets/systems.”

Ms Richardson said the events not only help share industry expertise and experience, but have allowed brilliant engagement between presenters and guests as well as encouraging post-event discussions.

“The conversations have been positive, and the nature of them has been around how we can share more information, collaborate, and meet the challenges of the industry and the energy transition.”

This work undergone by Iberdrola Australia is an example of the collaborative success of uniting insight, experience, and the drive that there are more diverse, and inclusive solutions to the energy transition.

Looking ahead

The Women in Energy Network have already held six events over 2023, and are already planning ahead for the future. Ms Richardson is eager to continue sharing knowledge and insights from the diverse network with a larger audience, as well as seeing the energy industry as a whole move forward to more equitable solutions.

“I think at an industry level there has been a continued forward momentum in the diversity and inclusion space with a particular focus on gender diversity,” Ms Richardson said.

“I think that people are at the centre of the energy transition and I would like to see the energy industry take concrete steps towards an equitable energy transition where communities – and in particular regional communities – First Nations peoples, the workforce and key stakeholders are engaged and participate in the transition (with, of course, some targets around gender diversity!).

“Take responsibility, it’s on all of us to educate, empower, do better and lead in this space and deliver a diverse and inclusive energy transition.”

You can follow and connect with the Women in Energy Network on LinkedIn to stay updated on future events.

THE SHIFT FROM OIL AND GAS TO WIND AND SOLAR

By Tina Soliman-Hunter and Madeline Taylor, Macquarie University

The world is currently dependent on oil and gas. Since the Industrial Revolution, society has been reliant on secure, affordable, and accessible petroleum to develop economies, trade and wider socio-economic growth. Our centurieslong reliance on petroleum is being fundamentally challenged by the pressing need to decarbonise as the oil and gas sector accounts for nearly 15 per cent of energy-related global emissions. Shifting from a petroleum-centric global economy is one of the greatest challenges of our time, requiring nothing short of an entire supply chain overhaul and radical technological advances to decarbonise and allow states to meet their Paris Agreement and net zero emissions commitments.

The Research Handbook of Oil and Gas Law examines these critical and complex challenges of how to regulate and facilitate the energy transition in a petroleum-dependent world. It provides a timely critique of the associated emerging challenges and opportunities using representative case studies across several states, industries, technologies, and legal frameworks across the world.

The uptake and roll-out of renewable energy and storage is rapidly increasing globally. Australia has committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, achieving net zero emissions by 2050, and reaching 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030. The decarbonisation of our electricity sector is a fundamental and crucial step on the path to securing the net zero target. However, transitioning away from emissions-intensive petroleum will require diverse and complex technological solutions beyond electrification. Decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors presents a formidable and complex task. This includes creating low-carbon iron and steel, alumina and aluminium, and other metals including lithium, copper and nickel, liquified natural gas and chemicals including plastics, fertilisers and explosives, as defined by ARENA.

Appropriate policies, regulatory frameworks, technological solutions and community benefits are all crucial for a successful energy transition. Without this coordination, carbon-intensive sectors dependent on petroleum production cannot be effectively transitioned to low-emissions alternatives satisfying the Energy Quadrilemma of energy security; energy equity; environmental sustainability; and social acceptance.

Decarbonisation pathways

The global economy requires energy security on our path to decarbonisation. Energy security, as the first pillar of the Energy Quadrilemma, remains fundamental to energy policy and is still deeply linked to the global petroleum market. International Energy Agency (IEA) member countries have a collective

obligation to hold oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net oil imports. Australia has been in breach of this collective obligation for several years and as at June 2023 holds 51 days of net oil imports. While global oil demand must necessarily decline to reach 2050 net zero scenarios, policy, technological and regulatory changes are needed in low-emissions liquid fuels, such as hydrogen, to eventually replace this stockholding obligation to ensure and maintain energy security.

Renewable and low-carbon hydrogen has been offered as a potential solution to decarbonise heavy transport, manufacturing, chemical production, and other hard-to-abate sectors. 46 countries and 8 provinces have released hydrogen strategies, with Australia’s national hydrogen strategy currently under review, encouraging first movers to scale-up lowemissions hydrogen production and use. However, global hydrogen production is currently dominated by oil, gas, and coal. Just four per cent of the global hydrogen mix is produced by electrolysis creating hydrogen from renewable energy. Five per cent of new low-emissions hydrogen projects have made firm investment decisions due to the lack of clarity in policies and regulations concerning hydrogen certification and the potential of a hydrogen export market.

As recently highlighted in the IEA Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations in Net Zero Transitions report, the petroleum sector requires ambitious targets to achieve meaningful reductions while transitioning to net zero businesses and operations. Profound technological changes and market reform are required for deep decarbonisation to not only avoid climate change impacts but to unlock new sources of economic growth and ways of working with the natural environment. The lessons, innovation, and capital from the oil and gas sector experiences represent crucial insights to create the energy transformation needed to decarbonise across the global economy. Salient technological challenges remain to fully replace oil and gas and achieve a balanced and inclusive approach to energy transition based on the Energy Quadrilemma as a guiding principle.

Transition, technology, and risk

The term transition implies a steady, incremental shift from one state to another. Yet in Australia, the energy transition is anything but slow, steady, and incremental. It is nothing short of an explosive transition, the likes of which is an event that has rarely been seen in this country. To date, Australia has developed most systems organically – think the development of the electricity system based on the ‘poles and coal’ notion, or the organic development of our capital systems and the infrastructure that goes with it. In our history, the only transformation on a similar scale was the post-war establishment of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme (Snowy Scheme). Utilising tried and true technology and leadership for the US Bureau of the Interior, the Snowy Scheme gave us something we didn’t knew we needed, but only dreamed about – water in inland arid regions to be utilised for agricultural activities, and the generation of electricity as that water was released for agricultural use.

With the Snowy Scheme, there was little risk. Government backed, underwritten by tried and tested US knowhow, and constructed by eager and hard-working migrants, the Snowy Scheme added much to this country in economic, social, and political terms. The present energy transition is nothing like this. The key to this transition is timing – do we have the appropriate time, technology, investment, and knowledge to effectively transition from the use of carbon-emitting hydrocarbons to low carbon energy and are we making the right choices as to the technologies and energy generation sources implemented? Transitioning too early is likely to place the National Electricity Market (NEM) at risk – the resilience of the grid and the affordability of electricity are likely to be severely tested and affected in the next few decades.

In Australia, the big loser could be the Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative, which relies on gas for not only electricity but also heat to undertake many industrial processes. If gas is to be left out of the energy mix, then this heat generation will be hard to replace if nuclear energy generation is not included. Another loser is likely to be grid stability. In 2016, a series of events led to a cascading failure of the renewables-dominated South Australian Grid, blacking out the entire state and lasting upward of 24 Hours. A similar grid failure occurred in Texas in 2021, blacking out over 4.5 million

homes and businesses for days, and killing at least 240 people. In 2022, low power reserve conditions caused the NEM to be suspended for seven days, creating chaos, threatening supply and demonstrating a continued lack of resilience in a market where coal and gas fired generation still dominates.

If NEM resilience is threatened in a traditional generation system, the outlook for a NEM with variable input and frequency from renewable energy is one of a market with high risk. To assuage concerns of risk, and to increase NEM resilience, government, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), and energy suppliers are increasingly turning to technology to solve generation and energy storage issues as Australia shifts away from coal and gas-fired assets. As we develop and refine technologies that can lower or reduce carbon from gas, we can utilise low-carbon gas as an instrument in the energy transition. Such technologies centre on the capture of carbon as gas is processed, and then the storage of this captured carbon, usually through underground carbon sequestration (collectively known as CCUS), thereby providing a steady fuel with built-in energy storage, thereby lessening the need for big batteries. Indeed, according to the IEA, capturing and sequestering gas will be critical in the energy transition. Another technology is the utilisation of gas, again with the CO2 removed and sequestered, to produce hydrogen. However, this is unlikely, given the loss of energy in conversion, and the present use of gas in electricitygenerating infrastructure.

Many other countries, especially Europe, are embracing CCUS as a necessary and integral tool in the shift to net zero emission. To date Australia is not, but it is obvious that at some stage, the transition will require energy sources that are constant in supply and frequency, and able to provide energy storage for unexpected events. Australia needs to get the present NEM, dominated by hydrocarbons, functioning, before utilising technology to shift to renewable energy sources, lest network resilience be affected.

THE FUTURE OF HYDROGEN FUEL CELL STABILITY

In a new study, published in Energy & Environmental Science, Prof. Zhao’s team has developed a novel process to test the durability and stability of platinum alternatives that will supply new insights into cost-friendly options for hydrogen fuel cells.

There are issues with the cost and resources of some of the key elements that make up a hydrogen fuel cell, including platinum, the material commonly used as the catalyst needed to activate the process. Creating alternatives to platinum catalysts is essential.

“Platinum is always going to be expensive, because there isn't a lot out there,” Prof. Zhao said.

“We need to explore alternatives, whilst also providing a quick and easy way to measure how well these new materials are working in hydrogen fuel cells.”

The case for hydrogen fuel cells

Hydrogen fuel cells, which were developed as a green energy source in the 19th century, use chemical reactions to break hydrogen into protons and electrons, producing electricity and water.

"You apply hydrogen to one side (the anode) and air to the other side (the cathode).

By Lilly Matson, University of New South Wales

Hydrogen has been positioned as a key player in the race to a decarbonised future, but despite its potential, the road to commercialisation has been a slow one. Scientists at UNSW Sydney are working on ways to improve the efficiency and cost of hydrogen fuel cells, to increase access to clean fuel. There are several factors that scientists – including Professor Chuan Zhao, Dr Quentin Meyer and Mr Shiyang Liu from the School of Chemistry at UNSW – are trying to address, to increase the commercial viability of hydrogen fuel cells.

"At the anode, hydrogen oxidises into protons and electrons, while at the cathode, oxygen reacts with these protons and electrons to generate water and electricity."

The key difference between hydrogen fuel cell technology and batteries is that you don’t need to charge hydrogen fuel cells up. Instead of a petrol pump, you just have a hydrogen pump and it takes only three minutes to refuel a hydrogen fuel cell car.

The process is not only considered a clean source of energy, only producing water as a by-product, but it is also sustainable. Hydrogen itself is a very abundant element, and while it doesn’t occur naturally, it can be extracted from water, which is called green hydrogen.

The problem of cost

“We are faced with a ‘chicken or the egg’ type problem, where we don’t have enough hydrogen being processed, or enough places to use the hydrogen once it’s been extracted,” Prof. Zhao said. “So, as we start to produce more hydrogen and more fuel cells, then both will become cheaper.”

Another key problem is the cost of the catalysts to make the two chemical reactions happen. The platinum which forms the essential middle layer of a fuel cell costs somewhere between $45,000 and $100,000 per kilo.

Using three novel methods, the research team were able to quickly figure out how stable a platinum-free fuel cell is. Photo: Front, from left to right: Shiyang Liu, Prof. Zhao, and Quentin Meyer. Back, from left to right: Dr Chen Jia, Shuhao Wang and Yan Nie.

“One approach is to use platinum alternatives, such as iron, which only costs around $0.1 per kilo. Its also one of the rarest metals on earth.” Mr Liu said.

“A particular promising material is Iron-nitrogen-carbon, also known as Fe-N-C.”

However, these new platinum alternatives are not currently widely available because they are not as stable as platinum and break down at a faster rate in hydrogen fuel cells.

“While platinum-based fuel cells can last up to 40,000 hours (about 4.5 years), the iron-nitrogen-carbon materials can only run up to 300 hours (about two weeks), in a best-case-scenario,” Dr Meyer said.

Progress in the field has been slow, as finding alternatives and testing their durability is a lengthy and expensive process.

“For instance, creating a new hydrogen fuel cell catalyst can take up to a year, and then even longer to understand exactly what’s happening using expensive equipment that is hard to access,” Dr Meyer said.

Developing methods to analyse stability

For Prof. Zhao, Dr Meyer and their team, the answer to addressing the existing issues in the field was to develop a method that allows to understand quickly why some catalyst materials are not as stable as platinum.

“Using three novel methods that we tested in the lab, we can quickly figure out how stable our platinum-free fuel cell is and most importantly understand why. This approach can be easily adopted by scientists in other labs to gain quick and accurate insights into the efficiency of their fuel cells and catalysts,” Prof. Zhao said.

Using these techniques, the team revealed that up to 75 per cent of the iron-based active sites (the specific locations where the reactions happen) become inactive in the first ten hours of running the fuel cell, due to the loss of iron active sites. This is then followed by carbon corrosion becoming the predominant degradation mechanism.

“This is particularly significant as we can pinpoint exactly what is happening and when it is happening. If we develop a material that has more stable active sites, we should see a slower decay in the first ten hours, while carbon corrosion may have a similar trend,” Dr Meyer said.

“By allowing precise tracking of the degradation mechanisms, we expect that the research field will be able to make new materials targeting these stability issues. As a result, we believe our approach will help improve the stability of platinum-free catalysts and give this field a brighter future.”

The next steps

While this is a major step in the field of hydrogen fuel cells, Prof. Zhao, Dr Meyer, and their team have their sights set on the next goal.

“We are developing a catalyst where we’re combining different metals to increase the stability of the catalysts,” Prof. Zhao said.

"Using the process we’ve developed here, we’re able to get quick, reliable insights into the stability of these low-cost non-platinum catalysts. This gets us some exciting results understanding what is happening.”

The team is also focusing on ways they can increase the scalability of the low-cost, platinum-free hydrogen fuel cell catalyst from the lab to a product that could be used to power real devices and, one day, power transport on our roads.

Hydrogen fuel cell schematic with the anode and cathode

National interest in hydrogen has been steadily increasing. As more innovative technologies for the production and use of hydrogen continue to emerge, Federal and State Governments are investing more money and resources into green hydrogen projects, which is highly valued as a zero emissions fuel source and industrial feedstock

Specifically, green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced from water, using a process known as electrolysis, which requires electricity. When the energy used in this process comes from a renewable source, such as wind, solar or hydro, the chemical produced is commonly considered green or renewable hydrogen.

Growing a renewable hydrogen industry

The Federal Government has said that its ambition is to become a renewable energy super power, decarbonise its economy and increase clean energy exports to contribute to regional and global decarbonisation, in part thanks to our abundance of natural resources.

The Federal Government has said that it believes hydrogen is a promising avenue for reaching this ambition thanks to its range of uses, including energy storage, blending with natural gas, fuel cells and trade.

Since the release of Australia’s National Hydrogen Strategy in 2019 there is now a $127 billion pipeline of announced hydrogen investment in Australia, making it the largest hydrogen pipeline in the world.

The strategy:

» Explores Australia’s clean hydrogen potential

» Considers future scenarios with wide ranging growth possibilities

» Outlines an adaptive approach that equips Australia to scale up quickly

» Details nationally coordinated actions involving governments, industry and communities

Active projects

According to CSIRO-operated hydrogen project database, HyResource, there are 108 hydrogen-related industry projects in Australia. 79 of these projects are in the development and planning phase, 16 are under construction, only 12 are currently in operation and just one has reached completion.

Prominent hydrogen projects across Australia include:

Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) Pilot Project – The only hydrogen project to reach completion so far in Australia, the HESC was used to demonstrate an integrated hydrogen supply chain encompassing production, storage and transportation in delivering liquefied hydrogen to Japan.

The pilot project, located in the Latrobe Valley, integrated coal gasification and gas-refining, hydrogen gas transportation and liquefaction, liquefied hydrogen storage and loading, shipbuilding and operation of a specialised liquefied hydrogen carrier.

In January of 2022, a shipment of liquid hydrogen was successfully shipped to Japan, marking the end of the pilot.

Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA) – Opened officially in May 2021, HyP SA produces renewable hydrogen for blending with natural gas for supply to around 4,000 homes and businesses in metropolitan Adelaide. It is also providing direct hydrogen supply to industry and to supply hydrogen for transport uses.

Located at Tonsley Innovation District, HyP SA produces renewable hydrogen using a 1.25MW Siemens Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser – as of August 2023, the largest single unit of its kind in Australia in operation.

Australian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH) – AREH is a proposed phased development located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The project intends to supply renewable power to local customers in the Pilbara, a large mining region, and produce green hydrogen for the domestic Australian market and for export to major international users.

AUSTRALIA’S RENEWABLE hydrogen pilots and projects

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the known universe, making up approximately 75 per cent of visible matter. It is also extremely chemically versatile, capable of being converted into other useful forms, such as ammonia, or as a renewable fuel source. A number of projects around Australia are investigating ways to commercialise green hydrogen and provide a clean source of gas for the economy – here we take a closer look at some of the most advanced projects and see how they are tracking on the path to commercialisation.

At full scale, the AREH is expected to:

» Develop 26GW total generating capacity from wind and solar power, the equivalent of producing over 90TWh per annum

» Produce 1.6 million tonnes of green hydrogen per annum

» Abate around 17 million tonnes of carbon in domestic and export markets annually, equating to roughly 0.5Gt of carbon savings over the lifetime of the project

Green Hydrogen and Battery Storage System – This project consists of a 150kW PEM electrolyser and a 5MW battery energy storage system. The demonstrator scale project is being undertaken by Marubeni Corporation, and is located in Northern Adelaide and is planning to use grid-based renewable energy to power its hydrogen production facilities. An important utilisation aspect of the produced hydrogen would be its transport in a metal hydride container to Indonesia for use in fuel cell applications.

Construction on the project began in February 2023 and the first shipment of hydrogen to Indonesia is planned by the end of 2023.

Hunter Energy Hub – AGL and Fortescue Future Industries undertook a feasibility study, completed in 2022, to explore the development of a renewables-based hydrogen and ammonia production facility in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.

The facility forms part of a proposed ‘Hunter Energy Hub’ development, that would combine grid-scale batteries, solar thermal storage, wind and pumped hydro.

Western Sydney Green Gas Project – This project, operated by Jemena, involves a trial power-to-gas facility to transform (surplus) renewable electrical energy into hydrogen gas for use in blending in a gas network, storage, power generation, and potentially mobility and industrial applications.

A 500kW PEM electrolyser, using purchased renewable energy, converts water into hydrogen which is injected and blended with natural gas into the existing Jemena natural gas distribution network.

Only a small percentage of these projects have progressed beyond the development phase, meaning it is still early days for renewable hydrogen. But, with a wide variety of proposed projects and billions of dollars and government commitment in the pipeline, Australia is set to have a world-leading hydrogen industry.

Hydrogen Park SA’s hydrogen purification infrastructure. Image credit: AGIG.

TO MAXIMISE WIND TURBINE EFFICIENCY 4 TIPS

Wind energy has long played a pivotal role in Australia’s renewable energy portfolio, harnessing the nation’s natural wind resources to power homes, businesses and industries. With the Federal Government’s recent initiatives supporting offshore wind projects, opportunities for wind generation are rapidly expanding.

As with any rapidly adopted technology, wind power presents distinct challenges that can prevent operators from getting the most out of their investment.

For instance, the intricate design and sheer height of wind turbines means maintenance is a complicated undertaking that demands specialised skills and equipment. These towering structures, often reaching several hundred feet in the air, require highly trained technicians who can safely navigate both the heights and the complex mechanical components. Additionally, many wind farms are situated in remote locations, creating logistical challenges for maintenance crews.

Turbine blades are sensitive equipment, susceptible to wear and tear from continuous exposure to varying wind speeds and weather conditions, necessitating meticulous inspection and repair processes. Even minor damages can significantly impact the turbine's efficiency and overall energy production, emphasising the need for regular maintenance checks and prompt repairs.

Given these challenges, wind farm operators must take a proactive approach to turbine maintenance, harnessing the most cutting-edge tools available to achieve minimal downtime and optimal energy output.

Here we offer four essential tips for getting the most out of wind turbines.

1. Streamline yaw brake replacement

The yaw system of a wind turbine refers to the mechanism that allows the turbine to turn horizontally so that it can face directly into the oncoming wind. It typically consists of motors and sensors that detect wind direction. Based on this information, the motors adjust the position of the turbine to ensure it is always facing into the wind. By doing so, the turbine blades are able to capture the wind's kinetic energy most effectively, maximising the efficiency of the wind turbine. Proper yaw control is essential for optimising energy output and ensuring the longevity of the turbine by minimising stress on its structure during varying wind conditions.

However, yaw brake replacement can often pose a challenge for wind turbine operators. Small yaw brake callipers can weigh up to 60kg, whereas a large yaw brake can reach 200kg. With some turbines featuring up to 20 yaw brakes to control their position, this places great strain on maintenance personnel, especially given the scale of modern wind farms. Many turbines do not have in-built elevators either, so maintenance personnel may have to climb a 100m high ladder before repairs can even commence.

Fortunately, Regal Rexnord’s Yaw Brake Lifting and Installation Tool can enable easy interchange of yaw brakes in-situ, eliminating the need for heavy lifting by personnel. Brakes can be attached to the tool and lowered down to the floor for maintenance work, then reassembled units raised and installed quickly. This improves work conditions and speed, supporting greater efficiency when it comes to turbine maintenance and minimising turbine downtime.

The Yaw Brake Lifting and Installation Tool is available in various configurations to suit multiple turbines. Weighing in at around 40kg, it can be easily transported too.

2. Conduct up-tower maintenance on-site

Traditionally, servicing yaw brake discs required the complete disassembly of the large turbine nacelle, and components had to be transported elsewhere for maintenance, costing operators valuable time and resources.

As wind turbines pivot to align with the wind, these discs naturally experience wear, and minor imperfections can escalate, disrupting the smoothness of the disc surface. Consequently, braking performance declines until eventual failure. Replacing the disc can be a time-consuming procedure, involving the use of cranes, which amplifies costs, prolongs downtime and diminishes energy output.

Using a portable Disc Resurfacing Tool, up-tower operations can be carried out on-site with increased speed while not compromising the refurbishment. Featuring a milling machine that quickly replanes the disc, Regal Rexnord’s Disc Resurfacing Tool can operate inside the turbine nacelle, thanks to a compact and lightweight design. Simply mounted onto a yaw brake mounting position, the tool eliminates the need for nacelle disassembly. This eases maintenance work, while maximising energy output via reduced downtime and minimising cost.

3. Employ tried-and-tested expert solutions

To optimise wind energy output, it’s crucial to have access to a specialised expert capable of swiftly delivering comprehensive solutions. This expertise ensures turbine reliability, enhancing efficiency by minimising disruptions to energy production.

Regal Rexnord develops its products in close partnership with onshore wind turbine OEMs, shaping its components and assemblies to suit designs from the initial prototype phase.

Turbine operators can be assured that all braking systems have undergone rigorous testing in cold, hot and humid weather conditions to guarantee performance. Replacement components and assemblies are guaranteed OEM quality, adhering to break specifications, thus delivering the utmost reliability in application.

Regal Rexnord also offers aftermarket support for various turbine parts, including but not limited to brakes, pads, pistons and seal kits. Employing a turnkey approach throughout the turbine lifecycle allows for exceptional product performance and quality assurance. The end result is extended service intervals, allowing for onshore turbines to spend longer producing valuable energy.

4. Secure 24/7 support

As early installations grow older and the installed wind turbine fleet increases, responsive maintenance support is incredibly important for reducing unforeseen downtime.

Regal Rexnord offers its customers 24/7, 365 days-a-year global maintenance support via a dedicated service app. Maintenance engineers around the world can message or call experts at any time to access key technical information and guidance for critical repairs, enabling a swift resolution for any issue.

Through a combination of the latest tools and continuous expert support, wind farm operators can overcome the challenges of turbine maintenance and significantly optimise wind turbine efficiency, ultimately ensuring the long-term viability of wind power as a sustainable energy source.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

INDUSTRIAL PRECINCTS

ENERGY PRECINCTS

KEY TO DEMAND MANAGEMENT

By Heidi Lee, CEO, Beyond Zero Emissions

The Australian Energy Market Operator’s recent Electricity Statement of Opportunities report notes: “Forecasts of energy consumption and maximum demand are higher in some NEM regions, driven by projected electrification of households and businesses, and forecast expansion of industrial facilities.” This projection of increased energy demand, combined with industries electrifying, puts pressure on the grid to find new ways to do more-with-less. With Australia now at a critical point in the energy transition, Beyond Zero Emissions’ (BZE) research points to establishing Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts (REIPs) as the key to industrial demand management and a successful future energy mix.

REIPs are a proposal for clusters of manufacturers to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. In this proposal, participating facilities are connected to embedded networks of supporting infrastructure, such electricity, green hydrogen, batteries, electrolysers and industrial-temperature steam, and cooperate to both manage peak demand within the REIP and also to access the most competitive prices for grid energy.

BZE research shows that REIPs can provide affordable renewable energy to existing heavy industries, attract new businesses, and foster innovation and collaboration to grow a resilient manufacturing sector in Australia.

Increasing demand for green exports and transition minerals, such as graphite, lithium and cobalt, could increase by over 500 per cent by 2050 to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies, as described in our Export Powerhouse report. Customers for these growth commodities demand low or zero-emissions products and this can be met by electrifying industry using a range of commercially available technologies.

Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism applies to 200+ of highest-emitting facilities, around 43 per cent of these are important manufacturing facilities, and all

are required to reduce net emissions by around five per cent each year. This is progress in the right direction, but moving far too slowly for Australian businesses to maintain a global competitive edge in a rapidly decarbonising world. In order to accelerate the energy transition for industries, a clustered, coordinated approach is needed and this approach must be cognisant of efficient installation and use of critical shared infrastructure as well as other land use and social acceptance issues.

Why Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts?

REIPs are a solution for decarbonising energy-intensive, hard-to-abate heavy industries (e.g. steel and aluminium production). REIPs relieve pressure on the grid through providing the physical infrastructure that connects facilities in clusters and enables heavy industry to further optimise their process energy requirements through coordination within this cluster.

BZE recently commissioned ACIL Allen to quantify the basic economies of scale efficiencies that can be achieved through a coordinated approach to the delivery of electricity transmission and dedicated green hydrogen pipelines to Safeguard facility clusters in Kwinana and Gladstone – generating billions of dollars to the

economy, attracting new investments and speeding up decarbonisation.

The findings show the importance of grouping the energy-intensive, high energy demand industries so we can build consolidated infrastructure to get the energy to them, instead of through disparate pieces of infrastructure to many separate facilities. We will be able to meet demand in a more efficient and cost-effective way, not to mention also give clean manufacturing a big boost.

The research modelled REIP infrastructure in Gladstone, Queensland. By clustering Safeguard Mechanism facilities with other industries that coordinate and cluster their energy use, it could generate an additional 206 full-time equivalent jobs, $2.4 billion in real economic output and nearly $600 million in government revenue by 2050. This is in contrast to industrial users going it alone. Cost savings based on the modelling vary based on scale and distance:

» For green hydrogen pipelines ranging from 100 to 250km, coordinated systems can reduce capital costs by 48 to 62 per cent when compared to parallel pipelines with equivalent capacity. This can result in savings of nearly $500 million for a 250km pipeline with a 250TJ/day capacity.

» When replacing five transmission lines, each with a capacity of 100MW, with a single line capable of 500MW, the costs are reduced by almost three-quarters for both 100 and 250km distances. Similarly, replacing five 500MW capacity lines with a single 2.5GW capacity line results in a cost reduction of over two-thirds.

We need to act now and act fast

At present, four out of the 14 proposed REIP locations (Gladstone, Kwinana/ South-West WA, Hunter, and Bell Bay) account for nearly 25 per cent of the total safeguard emissions. By funding REIPs, we can create jobs and flow on benefits for the entire community, in addition to reducing emissions.

Green commodities made with renewable energy (e.g. in REIPs) have greater potential to fetch higher prices and are increasingly in demand, especially as global demand for cleantech rises. Australia has the potential to grow a new green export mix worth $333 billion per annum, almost triple the value of existing fossil fuel exports. These new green export industries will meet surging demand for zero-carbon products, such as green steel, renewable hydrogen and ammonia, green aluminium and critical minerals that will dominate

global economic growth this century.

To solidify Australia’s position as a renewable energy export powerhouse in the global race to zero emissions, and to realise the benefits to demand management that REIPs would bring, we need:

1. A governance framework for coordinated investment in industrial decarbonisation, essential for achieving the benefits of the Renewable Energy Industrial Precinct model.

2. Prioritisation of energy transmission infrastructure: gear early investment towards energy infrastructure that bridges the gap between energy generators and industrial energy users as described in BZE's National Supergrid report.

3. Network upgrades for industrial decarbonisation: targeted investment in electricity network enhancements, including transmission, distribution, and storage.

4. A safeguard transformation scheme: to prioritise and or provide dedicated funding to facilities that coordinate the buildout of energy transmission infrastructure.

But while we go full steam ahead towards laying the foundations for Australia to become a green exports

powerhouse, it is important to take the time and consideration necessary to get the planning right. Effective infrastructure planning for REIPs must take into account social acceptance needs such as early community engagement, nature-positive land use planning, First Nations land rights, and benefits to communities including land holders.

At this critical time in the energy transition and against the backdrop of the growing global market for green exports, Australia needs the benefits that the REIP model would bring, if successfully implemented. Officially establishing a national or state-based REIPs program can drive economic growth and accelerate the efficient deployment of renewable energy generation and transmission. By clustering and coordinating the large renewable energy demands of industrial users, we will be able to meet energy demand in a more efficient and cost-effective way, while supporting and growing clean manufacturing. In that process, if we ensure that REIP planning has maximum social acceptance and nature-positive outcomes, we can reduce industrial emissions faster, fairer and with greater benefits to communities.

SOLVING THE ENGINEERING CHALLENGES OF BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS

By Prasanna Punchihewa – Energy Sector Lead, Tonkin + Taylor

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are rapidly transforming the global energy landscape. By storing excess energy from renewable sources like solar and wind, a BESS can help to address the intermittency of these sources and ensure a reliable supply of clean energy. This is essential for meeting the world's growing energy needs without contributing to climate change.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are a critical component of the global transition to a clean energy future. They have been one of the most exciting developments of the last decade, supporting the advancement of utility-scale solar while helping to protect the stability of the electricity grid.

However, BESS installations also pose unique engineering challenges. As more BESS installations take place, engineers are able to learn more about the specific conditions that provide an optimum operating environment for these systems. By incorporating these learnings into BESS design, engineers can play a vital role in ensuring that installations are safe, reliable, and efficient. This will help to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and support the transition to a sustainable energy future.

Geotechnical engineering

One of the most critical factors in BESS development is geotechnical engineering, due to the significant weight of BESS units. Geotechnical engineering firms conduct thorough investigations on BESS sites to ensure they will provide a solid foundation. This is crucial to support the weight and infrastructure of the system, preventing subsidence or structural issues over time.

Thermal and electrical resistivity testing

Batteries generate heat during charge and discharge cycles. Excessive heat can compromise safety and efficiency. Thermal resistivity testing assesses materials' ability to manage heat, aiding in the design of effective cooling and insulation systems. Simultaneously, electrical resistivity testing evaluates the electrical conductivity of materials to ensure safe and efficient electrical pathways within the BESS.

Interested in ensuring the success of your BESS project with expert guidance?

Tonkin + Taylor can assist you in navigating the complexities of energy storage solutions. Visit www.tonkintaylor.com.au or call +61 3 9863 8686.

Hydraulic and flood modelling

To safeguard BESS installations from potential flooding events, hydraulic modelling and flood modelling are essential. These simulations, together with topographic surveys, provide critical data to determine the optimal location and elevation for a BESS facility. By analysing past flood events and modelling potential scenarios, engineers can design flood-resistant infrastructure that ensures continuous operation even in adverse conditions.

The role of engineers

BESS installations are central to the global renewable energy transition, balancing the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources and providing a steady source of electricity to the grid. To ensure their reliability and safety, a holistic approach is necessary, encompassing geotechnical engineering, thermal and electrical resistivity testing, hydraulic modelling, and flood modelling. Many engineering firms, including those with a proven track record like Tonkin + Taylor, have contributed to recent advancements in this field.

As BESS installations become more common, engineers from different fields will work together to continually improve them and pave the way for a clean energy future. By addressing the unique engineering challenges and considerations involved in BESS development, engineers can play a vital role in ensuring that BESS installations are safe, reliable, and efficient. This will help to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and support the transition to a clean and sustainable energy future.

Complex challenges into sustainable solutions

As a specialist provider of engineering and environmental services, Tonkin + Taylor brings your project ambitions to life.

With proven experience on large-scale projects across Australia and New Zealand, we are the specialist partner of choice.

From land development, transport, renewable energy, waste + resource recovery; to water resource management, industry, and mining – we are passionate about creating and sustaining a better world together

Find out more at...

www.tonkintaylor.com.au

HOW BATTERIES CAN PROTECT AGAINST UNRELIABLE ENERGY SUPPLY

With rising energy prices, soaring temperatures, and forecasts for major grid instability, it’s more important than ever to plan and prepare against an increasingly unreliable energy future with batteries, or modular energy storage systems.

The Australian Energy Market Operator reported in August 2023 a high likelihood of blackouts across Australia’s blistering summer, thanks to El Niño weather patterns and lower energy generation output due to coal power station closures.

Australia’s grid instability is exacerbated by the increasing peak demand from Australian homes and businesses switching on their air conditioners and charging their electric vehicles, making battery energy storage systems a core solution to myriad energy problems.

Off the back of its first successful release in Europe, an upgraded modular home energy storage system is hitting Australia’s shores. BLUETTI’s latest EP760 model has been designed to respond to growing calls for a powerful and affordable home backup system.

The modular energy storage system

The EP760 system has a modular design and a flexible capacity of 9.9kWh to 19.8kWh with B500 battery packs, allowing users to customise their home backup power.

Delivering up to 7,600W of single-phase power in grid or off-grid mode, the EP760 system can charge almost anything that’s plugged in. The system takes only a few days to install, but can protect homes from power outages and can save money on energy bills for at least ten years.

7,600W uninterrupted power for all user needs

The EP760 system operates at 240V and delivers a robust 7,600W power to run any household appliance such as refrigerators, heaters, and microwaves, as well as charging electric vehicles.

In the event of an emergency or power outage, the EP760 system is designed to provide a stable and seamless power supply. It also takes less than ten milliseconds to switch from grid power to battery power, keeping essential devices running without interruption.

Significant savings on electricity bills

Broadly compatible, EP760 seamlessly integrates with existing or future solar systems, supporting up to 9,000W solar charging. The battery system stores the excess solar power generated during the day and uses it when the sun isn't shining. This means stable and adequate solar power no matter the weather or time of day. There is also the option to sell excess solar power to the

utility for additional income. The EP760 lets users maximise free, unlimited solar energy and save on energy bills.

Users that don’t have a solar array on their roof can still benefit from the EP760: schedule its charge time during off-peak hours and use its stored, low-cost power during peak hours. BLUETTI APP enables users to easily adjust these settings on their phone to optimise their energy consumption and see how much cheap energy has been stored.

Built to last with a ten-year warranty

When investing in a backup power system for a residential property, reliability and durability are critical factors to consider. The EP760 is IP65 rated for excellent dust and water resistance. Additionally, the EP760 uses the safest LiFePO4 batteries, which have a lifespan of at least ten years. It also comes with an advanced BMS that prevents short circuits, overcharging, and other potential hazards. BLUETTI provides a no-hassle ten-year warranty, giving users peace of mind for years to come.

Easy and flexible installation

The BLUETTI EP760 is easy to install and use. The system doesn't require the rewiring of entire homes or for a change to its design. Instead of being mounted on the wall, it can be stacked vertically on the floor, meaning it neither damages the wall nor takes up too much space.

With an IP65 rating for weather protection and quiet operation at less than 50dB, the system can also be easily installed indoors or outdoors. Plus, BLUETTI offers an on-site installation service worldwide.

Plan for reliable power with BLUETTI EP760

The BLUETTI EP760 system will be available for purchase soon. The price has not yet been announced.

The BLUETTI EP760 home backup power system is poised to revolutionise the way Australians use power. Say goodbye to power outages and skyrocketing electricity bills, and embrace the freedom and easiness offered by the BLUETTI EP760.

This sponsored editorial is brought to you by BLUETTI Power. For more information, visit www.bluettipower.com.au

ABOUT BLUETTI

BLUETTI has been committed to promoting sustainability and green energy solutions since its inception. By offering ecofriendly energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use, BLUETTI aims to provide exceptional experiences for our homes while also contributing to a sustainable future for our planet. This commitment to sustainable energy has helped BLUETTI expand its reach to over 100 countries and gain the trust of millions of customers worldwide.

OPTIMISING EV CHARGING for a cheaper and greener future

By Thara Philip, e-mobility Doctoral Researcher, The University of Queensland

Electric vehicles (EVs) are key to decarbonising road transport, but they could also play a crucial role in supporting the transition of Australia’s electricity grid to renewable sources.

As the number of EVs increase on our roads, so too will the demand for electricity to charge them. Without proper coordination, this increased demand could potentially trigger the need for additional electricity generation and extensive upgrades to infrastructure. But by optimising charging, EVs could be critical to decarbonising both the transport and energy sectors. Let’s look at EV charging from the perspective of an EV owner and more broadly from the position of supporting a low-cost renewable energy transition for all consumers.

When is the best time to charge my EV?

Electric cars rely on charging from the local electricity network. EVs offer greater energy efficiency compared to conventional vehicles, reducing energy consumption and emissions. But how and when EVs are charged will determine their overall effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, grid impacts and charging costs incurred by the EV owner.

Financial considerations

A general rule of thumb is not to charge in peak hours or high-energy use times, typically 4pm-8pm. This not only means cost savings for the EV owner, but also helps to balance the grid and lower the costs of electricity for all consumers. Many retailers offer time-of-use (ToU) tariffs that vary according to the time of day. Currently these rates are typically lowest overnight due to less demand and lower wholesale cost during those hours. EV users can capitalise on these tariffs, ensuring cheaper charging. Home charging at reduced ToU rates is usually the cheapest method for those without rooftop solar. ToU tariffs are also applicable at some public charging stations. But EV owners who have rooftop solar and feed-in tariffs that pay them less than the retail cost of electricity will usually find charging cheapest using electricity generated from their solar that would otherwise be exported to the grid.

Environmental considerations

The environmental impacts of charging at different times of day are more nuanced. EVs produce no tailpipe emissions and, if powered by renewable energy, also have zero greenhouse gas emissions. An EV charged through renewable sources like solar and wind boasts a greener footprint compared to one relying on coal-generated power.

But are EVs in Australia powered by renewable energy? Technically, the emissions impact of electricity use depends on where the additional electricity comes from. Currently any increase in electricity demand is usually met by additional coal and gas generation, except for during the middle of the day when it’s more likely to be solar. That’s partly because of Australia's high rate of rooftop solar penetration – more than one third of households.

Solar power generation typically peaks between 10am-4pm, depending on the region and weather conditions. When additional electricity use comes

from live or stored solar and wind power, EV charging is emissions-free. EVs charged in the middle of the day therefore tend to support the transition to a renewable grid.

It's important to note that as the grid increasingly relies on renewables, there will be a positive convergence of both financial and environmental considerations. Cheaper charging options are now becoming available during daytime hours thanks to an abundance of cheap solar power. Some electricity retailers offer cheaper rates during the middle of the day. Soaking up this abundant electricity by charging during the day will therefore be cheaper, lower the stress on the grid and have positive environmental impacts.

How can I optimise charging of my EV?

Most EVs come with programmable charging settings that allow users to schedule their charging times. This means EV users can plug in their vehicles at their convenience and the EV only draws power from the grid during the scheduled time. Using this function, EV owners can aim to maximise their benefit from lower electricity rates and reduced environmental impacts.

There are also third-party smartphone apps to help EV owners schedule and automate charging, considering factors like electricity rates and renewable energy availability.

What is the future of EV charging?

The future of EV charging in Australia is an exciting prospect with the roll-out of technology including managed charging (V1G) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G).

Managed charging (V1G) enables EVs to dynamically modify their charging rates and time based on grid demand

and availability of renewable energy sources. Initiatives are underway in Australia to optimise energy usage and reduce grid stress during peak periods, with EV owners able to sign up for the AGL EV smart charging trial and Endeavour Smart EV Charger plan.

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology enables EVs to feed excess energy back into the grid. This is especially significant in the context of the ‘duck curve’, a graph depicting timing imbalance in the grid's demand and supply over the course of a day. Charging EVs during the day can help support the grid’s performance and stability by balancing this demand.

Most importantly, as V2G rolls out, capable EVs can export surplus energy stored in their batteries back into the grid during peak demand hours.

It’s projected that by 2050 the National Energy Market would need 640 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of energy storage to successfully transition to renewable energy sources. By this time EV batteries are expected to have about four times more battery capacity. By tapping into even a fraction of the potential of technologies like V2G, there is opportunity for substantial savings on large-scale battery infrastructure costs.

In summary, smart charging offers significant potential to develop sustainable transport and energy infrastructure in Australia through EV adoption.

This article has been republished with permission from The University of Queensland.

It first appeared on UQ’s Australian Institute for Business and Economics website.

WANT TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION?

The University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Business and Economics (AIBE) is currently running a research project looking at whether EV owners can be incentivised to charge their cars when the grid has peak renewable energy. EV owners interested in taking part in future UQ research projects can register their interest at aibe.uq.edu.au/research/energy/electric-vehicle

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INNOVATIVE FLOOD RESPONSE powers flood-ravaged Kimberley communities

When Western Australia’s Kimberley region was devastated by once-in-acentury floods, innovative thinking and plenty of planning, teamwork and communication helped Horizon Power keep the lights on for customers when they needed it most. With another cyclone season looming, the regional energy provider explains how climate resilience and lessons learned from the crisis will shape its future disaster relief efforts.

Image credit: Main Roads Western Australia

Ex-tropical cyclone Ellie caused havoc in the Western Australian Kimberley region over December 2022-January 2023, with heavy rain and unprecedented flooding causing significant damage to infrastructure, including roads and a bridge – isolating communities in the far north of the state.

The flooding had a disastrous impact on the region and affected access to the Kimberley towns of Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Camballin, Halls Creek, Looma and Yungngora.

For Horizon Power, Western Australia’s only vertically integrated electricity utility, maintaining safe and reliable power for customers became paramount.

“Our response to the Kimberley foods required an enormous, coordinated effort from teams across the business to look after our customers and continue to provide safe and reliable power supply to the communities,” Mick Veverka, Horizon Power’s Executive General Manager, Operations said.

The bridge into Fitzroy Crossing was significantly damaged and main roads into Derby and Halls Creek were cut off, which complicated delivery of adequate fuel supplies – diesel and LNG – to the impacted power stations, from Dampier.

“Our priorities were ensuring the safety of the public and our employees and then getting access to the communities so we could firm up fuel supply and capacity,” Mr Veverka said.

Horizon Power’s emergency and crisis response processes were activated, and personnel and equipment were quickly mobilised to manage critical power system risks.

It was an all-in approach, with teams in Broome supported on the ground by

Shires and barge operators, along with Horizon Power’s Control Centre and teams in Perth.

Thinking outside the box

With only ten days of gas in reserve and access to roads cut off for the foreseeable future, a solution was needed so the lights could stay on in flood ravaged Kimberley communities.

Multiple options were assessed. Unable to barge gas in, due to its potentially explosive nature, the team had to pivot and come up with an alternative – quickly.

The response was swift, with a plan devised to swap out three power stations – in Derby, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing – from natural gas to diesel.

But first, Horizon Power and EDL, who played a significant role in the flood relief effort, had to locate 10 generators and then work out how to get them to the flood affected areas.

Generators were brought in from Karratha and Perth, with cabling coming from Melbourne.

“To help ease the risk of fuel shortages, we mobilised and connected additional diesel generators, bringing them in by barge, to enable the power stations to transition away from LNG. We also ended up barging a crane from Broome and then we needed 70,000 litres of fuel a

day to keep these stations running,” Mr Veverka said.

Additional fuel was delivered via the Northern Territory to supply Halls Creek, with diesel for Fitzroy and Derby coming from Broome.

“We were thrown many curve balls along the way,” Mr Veverka said.

“It was important that we were dynamic and flexible during the crisis, able to pivot and adapt to an ever-changing situation so that we could keep the lights on. Our ability to do this and continue to provide safe, reliable power to our customer is something I am very proud of.”

As Mr Veverka explained, being able to respond quickly and effectively to the crisis was also due to a lot of planning and extensive disaster management experience.

Horizon Power is responsible for delivering energy solutions across the largest geographical catchment of any Australian power provider and this includes areas of the state – such as the Kimberley and Pilbara – which are prone to major weather events, including regular cyclones and flooding.

“Our team was able to draw on many years of experience navigating through cyclones and other extreme weather events. We also have strict processes and procedures in place which are continually refined and conduct regular scenariobased planning exercises and simulations so that we are well equipped for these types of situations.”

Horizon Power Executive General Manager, Operations, Mick Veverka.

Image credit: Western Australia Police.

“Despite the magnitude of the floods, our customers and employees remained safe and there was little damage to Horizon Power supply assets.”

Horizon Power’s service area is vast – accounting for about a third of the country. It includes the North West Interconnected System (NWIS) in the Pilbara, the connected network covering three interconnected systems in Kununurra, Wyndham and Lake Argyle and 34 microgrids across regional Western Australia, all outside of the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).

These systems are supported by six regional depot locations – Kununurra, Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Carnarvon and Esperance – with local operations, stakeholder engagement and customer and community service teams.

“Supporting the needs of our customers in regional and remote Western Australia is at the heart of what we do and many of us work and live in the regions and communities we serve.

Having regional based crews and teams who know their areas and can respond quickly in their communities is also crucial in these situations,” Mr Veverka said.

Teamwork at its best

Working as a team is critical in an emergency, Mr Veverka said.

“Responding to an event like this is a logistically challenging exercise and I am extremely proud of how everyone worked together to get the best outcomes for our regional communities at such a terrible time.

“Support during the crisis extended well beyond our teams in the field. We had employees and contractors from around the state willing to put their hand up to support our impacted communities, which was fantastic to see.”

The Kimberley flood relief required a cross-government agency response.

“State, Federal and local agencies worked together on the Kimberley response – and we’re proud to

have worked with them to ensure a coordinated response,” Mr Veverka said.

“It really was a collaborative response and showed what could be achieved when we put our heads together and focused on the best outcome for our communities.”

Horizon Power Chief Executive Officer, Stephanie Unwin, echoed Mr Veverka's sentiment and said the way the team collaborated to support the state’s regional communities, during what was arguably the most extensive disaster management response in the energy provider’s history, was remarkable.

“Through their hard work and innovative thinking, we were able to keep the lights on for Kimberley residents, keep our team members and customers safe and avoid mass evacuations, which is something we can all be very proud of,” Ms Unwin said.

Image credit: Western Australia Police.

Overcoming challenges

As a regional energy provider, Horizon Power understands and is well equipped for the many challenges that exist when customers and assets are spread out across 2.3 million square kilometres.

However, a natural disaster like the Kimberley floods brings with it a raft of unique logistical challenges.

“Being remote makes everything that much harder and when the infrastructure is washed away, it changes everything as well,” Mr Veverka said.

“There was also only one barge a day so to get diesel into the towns we had to compete for a spot on the barge with food. What’s important to remember is just how critical the power is for all our customers – if we weren’t able to keep the power on, it would have resulted in massive evacuations.”

Meanwhile, with roads inaccessible, vital material for the generators was brought in from Victoria, with the Air Force transporting them from Perth to Derby.

Customer support on the ground

Communication is key and it was paramount during the Kimberley floods.

Teams went from house to house assessing damage when the floods first hit with a plan in place to help them get reconnected. Meanwhile, a dedicated local customer support team was on hand to support residents and provided

individual hardship assistance for vulnerable customers.

“Our customer team did a fantastic job and what was impactful was being on the ground, connecting with our customers, keeping them up to date with information and supporting them during the crisis,” Ms Unwin said.

“We implemented a comprehensive communications campaign to promote awareness of our relief efforts and liaised with local Shires, Aboriginal corporations and other organisations on the ground to support the local residents, including the Indigenous community.”

A flood relief package was implemented, including waiving daily supply chargers, reconnection and new meter fees, with no customers disconnected for non-payment.

Lessons learned

In the context of the current climate crisis, the importance of climate resilience – and having energy networks and systems that can cope with and manage the impacts of climate change – is something which is increasingly a priority for Horizon Power.

“We are responsible for delivering power to some of the most isolated communities in the country – and the vastness of our footprint and the remoteness of our customer base means our networks are particularly susceptible to the impacts of extreme weather events,” Ms Unwin explained.

“In the past five years, we have experienced, and have had to respond to, two one-in-a-hundred-year type weather events – with January’s unprecedented

flooding in the Kimberley the most recent example.”

The apparent increase in frequency of these types of events makes clear the importance of strengthening Australia's resilience to their impacts, including in relation to fuel security.

“Our experience in responding to the floods highlighted certain vulnerabilities with respect to fuel security in the region,” Ms Unwin said.

“While our team went above and beyond in responding to this event – and managed to keep the lights on without any significant disruption – moving forward, it is clear to us that we need to move to a model which is better equipped to withstand and respond to these types of weather events such that fuel security is not put at risk.”

As part of this, Horizon Power has commenced a piece of work to further bolster its system resilience, identifying likely constraints and challenges associated with flooding and access issues to regional towns.

“This work has led us to procure a temporary diesel generation fleet and fuel storage to enable the rapid deployment in flood impacted areas – with the temporary generation to be pre-deployed in key strategic locations leading into future wet-seasons so we’re better placed to respond to these extreme events instantaneously,” Ms Unwin said.

Nearly a year after the Kimberley floods and with cyclone season fast approaching, lessons learned from the disaster will assist Horizon Power in the years to come.

Horizon Power CEO, Stephanie Unwin.

Image credit: Western Australia Police.

DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES

MAY HOLD THE KEY TO SURVIVING

NATURAL DISASTERS

Aresilient energy system is crucial to mitigating damage from natural disasters. Critical energydependent services can be lost if energy grids are not able to persevere through natural disasters. UNSW recently released its final report on the Energy Sustainability through Knowledge and Information Exchange and Sharing (ESKIES) project, Energy Resilience in Bushfires and Extreme Weather Events

The ESKIES project aims to increase understanding of the role of solar, batteries and other distributed energy resources (DER) in maintaining electricity supply to regional and rural communities during bushfires and other disruptions to the electricity grid. Here, we take a look at how DER can positively impact proactive decision-making and help stabilise energy sources during difficult times.

Proactive preparedness

The frequency of natural disasters in the past five years, as well as the increase in severity and duration of such events, has prompted much discussion and analysis on how to better prepare for such events. A proactive approach to natural disasters is an absolute necessity if the impacts of such events are to be minimised. Energy grids in particular play a key role in disaster management – but knowing exactly how to prepare for these events can be difficult.

The UNSW ESKIES project was funded by the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s Bushfire Community Resilience and Recovery Fund in the wake of the Black Summer bushfires. The project’s aim is to explore the options for increasing the resilience of households and communities

during weather-related power outages, and to share the learnings with communities affected or likely to be affected by these disruptions, as well as with policymakers and other stakeholders. The report examined responses from individuals and households, as well as expert interviews and case studies, to better understand the current gaps in knowledge and infrastructure and identify potential fixes.

Building energy resilience

Grid outages affect communities in multiple ways. Loss of basic services, like water, refrigeration and sewage is a real concern. Equally important is communication – timely communication is one of the most important aspects of disaster preparation. Text alerts and weather warnings are the primary means of warning communities of risks and dangers, while mobile phones and internet are key to keeping up to date with conditions. Communications rely on energy infrastructure.

A key finding of this report was that a range of DER were used to cope with the impacts of power outages during natural disasters, each with different advantages and limitations. While individual DER solutions, such as household generators or communal cooking, were helpful in many situations, participants in the study reported that governments and energy providers needed to play a larger role in improving energy resilience at a community level.

Distributed Energy Resources

But what are DER? According to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, “DER is the name given to renewable energy units or systems that are commonly located at houses or

By Steph Barker, Journalist, Energy Magazine

Australia has a long history of natural disasters, including fire, floods and storms. In recent years, the nation has seen some of the worst and most frequent natural disasters on record. These events have been devastating for many communities across Australia and have highlighted the need for better emergency planning and response to ensure the impacts of such disasters are minimised.

businesses to provide power. DER can also be referred to as ‘behind the meter’ resources, because the electricity is generated or managed ‘behind’ the electricity meter in the home or business. Common examples of DER include rooftop solar PV units, battery storage, thermal energy storage, electric vehicles and chargers, smart meters, and home energy management technologies.”

DER tend to be utilised on an individual, small-scale basis. Many technologies that are currently used at an individual/ household level – such as solar, batteries and generators – can be scaled to provide resilience at a community level. However, funding constraints tend to limit uptake at a larger scale –government funding is limited and DER often require space and infrastructure that can be cumbersome and expensive. The ESKIES report found that during natural disasters, individual homes with DER often became community meeting places due to being able to provide energy services which were otherwise inaccessible. This highlighted the use case for DER at a larger scale.

A tailored approach

The ESKIES report found that selecting DER technologies to support energy resilience is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It requires careful consideration of situational factors and socio-economic factors of each community, as well as capacity for infrastructure. Engagement with communities is necessary to understand their needs and the DER configurations that best meet those needs, and building partnerships among stakeholders to achieve energy resilience is key.

Purpose-built community buildings and microgrids were two key recommendations for larger-scale DER for energy resilience. The report stated that with a resilient energy supply, buildings such as community halls or pubs can provide a space for people to gather and share information and resources. These resilient energy centres are not the same as official emergency relief centres – however, they can increase community resilience by providing multiple energy services to the community during grid outages, including:

» Communications, including internet, phone and radio connection and phone charging

» Air-conditioning and/or filtration

» Refrigeration for storage food and medicine

» Cooking facilities

» Water supply for drinking, washing, laundry

Ultimately, the findings in the report highlight the importance of DER at both an individual and community level. While there is no single approach to DER implementation, it is clear that energy resilience is paramount in times of crisis.

The ESKIES report noted that “There is a need for a wider view of the different types of value that DER can offer, such as bill savings,emissions reduction, and resilience to power disruptions. Engagement with communities is necessary to understand their needs and the DER configurations that might best meet them, while also taking into account that perspectives and needs within communities differ.”

The imperative for policy inclusion is clear, as is the emphasis for governments to integrate DER into disaster response plans.

SUPERCHARGING

By Verity Watson, Head of Transmission, Energy Networks Australia

In 2022, Energy Ministers agreed to improve the coordination of electricity and gas planning by reviewing the Integrated System Plan (ISP) to “supercharge” the planning system across the sector to support a more coordinated investment and planning across Australia. Here, we look at how the review is progressing and outline some of the key considerations being undertaken.

The Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council (ECMC) agreed to the terms of reference for the ISP review in July last year, setting an almighty agenda to manage energy reliability and affordability to help us reach net zero by 2050.

The ISP sets out to integrate electricity and gas planning, and will consider gas fired generation, demand and the necessary transition pathways. This “supercharged" ISP review will include generation, storage, transmission and distribution requirements to maintain affordable and reliable energy for consumers.

The review is being undertaken in two stages:

» Firstly, quick and easy enhancements that can be made for the 2024 ISP, in anticipation for the Draft 2024 ISP, which is expected to be released in December 2023 for comment.

» Secondly, the more comprehensive changes needed to support the 2026 ISP. Presumably the completed review will result in the Federal Energy Minister leading the recommended or required rule changes in mid-2024. These changes could take a further two years of rulemaking and possible guideline-making and may need significant procedural and IT system changes. All of which puts a tight timing constraint on material needed to meet the July 2025 deadline.

The barriers to planning and construction of ISP projects are also being looked at and will feed into this review, however there are some clear observations that cannot be looked over: Social license – there are some nine processes underway looking at social license, including developing guidelines. What is needed is an appropriate, fit-for-purpose community engagement framework supported by funding for transmission networks. The compensation framework both at the landholder and community benefits level should be fair, equitable and fit-for-purpose.

Environment and planning approvals – these approvals are time-consuming. Significant rework can be required where the network planner and delivery parties differ. Improvements in environmental and planning approvals would help facilitate timeliness as would the ability to undertake more early works in relation to community engagement and route selection, as well as cultural and environmental studies. This would need to be accompanied by sufficient early works funding and the ability to progress early procurement planning and contracting for long lead time items.

Skilled workforce – this also needs to be increased via migration and training, both with local content and local resourcing. Sequencing of transmission projects could allow a smoother workflow but needs to be factored into transmission network service providers (TNSPs) project delivery timeframes. Creating more planners or more networks only serve to spread the key planning resources more thinly and increase the level of poaching, and ultimately this increases costs for all networks.

Supply chains – the UK is making major changes to its framework to accelerate transmission investment. The rationale was noted in our Rewiring the UK article which is available to read on our website. A key element of this is to give the established transmission businesses certainty that they will be the parties proceeding with the projects agreed in the central plan. This allows them to accelerate project delivery by bringing forward community engagement, route refinement, enabling works and procurement commitments. It also enables a programme of work or portfolio of projects to be efficiently sequenced, with associated cost benefits. The UK recognises the stretched global supply chain and are encouraging the TNSPs to establish long term relationships with key providers.

Regulatory constraints – it will be important regulatory frameworks support the financeability of projects consistent with the Energy Ministers rule change request to resolve the issues in the regulatory framework without the need to rely on government funding. It is crucial that rules seek to provide the level of certainty that investors need early in the life of the project. Every regulatory change or decision needs to consider if it is adding value to consumers, ensuring beneficial projects proceed in a timely and efficient manner.

Managing the state interactions – a future focus

The state and federal governments are active in the policy space in gas and electricity from supply to end use consumers. Getting the policies out of the cupboard and included as key inputs into the ISP would be beneficial. The ISP is a comprehensive plan identifying an optimal transmission development path. One area of focus that might be valuable could be to seek to identify options to better incorporate the future plans of state governments to ensure the optimal development path remains robust to both the future scenarios considered and to potential state developments.

THE ISP SUPERCHARGING

NEIGHBOURHOOD

BATTERY PROJECTS

WITH A NEW EVALUATION TOOL

By Marnie Shaw, Louise Bardwell, Wendy Russell and Hedda Ransan-Cooper, Australian National University

Neighbourhood batteries, also called community batteries, offer great potential as a mid-scale storage solution to support suburban electrification and the expansion of rooftop solar in a more efficient and equitable manner. A team of researchers from ANU has been working to develop a framework for neighbourhood batteries which will help government organisations in the evaluation of government-funded neighbourhood battery projects and programs.

In 2022, a collective promise of $300 million from federal and state governments was made to support various neighbourhood battery projects and initiatives throughout Australia. It is hoped these government-funded projects will provide an opportunity to develop economically viable business models for neighbourhood batteries that align with broader policy objectives of decarbonising the economy while ensuring affordable energy.

Comprehensive and ongoing evaluation would enable the sector and wider community to fully capitalise and benefit from these government-funded projects. As neighbourhood batteries are a new form of energy storage with diverse model options and operation modes, there are still many unknowns regarding the impact they could have. This includes how they compare to alternative energy storage options like uncoordinated or coordinated household batteries and electric vehicle battery storage, and larger scales of storage. Thorough evaluation would provide clarity about successful models, pathways and obstacles particularly in relation to community involvement, and the overall role of neighbourhood batteries in the wider energy transition, to inform ongoing policy decisions.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TRANSITION

The promised environmental and social benefits of neighbourhood batteries are by no means guaranteed. The impact on emissions depends on charging from renewables and reducing demand for coal-powered sources. Grid support provided by neighbourhood batteries relies on their placement and operation. The impact on household bills varies based on ownership models. Furthermore, equity improvement is not guaranteed, as emerging models may unintentionally perpetuate inequalities among households. Evaluating these benefits as neighbourhood batteries are rolled out is necessary to ensure positive outcomes from this public investment and ongoing social licence for this emerging technology.

The ANU neighbourhood battery impact framework

To facilitate these evaluations, the Australian National University (ANU), in collaboration with the Victorian Government, has recently released the ANU neighbourhood battery impact framework. This comprehensive tool prepared by Dr Wendy Russell, Louise Bardwell, Dr Hedda Ransan-Cooper and Dr Marnie Shaw serves as a guide for conducting effective evaluations, particularly for battery projects funded by taxpayers. The framework aims to

• Decarbonisation and integration of community energy resources

• Trust and participation

• Security, stability and resilience

• Safety and lifecycle impacts

• Accountability SOUND GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

• Trusted project governance and accountability

• Benefits without burdens

• Engagement and consultation

• Ethical data governance

• Evaluation and learning

ECONOMIC IMPACTS

• Project viability

• Economic benefits

provide valuable insights for refining business models, policy directives, and tariffs related to the implementation of neighbourhood batteries and battery storage in general, with the main goal of maximising positive outcomes for Australian households and businesses.

The framework considers a wide range of social, economic, environmental, and network impacts, recognising that the goals of neighbourhood batteries are variable and contextual. These impacts are split into three main categories: sustainable energy transition, sound governance and social acceptance, and economic impacts. It provides recommendations on how to quantify each impact under these categories, offering both accessible "light" measures, suitable for all organisations, and more resource-intensive "full" measures, appropriate for larger entities and for independent evaluations.

To ensure effective community engagement and integration of residents' values into battery projects, the impact framework evaluates the extent to which projects have involved and collaborated with local residents. This approach goes beyond consulting nearby residents during site selection; it aims to incorporate their perspectives into the design of business models and battery governance. This shift represents a new paradigm in the energy sector, moving beyond only techno-economic considerations.

ANU hopes that the impact framework will help planners understand both the positive and negative impacts of energy technology initiatives, and that this understanding will enable the design of goal-aligned projects with realistic anticipation of potential hurdles. Specifically in the context of neighbourhood batteries, past experience has shown that transparently communicating both the benefits and risks associated with neighbourhood batteries is needed not just to understand their role in the broader energy transition landscape but to maintain public trust.

Putting consumers first in ongoing neighbourhood battery research

There are still considerable knowledge gaps and questions regarding policies that directly impact consumers, such as household solar exports and battery tariffs.

To fill some of these gaps, ANU's work in this area has received further support through a grant from Energy Consumers Australia (ECA), titled "Keeping the

Table 1: Overview of the ANU neighbourhood battery impact framework

community in community batteries: targeted research and knowledge sharing to maximise consumer benefits”. This year-long project led by Dr Marnie Shaw aims to address and clarify policies that will impact consumers during the neighbourhood battery roll-out, ensuring their interests are protected.

Importantly, the grant will also support knowledge sharing activities among community groups, businesses, researchers, policymakers, regulatory bodies, and government agencies.

Knowledge sharing forums have been shown to significantly support the roll-out of neighbourhood battery projects and government programs. Over the past 12 months, they have enabled and supported community energy groups and councils in their applications for battery ownership funding. They have also facilitated discussions between stakeholders and the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and informed the development of neighbourhood battery

trial tariffs in partnership with Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs).

By continuing these collaborations and fostering further discussions and recommendations on the implementation of neighbourhood batteries, this project seeks to leverage stakeholder input to develop targeted communication strategies and recommendations for decision-makers.

Focusing on community and local needs

Based on existing research, it is evident that many people are enthusiastic about community-scale storage due to its support for solar generation and its potential to provide local economic value, employment opportunities, and localised battery profits. People also desire to actively contribute to reducing energy use and promoting fairness while building community connections and sharing the benefits of local renewable energy.

To get the most out of the neighbourhood battery roll-out for energy consumers, a range of ownership, business models, and financing options will need to be implemented in the coming years. Some models may require more support than others, such as those involving councils and community groups. Evaluating trial projects will determine the benefits different models deliver, including customer bills, network support for customer energy resources, fairness, transparency, and effective decarbonisation.

The ultimate objective of ANU's neighbourhood battery impact framework and the ECA grant is to collaborate with stakeholders interested in this field, working towards the shared goal of shaping the energy transition to meet local energy needs and achieve rapid, low-cost, and equitable decarbonisation of suburbs.

Marnie Shaw is an Associate Professor at ANU within the ANU Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program (BSGIP). Marnie co-led BSGIP’s work on the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI) funded by Victoria Government and continues to lead neighbourhood battery research with funding from Energy Consumers Australia (ECA). Hedda Ransan-Cooper is a Senior Research Fellow at ANU. Hedda co-led BSGIP’s work on the NBI and continues to lead the social science program within BSGIP. Dr Wendy Russell is currently a Research Fellow within BSGIP and was a key contributor to the NBI. Louise Bardwell worked as a Research Assistant at BSGIP and has worked on both the NBI and ECA project.

1. Ransan-Cooper, H. 2020. Stakeholder views on the potential role of community-scale storage in

ALL ABOARD:

Australia’s developing SAF industry

By Ed Mason, CEO, Jet Zero Australia

If you have ever flown on a QF2 back from London Heathrow in recent years, you have flown in an aircraft that uses Sustainable Aviation Fuel. With domestic and international air travel now approaching pre-pandemic levels in Australia, industry and government are increasingly aware of the impact of the industry to the environment. When it comes to emissions reduction, aviation is recognised as one of the hard-to-abate sectors, due to its reliance on liquid fuels and the difficulties in commercialising electronic passenger jets. As a result, the importance of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has been brought to the forefront of policy debate and development.

Australia is increasingly reliant on short and long-haul aviation, and currently does not have domestic SAF production. This was one of the driving factors for Jet Zero Australia CEO Ed Mason’s vision to establish a SAF production facility in Australia.

The SAF and biofuels opportunity for Australia proves there doesn’t need to be a trade-off between emissions reduction, regional job creation and energy security.

Like in agriculture, Australia has a unique opportunity in biofuels – to sustain not only our own needs but those of the region and trading partners in the Asia-Pacific.

Many jurisdictions will increasingly be mandating the use of SAFs at their international airports. This will mean Australian airlines – and those flying in and out of Australia – will have to have a steadily increasing proportion of SAF blended with conventional fuels. Japan, for example, will have a mandated ten per cent SAF blend for any international flights departing from Japanese airports.

SAF is now also a proven technology, with existing fleets certified to fly with up to a 50 per cent blend. Not only this, but both major manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, have already flown test flights on 100 per cent SAF (with modified engines).

Qantas, Boeing and Queensland Government Investment

The real “game changer” in Australian investment came in March 2023 with Qantas and Airbus jointly investing $2 million into a feasibility study of a biofuel production plant in the state’s north that will use ethanol from agricultural by-products to turn it into SAF. Crucially, this marked the first major investment for both corporate juggernauts into SAF production globally. The Queensland Government has also committed $760,000 to the feasibility study.

To date, both Qantas and Airbus have committed to invest as much as $300 million to accelerate the establishment of the SAF industry in Australia.

Jet Zero’s LanzaJet reference plant in Georgia, USA called Freedom Pines (under construction)

Jet Zero Australia

foresees the completion of Final Investment Decision to be made in the next 18 months with construction to start on the plant by 2025.

Construction of a larger facility is proposed by Jet Zero in partnership with global firm Lanzajet’s “alcohol to jet” technology, and would aim to produce up to 100 million litres of SAF each year. It is hoped a new facility could create 100 permanent jobs, as well as 1,000 jobs during construction.

Making the announcement in March, Qantas’ Chief Sustainability Officer, Andrew Parker, said the pilot project was a first but significant step towards turning agricultural by-products into aviation fuel in Australia.

“SAF is a drop-in solution that we can use with current technologies and it’s critical to the decarbonisation of the aviation industry,” Mr Parker said.

Qantas is currently using SAF sourced overseas to power commercial flights out of London and expects to add San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2025.

Jet Zero’s Ambitions

Australia is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the emerging biofuels industry due to our large reserves and production of agricultural feedstocks. Biofuels can be made from by-products of the agriculture, forestry and cropping industries, meaning better deals for primary producers.

The Queensland Government were early promoters of the biofuels industry, with their 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan being announced in 2016. This paved the way for Queensland to become a biofuels hub for industries such as aviation, shipping, mining and logistics.

The Federal Government has also recently announced a $30 million fund through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Funding Initiative to support the development of an advanced biofuels sector. The New South Wales Government is also increasingly focussed on opportunities for SAF, particularly in regional New South Wales.

Moreover, while Jet Zero is primarily a SAF story, it is slated to produce bio-diesel as well, another biofuel deemed key in other hard to abate sectors like shipping. This is produced in the process of making SAF, being a secondary part of the refining process and opportunity for a parallel industry.

Jet Zero welcomes the increased focus on sustainable liquid fuels from the government, in particular, the Queensland Government who is moving forward with a Sustainable Liquid Fuels Strategy, and the New South Wales Government who is increasingly focused on the SAF opportunity.

Future of biofuels in Australia

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) recently announced a $30 million grant would be made available for the SAF Funding Initiative. The scope of this initiative will be focussed on renewable feedstocks in Australia.

The ARENA $30M SAF Fund may be viewed as a “good start” but Australia has a lot more to do to ensure we don’t lose the opportunity to other jurisdictions – the USA and Europe in particular are leapfrogging us with the regulations and incentives they’ve put in place.

A recent report by Deloitte found that up to 26,200 jobs could be created, and importantly they would be located in regional Australia – the investment warranted from the government is generating a whole new industry – in particular our regional communities where jobs are needed the most.

SAF also allows us to wean ourselves off our civilian and military jet fuel requirements from foreign imports. Currently, we import three quarters of our refined fuel needs and 100 per cent of our jet fuel needs. This has been a cause for concern for some time in relation to our strategic exposure and vulnerabilities. To this end, the Federal Government should look into mobilising the weight of the Fuel Security Act and behind the domestic SAF industry.

There is significant opportunity here. Australia has long been shutting down its domestic refinery capacity for some time and leaving ourselves dangerously exposed both strategically and financially. Jet Zero Australia has the ambition to be leading the development and operation of new greenfield and brownfield refining capacity for biofuels.

The development of a sophisticated SAF industry in Australia is not only an incredible economic opportunity that provides a genuine solution to aviation emissions in the short term, but one that provides a solution to Australian fuel security concerns. Jet Zero will be working to be at the very forefront of that industry and moving at a speed that will result in a very real and valuable SAF industry within the next two years.

RAHC T I NGACIRCULARFUTURE :

AUSTRALIA’S WASTE-TO-ENERGY POTENTIAL

Aligning Australia’s organic waste management with circular economy principles is not only critical for reducing methane emissions and reaching net zero by 2050, it’s also an opportunity to transform waste into a valuable energy resource. Making this transition, however, will require cross-sectoral collaboration and a concerted effort to overcome existing barriers. In a recent Sydney-based study, stakeholders from the energy, water and waste sectors united to quantify and map urban organic waste layers, unveiling the potential of anaerobic digestion as a climate solution.

Generating biogas through the use of anaerobic digestion (AD) has the potential to make substantial contributions to Australia’s energy landscape, diversifying energy sources and reducing the environmental burden of landfilling. Yet, obstacles to realising the full benefits of this sustainable approach persist, including a lack of knowledge around the feasibility of biogas technology and investments required in infrastructure and facilities.

Race for 2030’s June 2023 report, Mapping Organic Waste in Sydney: Advancing Anaerobic Co-Digestion, explores the opportunity for co-digestion of urban organic waste at three Sydney wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to generate bioenergy while diverting these waste streams away from landfill. The insights from this study offer valuable lessons

and potential strategies that can be applied to other local government areas (LGAs) across Australia, supporting efforts for a more sustainable future.

By processing organic materials in AD systems alongside sewage, WWTPs can effectively harness the energy potential of these organic wastes while simultaneously preventing the release of greenhouse gas emissions that would occur if these materials were landfilled.

In a joint research project, Race for 2030 selected Malabar, St Mary’s and Riverstone Sydney Water WWTPs to illustrate diversion opportunities for urban organic waste generated in adjacent local government areas of Penrith, Blacktown, Randwick and Bayside.

Bringing circularity to WWTPs

AD not only generates bioenergy but also reduces waste emissions and optimises existing infrastructure, promising substantial cost savings and bolstering sustainability efforts. Additionally, the AD process generates byproducts like Bio-CO2 and digestate/biosolids, which can have various applications, including greenhouse horticulture and beverage manufacturing.

The three selected WWTPs could provide as much as 20 per cent of the identified AD infrastructure capacity gap needed for Sydney by 2030, which is over 50 kt/y capacity, equivalent to the capacity at EarthPower, the only commercial AD plant in Sydney.

Co-digestion of sewage utilising urban organic waste streams also benefits WWTPs, positioning them as central players in the circular economy space where they not only act as renewable energy sources but also serve as suppliers of soil conditioning agents to benefit the communities and businesses that contribute organic waste materials.

Possibilities for circular WWTPs are continuing to evolve across the globe, presenting a range of innovative opportunities. Among these is the potential to venture into the production of bio-based materials, including the manufacture of bioplastics using organic waste as a valuable resource.

Bioenergy potential

Race for 2030’s report outlines the hypothetical potential electricity generation from bioenergy in the study area for 2020/21, considering different organic feedstocks including food organics, garden organics, wastewater, fats, oils, and grease.

Its findings reveal the significant potential benefits of diversion from landfill. This process could yield an impressive 38 billion litres of biogas, possessing an energy value equivalent to over 1.371 billion megajoules.

Nearly half of this potential, approximately 49 per cent, arises from food organics, with an additional 38 per cent stemming from garden organics, while the remaining portion is derived from sewage and fats, oils, and greases. Wastewater contributes approximately 10-18 per cent to the bioenergy potential in different LGAs, with non-residential wastewater contributing only 2-3 per cent.

AD could result in the production of 9,600 tonnes of biosolids, enriching soil quality, and an annual reduction of 33,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

The total estimated bioenergy potential in the study area is approximately 126,000 MWh per year, with Blacktown LGA having the highest potential at around 52,600 MWh per year.

Cross-sectoral benefits

Co-digestion of urban organic waste at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) offers many benefits for the wastewater, waste and energy sectors. Accepting external urban organic waste streams for co-digestion boosts energy generation in the wastewater sector and contributes to the generation of renewable energy for the energy section. At the same time, it provides an alternative pathway for processing urban organic waste and diversion from landfills for the waste sector.

This approach can adapt to the evolving needs of cites, providing short and long-term opportunities for AD capacity while harnessing the existing knowledge and expertise of the wastewater industry. Additionally, it allows for the utilisation of energy and nutrients on a smaller, more local scale. This contributes to reducing emissions, avoiding waste and meeting landfill diversion goals across all three sectors.

A DUEL OF DUAL CRISES:

CHARTING GOVERNANCE PRIORITIES

By Dr Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi, Senior Researcher in Resilient Construction and Infrastructure, Urban Transformations Research Centre (UTRC), Western Sydney University

At the intersection of humanity's most pressing challenges lie the housing and climate crises – two behemoths casting shadows upon our socio-economic landscape, especially within the Australian context. It would be convenient, albeit naïve, to think that these two concerns operate in isolation. But, as our actions interweave through the fabric of society, these crises mirror each other in their roots and ramifications. The pertinent question emerges: in an era where strategic governance is paramount, which crisis should take precedence, and why?

Australia stands as a vivid microcosm of this global duel. A country that is an emblem of environmental diversity is simultaneously grappling with housing shortages and escalating climate vulnerabilities. A recent report by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) propounded the potential of the circular economy as a panacea for both these issues. By envisaging housing through the prism of circular practices, such as reducing and reusing building materials, and nurturing designs that embrace zero waste, we can ostensibly find solutions for housing affordability while advancing sustainability goals.

The housing crisis in Australia has morphed into more than a socio-economic concern; it represents a socio-environmental predicament. As home-ownership dreams get ever elusive for many Australians, the negative externalities of conventional housing – like increasing carbon footprints – are exacerbating. Contrary to popular belief, addressing the housing crisis isn't just about sheltering citizens but also about safeguarding our planet.

However, sidelining the climate crisis for housing imperatives would be an exercise in futility. The burgeoning impacts of global warming, accentuated by greenhouse gas emissions, are becoming distressingly palpable. From extreme weather events to changing precipitation patterns, the effects are widespread, endangering ecosystems and human settlements alike.

In a bid to provide green, affordable housing, initiatives like PUSH in Buffalo, New York, show us the way forward. By transforming vacant spaces into green sanctuaries, and campaigning for policies like a Tenant Bill of Rights, PUSH encapsulates the intertwined nature of housing and environmental justice.

Closer to home, the Federal Government is at a crossroads. The mandate of achieving a circular economy in housing demands a unified effort from developers, landlords, designers, and policymakers. The recent research underscores the boon of job creation, with investment in retrofits and energy efficiency leading to significant employment opportunities. Yet, roadblocks remain – high initial costs, scanty incentives, and an information gap regarding circular business ventures stymie progress.

However, let's be unequivocal: the resolution of the housing crisis without a simultaneous cognisance of the climate crisis would be not only irrational but also counterproductive. The housing sector, if left unchecked, can exacerbate carbon footprints, thus derailing climate objectives. If the Federal Government truly wishes to ensure a sustainable future, it needs to prioritise and harmonise policies that address both crises simultaneously.

So, where does this leave us? The duality of these crises forces us to reconceptualise our governance priorities. For Australian policymakers, the recommendations are clear: Integrated policy approach

Housing and climate policies must be conceived as two sides of the same coin. Their design and implementation processes

should not exist in silos. As urban sprawl continues to challenge city limits and its attendant environmental repercussions become evident, integrated policies can ensure that housing developments are optimised for energy efficiency, reducing the carbon footprint. At the same time, climate policies must account for the housing sector's contributions, ensuring that strategies are in place to curb emissions resulting from both the construction and utilisation of residential spaces. This integration will ensure that initiatives in one domain enhance, rather than impede, the objectives of the other.

Circular economy commitment

As we transition into an era where resource scarcity becomes an increasingly palpable threat, the need for a circular economy becomes paramount. Financial incentives and policy instruments should not only focus on superficial adoption but should promote a deep-rooted commitment to circular practices in housing construction and retrofitting. This means advancing beyond mere recycling. It involves rethinking design to minimise waste, promoting the reuse of construction materials, and ensuring that buildings, once their lifespan ends, can be disassembled and their components re-utilized. This commitment can significantly reduce the environmental impact and resource consumption of the housing sector.

Education and upskilling

The twin crises underscore a pressing need to address the current skills gap in the workforce. Intensified training programs, especially those leveraging advanced scientific methodologies and cutting-edge technologies, must be rolled out to foster expertise in renewable energy harnessing, storage, and distribution. Additionally, the sustainable housing sector requires a profound understanding of green architectural designs, lowimpact construction techniques, and energy-efficient building operations. Policymakers should advocate for specialised courses, workshops, and seminars to disseminate this knowledge, ensuring that the next generation of professionals is adept at balancing housing demands with climate imperatives.

Regulatory clarity

For industries to pivot towards sustainability, they need an environment of certainty. Ambiguities in guidelines, especially concerning the standards expected of future homes, can hinder long-term investments. Clear, detailed, and wellarticulated regulations, grounded in scientific research and practical feasibility studies, should be the bedrock upon which sustainable housing strategies are built. This clarity will not only inspire confidence in developers and investors but will also ensure that housing projects, from inception to completion, are aligned with Australia's broader climate objectives.

In conclusion, as Australia charts its course through the tumultuous waters of dual crises, the nation finds itself at a pivotal crossroads. The recognition of the intrinsic link between housing and climate crises is only the first step in a journey laden with both challenges and opportunities. While the complexities of each crisis can seem overwhelming when

viewed in isolation, it is the synergy between them that offers the most promising path forward.

Let us consider, critically, the implications of an unaddressed housing crisis on our climate ambitions. Unaffordable housing often results in urban sprawl, leading to longer commutes, increased reliance on vehicles, and the consequent spike in greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, subpar housing standards can result in increased energy consumption, contributing to a higher carbon footprint. Conversely, an unchecked climate crisis means more extreme weather events, leading to property damage and the potential displacement of vulnerable communities. This reinforces the need for resilient housing infrastructures that can withstand these challenges.

For policymakers, it's essential to recognise the compounding impact of inaction. Delaying decisive measures could mean that the costs – both economic and environmental – escalate exponentially. But this isn't merely a cautionary tale; it's also an invitation for innovative solutions. For instance, the establishment of a national body or task force dedicated to bridging the housing and climate crises could bring cohesion to the presently scattered efforts. This body could be responsible for fostering research, establishing best practices, and disseminating knowledge at a grassroots level, ensuring that every stakeholder, from the homeowner to the urban planner, is aligned with their objectives.

Moreover, community engagement cannot be understated. Local communities often have insights that are overlooked in broad policy directives. Harnessing their knowledge and experience can lead to more tailored, and consequently, more effective solutions. Initiatives like local sustainability and housing workshops, town hall meetings, and collaborative community projects can serve dual purposes – they can educate the masses about the crises and also source grassroots solutions that might be overlooked at higher bureaucratic levels.

Future directions for Australia should encompass a multipronged strategy. While continuing to invest in research and technology that champions sustainability, there must be a concurrent drive to ensure housing remains within reach for all its citizens. Leveraging public-private partnerships can accelerate the transition to sustainable housing while also promoting economic growth. Furthermore, incentives for green housing projects can spur developers to prioritise sustainability without compromising affordability.

In this age of information and innovation, the true adversary isn't the magnitude of the challenges we face but the complacency with which we approach them. The housing and climate crises, daunting as they are, also present Australia with an unprecedented opportunity to showcase leadership, resilience, and vision. As the nation stands on the cusp of change, the choices made today will indelibly shape the legacy we leave for future generations.

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