Utility Magazine May 2022

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In April, the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) released the third instalment of its Sixth Assessment Report and urged that its ‘now or never’ to take prompt action to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The report makes it clear that we are running out of time to act on climate change, and Australia has already seen some of the consequences of this in 2022 with a range of disaster events, including the recent devastating floods.

This is the most important issue we’re facing globally, and it's clear that the utility industry has a large role to play.

As we cover exciting project developments and industry innovations in this edition of the magazine, we do so with a sustainability lens, to highlight what Australia's water and energy sectors can be doing now and in the future to reduce emissions and manage assets more sustainably.

This issue has features on water management, energy networks, storage, future fuels, condition assessment and more.

In the water industry, we’re looking at the utilities around the country that are implementing initiatives to reduce emissions; how one utility is reducing its water main breaks and leaks using smarter management; how we can make water work in Northern Australia, and how sector collaboration is changing the game.

Over in energy, we explore distributed energy resources giving customers control, how Australia’s big batteries and transmission networks are supporting the renewables transition, and infrastructure resilience.

These themes will also be on display at Utility magazine’s upcoming Digital Utilities virtual conference, running from 21-23 June.

Digital Utilities features three unique conferences that will dive deep into how we can create efficient and secure future grids and engage customers in the new digital era. These conferences include: Future Grids on 21 June, Engaging Customers on 22 June, and Cyber Security on 23 June.

The event provides delegates with genuine learning opportunities from some of the best and brightest minds across Australia including water and energy utility CEOs, CIOs and digital teams. Find out more on page 24 or visit www.digitalutilities.com.au to register for free.

Utility is also excited to be a media partner for several in-person events this year including OzWater and Locate22 in May and WIOA Victoria in June. We love supporting these industry conferences and having the opportunity to chat with our readers about the industry issues that they are passionate about. Don’t hesitate to come find us at these events and have a chat.

Jessica Dickers Editor

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

WATER MANAGEMENT

ever before. But the industry focus remains the same, utilities are committed to providing the community with safe water now and into the future, while dealing with these challenges, managing water quality and water availability and keeping costs down. With these same goals, it’s critical that utilities around the country collaborate with each other as well as with different sectors and educational institutions, to share insights and solutions.

How can strong principal and subcontractor partnerships increase the chance of success on a microtunnelling project?

Too often on construction sites – when unexpected situations occur or a different way of doing things to reduce risk and improve project outcomes are suggested – it can become a case of principal contractor versus subcontractor. When this occurs, it creates an environment that is not conducive to performance.

It seems astonishing that two years after we were shocked by the unprecedented awe and impact of the Black Summer fires, we stand again humbled by the power of mother nature, this time due to the ongoing tragic flooding events in South

It’s promising to see that around Australia, more and more organisations like city councils are pledging ambitious emission reduction targets – but what does the journey to zero emissions look like at the scale of our major utilities?

AVOIDING THE HOUSE that Jack built

by Dor Son Tan

Derived from the children’s nursery rhyme, ‘The house that Jack built’ usually describes something that is badly designed or patchworked together without an overall result being considered. As we adapt our energy grid to prepare for a net zero future, it is imperative that networks, system architects and everyone in between, ensure our planning is well considered rather than patchworked together or else we risk ending up with a house that Jack built.

WHAT IS A SYSTEM?

A good analogy of a system is one of a house. In a house there are different systems like plumbing (water and sewage), wiring (electrical) and heating (gas). All these systems don’t directly interact with one another, but they do work together to provide a service. For example, all three systems are probably needed at various points to cook dinner.

What most people don’t think about is how these systems work and interact, because they already exist and they work, why change or think about them? But what if the systems in your house were rapidly changing and no one really knew what they would look like in the future? I bet you would start to pay a bit more attention if you needed to buy a new heater that runs on hydrogen or if you couldn’t flush your toilets after 5pm because the sewage system was congested.

This also highlights something that’s very human. We naturally focus on fixing symptoms and not causes. For example, if we see a leaky tap we

¹ https://gridarchitecture.pnnl.gov/

replace a washer, but what if the actual cause was very high-water pressure from the mains?

Now apply this concept to something like the electricity system during a once-in-a-century transition.

WHAT IS SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

According to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), systems architecture1 is a way of thinking about how a group of systems or a ‘system of systems’ behaves, what it can and can’t do, and how these different things work together as a whole. This framework is particularly useful to complex machines like the electricity grid.

Without getting too technical, it breaks up a very complex problem like the electricity grid in transformation by viewing it through different lenses in a managed and holistic way.

What it doesn’t do is provide quick and easy answers that turn out to be costly mistakes in the long term. It also doesn’t provide individual solutions to specific problems.

Even with these mental tools and frameworks, this is hard, hard work. But if something is hard, it’s probably

² https://www.csiro.au/en/research/technology-space/energy/g-pst-research-roadmap

a good indication that it’s worth doing. I can think of nothing more important for the prosperity of Australia (and the world) than adapting our energy system for the future – so much depends on it economically, socially and environmentally.

CSIRO/AEMO GLOBAL POWER SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION (G-PST)

CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) are doing their bit to move the industry’s thinking forward to meet the many pragmatic and technical problems appearing now. Networks, as well as AEMO, are feeling the bow wave of challenges that the energy transition is presenting through things like minimum demand, lack of transmission infrastructure to connect variable renewable energy (VRE), lack of distributed energy resources (DER) visibility and the added disruption of climate change, to name a few.

This broad program of research questions2 cover many valuable topics such as how we operate a system with few to no synchronous machines, how to restore the system after blackouts, ensure system stability with DER and of course power system architecture.

CSIRO and AEMO are to be commended for this work, and networks are eager to help to ensure this transition delivers safe, secure, and reliable clean energy at the lowest possible cost to customers.

I leave you with a simple question: if you want to build a house, would you start with a pencil or a shovel?

FIGURE 1. PNNL GRID ARCHITECTURE DISCIPLINES

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WATER FUELLING THE PATH TO A HYDROGEN FUTURE

A hydrogen revolution is gathering pace and the world is fast pivoting towards new, non-fossil-fuel dependent energy sources. In 2021, over 30 countries have released versions of hydrogen roadmaps, and the hydrogen industry has announced more than 400 hydrogen projects globally. What does this mean for urban water? Does the industry know enough to participate and what unknowns are holding us back?

Last December, we released a paper that outlines the basics of hydrogen for the urban water industry, answers some of the key emerging questions, and points to questions that warrant exploration in the years ahead.

The Australian government has identified clean hydrogen as one of Australia’s five pathways towards decarbonisation. Australia’s vision for a hydrogen future, articulated in the National Hydrogen Strategy (COAG, 2019), highlights that Australia has the resources and the experience to take advantage of increasing global momentum for clean hydrogen, and make it our next energy export. These sentiments are echoed by the International Energy Agency and the World Energy Council, both identifying Australia as a potential hydrogen production powerhouse.

The viability of participating in the hydrogen economy for a water utility is dependent on several factors. There are generally three major attributes for success:

1. Participation needs to be shaped around an identified challenge or opportunity

2. Site attributes need to be favourable

3. Access to suitably skilled partners is key

The focus and development of green hydrogen is a relatively new concept to the urban water industry. The opportunity for green hydrogen has caught the attention of policymakers worldwide as it is likely to be a game changer in the transition to renewable energy and decarbonisation. It is also the type of hydrogen of most interest to the water industry. Various water utilities are considering or trialling new processes, and forming cross industry partnerships for further exploration. This time of discovery provides a unique opportunity for our industry to be able to proactively engage and create awareness about the crucial role we have to play in supporting a sustainable hydrogen economy.

A number of different projects are already testing the opportunities for urban water industry innovation and participation, including the Hazer trial on Water Corporation land in Western Australia; using biosolids for gasification at Logan in Queensland; and the Australian Gas Industry Group and Engie producing hydrogen at the North East Water treatment plant in Wodonga to inject into a gas supply main. Jemena and Sydney Water are producing biomethane for supply into the gas distribution system, and Yarra Valley Water are investigating a hydrogen hub at Aurora.

The water requirements for early hydrogen projects may be small, but the demand for water of a suitable quality will grow significantly if projects achieve their planned scale.

Utilities also have treatment plant sites that not only produce recycled water, but may also be able to accommodate production facilities such as electrolysers. These sites may be advantageously placed close to transport, industry and potential users of the hydrogen produced. Hydrogen could have many future uses: to power cars, whether through direct fuelling or fuel-cell batteries; for stationary power or heat generation used for customer properties and/or industrial processes; and blending into the existing gas distribution network as a greener energy source substitute.

There is also a growing strategic synergy between customer and internal expectations for the water industry to adopt circular economy approaches to make full use of all the resources at our disposal. This includes harnessing all elements of the water cycle such as using recycled wastewater and also stormwater for productive purposes.

There are other aspects that water utilities should start considering as the hydrogen revolution gathers momentum, to be prepared for potential opportunities or demands that may arise. Utilities will already be considering how best to meet their own emissions reduction commitments, and may find a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve a useful tool to explore the contribution hydrogen could make. Utilities may also have the capacity to produce surplus renewable energy. Even if they do not participate directly in producing hydrogen, they may be able to offer this resource as a valuable input into hydrogen production by others. As some water utilities

consider how they might be called upon to support or participate in the hydrogen economy, and others strive to involve themselves in this exciting new field, there are many important aspects to consider.

Underpinning all of it is making sure that as an industry, we engage proactively and robustly with our stakeholders, regulators, customers and governments, and explore our potential role as a partner for the hydrogen economy of the future, and ensure the sustainability of water supply for our customers and communities. The call is for policy makers and players within the hydrogen industry to recognise the crucial role of the urban water industry and to ensure early engagement on new projects and proposals.

In exploring hydrogen production, the water industry is stepping outside its comfort zone. We certainly have the willingness and resources to be able to partner and create valuable products in tomorrow’s hydrogen economy. However, the commercial aspects – like bringing new products to market, setting prices, skills and capabilities required – are relatively unfamiliar areas for our industry. As such, there is a road ahead to explore how individual water utilities can best make inroads into the emerging hydrogen economy. Given the pressures on the oil and gas industries to rapidly decarbonise their activities and exploit emerging market opportunities, they are likely to be key partners and potential customers for the water industry in fostering the hydrogen economy of tomorrow.

The urban water industry is willing to take on the opportunity the hydrogen economy provides. The reputation of the industry in leading on sustainable commitments and securing customer trust, places water utilities as key brokers in facilitating transactions for mutually beneficial partnerships. No single industry can implement the required change, but our industry can utilise the collaborative nature we have fostered in driving the change that is needed.

WSAA has produced a paper looking at the role of the water industry in the hydrogen revolution. To read the paper and case studies go to: https://www.wsaa.asn.au/publication/water-fueling-path-hydrogen-futurerole-urban-water-industry-australia-and-new-zealands

UNITYWATER APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Water and sewerage services provider Unitywater has appointed its new Chief Executive Officer.

Unitywater has appointed Anna Jackson to the role, who comes from state government-owned SA Water, where most recently she was General Manager Customer and Commercial.

Ms Jackson has also held executive roles responsible for business strategy, water security and quality, innovation, customer engagement, and environmental and social governance.

Ms Jackson will join Unitywater in July 2022 when she finalises her commitments at SA Water.

Unitywater Chairman, Michael Arnett, said Ms Jackson’s skills, experience and personal values were an ideal fit for Unitywater’s strategy, vision and culture.

“Anna has a well-earned reputation for developing businesses that deliver excellent customer service and

environmental performance while making a real difference in the communities where they operate,” Mr Arnett said.

“Anna joins us at an exciting time for Unitywater as we meet the water and sewerage needs of a growing population across Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast and Noosa.

“Anna is an outstanding talent and I’m looking forward to working with her as we continue to build a modern, highquality water and sewerage services provider.”

Prior to SA Water, Ms Jackson held senior business development and corporate affairs roles with global consulting and engineering firm Tetra Tech International Development, aerospace and defence company Raytheon, and in Federal and State government.

Ms Jackson is a member of the Australian Government’s Australian Water Partnership Advisory Committee and the Water Services Association of Australia’s Liveable Communities Committee and a supporter of WaterAid.

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The Federal Government has announced the 202223 Budget, investing $2.4 billion in new initiatives under the industry, energy and emissions reduction portfolio, and investing in water infrastructure and security.

The Federal Government has invested in water infrastructure through the National Water Grid Fund, which is receiving an additional investment of $6.9 billion through the Budget.

The new investments include:

• $5.4 billion for Hells Gates Dam, subject to the completion of the final stage of the business case and regulatory approvals

• $600 million for Paradise Dam Improvement

• Up to $433 million for Dungowan Dam and Pipeline, subject to the finalisation of the business case and approval processes

The Federal Government has also locked in $483 million to build Urannah Dam, pending demonstration of value for money and sufficient public benefit for investment. The Budget has also committed millions to keeping rivers and wetlands, and surrounding communities, healthy.

The On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme is also being extended, to help farmers install infrastructure like pumps, tanks, dams and bores through a rebate of up to 25 per cent on eligible projects, up to the value of $25,000.

ENERGY INVESTMENT TAKING THE ‘TECHNOLOGY NOT TAXES’ ROAD

The Budget includes $2.4 billion of new initiatives under the industry, energy and emissions reduction portfolio, which are expected to support 4,800 jobs.

Energy investments include:

• $300 million to support low emissions LNG and clean hydrogen production at Darwin, together with associated carbon capture and storage infrastructure

• $247.1 million to support increased private sector investment in low emissions technologies including hydrogen, the continued development of a hydrogen Guarantee of Origin scheme

• $200 million to increase onshore processing and value-add of iron ore exports, to support low emissions steel production in Indo-Pacific customer countries like Japan and Korea

• $200 million to enhance Australia’s supply chain security through new low emissions manufacturing facilities (using hydrogen and hydrogen-derivatives like ammonia, as well as carbon capture utilisation and storage) in the Pilbara region

• $148.6 million to support more investment in affordable and reliable power, including the development of community microgrid projects in regional and rural Australia

• $100 million to de-risk private sector investment in firm generation and grid infrastructure to increase system strength and capacity in the Pilbara region

• $100 million to support pre-Final Investment Decision activities and early works to make the Port of Newcastle ‘hydrogen ready’

• $50.3 million to accelerate the development of priority gas infrastructure projects consistent with the Future Gas Infrastructure Investment Framework and support investment in carbon capture and storage pipeline infrastructure

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TWO NEW BATTERY PROJECTS FOR NSW IN ENERGY PARTNERSHIP

In a new partnership, EnergyAustralia and Edify Energy (Edify) are developing two new battery storage projects to secure reliable electricity supply for customers in New South Wales and boost renewables in the energy sector.

EnergyAustralia and Edify Energy are partnering together on two long-term battery storage services agreements for a combined 90MW/180MWh in Darlington Point, New South Wales.

Under the agreements, EnergyAustralia will have market control of two of the three independent, but co-located projects – the Riverina (65MW/130MWh) and

Darlington Point (25MW/50MWh), for at least ten years.

Edify Energy is a leading developer in renewable energy generation and storage projects, and will oversee the project’s deployment and construction, which utilises Tesla Megapacks.

Due for completion during the summer of 2023/24 and developed on traditional lands of Wiradjuri Country, the Darlington Point and Riverina Battery Energy Storage Systems have the potential to power more than 46,000 homes for two hours of peak demand before being recharged.

Construction will commence later this year on the lithium-ion battery

projects, which will bring flexible, dispatchable capacity to the New South Wales market and complement the significant volume of renewable generation in the region.

EnergyAustralia and Edify first came together in 2017 with the offtake agreement for the Gannawarra Solar Farm in Victoria and then again in 2018 to successfully deliver the 25MW/50MWh Gannawarra Energy Storage System (GESS).

Developed by Edify, EnergyAustralia holds the rights to charge and dispatch GESS’ energy into the National Electricity Market.

AUSTRALIAN-FIRST TRIAL FOR ROBOT-DELIVERED TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

In an Australian-first, Urban Utilities has trialled new robot-delivered trenchless technology which makes water main renewal more efficient, benefitting customers and the environment.

The state-of-the-art Resiline technology sprays a rapid-curing lining inside the pipe, relining it underground and removing the need for a traditional ‘lift and lay’ pipe excavation.

Urban Utilities completed the trial with project partners Downer, WSP and Wilsons Pipeline Solutions, rehabilitating a 90m section of underground pipe in Somerset in South East Queensland.

Urban Utilities’ maintenance innovation lead, Senthil Kumar, said the state-of-the-art Resiline technology sprayed a rapid-curing lining inside the pipe, relining it underground and removing the need for a traditional ‘lift and lay’ pipe excavation.

“With this new trenchless technology, works that would have traditionally taken weeks can be completed in just a few days,” Mr Kumar said.

“This helps reduce our overall carbon footprint and can make essential works more cost efficient.

“The technology also has great potential to benefit our customers, particularly those in busy CBD or popular community areas, by allowing us to upgrade vital infrastructure underground without a need to excavate large sections of footpaths or roads.”

Urban Utilities’ water program manager, Jonathan Farrell, said Urban Utilities would investigate how the technology could be used as part of its existing pipeline renewal program following the successful trial.

“We’re responsible for maintaining a network of 9,000km of water pipes that supply water to more than 1.5 million people across South East Queensland and we’re always looking at ways we can improve outcomes for our environment and our customers,” Mr Farrell said.

“This technology is a great example of Urban Utilities’ commitment to innovation and we’re proud to be part of this Australian-first trial.”

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NORTHERN TERRITORY PROGRESSES WORLD’S LARGEST RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM

The Northern Territory Government is set to introduce legislation to support what is expected to be the largest and most technologically advanced renewable energy transmission system in the world.

The $30 billion Sun Cable AustraliaAsia PowerLink (AAPowerLink) project includes the world’s largest solar farm and battery in the Barkly region, plus a converter site and transition facilities at Murrumujuk, near Gunn Point.

The Solar Project (Australia-Asia Power Link) (Special Provisions) Bill 2022 will provide certainty that key commitments in the Territory’s Project Development Agreement with Sun Cable will be met.

The legislation will clarify and streamline existing processes, increase project certainty, and support Sun Cable to secure project financing.

Sun Cable Founder and CEO, David Griffin, said, “Sun Cable appreciates the ongoing support for the AAPowerLink from the Northern Territory Government.

“The introduction of the Solar Project Bill 2022 is a manifestation of our common desire to drive investment in the Territory. This bill provides certainty that key commitments from the Project Development Agreement will be met.”

With an expected life span of more than 70 years, the Northern Territory Government sees the project as integral to the Territory’s future.

NT Chief Minister, Michael Gunner, said, “The AAPowerLink will be built here in the Territory. It will be a major economic driver, and it will put the Territory on the international map when it comes to renewables.

“The legislation provides certainty for the project, and facilitates its implementation which will create over 1,750 jobs during construction and 350 ongoing positions as part of operations.”

It has been awarded Major Project Status by the Federal and Territory Governments.

The NT Government and Sun Cable have also signed a Project Development Agreement to facilitate the project.

SA WATER BEGINS KANGAROO ISLAND DESALINATION PLANT CONSTRUCTION

SA Water, alongside major construction partners John Holland and Guidera O’Connor, has begun construction of Kangaroo Island’s new seawater desalination plant, which will improve drinking water reliability for the region.

SA Water and partners have begun setting up equipment, fencing and temporary site huts, as well as ground preparation at the Penneshaw site.

The project will also support the local economy and provide greater bushfire resilience.

More than $64 million is being invested in the project, with the new 2ML a day capacity plant to supplement the smaller existing nearby desalination facility and Middle River Reservoir.

SA Water’s General Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure, Amanda Lewry, said this work is happening in parallel with the continuing installation of a pipeline to connect customers in four local communities to the new desalination facility and water supply network.

“Close to 12 of a total 50km of large underground water main has been laid, and this pipe – along with smaller reticulation mains – will deliver water to more than a

thousand residents in American River, Baudin Beach, Island Beach and Sapphiretown,” Ms Lewry said.

“These communities currently rely on private rainwater tanks or water carters for their drinking water, with the new desalination plant and water network providing access to a safe, reliable and climate-independent supply of drinking water.

“Fire plugs will also be strategically placed along the pipes, enabling fire authorities and water carters for the first time, direct access to water via our infrastructure in these areas, to fill or refill.”

SA Water’s development application for the desalination plant was informed by detailed marine and land assessments, with the site at the corner of Hog Bay Road and Williams Walkers Way determined as the most suitable, based on a range of criteria.

The independent State Commission Assessment Panel’s review and assessment process opened the application for public consultation and considered feedback, with conditions set to ensure areas such as road safety and environmental management are managed in accordance with regulations and community expectations.

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MAJOR AUSTRALIAN-FIRST OFFSHORE WIND FARMS

The Victorian Government has committed to delivering Australia’s first offshore wind farms, announcing major energy targets around offshore projects.

The policy, set out in the Victorian Offshore Wind Policy Directions Paper, includes procuring projects that will generate at least 2GW of offshore wind online by 2032 –enough to power 1.5 million homes – creating thousands of jobs in the process.

The first power from offshore wind is expected as soon as 2028, following a competitive process, and targets of 4GW have been set for 2035 and 9GW for 2040.

Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, said, “Today, Victoria has the lowest power prices in five years and the greatest annual increase in renewable energy of any state, ever.

“We’re not just talking about transitioning to clean energy, we’re actually delivering it – along with thousands of jobs in one of the world’s fastest growing industries and cheaper bills for millions of households.”

Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio, said, “Victoria’s offshore wind

resources are officially open for business, but the real work starts now.

“We know it will take years to plan and develop the first tranche of wind projects in Australia, due to their complexity, scale, regulatory and infrastructure requirements – and we’re ready to start that journey today.”

Studies show the state has the potential to support an enormous 13GW of capacity from coastal regions by 2050 –five times the state’s current renewable energy generation.

At 13GW, these offshore wind projects would generate up to 6,100 jobs in the development and construction phase and in ongoing operational jobs.

In November 2021, Victoria pledged approximately $40 million under the Energy Innovation Fund to fund feasibility studies and pre-construction development for three major offshore wind proposals: Star of the South, Macquarie Group and Flotation Energy.

Together, those three projects could generate 4.7GW of new capacity, power around 3.6 million homes and bring more than $18 billion in new investment to Victoria.

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NEW RESERVOIR TO BOOST WATER STORAGE CAPACITY FOR TAS REGION

Anew reservoir is being built in Rosebery in Tasmania, as part of a program to boost water reliability for TasWater’s regional customers.

TasWater Capital Delivery Office (CDO) Project Manager, Nathan Toomer, said the new reservoir will significantly increase Rosebery’s water storage capacity.

“The new tank we are constructing will be able to store approximately 1,200 kilolitres of water,” Mr Toomer said.

“It is being built next to the existing reservoir which will continue to be used for the town’s water supply.

“This will help increase water security for the Rosebery region well into the future.

“This will be particularly important for the community during periods where demand increases such as hot summer

days or in the event of a bushfire when firefighters need to access our supplies for their essential work.”

Construction of the new Rosebery reservoir was commenced by Fulton Hogan as the main contractor late last year, with the works expected to be wrapped up this winter.

Once complete, the old reservoir will be drained, undergo maintenance and will then be refilled and brought back online to service the town alongside the new reservoir.

This project is part of TasWater’s commitment to providing additional water storage for communities across Tasmania.

This upgrade is one project in a program of reservoir upgrades across the state that includes Tunbridge, Triabunna and Coles Bay.

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It enables you and your team to visualise your entire water asset ecosystem, make more informed decisions, and ultimately helps deliver better staff productivity and customer experience.

KPMG Water Central uses advanced analytics and data visualisation to help you anticipate future events and predict potential operational threats.

Geospatial visualisations give you context on outages alerts and predicted failures, showing the real-time impact of events and helping you respond with speed.

Built in collaboration with the water sector using industry data sets, KPMG Water Central provides a unique opportunity for the Australian water sector to benefit from shared insights, improvements and new use cases – reducing the overall industry spend and cost to deliver benefits.

DIGITAL UTILITIES IS BACK FOR 2022!

Utility Magazine is thrilled to announce the return of the Digital Utilities virtual conference for 2022, running from 21–23 June.

Digital Utilities is the landmark virtual event for the Australian utility sector, and consists of three unique conferences that will dive deep into how we can create efficient and secure future grids and engage customers in the new digital era.

The event provides delegates with genuine learning opportunities from some of the best and brightest minds across Australia.

Digital Utilities brings together water and energy utility CEOs, CIOs and digital teams to exchange information. As travel remains uncertain, the virtual event allows delegates to connect online and keep up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in digitisation.

The three Digital Utilities conferences for 2022 include:

FUTURE GRIDS – 21 JUNE

In this conference, we’ll look at the evolution of energy and water networks, as we begin to integrate new technologies and new directional flows into our existing grids. We’ll look at the challenges and opportunities; and hear case studies from utilities who have cracked the code of making their networks work for them in the new, connected world.

ENGAGING CUSTOMERS – 22 JUNE

This conference will focus on the changing needs and expectations of customers when engaging with utilities. We’ll look at how other industries engage with customers; and analyse the way that this is shifting expectations for utilities. We’ll also explore some of the latest data, technologies and insights when it comes to managing customer experience and reducing churn.

CYBER SECURITY – 23 JUNE

Our final conference will take a deep dive into cyber security, exploring the challenges utilities face in keeping their digital networks secure. We’ll look at some of the latest technologies and thinking when it comes to keeping assets safe; and we’ll also take a look at global cases where things have gone wrong – and drill down to the key learnings to be taken from these events.

This event is being delivered by Monkey Media, trade publisher of Utility magazine, as well as Energy, Infrastructure, Council and Pump Industry magazines.

It will be a must-see for anyone working in Australia’s utility industry.

Registration is free, please visit www.digitalutilities.com.au to secure your spot.

A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are also available for companies looking to work with Digital Utilities and reach the Australian utilities sector. Visit www.digitalutilities.com.au for more information.

21–23 June 2022

Three virtual conferences:

• Future Grids – 21 June

• Engaging Customers – 22 June

• Cyber Security – 23 June

Creating efficient and secure future grids and engaging customers in the new digital era.

REGISTRATION IS FREE!

COLLABORATION IN THE WATER SECTOR: more voices means better ideas

Water utilities around Australia face similar challenges – population growth, more frequent weather events, drought and climate change means there’s more pressure on our water storages than ever before. But the industry focus remains the same, utilities are committed to providing the community with safe water now and into the future, while dealing with these challenges, managing water quality and water availability and keeping costs down. With these same goals, it’s critical that utilities around the country collaborate with each other as well as with different sectors and educational institutions, to share insights and solutions.

Lara Olsen, Managing Director of South East Water, believes the water industry is the most collaborative sector in the country, especially compared to other industries she’s worked in, such as energy.

“We have the same goals, so the only way you really achieve them is when you work at scale and go with the best ideas rather than trying to do everything in your own organisation,” she said.

In addition to providing water, sewerage and recycled water services to 1.91 million people across Melbourne per year, South East Water is focused on developing new technologies to solve some of these water challenges, which are then tested in their network.

For instance, it’s recently achieved this with Sotto and Lentic, two technologies that its engineers conceived, developed and manufactured for market.

Embedded within digital meters, these technologies help locate leaks early before they impact the community, helping save water and additional water usage charges.

Ms Olsen said sharing these insights and collaborating with other organisations has been a key part of these projects having the biggest impact in the sector as possible.

“If you're just looking to solve a problem for your particular situation then you miss some of the best ideas and the chance for it to have a much greater impact than it otherwise could, and I think that comes from collaboration right from the start,” Ms Olsen said.

“The more voices you have around the table, asking questions and suggesting ideas, the better the technology or solution that you will get. That includes customers as well.”

APPROACHING COLLABORATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS

It can be hard to know what the best approach is when it comes to collaboration; who to partner with and why, what people, projects and technologies should be involved, and what are the best outcomes.

Ms Olsen said the approach can be different based on what you’re trying to achieve.

“There's certainly some projects which we've initiated and led, and then other projects where we are a project partner, learning from others and looking to see what they're doing. I think that's an important characteristic – there is not just one set organisation that looks to lead, it's a sharing of that role as well.”

One example of this is South East Water’s Biosolids to Biochar project, a partnership with RMIT University, Intelligent Water Networks and Greater Western Water. RMIT was developing a technology to transform biosolids – a waste product from sewage treatment – into something beneficial for the agriculture industry such as soil fertiliser.

“This was a project that focuses on what we could do with those biosolids and how we make the treatment of them more energy efficient. How do we keep the great parts of the biosolids in terms of nutrients but remove the contaminants, and come up with a solution that not only works for us, but also for the broader water industry.

“It's been a great example of working with universities in terms of

the expertise that they bring, working with our research and development team and industry partners in determining how technology works in practice at the treatment plant, and confirming what is then needed to take the technology to the next stage,” Ms Olsen said.

The Biosolids to Biochar project is now at the demonstration plant stage with a trial at the Greater Western Water Melton recycled water plant recently finishing, and plans to expand further, as it can be implemented in small and large plants, both locally and overseas.

The project also won the R&D Excellence Award at the Australian Water Association’s Victorian (VIC) Water Awards in March 2022.

This drive to develop proven solutions for common industry challenges also extends to housing developments and how these are built in the future to minimise water

and energy use. The construction industry can be a great source of collaboration to create solutions that improve communities and the way they function.

The Aquarevo project, a collaboration with South East Water, Villawood Properties and Melbourne University, is a community in south-eastern Melbourne built with three sources of water; drinking, recycled, and rainwater. Homes are integrated with technologies ranging from a rain-tohot-water system, through to remote pressure sewer monitoring, and intelligent rainwater tanks.

“By using the rainwater tanks and the hot water systems, on average, homes have been able to save about 45 per cent of their drinking water. We've been working with Melbourne University and La Trobe University to trial a range of different technologies around smart tanks as well,” Ms Olsen said.

SOLUTIONS FOR FUTURE INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

While it’s great to be able to get different internal teams involved and working with other utilities and organisations on innovative projects, Ms Olsen said the main benefit of collaboration is the difference these projects will have for future generations.

“Often when people think of a water utility, they think about turning on the tap, but for us, we're trying to think about our role in helping communities be the best they can be and protecting our environment,” Ms Olsen said.

“It's not just about what comes out of the tap, sometimes it's about working with energy companies, universities, other water corporations and building developers. This is what we need to be thinking about now if we are going to enhance what our environment or community looks like in ten or 20 years.”

by April Shepherd, Journalist, Utility magazine

CEO of Urban Utilities, Louise Dudley, is finishing up her ten year tenure at the leading water utility in August, following her transformative stint at the helm. Utility talked to Ms Dudley about her role’s biggest challenges, encouraging women to enter the sector, championing inclusivity and the industry’s innovation evolution.

The end of an era:

LOUISE DUDLEY REFLECTS ON LEADING URBAN UTILITIES FOR THE LAST DECADE

Ms Dudley is finishing her ten year long tenure at the helm of one of the nation’s largest water distributor-retailers and what has become, largely thanks to her guidance, a trailblazer in the Australian utility industry.

Urban Utilities delivers drinking water, recycled water and sewerage services to more than 1.4 million people in South East Queensland, with a large focus on sustainability and collaboration in the sector.

Ms Dudley first entered the water industry in 2007, working for the Brisbane City Council's retail water business in the role of Executive Manager.

“I was part of the team that facilitated Australia’s largest ever water sector transition and merger transaction, which ultimately resulted in the formation of Urban Utilities. I took on the role of CFO and, two years later, was appointed CEO,” Ms Dudley said.

“Fourteen years on, the industry is more innovative, sustainable and customer-centric than ever. It’s been a pleasure to be part of its evolution.”

LESSONS LEARNT: IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE PIPES

Ms Dudley said that, despite Urban Utilities undoubtedly being an infrastructure-heavy business, she has learnt that the real investment needs to be in people, “In a nutshell: it’s about the people, not the pipes”.

“They are the ones who are working together to deliver the outcomes for our customers and communities, and really determine the reputation of the business,” Ms Dudley said.

Ms Dudley said that during her time as CEO she found that a healthy and balanced workplace culture couldn’t be bought or cultivated overnight, but takes a huge amount of time and effort – and trial and error – to see results.

“It’s so important that each and every team member feels connected to our purpose (enriching the quality of life) and understands how their role contributes to our strategic direction and overall success.

“If people are purpose-driven and feel engaged, enabled and rewarded, they will do their best work and be more likely to go above and beyond to provide top quality products and services to our customers and communities,” Ms Dudley said.

THE CAREER-DEFINING PROJECTS

Throughout the past decade, Ms Dudley has worked on hundreds of projects, but one that stands out as a highlight was successfully establishing Urban Utilities as an entity in 2010, and maintaining continuity of service throughout the process.

“It was a $4.3 billion transaction that merged five water and sewerage businesses into Australia’s fourthlargest distributor–retailer. It’s not

often you get the opportunity to get in at the ground floor and grow with an organisation, so it’s been a real privilege,” Ms Dudley said.

She said that the change in company culture and championing inclusivity have also been some of her most proud initiatives.

“Diversity really lifts the overall performance of an organisation – not just diversity of gender but diversity of thought, experience, background and ethnicity, which is why implementing a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy was always high on my agenda.

“Since we started measuring Employee Effectiveness in 2014, our score has increased by 58 per cent, which is a testament to the ongoing investment and commitment.”

A DECADE OF CHALLENGES

A decade tenure doesn’t come without its fair share of challenges, with the period of water reform in the early 2000s one of the biggest challenges faced by not only Urban Utilities, but the entire South East Queensland water industry.

“Initially, Urban Utilities was going to be a retail business, with a separate water distribution business to service the entire region. But in mid-2009, the model changed, and the combined distributor-retailer model was adopted,” Ms Dudley said.

“It was unclear whether Urban Utilities would continue in this form,

which led to feelings of uncertainty and instability right across the industry. In turn, it became difficult to attract and retain staff, which was an additional stressor at the time.

“On top of that, we had the challenge of merging five individual, and very differently run, entities in a short time frame. We were dealing with a melting pot of cultures, values and personalities, so a lot of work was required to become one cohesive team, working towards a shared purpose.

EMBRACING INNOVATION TO BOOST THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

The past decade has seen a new innovative shift in asset management, with more choice bringing a heightened focus on improving customer experience and championing sustainability.

Ms Dudley said the water industry has undertaken a transformational shift from being asset-centric to customer-centric.

If merging five unique entities wasn’t challenging enough, not long after Ms Dudley began her time at Urban Utilities, the state faced some of the deadliest floods it had ever seen.

Queensland suffered catastrophic floods in January 2011, which according to Ms Dudley profoundly impacted Urban Utilities.

Not only was 60 per cent of the utility’s infrastructure extensively damaged, but the natural disaster left Urban Utilities with a property damage bill in excess of $100 million.

“Not two years later, the region was, again, ravaged by flood water.

Whilst this period was devastating for the business, we used our learnings to develop a robust Flood Resilience Program, which really paid dividends earlier this year when parts of our service territory were flooded for the third time in 11 years. Thankfully, we were able to recover our critical assets much faster.”

“Soon after becoming CEO, I made it my business to personally engage with each and every employee, to hear their questions and concerns and to ensure they felt connected with Urban Utilities’ newly created purpose and vision.”

“Once upon a time, a burst water main may only have been addressed in terms of the fastest, most costeffective way to repair the pipe. Now, we look at it through a customer-impact lens and ask questions like: Who relies on that pipe? How will losing water affect them? What can we do to minimise disruption?”

Ms Dudley said that Urban Utilities has taken great strides in becoming a customer-focused organisation, using specialised teams that understand and attend to the unique requirements of different customers; and using data and insights to provide personalised services.

“The industry has also collectively embraced an innovation mindset and is now thinking outside the traditional solutions to deliver greener, smarter services that are more reliable and affordable for customers.

“We have also evolved from being primarily a service delivery industry

to one that is a key player in our region’s growth and prosperity – one that enhances the liveability of its communities and creates a meaningful impact on society.”

Urban Utilities' reputation in the industry is synonymous with innovation, with the Urban Utilities’ Innovation Program delivering operational efficiencies and improving safety, customer and environmental outcomes.

In Urban Utilities' Research and Development Program, future areas of innovation are discovered, working with the industry and research partners to find smarter ways of operating.

“The success of the Urban Utilities’ Innovation Program was really cemented when we made Australia’s Most Innovative Companies List in 2015 and again in 2018. Also in 2018, we were named one of the Leading Utilities of the World, which is a network of some of the world’s most innovative water utilities.”

WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY: THE CEO CHAIR IS FOR EVERYONE

Ms Dudley’s career is notable for many reasons, one of which is her work to not only normalise, but encourage women in senior leadership positions in the water industry, saying that to attract women to the water industry, it’s important they have strong and successful role models to guide and inspire them.

“Sometimes people are surprised when I tell them I’m a CEO, and even more surprised that I’m the CEO of a utility, because neither are roles traditionally held by a woman,” Ms Dudley said.

“To overcome this stereotype, we need to change the perception that CEO roles are held exclusively by men.”

Ms Dudley said that leading by example is the key to attracting more women to industries that are historically male-dominated, and fostering the right culture to retain women; such as promoting work/life balance through a range of flexible and supportive work options and access to various leave.

“The fewer hurdles there are for women to progress their careers, the more likely it is that the industry retains quality talent.

“If young women don’t see examples of female chemists, engineers, treatment plant operators or CEOs, they are less likely to imagine or pursue those career paths for themselves.

“Thankfully, there are organisations around now that are committed to connecting young women with mentors in STEM-based industries, and Urban Utilities is proud to be involved.”

Ms Dudley said it is not only critical to address the gender imbalance in the industry, but also focus on fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion; where an individual’s contribution, knowledge, skills and experience is valued and recognised.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT: UTILITIES BUILDING LIVABLE COMMUNITIES

Ms Dudley said she is excited to see what the future holds and how water utilities will play a greater role in shaping the livability of Australia's communities.

“I’m also looking forward to seeing water utilities become embedded in the early stages of the community planning process, along with the State Government, regulators, councils and

developers, and for these stakeholders to consider us an essential partner in creating liveable communities.”

Ms Dudley believes this will also involve engaging with customers to codesign sustainable blue/green spaces that suit the needs of both current and future generations.

To those just starting out in their water utility career, Ms Dudley recommends networking with likeminded people, as it’s a great way to share ideas, raise your profile and increase your confidence.

“Also find a mentor whom you respect and admire. Ask to accompany them to industry functions or sit in on meetings as an observer. Ask them questions and brainstorm ideas. There’s always something new to be learnt.

“And take risks! Don’t underestimate your abilities. If you’re offered an opportunity, grab it with both hands and see where it takes you.”

THE NEXT JOURNEY

Ms Dudley is finishing up her tenure as CEO in August 2022, with plans to continue serving on the AWA and WaterAid boards, and is looking forward to taking on additional board roles if they may arise.

“I’m also passionate about leadership and creating high-performing teams, and plan to coach executives and board members in the areas of conversational intelligence and psychological safety.

“From a personal perspective, I’m keen to tap into my artistic side, maybe take a few art classes and see if I have any hidden talent! I also plan to fulfil my long-held ambition to learn French.”

As for her legacy, some might think it hard to choose just one after looking at the extent of innovation Ms Dudley has brought to the industry throughout the past ten years.

“It’s Urban Utilities’ Innovation Program and innovation culture that I see as being the legacy I’ll leave. Innovation is a personal passion of mine, so being able to watch the program go from strength to strength and see it attract global attention has been one of the most rewarding parts of my role as CEO,” Ms Dudley said.

“What started as a small-scale internal initiative is now a multi-faceted, multi-million-dollar program that’s delivering widespread economic, social and environmental value.”

AI IN THE WATER SECTOR: SAFER, FASTER, BETTER

Once considered a threat to people’s jobs, automation is enabling many in the water sector to leave mundane tasks behind and focus on high value work.

Engineering graduates and other specialists are often employed to sit in front of video screens for weeks on end to watch footage from drone-mounted cameras being driven through pipes. The purpose? To assess where pipe maintenance needs to be carried out.

But no engineer wants to spend their days in front of a screen watching videos of the inside of a pipe. Fortunately, technology offers a smart solution for this.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE DATA MAKES

Technology fuelled by artificial intelligence (AI) is driving change in the water sector. Once considered a threat to people’s jobs, such technology is now helping people do more of what they want to do, while meeting increasingly high expectations.

For example, councils and water authorities have extensive kilometres of underground pipelines for wastewater, stormwater and water.

“Many of these pipes are approaching the end of their life and they need to be renewed,” John Phillips, Business Development Manager at Interflow, a leader in pipeline infrastructure, said.

“Digging them up to replace them all would be extremely expensive and would disrupt communities.”

How then does a water manager assess where the work needs to be done?

Previously it has been undertaken by sending a camera through the pipes and relying on an operator to conduct an accurate analysis.

“By the time they engage a contractor to do the upgrade work, often the footage is very old,” Mr Phillips said.

“Things could be completely different by the time we go to do the job.”

That’s where a neat, AI-based solution comes to the fore.

THE FUTURE OF WATER MANAGEMENT IS HERE

A faster, more accurate solution is now being utilised by leading councils and authorities. It’s one that removes repetitive and low-value work and liberates engineers and others to do the higher-value tasks that keep communities’ infrastructure running smoothly.

“The analysis of the condition of the pipes can all be done by machine,” John Weaver, Contracts Manager at Interflow, said.

Instead of camera footage being analysed by humans, it is analysed by an AI engine that has been trained on tens of thousands of hours of similar footage.

“It categorises every individual issue found and provides an immediate, realtime report of the entire pipe network,” Mr Weaver said.

“A recommended capital works program, complete with anticipated costs, comes with the analysis. This means the council or water authority can work that program into their budget over the next four or five years.”

The transformative effect of AI is making condition assessment reports and asset maps faster, more objective and more consistent. Wherever such technology is introduced it removes often mundane and repetitive work and frees engineers and other staff to perform higher-value tasks.

In the current environment in which the war for talent has become very real, anything that can be done to make work more engaging and relevant is welcome.

AI in the water sector: We’re using AI to work safer, faster, better

CREATING AUSTRALIA’S

best tasting tap water

Every year WIOA’s IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water Competitions celebrate the work undertaken by water professionals who work hard behind the scenes for their communities to deliver high-quality drinking water across Australia. Earlier this year, the water produced at the Casino Water Treatment Plant was named Australia’s best tasting tap water.

It takes a little less than two hours for Casino’s Water Treatment Plant to turn the water from Casino’s Richmond River into Australia’s best tasting tap water.

Operated by a three-person team in the northern New South Wales town of 11,000 residents, the plant supplies between six to ten megalitres of water daily, which took out the IXOM Best Tasting Tap water competition title this year.

The process is not without challenges, and Richmond Valley Council Operations Coordinator Water and Sewer, Sandeep Chugh, said the process starts more than three kilometres away at the river.

“We are at the mercy of the catchment –it is considered high risk,” he said.

“It’s an uncontrolled water source; there can be blue-green algae issues, animal carcasses and other natural elements in the river, quite a lot of things to deal with.”

With many controlled town water sources measuring under 200 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), a measurement of suspended particles in the water, often the Richmond River would present levels of more than 1000 NTU.

“But this plant absolutely loves it,” Mr Chugh said.

“At the river, stainless steel mesh screens out many larger solids in the water before being pumped towards the treatment plant.

“We have the capacity at the raw water pump station to dose powder activated carbon for blue-green algae and taste and odour issues.

“We use potassium permanganate for manganese issues when they arise at the raw water pump station, and those two dosing points are separated by 500m.

“The water then passes to the head of works, where aluminium sulphate and polymer are added to bind the sediment together in the floc basins and then drops into sedimentation tanks before passing through the main filters.

“So, we have coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation – and then filtration.

“We like the sedimentation tanks to do all the hard work, removing the majority (of solids) there, giving an easy run for the filters.”

Appropriate levels of chlorine and fluoride are added after final filtration before travelling to three of four reservoirs, which supply the town.

At each point in the process, pumps feed a sample of the water to the laboratory, monitored by manual and automated analysis.

Each point in the process has a turbidity analyser which will trigger an alarm at a level of turbidity and a failsafe to shut the raw water pumps and treatment plant down, preventing poor water from being sent to the reservoir when the plant is unattended.

“There is also a lot of visual work done by looking at what is coming into the lab and the tanks,” Mr Chugh said. “And that comes back to experience and knowing what to look for.”

Mr Chugh said the plant’s design had changed little since commissioned in 1986 and, despite the challenges of its source water, had stood the test of time.

“There have been changes in the chemical dosing and the addition of variable speed drives to pumps,” he said.

“There has also been a big leap forward in SCADA and the level of automation at the plant, however, further work is being undertaken to bring the plant in line with the industry best practice.”

The process of creating the clean drinking-water source had constantly evolved, Mr Chugh said, pointing

to powder-activated carbon treatment introduced permanently in the past 12 months and working with enhanced coagulation to improve what was already a successful process.

“When we work with normal coagulation, it likes a pH range of six and a half to seven, so that’s what we’ll run at the head of works,” he said.

“When you go to enhanced coagulation, which is good for removing organic carbons, we’ll run a pH range of 5.5 to 6.

“We’re deliberating driving that pH down to remove those organic carbons with aluminium sulphate dosing.

AERIAL VIEW OF THE CASINO WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

“The benefit is you’re using a lot less chlorine, and it’s the chlorine and by-products which gives you an unpleasant taste around town.”

With recent floods further challenging the source water quality for the plant, Mr Chugh said they would use the experience to create new procedures for the future to ensure the town continued to receive the highquality of water from the tap.

Mr Chugh said while the water quality was a boon for the town, it was also an essential part of local industry.

“The Casino Food Co-op takes more than a third of the water we produce, and it must be top quality because as a meatworks it has health requirements to meet, and strict exporting demands,” he said.

Mr Chugh said he and the team were proud to have the best tasting tap water in Australia.

“To have the best drinking water in Australia, though? It’s pretty amazing. Considering the challenges we have, it is really amazing.”

Why use a DUCKBILL VALVE?

Check valves are used in all stormwater and wastewater systems. They allow the forward flow of fluids before closing to prevent backflow conditions. These valves come in a variety of diameters and designs including swing, ball, diaphragm and duckbill check valves. They are simply designed, passive devices that rely on flow velocity and pressure to open and close without any manual or automated assistance.

For hundreds of years, towns, cities, farmers, and homeowners have been concerned with stopping rising rivers, ocean tides and even rainwater from infiltrating their premises in the event of reverse flow.

Millions of dollars are spent every year attempting to prevent back flows; and even more money is spent in reclamation and clean up after major floods, levy failures and ocean headwall damage.

For many years the accepted valve was the traditional style flap gate, which was always problematic from rusted hinges, warped disks, jammed open gates; to even the complete gate being removed by theft. Hence, the duckbill check valve was invented, and the rest is history.

The duckbill check valve is a flexible sleeve shaped like a duck’s beak. It allows forward flow of water with positive head differential pressure which progressively opens the valve as flow increases. Duckbill check valves consistently provide the tightest seal for preventing backflow. The flexible elastomer material can compress tightly around trapped solids if necessary. Its ability to resist ocean waves, freezing temperatures and scorching heat makes the valve one of the most specified valves on the planet.

Duckbill valves offer a wide range of benefits over standard valves in water and wastewater operations. We take a closer look at the compelling reasons to take advantage of the benefits duckbill valves provide.

The duckbill valve can be designed and engineered to provide minimal back pressures for low lying areas to very high back pressures in hi tide or flooding conditions as well as hi back pressures related to water hammer or valve slam.

The Proco Style 711/731 ProFlex™ check valves are engineered for installation on pre-existing pipelines such as manholes, outfalls and vaults where the outfall invert of the pipe is close to the floor of the manhole or outfall. When a new installation is being designed, the 711/731 valves can be engineered into the pipe layout with little concern for outfall clearance due to its “low slope” design.

The new Style 711/731 check valves allow the valves to be installed without any costly and labour-intensive changes to the existing structure. The 711/731 is engineered to crack open at 1-2” of head pressure, and with its unique engineered sloping bottom, the valve ensures zero potential for standing water. With its all-elastomer design, the valve can be installed without concern of seizing or rusting which can cause premature failure and maintenance issues. An expected life for these valves is 35-50 years.

The ProFlex™ 711/731 valves are covered under US Patent No. 11,221,081 which ensures a protected valve for both Proco and our customers.

Fluid Control Sales & Installations is the Australian agent for Proco’s range of valves and other products. For more information head to www.fluidcontrol.com.au

DUCKBILL VALVES IN ACTION.

Ultra-quiet operation, with no water hammer

Negligible maintenance and energy costs

Unique design to prevent backflow

Available with special ID to suit concrete pipe

Represented Locally by:

MAKING WATER WORK IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

LAKE ARGYLE, ONE OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA’S CRITICAL ASSETS.

A new approach is needed to manage shared water resources in Northern Australia, to ameliorate the impacts of drought and flooding events and to provide opportunities and confidence to produce new agricultural products for high value markets.

Following a period of foundational research activity, including a series of sector based situational analyses, the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) has now consolidated its approach and is investing in a number of large-scale initiatives to underpin its role in developing the north.

One of these initiatives is progressing the Water Security for Northern Australia Program (WSNA) which presents an opportunity to jointly deliver a series of flagship research activities for the CRCNA across several game-changing research initiatives that will deliver long-term benefit for the region.

The Northern Australia University Alliance (NAUA) of Charles Darwin University, CQUniversity Australia and James Cook University have partnered with the CRCNA to undertake a research-focused approach to this challenge by building on recent collaborative regional research proposals.

The partnership acknowledges the full potential of Northern Australia and this co-investment is a vital

opportunity to demonstrate that economic growth and environmentally healthy and sustainable eco-systems can coexist in a water context.

The objective of the program of research activities is to de-risk the Northern Australian investment and development landscape by improving water sustainability across the region and providing a pathway for the future development of key sectors as well as improving the health and wellbeing of the north’s communities.

Initially the partnership will support the CRCNA to identify key research priorities and those opportunities that can be sensibly advanced within Northern Australia.

Identifying technologies and solutions for tropical savannas and remote arid areas are much less developed or nonexistent. Unfortunately, despite the massive investment in Australia and globally, the water management challenges peculiar to the north of Australia are still to be addressed.

Such challenges include: a general lack of water planning, remote and disparate small communities, a lack of skilled

labour, harsh environments, broad stakeholder diversity and cultures, limited models and capacity for extension and adoption, distance from high-value markets, emerging and poorly understood water-borne diseases, and exploring potential improvements in farming management practices to increase productivity potentials, demonstrate environmental sustainability and maintain social license.

Through the partnership and subsequent research initiatives based on de-risking investment, activating the indigenous estate and commodity integration, the CRCNA is looking to identify feasible innovative solutions to address several key themes emerging from the activity to date.

As an example, CRCNA is investigating the research theme ‘Platforms for water trading in Northern Australia’ by funding the current project ‘Scaling Next Generation Water Markets in Northern Australia’, which is exploring the interconnectedness between water market design and institutional governance goals to address water security and social equity issues relating to water access.

Additional identified research themes include:

• Innovation in Water Storage and Extraction – finding solutions in off-stream capture and storage, potential for ground water system use, under-ground storage and recharge and reducing storage water losses

• New Water Efficient Cropping Systems – developing high value, integrated production systems, development and enhanced supply chains and value adding opportunities and establishment of effective water and ecosystem service markets

• New Catchment Scale Development Models – undertaking new water allocation and water development planning, exploring low impact catchment development models and meeting and exceeding reef regulation in new development

• Mobilising Indigenous Water Resources – supporting traditional owners through good practice approaches to identifying cultural values and Indigenous allocations in water plans, with a focus on securing safe and reliable water supplies for Indigenous and rural communities

• Lifting Human Capacity and Skills in Water Sector – developing new approaches and partnerships to lift human capacities and skills to help deliver water security in Northern Australia

Ultimately the CRCNA, through this Alliance, will fund research to develop innovative new tools, processes and systems which address key industry and end-user identified development of northern water resource challenges.

All project synthesis through the partnership will be placebased to ensure practicality is realised and incorporated into research outputs to provide true value to multiple end users, but also incorporate integration at a whole of Northern Australia level perspective.

Future activity will be focused on enhancing and improving water security across Northern Australia. Ensuring the north has the regionally appropriate and forward-facing policy frameworks, technologies, skilled workers, shared management culture and knowledge needed to sustainably expand utilisation of its water resources. There is also a focus on mitigating the impacts of weather events and drought and providing opportunities to grow high-value agricultural products for existing and emerging markets.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) is investing $75 million of Commonwealth funds over ten years to support industry-led research collaborations and de-risk the Northern Australian landscape. Our research is focused on developing new technologies, products and services which address industry challenges and support economic growth in the areas of agriculture, health service delivery and Traditional Owner-led business development. The CRCNA is funded as part of the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centre Program (CRC-P).

ANTHONY CURRO, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER AT THE CRCNA.

HELPING WATER COMPANIES PREVENT WASTEWATER SPILLS

Innovative technologies help water companies prevent wastewater spills and reduce pollution as improved network visibility provides better monitoring of wastewater levels.

Wastewater spills are a major contributor to the contamination of freshwater and marine ecosystems. Spills into the sea impact bathing water quality, posing serious health risks and damage to marine ecosystems.

Utilities often have poor network visibility, as expensive remote monitoring equipment only covers crucial points, with responses to wastewater spills typically being reactionary.

Blockages and collapsed sewers often go undetected, with control rooms inundated with high level alarms during wet weather events due to the impact of rainfall on wastewater network levels.

This results in environmental and reputational damage for utilities, increased expenditure to clean up spill damage, and fines issued by regulatory bodies.

A growing population, industrial demands on the water network, and a changing regulatory landscape mean utilities are under increasing pressure to control spillages and unplanned escapes to prevent pollution.

When combining IoT technologies with smart machinelearning data analytics, it becomes possible to predict future spill incidents as these platforms identify patterns and the capability of a pipeline to deal with an influx of rain.

Metasphere works with utilities, providing high-tech IoT solutions to intelligently manage their wastewater networks by combining wastewater level data with historic, current, and forecast rainfall data.

An industry-wide goal, supported by technological innovation, is therefore to reduce spillages to zero.

A PRE-EMPTIVE APPROACH

Poor network visibility can be significantly improved by the mass deployment of Internet of Things (IoT), low-power technologies to monitor wastewater levels in real-time, improve network performance and forecasting to help prevent wastewater spills to reduce pollution.

ABOUT METASPHERE

With the addition of machine-learning, utilities can now forecast up to 30 hours ahead to understand how a particular network will behave, whilst intelligent alarms allow control rooms to react to the most important spills.

Early warnings of future spills are possible by identifying partial blockages, meaning blockages can be proactively cleared to prevent wastewater spills before they happen.

ZERO POLLUTION

Eliminating wastewater spills prevents utilities from being fined for incidents that cause environmental and reputational damage.

Technology gives utilities visibility of their network performance, helps them prevent spills and reduce pollution by being able to respond more quickly.

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ATHENS UPGRADES ITS PRESSURE MANAGEMENT WITH REGULATING VALVES

In the region around the Greek capital Athens, pressure regulating valves (PRV) are essential for the reliable operation of its water network.

One reason for this is the nature of its geography, as there are a lot of elevation changes. There are also seasonal fluctuations in the water usage, as demand rises rapidly during the summer months. As a result, there are around 700 active PRVs in the city of Athens that ensure a reliable water supply to 5.5 million people.

However, the complex pressure demands require the PRVs in Athens to be durable, smart and flexible –qualities that not all of the existing valves have been able to offer. In 2021, the Athens Municipal Water Authority therefore decided to proceed with a pilot project in its water network with cutting-edge NeoFlow PRVs developed by GF Piping Systems.

In order to measure the potential benefits of NeoFlow, the decision was made to launch the pilot project on Salamis, an island off the coast of Piraeus.

Vangelis Balokas, Technical Director at Olympios SA, one of the suppliers of the project, said, “We chose this

location because it’s a perfect example of the water challenges in this region.

“A very large section of Salamis is mainly a summer destination, so the demand for water is very high during the tourist season but very low during winter.”

After a number of successful tests were conducted at Olympios headquarters, it was time for a NeoFlow PRV to be installed on the island in September 2021.

STABLE FLOW AND INCREASED FLOW CAPACITY

Before the new valve could be fitted, the existing model, which was struggling to meet expectations, had to be removed – a task that required three people to complete. The NeoFlow PRV, on the other hand, could be handled and installed by a single person due to its lightweight and compact construction. In total, the replacement took about one hour.

“After the installation the results were fantastic. The downstream pressure was much more stable

compared to the previous PRV,” Mr Balokas said.

“Crucially for us, this was also the case at very low flow rates of around three to four litres per second.”

The NeoFlow PRV is designed to help utilities achieve accurate and stable flow as well as an increased flow capacity. Its axial flow construction, which only features three components made from corrosion-free polymers, is designed to be as simple and compact as possible.

For utilities, this means reliability, an extended operational lifetime, and reduced maintenance requirements. Moreover, NeoFlow allows utilities to easily digitise their water networks by installing attachments such as flowmeters directly onto the body.

Mr Balokas said these are features that set NeoFlow apart.

“It is a revolutionary product in comparison with other PRVs. Especially in very low flow situations, it sustains pressure much better. We hope to install many more NeoFlow valves in the future.”

USING DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES TO GIVE CUSTOMERS CONTROL

Distributed energy resources are continuing to play a critical role in the transition of the energy system in Australia, and they are only going to become more prevalent in the future. A new program from Endeavour Energy is exploring the impact of distributed energy resources on the grid, and helping customers understand how they can take

advantage of the benefits they provide.

The rapid growth of cities is a powerful driver of sustainable and innovative solutions.

Endeavour Energy, which powers more than 2.6 million homes and businesses, sits in the heart of Sydney’s burgeoning epicentre, Western Sydney. It’s a region that’s expected to increase by more than one million people over the next few decades and is already the third biggest economy in Australia.

This presents an opportunity for Endeavour Energy to accelerate a transition to a modern grid and deliver a suite of solutions to make energy more efficient for customers while harnessing the rapid uptake of renewables.

As we work towards net zero, by 2030, we expect around 40 per cent of Endeavour Energy customers will have solar panels and around 20 per cent will have an electric vehicle.

Yet without an appropriate demand management system, these Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) can put strain on supply and complicate future network planning.

ENDEAVOUR ENERGY’S POWERSAVERS PROGRAM IS GIVING CUSTOMERS THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR ENERGY USAGE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS OF A MODERN, SMART GRID.

DEMAND MANAGEMENT

A KEY ELEMENT OF THE PROGRAM IS SMART AIR CONDITIONERS, WHERE THE UNITS ARE REMOTELY CONTROLLED THROUGH A SENSIBO SMART THERMOSTAT DEVICE.

For this reason, Endeavour Energy, in partnership with Schneider Electric, recently re-launched its PowerSavers program. Building on the success of the 18-month pilot program, launched in 2020, the new PowerSavers initiative will involve customers trialling new technologies and eligible devices will be managed across a centralised digital platform to reduce energy usage.

According to Leanne Pickering, Endeavour Energy’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, managing enrolled devices will help increase the reliability of the electricity network, while driving sustainable outcomes and ultimately lowering power bills for customers.

She said the more devices customers connect to PowerSavers, the more they can save.

“PowerSavers will help reduce outages when demand is high, for example on a hot summer’s day, as it will allow us to create a steady supply of electricity when our customers need it the most,” she said.

“We want to empower customers to have a say in how they use and control energy from their smart household devices and reward them for it.”

Along with Schneider Electric, Endeavour Energy is also partnering with AutoGrid, Clipsal Solar, JET Charge, Sensibo, Solahart and SolarEdge to enable management of the DERs within the platform.

Schneider Electric’s Pacific Zone President, Gareth O’Reilly, welcomed the program.

“Schneider Electric is delighted to support the PowerSavers program, together with our partners AutoGrid and Clipsal Solar. Endeavour Energy’s customer engagement on its grid transformation journey is key to creating flexibility, accelerating decarbonisation, and increasing renewables to lower energy costs,” he said.

HOW IT WORKS

This innovative program will manage energy consumption during certain peak times of the year for smart split air conditioning systems, hot water systems, residential batteries, solar arrays, and electric vehicles.

Once customers are enrolled and their devices connected to the program, Endeavour Energy can initiate Demand Response (DR) Events through the AutoGrid FlexTM platform from Schneider Electric. The platform notifies customers and sends dispatch signals to systems like Clipsal Solar which remotely controls the smart devices during the Events, sending data to the platform, reporting status, compliance, and performance of each device.

Through controlling many types of DERs, Endeavour Energy not only increases the total amount of flexibility available, but can actively manage both peak and minimum demand.

The platform also unlocks the ability for Endeavour Energy to create opportunities and potentially access all the DERs connected to the network in the future through a single access point.

The largest use case of the project is direct load control for smart air conditioners where the units are remotely controlled through a Sensibo smart thermostat device installed alongside a customer’s air conditioning unit. Having a core platform for control and working with companies like Sensibo, is the most effective way to enrol large numbers of DERs into utility programs.

A WIN FOR CUSTOMERS

As a demand management program, customers are incentivised to enrol in one of five PowerSavers customer plans. Incentives include a free smart thermostat, electric vehicle charger and Home Energy Management System (including installation of devices) worth a total of up to $5000 for eligible customers.

The more devices connected to the program, the more customers could potentially save and earn in rewards.

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A major part of the program is giving customers access to information through the AutoGrid EngageTM portal, which notifies them of events, and tracks their participation.

Customers will be rewarded with points for each event they participate in. This gamified system will then be used to reward customers at the end of the program and encourage participation.

In future programs, new tariff structures may be tested that reward customers for using energy when there is excessive solar generation being exported to the grid or for shifting their usage to outside of peak demand times.

Ms Pickering said the PowerSavers program is a win for the customer, the network and the environment.

“It’s important that we take our customers on the journey with us to effectively transition to a modern electricity network and reward them for helping us build a more resilient and renewable power supply now and into the future,” she said.

For more information on PowerSavers visit endeavourenergy.com.au/powersavers

CUSTOMERS HAVE A CHOICE FROM FIVE UNIQUE POWERSAVERS PROGRAMS.

Supporting the energy industry IN THE RENEWABLES TRANSITION

As renewable penetration continues to grow in Australia, the need to maintain power system strength has become increasingly important. A recent study undertaken by Powerlink Queensland focused on increasing awareness of system strength, as well as the measures that can be used to manage it, including centralised and coordinated solutions.

System strength is a complex and evolving issue in the National Electricity Market (NEM). While it initially correlated with the fault level (or strength) required to ensure generators and other devices can operate stably and withstand power system disturbances such as lightning, the advent of renewable energy, and the changing availability of conventional synchronous generation fleet, such as coalfired and gas-fired power stations, has impacted available system strength and our understanding of the issue.

Renewable energy, such as that generated from wind and solar farms, connects to the grid through inverters. Inverters convert direct current (DC) electricity produced by solar, wind and battery plants into the 50Hz alternating current (AC) used by the Australian power grid. The most prevalent inverters (grid following inverters) have limited ability to contribute to system strength or fault level. In addition, they require sufficient system strength to operate stably, in order to perform in a way that does not impact other grid devices or electricity end-users. Therefore, reduced levels of system strength could have wide ranging grid impacts on electricity supply if no preventive action is taken.

System strength issues have already been observed across the NEM including Queensland. These have been managed through pre-emptive constraints on Inverter Based Resources (IBR) generation output, as well as ensuring sufficient minimum synchronous generators are online at all times. Continued pre-emptive renewable IBR limitation for system strength mitigation is detrimental to their operation and financial viability. More robust longer term system strength solutions are therefore required.

Powerlink, with its project partners Pacific Hydro, Sun Metals and GHD, applied for and obtained funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to develop materials to help promote a better understanding of system strength throughout the power industry.

The project aimed to increase awareness of system strength and investigate possible system strength solutions including:

• Centralised synchronous condensers

• Grid forming battery technology

SYSTEM STRENGTH ISSUES AND MITIGATION MEASURES

In the absence of sufficient system strength support, grid following inverter (GFLI) connected renewables can exhibit instability such as un-damped voltage oscillations. Following a grid disturbance, a GFLI voltage may oscillate and continue to oscillate over time. Powerlink investigated this as part of the ARENA project (see Figure 1).

The effect of these oscillations on the grid without mitigation may be:

• Inverter instability (oscillations) may cause sudden loss of renewable generation output, or cascade to other plant (including generators) which may not be able to withstand the oscillations affecting electricity supply

• Causing other grid devices (such as renewable or synchronous generation) to oscillate, and potentially damage plant and other devices

CENTRALISED SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER SOLUTION

Synchronous condensers operate similarly to synchronous generators by inherently providing system strength, but without generating energy. New renewable IBR generators have also included synchronous condensers within their design to mitigate system strength issues caused by their plant (decentralised solution). However, strategically

placed centralised synchronous condensers could be useful and Powerlink investigated this mitigation option for low system strength issues with IBRs connections, such as voltage oscillations. This included support for individual IBR generation as well as multiple IBRs connected in an area.

Based on detailed modelling of the network, synchronous condensers and IBRs, Powerlink found the centralised solution can effectively mitigate system strength issues either for individual or multiple IBRs. This is shown in Figure 2.

The study found the overall size of a centralised synchronous condenser solution is less when compared to a decentralised approach, and may be more cost effective.

A centralised synchronous condenser however is not without its challenges:

• If the network between the synchronous condenser and IBRs is out of service (e.g. network outage), renewable IBRs relying on the synchronous condenser would be affected and reduction of their generation output may be required. Special protection schemes could be implemented to manage these conditions and maximise renewable generator output.

• The network itself may limit synchronous condenser size and how much support it can provide IBR generation.

• Synchronous condenser inertia is also important for stability, even if the condenser is implemented solely to support IBR connections.

GRID FORMING BATTERIES

A key challenge of GFLIs is remaining in sync with the grid’s normal frequency (50Hz) as GFLIs use the grid voltage to generate a reference for its control logic. In reality the grid frequency varies due to instantaneous mismatches between power system demand and supply. This can be challenging during grid disturbances where the voltage is significantly distorted especially under low system strength conditions.

A different inverter technology, grid forming inverters (GFMI), are emerging as a potential solution to low system strength related instability. GFMIs, originally used for off-grid applications, create their own internal reference and continually adjust this based on its power output.

During stable operation with no disturbances, GFMI behaviour is similar to GFLI. However, during a grid

FIGURE 1. UN-DAMPED VOLTAGE OSCILLATION WITH INADEQUATE SYSTEM STRENGTH.

FIGURE 2. IBR GENERATION VOLTAGE RESPONSES COMPARISON AT LOCATIONS WITHOUT (LEFT) AND WITH (RIGHT) A SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER CONNECTED.

THOUGHTFUL DEPLOYMENT OF GRID FORMING BATTERIES ALONGSIDE OTHER TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES WILL BE CRITICAL TO MANAGE THE TRANSITION TO RENEWABLES.

disturbance, the sudden voltage angle change will result in the GFMI instantaneously changing its power flow. In contrast a GFLI power output would only change once it has detected the disturbance (voltage change) and calculated an appropriate response. The instantaneous GFMI response to disturbances more closely matches a synchronous generator, and therefore a GFMI can provide many of the same system benefits.

However, the sudden surge of additional power during a disturbance has implications on physical GFMI design. The GFMI needs to be oversized, often to 130-200 per cent of its nominal rating. Secondly, the GFMI would need stored energy, which is why GFMI technology is currently applicable with batteries. GFMI applications for solar or wind are theoretically possible, but would require embedded stored energy behind the inverters.

For these reasons, Powerlink investigated battery energy storage systems (BESS) with GFMI technology (grid forming battery) for system strength mitigation.

Assessment initially studied a grid forming battery similarly rated to the centralised synchronous condenser approach. Given grid forming batteries are flexible and their control logic can be tuned, an effective system strength remediation was found, even where the battery’s continuous rating was halved. It should be noted that the synchronous condenser size was not optimised in this study.

Additionally, the analysis identified that a well-coordinated response between the battery and other local IBR generation is critical. If not coordinated the system could become unstable, as shown in Figure 3 below.

FIGURE 3. COMPARISON OF COORDINATED (TOP) AND UNCOORDINATED (BOTTOM) GRID FORMING BATTERY RESPONSE WITH LOCAL RENEWABLE IBR GENERATION.

Powerlink’s analysis of grid forming batteries demonstrated:

• Purposeful GFMI control tuning and coordination with other renewable IBR can maximise its benefits and minimise potential for negative consequences.

• Grid forming batteries could provide other support services for the network and renewable generation operation. However this depends on appropriate battery location, capacity, technology, contractual arrangements and grid integration.

• A grid forming battery’s rating requires sufficient oversizing to give satisfactory stable performance for the situation studied. However, oversizing has cost implications.

• In Powerlink’s study a high inertia battery system was also needed to assist with stability. In reality a high inertia grid forming battery requires a relatively large energy buffer to prevent excessive DC voltage variation.

• Early engagement with Network Service Providers (NSP) and detailed analysis of different grid issues and conditions would assist in realising the above benefits.

Thoughtful deployment of grid forming batteries alongside other technologies and techniques will be critical to manage the transition to renewables. Given the positive findings of Powerlink’s studies, the logical next step is to install a GFMI battery in a weak NEM area, and validate the results through field trials.

Further information about this project undertake by Powerlink can be found at https://arena.gov.au/projects/powerlink-cost-effective-system-strength-study

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A TRUSTED PARTNER FOR A MAJOR AUSTRALIAN INFRASTRUCTURE ELECTRICITY PROJECT

The Transgrid Victoria-NSW Interconnector (VNI) upgrade project will help lower the cost of wholesale electricity across the National Electricity Market and enable better power flows between Victoria and NSW by unlocking 190 megawatts of additional energy, enough for 30,000 homes. Transgrid will do this, without the need to build additional transmission line infrastructure, by installing clever technology at their substations at Stockdill in the ACT and at Yass in NSW.

For the construction phase of the VNI project, Transgrid contracted Zinfra, a leading national engineering, construction and maintenance service provider. A well-established and trusted partner to industry, Zinfra is using its expertise and a committed team for the installation of innovative SmartValves technology from Smart Wires at the substations.

FIRST LARGE SCALE INSTALLATION OF SMARTVALVE TECHNOLOGY IN AUSTRALIA

The SmartValve technology pulls energy off of congested lines and pushes it onto lines with spare capacity. It will stabilise the grid, reduce congestion and will also enable power from renewable resources to flow from where it’s generated to where it’s most needed.

Zinfra has successfully installed nine SmartValve technology units at the Stockdill substation and is currently preparing for a further six units to be installed at Yass. Each unit weighs in at just over eight tonnes and sits on six-metre-high support structures.

A corona cage, a steel cage which wraps around each unit, was erected, topping the installation out at almost ten metres.

Once the SmartValve technology units are commissioned, they will be the first installed in Australia of this model at this voltage.

FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO CHALLENGES

Zinfra’s internal electrical crew successfully delivered the installation at Stockdill safely while managing challenges including restricted daily outages and dealing with new equipment. The experienced and committed Zinfra team continued to deliver, despite the challenges of a COVID-19 lockdown between NSW and the ACT, which saw the crew spend between three to five months on site.

“Transgrid and Zinfra worked together, despite the many challenges, to support our crew, who went above

and beyond for project delivery at Stockdill,” Zinfra Lead Project Engineer, Victor Sayaxang, said.

“Despite the challenges, the Stockdill project was completed before schedule and informs our work at Yass. This has enhanced Zinfra’s reputation as a delivery partner that can be relied upon to deliver non-standard, complex solutions in challenging circumstances.”

MAKING SAFETY THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY

Zinfra continues to ensure that safety remains the number one priority as works continue on the installation of SmartValves technology at the Yass substation.

“Zinfra has competent resources on the project that provides safety and operational support,” Mr Sayaxang said.

Zinfra and Transgrid worked rigorously together to ensure that the best health and safety systems are in place, with regular communications between the Zinfra team and the workers on site to ensure compliance. HSE inspections were conducted daily, with findings communicated to the crews and learning outcomes put into action.

“Our approach is that everyone takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. That’s a big part of the positive safety culture that we've instilled on this project and other projects that we've been working on, whereby everyones’ safety is our individual responsibility,” he added.

POWER QUALITY THAT DELIVERS COST SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCY GAINS

Looking to reduce electricity bills or improve productivity and performance? Delta’s Static Var generator (SVG) or Active Power Filtering (APF) solutions from NHP are a smart investment choice as they deliver reliable and adaptable modern technology to improve power factor and mitigate harmonics.

Delta’s Power Quality products:

• Correct poor power factor and network imbalance

• Deliver harmonic mitigation up to the 50th harmonic (active harmonic filters)

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• Utilise both APF and SVG technologies together in an all-in-one Total Power Factor Correction system

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SIMPLOT’S SONG SAVED FROM HARMONIC DISTORTION

Simplot Australia is a food manufacturer and agricultural business, home to brands including John West, Birds Eye and Leggo’s. Simplot was having problems with its capacitorbased power factor correction (PFC) unit at its Bathurst manufacturing facility and engaged NHP to repair its existing system, with the intention of replacing the capacitors.

NHP offered to visit the site first to investigate and be certain that new capacitors would be all that was required. Upon inspection, the local NHP Service team uncovered a broader problem with the general power quality on site.

“Once we got on site and looked at it closely, we discovered harmonic distortion was severely impacting power quality on the site,” NHP Technology Specialist, Shane Townsend, said.

The data gathered on site indicated that the best solution was an active harmonic filter. The NHP team then provided Simplot with data that explained why this was the best option available to them.

While it would be a more expensive solution than simply replacing the capacitors in the existing system, the harmonic distortion on site was so severe that it would continue to cause power

quality devices to stop working, so purchasing and installing new equipment for the existing PFC unit would be a waste of time and money.

Aside from being able to supply Simplot with quality products to solve its power quality problems, NHP’s endto-end service, including an initial site investigation, power quality study, installation, commissioning and assembly, allowed the customer to save money on equipment that would not have worked, and efficiently ensured a thorough future-proof improvement to its power quality.

If you’re new to the world of Power Quality, you can find selection guides, technical news and calculation tools for NHP’s dynamic power quality solutions at https://www.nhp. com.au/Industries-and-Solutions/Solutions/Dynamic-PowerQuality-Solutions

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TRANSMISSION’S IMPORTANCE TO ENERGY TRANSFORMATION

– a Victorian perspective

by Christopher Allan, Journalist, Utility magazine

In her presentation at the 2022 Critical Infrastructure Summit, Head of Development Policy and Government Relations at AusNet Services, Katie Yates, used Victoria as a model to show how a successful energy transformation is contingent on delivering transmission networks that can support a new wave of renewable generators and assets.

As part of AusNet Services’ Development and Future Networks business, Ms Yates provides policy and government relations expertise across electricity transmission and distribution networks, gas networks, and broader sector issues.

She is currently engaged in infrastructure projects at the forefront of Australia’s energy future including Victoria’s Western Victoria Transmission Network Project and major policy reviews including the Victorian Government’s Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Development Plan and Offshore Wind Policy, as well as the New South Wales Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and the Australian Energy Market Commission’s Transmission Planning and Investment Review.

VICTORIA’S ENERGY NETWORKS: THE STORY SO FAR

AusNet Services (AusNet) operates at the frontline of energy networks in Victoria, owning and operating diversified energy infrastructure with three core networks in Victoria – an electricity distribution network, a gas distribution network, and the state-wide electricity transmission network.

“The transmission network covers the whole of Victoria, and this mixed portfolio of network assets provides us a unique perspective on some of the challenges facing the energy industry as we transition to renewables and low emissions technology,” Ms Yates said.

“Australia’s energy sector is in a period of fairly rapid transition, moving from a system based predominantly on a small number of very large generators –traditionally fossil fuels like coal and gas – to one that comprises a diverse range of renewable generation, storage and distributed services.”

National challenges for transitioning energy networks are well-reflected in Victoria, where the existing transmission grid was largely designed around transporting electricity from a cluster of coal fired generators in the Latrobe Valley to the major load centre of Melbourne.

The Clean Energy Council's Clean Energy Australia Report 2022, released on 1 April, found that 33 per cent of electricity generation in Victoria is now coming from renewables and rising. Ms Yates said that Victoria’s transmission network must adapt to the shift towards “a geographically dispersed set of generators”, including wind, solar and big batteries.

She also pointed to the early retirement of coal plants as a critical factor shaping the kind of transmission infrastructure required in Victoria.

“AEMO’s latest forecast shows that they believe a combination of market, financial and operating forces will see around two thirds of all black coal, and all of Victoria’s brown coal, exit the National Electricity Market (NEM) by 2032.

“That’s a big, big change that’s underway, and a key factor shaping the future energy and grid needs in Victoria and across the NEM,” Ms Yates said.

THE CRITICAL ROLE OF TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE

Australia’s transmission network, which uses high voltage transmission to transfer power from where it is generated towards the load centres of our major cities, is often undervalued as critical infrastructure.

“Australia has one of the world’s longest interconnected power systems,” Ms Yates said.

“According to AEMO, it comprises approximately 40,000km of transmission lines and cables, supplying more than 10 million customers across the country across the eastern seaboard.”

Ms Yates explained the important role of transmission in balancing network load as well as managing supply and demand across eastern Australia.

Australia’s energy transformation will likely see new patterns of energy transport across state lines in response to renewable generation events, such as when strong wind generation in South Australia could support demand in Victoria.

In Victoria, transmission infrastructure is best described as at capacity. Ms Yates said that existing generators are increasingly being constrained, new generators seeking connection are running into technical difficulties, and no major new wind and solar projects have reached financial close in Victoria in the last two years.

Perhaps the most compelling part of Ms Yates’ presentation related to the time and work that these projects require when compared to building another battery or solar farm.

While the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) –responsible for transmission planning for Victoria – estimates that there is 4.7GW of spare transmission capacity across the state, Ms Yates suggested that a practical figure could be much lower.

“AusNet believes if you start looking at land availability near where that transmission infrastructure is located, the actual available capacity that could conceivably be connected is probably more like 2GW of new renewables that could be added to the existing transmission network,” Ms Yates said.

NO BETTER TIME TO INVEST

The alarming lack of renewable hosting capacity in Victoria highlights how national transmission networks will need substantial investment over the next decade, to adapt to major industry changes like the looming retirement of coal-fired generators and the electrification of the transport sector.

Indeed, Ms Yates stressed that without adequate transmission infrastructure investment for Victoria, the State’s energy supplies could rely heavily on interstate imports, with implications for both energy affordability and the resilience of Victoria’s energy supply.

“If we don’t have that spare capacity in Victoria, the other thing that we start to see is that developers will look elsewhere,” Ms Yates said.

“We’re seeing a lot of pressure on global supply chains in the energy sector at the moment.

“If you’re a developer looking to build a wind or solar farm, or a new battery, you’re going to be thinking about how difficult it is to get your energy to market once it’s built.”

“I've talked about transmission's critical role in meeting Victoria's and Australia's electricity decarbonisation goals – but there is also really a narrow margin for error that we’ve got in terms of planning, building and delivering transmission,” Ms Yates said.

“Transmission infrastructure projects have much longer lead times to plan and build when compared to most of the new types of generation that are coming online.

“It can take around eight years from the planning stage through to delivery for a major transmission project.”

If major transmission builds can take up to eight years to unlock new hosting capacity for Victoria and other states, this leaves little room for hesitation when it comes to funding and delivering transmission infrastructure that can cover the retirement of major coal-fired generators by 2032.

LO OKING FORWARD

Thankfully, Ms Yates shared an optimistic perspective from AusNet’s latest work on projects at the forefront of transmission in Victoria.

“AusNet is leading key Victorian infrastructure projects, including the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project, which will unlock 900MW of renewable electricity – enough to power around 500,000 homes – and create hundreds of jobs in the process of delivery.

“We’re working with the Victorian Government on their Stage One Renewable Energy Zone Development Plan, and we are in the process of doing our own analysis around what we think a sensible plan is for Victoria’s transmission network.

“This plan will consider a combination of land use and granular planning to develop what we see as a socially responsible plan for Victoria’s transmission projects.

“This will enable us to support an orderly transformation from coal to renewables, and maintain energy security, reliability, and affordability for Victorians.”

Australia’s transmission infrastructure will need to continue to respond to the challenges of the energy transformation, particularly the retirement of coal-fired generators over the next ten years.

The value that a robust transmission network offers in terms of securing both affordable and resilient energy supply cannot be overstated.

KATIE YATES

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About Daly’s

DALY’S CONSTRUCTIONS AUSTRALIA ARE A FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED ENTERPRISE ESTABLISHED IN 1971.

We provide specialist design, civil works, cable installation, jointing and terminating services to the energy infrastructure industry across Australia and New Zealand, specialising in major sub-transmission and transmission design and construct underground projects.

Our company has a strong value system based on principles that include commitment to safety, quality of service, integrity in our relationships and client satisfaction.

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V OL TAGE UNDERGROUND RETICUL ATION

CONNECT, PROTECT AND OPTIMISE YOUR FLEET

The ability to evolve and respond to maturing business needs sets Nova Systems apart. Its Global Alerting Platform for fleet maximises efficiency and minimises costs for business, while keeping people and vehicles safe and secure. The solution has been designed to adapt as needs evolve, protecting against becoming outdated or obsolete.

Global Alerting Platform (GAP) for fleet equips clients with tools for emergency alerting, message routing, location tracking, scheduled reporting, dashboard analytics and much more. GAP from Nova Systems is both device and communications system agnostic. This enables partnerships with some of the world's best dedicated devices and complimentary service providers to create market-ready solutions that can be adapted over time as products and client needs evolve.

CUSTOMER SOLUTION FOCUSED

“Nova Systems is not focused on selling us a product in a box,” Andrew Gianarakis, SA Power Networks (SAPN) Head of Fleet and Property, said. “Throughout our relationship they have been problem solvers, seeking to understand our needs and deliver outcomes that add value to our organisation. This is why we value our long-term relationship, and SA Power Networks continues to integrate new Nova Systems solutions and capability.”

Nova Systems is serious about delivering a customer focused solution for every client – from large to small fleets.

“The Global Alerting Platform is designed to be configurable. Our focus is on our clients, and we work with them to discuss their needs and we build around that,” said Paul Weiss, Nova Systems Director Business Development and Alliances. “We offer a unique business solution because we have built the Global Alerting Platform from the ground up to readily connect new devices and communications

systems, with customisable applications and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that allow us to integrate with their existing enterprise systems.”

EVOLVING WITH THE SAPN FLEET

SA Power Networks is South Australia’s sole electricity distributor. The company employs more than 2,000 people and operates a distribution network that stretches across South Australia, comprising more than 88,000km of powerlines and hundreds of substations to about a million residential and business customers.

Nova Systems (previously known as two10degrees) has maintained a long-term partnership with SAPN for nine years, supplying In Vehicle Management System (IVMS) capability.

The relationship was founded on Nova Systems’ ability to craft and deliver flexible driver identification solutions that were not otherwise available in the market and to provide detailed real time telematics, cost effectively over satellite for remote vehicles.

Over time, as the size and complexity of the implementation has grown, Nova Systems has provided a range of vehicle hardware and configurations, running across a variety of satellite and cellular carriage services, as suited the data requirements and operating footprint of the various fleet elements. Regardless of the evolving hardware or carriage services, the Global Alerting Platform has provided both a common user interface, reporting and dashboarding, as well as preserving integrations to SAPN ERP and export of location and status-related data to enterprise field service management solutions.

NOVA SYSTEMS HAS WORKED WITH SAPN FOR NINE YEARS, SUPPLYING IN VEHICLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CAPABILITY.

The deployed solution includes:

• Real-time location information for over 1,200 vehicles and trailers using both satellite and cellular networks for full state coverage

• Real-time duress notification from any location and a range of devices responding to specific needs, including UHF pendants remote from vehicles, sim-enabled belt worn pendants for warehousing and smartphone based lone worker APP for non-vehicle related field work

• Accident reporting with secondby-second data reconstruction

• Geo-fencing of high-risk zones, such as areas impacted by fire, flood or extreme weather, alerting the business to teams approaching danger zones, including importing information from emergency services

• Both push (scheduled) and pull reporting of all IVMS performance criteria

• Dashboarding of fleet data, with supporting visualisation of key metrics such as total fleet kms per unit time

• ATO class approved solutions for Fringe Benefits Tax reporting and Fuel Tax Credit determinations

• System and data integration with existing ERP and other systems, including availability of single sign-on authentication

We see things differently.

DOES YOUR WATER DATA FLOW LIKE YOUR H2O?

From smart watches to smart phones, we’ve grown accustomed to smart devices and the amazing ways that the data from these devices can be used to improve our lives. Many councils and water utilities now are embracing ‘smart water’ to monitor the end-to-end water ecosystem and use data to drive important improvements, from sustainability to better customer experience, improved network efficiency and more robust revenues.

In the same way that water flows through the water network, so too does data flow in the Smart Water Ecosystem. Remote sensors and business applications provide actionable analytics, better decision making, and drive operational processes.

This is particularly true as we move towards ‘digital utilities’ with multiple existing systems already in place such as SCADA, billing and CRM. These utilities often demand to integrate smart water data into their existing workflows and business processes.

For example, a smart water meter detects a leak and automatically triggers an SMS to inform the owner they have a leak at their premises. A sewer sensor detects a high level and sets off an alarm to indicate a potential overflow. Or a pressure sensor indicates a high pressure point in the network that requires preventative maintenance and triggers a work-order to investigate. This is the future of the Digital Utility.

SMART WATER ECOSYSTEM

Taggle is the leading provider of smart metering in Australia with over 270,000 end points operational today, and more than ten years of experience delivering devices, networks and the software solutions tailored to Australia’s unique conditions.

David Peters recently joined as CEO after 18 months on the board of Taggle and has a vision for the company to continue to innovate and develop the capabilities of what smart technology can do for the water industry to improve water management.

“Taggle has built an enviable leadership position in the Australian market, and moving forward we are opening up our ‘Smart Water Ecosystem’ with a view to end-to-end integration of the data from many devices and networks to provide a single integrated IoT water platform for the Digital Water Utility. We will also grow the APIs and integrations into the important business applications,” Mr Peters said.

Taggle’s solution is called Aqualus, and the IoT architecture diagram below highlights all the different data sources, communication protocols and business applications that data from smart water meters and remote sensors can flow through.

This open, interoperable and agnostic approach is key for Taggle customers to get the most out of the valuable data where it is needed.

“Whilst Taggle has solutions at every step of this value chain, we also have clients today on our Aqualus platform who use third party devices or networks to collect the data. Its all about delivering the right data, at the right time, to the right applications,” Mr Peters said.

WE DON’T JUST NEED RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RESILIENCE

by Patrick Hastings, Chief Delivery Officer, Infrastructure Sustainability Council

It seems astonishing that two years after we were shocked by the unprecedented awe and impact of the Black Summer fires, we stand again humbled by the power of mother nature, this time due to the ongoing tragic flooding events in South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

As someone who has spent most of their life living in Queensland and was in Brisbane for the 2011 floods, it is hard to describe just how much water fell from the sky that fateful week in February. The experience was nothing short of sobering. The most brilliant of engineering was no match, as watercourses and flood plains came to life, transformed into roaring and raging torrents, taking everything in its path.

The impacts of course, are apparent, on people, communities, government and businesses, from the initial emergency response through to recovery and rebuild. A month later, the costs are still being added up and communities, households and businesses are a long way from resuming life as normal.

Many of these impacts are intangible and impossible to quantify – loss of connection, identity, disruption and trauma. Others are easier to measure. The Insurance Council of Australia has reported that 173,346 claims have been lodged so far from the east coast flooding totalling over $2.43 billion.1 Those numbers don’t include the costs to public assets and property nor, of course, those that don’t have insurance.

ADDRESSING CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Through the recent IPCC reports we know that these events are going to happen more frequently and more severely. The COP26 agenda last November called out that we need to be equally committed to addressing climate resilience as decarbonisation. Long gone is the idea that resilience planning, investment and action is pulling out of the race to zero early.

While resilience at an asset or local government level has been undertaken for some time now, the results are patchy and certainly not integrated as part of broader regional and national cohesive strategy that captures response, recovery

1 https://www.insurancenews.com.au/local/cost-of-floods-hits-2-43-billion

2 https://resilientinvestment.org/risk-and-resilience-report/

3 https://resilientinvestment.org/risk-and-resilience-report/

and rebuild. This has led to a shortfall in resilience thinking and investment.

To catch up, it is estimated that $3 trillion per year is going to need to be spent globally above and beyond existing infrastructure spending.2 The growing risk profile for the OECD and G20 funds and insurers investors is estimated to be around USD$11 trillion, with total ‘value at risk’ if we aren’t able to meet climate targets estimated at USD$25 trillion by 2100.3

So great is the gap, a coalition of international financiers, insurances, construction and engineering houses, governments, researchers and development organisations developed a paper for COP26. In their report Risk and Resilience – Addressing physical climate risks in infrastructure investment, the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment described the need to incorporate physical climate risk into infrastructure design and investment decision-making as a ‘’climate resilience market failure’’.

What they detail is nothing short of a house of cards – an inability to be able to adequately measure and analyse resilience, finance and insurance markets; unable to accurately assess risk and set pricing; and poor definition and division of responsibilities between the public and private sphere.

While it is easy to get lost in the financial jargon, it is important to remember that if this type of scenario eventuates it is likely to be everyday people, businesses and local organisations that will have the world come crashing down around them.

SO WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

Firstly, we need to start measuring what matters so that we have a common data set around defining and benchmarking, not just asset resilience but the ‘resilience services’ infrastructure provides to people and communities.

It needs to be localised, with support from state governments and a single data-set to provide a national picture of strengths and vulnerabilities. Models such as Queensland’s QCoast 2100 and Victoria’s Resilient Coast programs are great examples of state governments providing local councils with capacity and capability to do the work that needs doing.

Secondly, we need to ensure that a systemic and participatory approach is taken to resilience and adaptive capacity planning. It is almost impossible to undertake effective resilience planning in a silo. All actors need to have input, consideration, and most importantly, co-ownership of the actions.

Fires and floods do not discriminate between public and private assets and the impacts are rarely simple, but cumulative and cascading. A power outage can affect water and sewerage services and telecommunications, while recovery of those systems can be hampered by cut off roads and rail. Seawalls to prevent sea level rise will have limited efficacy if designed and built in a patchwork formation across land-owners.

Thirdly, we need to be building infrastructure for resilience, not just resilient infrastructure. This means accelerating and scaling technology, innovation and regenerative, nature-based approaches to address vulnerability, improve resilience to shocks, and where appropriate, facilitate adaptation and change to leave us stronger than we were before.

This should not just be focused on the asset, but by the whole place and its people – cities, towns and regions. This may require some bold leadership at times but in the face of fire, floods, droughts and cyclones there is limited capacity for solutions that only half-work.

Fourthly, we need to determine the finance and business model that will inject the investment required to get us climate ready, create confidence and transparency in the model place, and perhaps most importantly, ensure that nobody gets left behind – that climate readiness is equitable and inclusive. Roles and responsibilities in terms of planning, investment, design and delivery, operations, response and recovery need to be crystal clear from the outset.

Meanwhile back in Queensland and the New South Wales North Coast, the recovery is only just beginning. A visceral example of systemic disaster is playing out – there is no quick fix or knight-in-shining-armor around the corner. There is a distinctive murmur this time around, questioning if we need to rethink our collective approach.

Suggestions include the relocation of towns such as Gympie and Lismore and government buy-back scheme of flood-prone properties in inner-city Brisbane, demonstrating just how open the public is to bold decision-making in order to make us climate ready and future proofed.

The real question on the back of another catastrophic summer is if we don’t commit to catching up in the climate readiness race now, then when?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patrick Hastings leads the delivery of IS Rating Scheme (IS), Australia and New Zealand’s only comprehensive rating system for evaluating economic, social, and environmental performance of infrastructure across the planning, design, construction and operational phases of infrastructure assets, portfolios and precincts. Climate adaptation and resilience is one of areas in which the IS Rating Scheme drives performance and outcomes which focus on embedded resilience planning with deep stakeholder involvement.

AUSTRALIAN WATER UTILITIES ON THE right track for zero emissions

by Christopher Allan, Journalist, Utility Magazine

It’s promising to see that around Australia, more and more organisations like city councils are pledging ambitious emission reduction targets – but what does the journey to zero emissions look like at the scale of our major utilities?

The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) recently announced that 14 Australian and New Zealand water utilities have collectively joined a Race to Zero campaign, with each developing a tangible strategy for net zero emissions reduction by at least 2050, including interim targets.

Here we look at how these water utilities are recalibrating their assets for emissions reduction and delivering new renewable projects – all without compromising ongoing service delivery to millions.

CHALLENGES FOR MANAGING WATER SERVICES

The water sector is both shaped by the effects of climate change and an essential part of the conversation regarding emissions reduction.

Major drought events, like the Millennium Drought that affected countless communities, highlight the livelihoods at stake when it comes to water access and security in Australia.

And with the recent IPCC Assessment Report 6 describing the current outlook on climate change as a ‘code red for humanity’, drought events are predicted to become longer and more frequent.

Adding to the challenges posed to the water sector by a changing climate, global population growth can also affect water security – by 2025, more than 2.8 billion people in 48 countries are likely to be short of water.

From an emissions perspective, managing water services for cities and towns is an energy intensive

activity: water use, storage, and distribution accounts for around ten per cent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Water utilities have a global responsibility to work around the challenges of climate change from both angles – from developing ways and technologies that adapt to water shortage, to tackling sector emissions.

A LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR WATER SECTOR

Australia has an opportunity to develop a smart framework to guide water utilities around the world when it comes to meeting consumer outcomes while keeping emissions in check.

Over the next 15 years, Australia’s water utilities are expected to take large steps in further reducing their energy consumption, slashing their internal costs of energy consumption while making a sizable contribution to emissions reduction efforts.

Importantly, many water sector assets have natural opportunities for sustainable practices and technologies, best shown by the rise of waste to energy practices.

By harnessing and recycling the energy and other resources generated by waste products from water treatment, water utilities can make substantial progress towards emission reduction targets.

For example, if the hydraulic energy generated by the waste stream of some desalination plants can be fed back into the treatment cycle, it could allow water utilities to unlock efficiencies up to 97 per

cent – particularly promising given that bettering the sustainability of desalination plants is a long-term goal in the sector.

Indeed, many water utilities have already proven to be early adopters of waste to energy, wind, and solar technologies, sustainably powering critical infrastructure.

A combination of improving asset practices alongside investment in dedicated, utility-scale renewable projects will ensure that the water sector makes progress towards upcoming targets.

THE RACE TO ZERO

Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), in partnership with Water UK, announced that 14 Australian and New Zealand water utilities have joined the UN-led, Race To Zero campaign, pledging to reach Net Zero Emissions by 2050 or earlier, with interim targets within the next decade.

The water utilities, 13 Australian and one New Zealand, join major UK water utilities in the Race To Zero campaign, together servicing over 72 million people across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

These 14 utilities are:

• Barwon Water

• Coliban Water

• Gippsland Water

• Goulburn Valley Water

• Icon Water

• Melbourne Water

• SA Water

• South East Water

• Southern Rural Water

• Sydney Water

• Unitywater

• Urban Utilities

• Watercare (New Zealand)

• Yarra Valley Water

Executive Director at WSAA, Adam Lovell, said, “Congratulations to all the Australian and New Zealand water utilities for this show of commitment and leadership on mitigating the impacts of climate change, felt so acutely in the water sector.

“As early adopters of wind, solar and waste to energy technology to power our infrastructure, we are thrilled to see so many of our water utilities joining the Race To Zero pledge."

WATER UTILITIES ON THE RACE TO ZERO

In this section, we explore a few examples of the approaches that Australia’s leading water utilities are taking on the Race To Zero.

YARRA VALLEY WATER

In Victoria, Yarra Valley Water was one of the first water utilities globally to sign a pledge to Net Zero as part of its work to generate renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The utility has plans to power all its operations by renewables by 2025, with 50 per cent already powered by renewables.

On joining the UN Race to Zero pledge, Managing Director, Yarra Valley Water, Pat McCafferty, said, “Climate change is the defining issue of our time and we’re proud to be leading the way in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions with ambitious goals that go beyond zero.

“We’ve achieved this through leading projects like our food waste to energy facility at Wollert, which converts about 30,000 tonnes of food scraps into more than 7,000,000kWh of clean energy a year.”

Waste producers, such as markets or food manufacturers, deliver the equivalent of 33,000 tonnes of commercial food waste to the Wollert facility each year.

Well on track to meeting its Race To Zero pledge, Yarra Valley Water has also partnered with other Victorian water corporations in purchasing up to 7,000 MWh of renewable energy through the Zero Emissions Water (ZEW) program.

ZEW is a joint effort between 13 water corporations to purchase energy from the Kiamal Solar Farm at Ouyen, Victoria’s largest solar farm.

Chair of ZEW, Paul O’Donohue, said, “The 13 water corporations will each take a percentage share of the total renewable energy ZEW purchases based on their local needs.

“The purchase agreement is set for eleven years and will be supplying each corporation up to 50 per cent of their renewable energy requirement.”

This collaborative model of jointly engaging a renewable project to offset sector emissions could prove to be popular across other states of Australia, other parts of the world, and in other utility sectors.

UNITYWATER

In Queensland, Unitywater has made an interim goal that the year 2025 will deliver 45 per cent emissions reduction, 100 per cent biosolids reuse and diversion from landfill, as well as 15,000MWh renewable energy generation.

In 2020, Unitywater recognised emissions reduction as a utility-wide priority, delivering the Unitywater 20202027 Energy Management Plan

The Plan recognised that sustainable practices could help the utility manage increasing demand on both sewer and water networks, with the populations of the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay set to grow by more than 250,000, to over one million by 2031.

Importantly, sewage treatment plants (STPs) at Unitywater account for nearly half of all energy spend – a key component of the Plan was to ensure its major STPs were on track towards becoming energy neutral.

Solar panels have allowed the Kenilworth STP to become energy neutral, while a cogeneration plant is producing renewable energy to partially power the Kawana STP.

Indeed, STP upgrades at Unitywater are part of a management plan that aims to save the equivalent of $2.5 million per annum in energy costs between 2020 and 2027.

Future STP upgrades include the increased reuse of Biogas, and solar panel and battery installation at four of Unitywater’s largest treatment plants.

MELBOURNE WATER

At Melbourne Water, construction has begun on a new solar farm at the Eastern Treatment Plant in Bangholme in recognition that water utility assets can be supported by dedicated renewable projects.

The Eastern Treatment Plant currently treats about 330 million litres of sewage a day – about 40 per cent of Melbourne’s total sewage.

The plant already includes a biogas facility that generates approximately 30 per cent of the electricity required each year to run the plant, highlighting how the industry has already taken to waste to energy technologies where possible.

The proposed solar farm will produce another 22 per cent of electricity required, taking on-site generation to 52 per cent.

The project will help Melbourne Water meet its interim target to halve emissions by 2025 and explore a path to reduce them to net zero by 2030. The solar farm is expected to be completed mid-2022.

A POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR THE WATER SECTOR

The 14 water utilities who have committed to the Race To Zero pledge reflect a broader pattern of leadership across the water sector when it comes to sustainable technologies and emissions reduction.

Executive Director at WSAA, Adam Lovell, said, “There are many other water utilities who are well on their way in contributing to a net zero future, and may join the Race To Zero campaign in the coming months.

“The industry is on the front foot in this rapidly evolving area, especially in light of the recent IPCC report on climate change.”

Through joint collaborations to fund renewable energy offsets programs, waste to energy initiatives that create new energy sources, and dedicated, on-site renewable projects like solar farms, the water sector is leaving its mark in a global race to zero emissions.

VERMEER HDD A FAB ADDITION FOR IRRIFAB

Thompson’s Irrifab sensed an opportunity to expand its business when it couldn’t source local contractors to fulfil its smaller civil pipeline jobs, which led it to add a new Vermeer D8x12 HDD to its fleet and train its team up to handle the projects themselves.

Thompson’s Irrifab (TI) was started in 1985 by Ray and Greg Thompson, based out of Cowra, in the Central West of New South Wales. The business started out as a farm irrigation service, providing local farms with support on pivot irrigation, stock water systems and turf watering.

Then about ten years ago, it decided to branch out and grow the business in the civil irrigation and pipeline space.

Doug Walker is one of the Civil Project Supervisors at TI and has been working with the business for about two years. He said the decision to expand into civil work was made because it offers a big opportunity for growth.

“There was a lot of work going in council pipeline projects, water main replacements and building out pump stations, so we have invested and grown that part of the business over the last few years,” Mr Walker said.

Part of that growth has seen TI recently add a brand-new Vermeer D8x12 HDD to its fleet of excavators and skid steers, which will be put to work on the smaller jobs that would usually be contracted out.

“It’s been hard to contract out our small, local jobs lately, as the labour and appetite just isn’t there. So we decided to invest in the business, bring in a machine, and train ourselves so we could do the work ourselves,” Mr Walker said.

PERFECT FOR SMALL SERVICE INSTALLATION

The Vermeer D8x12 HDD offers the strength of a large drill with the compact body and enhanced performance of a small drill. The D8x12 comes with straightforward controls, a narrow footprint and enhanced power with less sound disruption, and is ideal for small service installation, such as gas distribution, power, water and telecommunication networks.

Mr Walker said that before the D8x12 is put to work, he and the team will finish their training on the drill, provided by Vermeer Australia.

“We’ve organised five days of training on the new rig, to get us across how to best use it, and the safety features. Then we’ll be putting it to work first on under road boring work in the local area.

“The Vermeer Australia team has been great, and a special thanks to our rep Kevin and the Albury team here. They’ve really supported us in our first purchase, making sure the team is comfortable with the drill, and answering any questions we have. Once we put it to work and see how it performs, we may look at adding another one to our fleet in the future,” Mr Walker said.

Find out more about Vermeer Australia and its HDD capabilities at www.vermeeraustralia.com.au.

POWERFUL PUMPS

– THE HEART OF HDD MAXI-RIG SPREADS

It’s common to think of HDD drilling spreads in terms of rig size, but the true workhorse of the spread is in fact the mud pump – a high efficiency positive displacement piston pump. Without these pumps, the drilling fluid cannot be pumped into the bore to either jet drill or motor drill, the bore would not have any stability, and the cuttings would not be removed from the bore.

In the Australian HDD sector there is a limited number of available maxi-rigs and powerful mud pumps. Having access to additional maxi-rigs and powerful mud pumps is a key means to maintaining project productivity and mitigating the impact of unscheduled repairs. If the pumps are down, the drilling stops!

Mud pressure is lost as it moves through the surface piping, and a lot more as it moves down the drill string. Most of the pressure is expended in a jet stream at the drill bit and also as it passes through the stages of a downhole motor, if being used. At this point, the mud pump needs to provide additional pressure to push the mud back along the annulus to the surface, while maintaining an operational long-term duty cycle.

It is also important that the mud pump is sized appropriately to adequately cope with the volumes of drilling fluid required and to maintain adequate annular velocity in the borehole to ensure cuttings remain in suspension in the drilling fluid until the fluid exits the borehole.

MUD PUMPS CAPACITY

The capacity of the mud pumps is commonly misunderstood and misrepresented. It is common for people to promote their mud mumps as having a 500gpm (1,892lpm) capacity and a 500psi pressure rating. While both numbers may be on the spec sheet, promoting the pumps as a 500gpm pump at 5,000psi is almost certainly incorrect.

For example, a common HDD pump such as the EWECO 446 pump, which is a good all round pump for smaller projects, is often quoted as having an output of 565gpm with pressure rating of 5000PSI. While both numbers are true, they are not true together.

The spec sheets show that the pump will do 565gpm at 1200psi at 440rpm max with six inch diameter liners.

Or if the liners are changed to three inch diameter, the pump will output 5000psi, but even at a max of 440RPM the flow output is only 141gpm.

For a long duration longevity on a project it is good drilling practice to limit the operation to 60 – 70 per cent of the capacity, particularly pressure capacity.

Assuming for small HDD projects where flow is more important than pressure, the minimum pump in the example above with the largest liners which should be considered is a 565gpm x 65 per cent = 367gpm pump. Applying the same

logic to the pressure rating 1200psi x 65 per cent = 780psi.

While there are many contributing factors to pressure such as choke points, valves, drill pipe joint ID, pipe internal roughness, jet nozzle diameter and number, to name a few, it would not be uncommon to see 500psi of pressure on a 1000m jetting hole running three x #16 jets at a flow rate of 360gpm flow rate.

If a downhole motor forms part of the BHA where the formation is rock it would not be unreasonable to add 150 – 200psi to the pressure to operate the motor effectively on bottom i.e. 200psi + 500psi =700psi. For long-term operation the pump is effectively at maximum capacity.

In general terms, additional pumps can be coupled together to increase flow rate but not increase pressure. A longer bore or a higher flow motor would break a single pump in a short time. Double pumps don’t provide additional pressure!

To solve the problem, the pump liner diameter must be reduced, which in turn increases pressure output but decreases flow output. So to drill a longer bore (>1500m) with large downhole motors (>8”) triple or quadruple pumps would be required to provide operational longevity.

OR GET BIGGER PUMPS

Maxibor has a fleet of four of the largest pumps in the HDD industry. Two Gardner Denver PZ9 pumps with 1000HP engines and Two Gardner Denver PZ8 pumps with 750 HP engines.

These are 100 per cent duty rated oil well servicing pumps. Primarily due to the low speed design (130rpm stroke rate compared to the 440rpm in the previous example).

They have proven project after project to operate at high flow and high pressure all day every day for months on end.

From a HDD perspective, dual PZ 8/9 pumps have delivered bores in Australia at lengths of 2,500m in the civil industry and 4,000m in the gas drainage industry.

These pumps allow very long bores to be drilled to solve particular infrastructure installation challenges or they allow forward motor reaming, which is another technique to solve particular requirements where exit site sensitivities exist or it is not possible to drill a mud return line. It is these types of pumps that allow high performance cutting edge HDD bore designs to be achieved.

Pumps of this capacity are invaluable, if not a prerequisite, on long bore (+1,000m) and large diameter hole (+800mm) projects requiring larger maxi-rigs such as the Gallagher 660e, Gallagher 600, American Auger 660 and the Vermeer D330x500 which are a key part of the Maxibor HDD fleet. They are most often required in Australia on river and harbour crossings and long and deep water and sewer projects.

Maxibor will be using its Gardner Denver mud pumps on two landmark projects requiring a total of seven bores each averaging over 2.2km in length. Availability of the pumps has been one of the key factors in the selection of Maxibor as the HDD provider on these projects.

An HDD provider like Maxibor with its sizable fleet of powerful pumps and maxi and other rigs provides added comfort to project stakeholders that these key plant items will be available to enable the construction schedule to be maintained.

For more information, please visit www.maxibor.com.au or contact David Turner on 0499 375 511. GARDNER

»Quality and collaborative HDD design and construct services

»Expertise to advise at the right time in the project delivery cycle

»Gas, water and sewer, rail, road, power, telecommunications, mining, residential development, renewables and hydrogen

»Maxi-rigs capable of long and wide diameter bores in hard rock and difficult conditions

»Build a future we all look forward to.

Maxibor is using its design and construct expertise to deliver better project outcomes to asset owners and principal contractors

SMART MAINS MANAGEMENT PUTS SA WATER BREAKS on downward trend

With a long history of innovation, SA Water continues to embrace change in its everyday operation and long term planning, including by fostering and developing new applications of cutting-edge technology for the benefit of its customers and the South Australian community.

SA Water’s role of providing trusted water services for a sustainable and healthy South Australia is, among other strategies, underpinned by agile and mature water mains asset management and condition assessment.

Coupled with continued investment and adaption of new technologies, it’s helped the utility build a greater understanding of the state’s water and wastewater network and more recently, contributed to a reduced water main break rate not seen in years.

MAINTAINING AUSTRALIA’S LONGEST PIPE NETWORK

SA Water’s expansive state-wide network of pipelines, pump stations and vital treatment infrastructure exists to provide customers with the most essential of services, and as a result, requires a modern and comprehensive management strategy which meets customer expectations.

SA Water’s General Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure, Amanda Lewry, said a substantial part of this includes a fresh approach to our water mains performance and condition-based maintenance programs, enabling the utility to maximise the useful life of assets and reduce operational costs.

“Our water mains condition assessment strategy is diverse and can be tailored to different situations, ranging from the use of hoop stress calculations in our reticulation network, to determining blockages and low-flow incidents harnessing CCTV and flow meter technology,” Ms Lewry said.

“Our innovative fleet of more around 300 smart water acoustic sensors across the Adelaide CBD has also proven to be instrumental in proactively using acoustic monitoring to gauge a better understanding of our underground network, and successfully detected leaks and breaks proactively through the power of noise.

“Our sensors detect around 200 environmental noises every day, and we continue to understand and interpret the different acoustic patterns to distinguish cracks in our pipes from other sounds picked up by the technology.

“The adoption of smart technology into our day-to-day asset management system made us the first water utility in the world to implement a range of Internet of Things-enabled sensors in a defined geographical area and has underpinned the expansion into our sewer network and customer meters.

“Our thirst for innovation sees us continue to embrace new technologies to best understand the condition of our assets and make them work smarter in delivering trusted and reliable water services into the future.”

THE

LEAK NUMBERS LOWEST IN FOUR YEARS

The Bureau of Meteorology’s National Performance Report (NPR): urban water utilities continues to confirm SA Water’s water network among the best performing in the country.

The 2020-21 results show SA Water experienced an average of 13.3 water main breaks or leaks per 100km of pipe, which is lower than the average of 18.9 and better than more than half of comparable-sized Australian water utilities (with 100,000 or more customers) – showing that water main incidents are certainly not unique to South Australia.

“Adelaide’s reactive clay soils moving between seasons and the stress this causes on underground pressurised water pipes means we can’t completely prevent leaks and breaks from occurring, but our ongoing investment means we can help to reduce their frequency and impact on customers,” Ms Lewry said.

“This continued focus on driving customer outcomes is demonstrated through our investment of $155 million between 2020-2024 towards proactive water main replacements, the installation of additional valves and the continued development of smart technology.

“This includes a state-wide water main replacement program, which last year involved the installation of around 59km of new pipe, including under several key arterial roads in Adelaide.”

In 2021, 3614 water main leaks and breaks were reported across SA Water’s 27,000km network, compared to 3749 in 2020.

“Similar to 2020 and 2017, we saw relatively mild transitions between seasons last year, resulting in more stable levels of moisture in the soils and therefore fewer water main breaks.

“The less challenging conditions in 2021 coupled with our sustained focus on driving customer outcomes were what led to the lowest water main incident rate recorded in four years.”

CASE STUDY: IMPROVING SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S LONGEST DRINKING WATER PIPELINE

For nearly 80 years, the Morgan to Whyalla Pipeline has transferred large volumes of drinking water – produced at SA Water’s Morgan Water Treatment Plant in the Riverland – providing a clean and safe supply to around 100,000 customers in the Barossa, Mid North, Upper Spencer Gulf and Eyre Peninsula regions of South Australia.

As part of its role in delivering trusted water services, SA Water’s thorough condition assessment program identified sections of the 358km pipeline to be upgraded over multiple regulatory periods, to enable a long-term, secure supply of drinking water into the future.

An upgrade to the first 34km of South Australia’s longest drinking water pipeline, ranging in size up to 750mm in diameter across sections in the towns of Burra and Lindley, is set to commence in mid-2022.

“The Morgan to Whyalla Pipeline provides drinking water to customers throughout regional South Australia, and many large businesses depend on this supply to enable their operations. By duplicating sections of the pipeline, we’re able to keep the water flowing to these communities during this important project,” Ms Lewry said.

“In 2018 our team used an advanced and non-invasive condition assessment method called Ultrasonic Thickness Phased Array, which sends electronic signals through the pipe material to measure the thickness of the pipeline.

“Using the analysis of this assessment and performance data we were able to prioritise various sections of the pipeline for renewal over time, with the long-term program helping secure regional drinking water supply into the future and preparing the network for ongoing residential and business growth.

“This initial stage of the renewal is part of our four-year, $1.6 billion capital program which will deliver a diverse portfolio of projects to sustain and enhance our water network while improving services for our customers.”

ADOPTION OF SMART TECHNOLOGY INTO SA WATER'S WATER MAIN MANAGEMENT HAS HELPED THE UTILITY PROACTIVELY MONITOR LEAKS AND BREAKS IN ITS UNDERGROUND NETWORK.

SA WATER’S GENERAL MANAGER OF SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE, AMANDA LEWRY.

SEWER BLOCKAGE RATES slashed thanks to MILLION DOLLAR CAMPAIGN

Coliban Water has reported record low sewer blockages in the last year thanks to a dedicated program of sewer maintenance and preventative cleaning known as Stop the Block.

Coliban Water Executive General Manager Service Delivery, Danny McLean, said an Essential Services Commission report handed down earlier this year shows a decrease in blockages.

The Stop the Block campaign was launched in 2016, increasing investment to over $1 million each year to improve sewer performance and reduce service interruptions, overflows, and impacts to communities and the environment.

“In the last financial year, we recorded 18 blockages per 100km of sewer, which is a dramatic reduction since the 2013/14 financial year, where we recorded in excess of 60 blockages per 100km,” Mr McLean said.

“It’s also a reduction from 22 blockages per 100km in the 2019/20 financial year.

“The 70 per cent reduction means more than 3,800 blockages have been avoided in the last seven years. This is a huge reduction in customer and

environmental impacts. It’s also saving customers’ money on reactive sewer repairs and clean-up costs. That’s a real win for the community,” he said.

During 2020/21, there were record low blockage counts in several months, including in December and March, which contributed to an overall record low blockage rate for the year.

“We have been utilising closed circuit television (CCTV) to assess the condition of around 3,500 poor performing sewer mains throughout

our region, which provides accurate information to drive our renewals program,” Mr McLean said.

In 2020-2021, approximately 600 sewer maintenance holes have been inspected across the region and a total of 40 sections of sewer main have been renewed, which is equivalent to 1.9 kilometres.

“We also undertook preventative sewer cleaning of approximately 5,000 sewer mains, equating to roughly 270km. This includes 70km of sewer mains adjacent to creeks and waterways,” he said.

The data presented by the Essential Services Commission as part of the Water Performance Report 2020-21 compares Victorian water utilities on a range of metrics including customer service, water quality and sewer blockages rates.

Though Coliban Water ranked 11th out of 16 water utilities on sewer blockages per 100km of sewer main, the organisation also had the largest decrease since the 2016-17 financial year.

Coliban Water was also one of only eight water utilities in Victoria to contain 100 per cent of sewer spills within five hours in 2020-21.

The organisation now has its sights firmly set on upgrading aging assets across its region.

“Our focus is to continue the prioritisation of works, using the data we collect from our CCTV assessments to identify the mains most in need of maintenance, renewals and cleaning,” he said.

“We’re also looking at what other initiatives or work programs will further reduce the risk of environmental, public health or level of service incidents,” he said.

Coliban Water is in the midst of preparing its Pricing Submission 2023, which sets the level of prices, investment and service for the next five years.

“The challenge for us is how do we prepare for tomorrow while being fair to customers today? Our region is facing a critical point in its water supply and demand. Our assets are aging, and our climate is getting drier. We need to prepare for this changing future,” Mr McLean said.

Significant investment is expected to take place across the region to ensure Coliban Water can continue to serve its communities by upgrading and maintaining the sewer network.

BIN IT, DON’T FLUSH IT

Sewer blockages can be caused by tree roots, but it is the non-flushable items people flush down the toilet that increases the risk of blockages. This emphasises the importance of preventative maintenance and proactive community behaviours.

“Carrying out this significant program not only means fewer sewer blockages and spills, it minimises our impact on the environment and saves customers and the organisation money in responding to spills,” Mr McLean said.

“This reduction in blockage rates now brings Coliban Water in line with other Victorian water authorities and helps us work towards our Strategy 2030 goals of a cleaner environment and healthier communities.

“Our environment and sustainability policy commits us to seek the highest possible standards of environmental performance, as well as ensure the protection of waters influenced by our operations and these reductions help us meet those objectives,” he said.

The reduced blockage rates are being assisted by the Bin it, don’t flush it campaign, which aims to educate the community on what can and cannot go down toilets and drains.

The organisation has a firm commitment to Bin it, don’t flush it, featuring a social media campaign, advertising in customer newsletters and even printed toilet paper to hand out to community groups and customers.

“We want to thank the public for their efforts to only put the three Ps down the toilet; pee, poo and toilet paper, but there is still a long way to go,” Mr McLean said.

The organisation’s Education program focuses heavily on the Bin it, don’t flush it messaging of the three Ps as well as teaching children and community groups about the wastewater process, helping future generations better understand the sewerage system.

TRIALLING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP POWER NETWORKS SAFE

ABOVE: SWER BROKEN CONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY BEING INSTALLED.

BELOW: POWERCOR ASSET ENGINEER JOE VINCI.

ABOVE: A LIDAR POINT CLOUD 3D IMAGE OF THE CENTRE OF BENDIGO, WHERE POWERCOR’S VEGETATION MANAGEMENT HELICOPTERS ARE CURRENTLY FLYING.

BELOW: INSTALLATION OF DEVICES THAT CAN INSTANTLY DETECT BROKEN POWERLINES AND CUT ELECTRICITY AT SPRING HILL, NEAR KYNETON, VICTORIA.

New technology which adds an additional layer of bushfire protection to the powerline network is being trialled across central and western Victoria.

Electricity distributor Powercor has installed a device near Woodend to test the technology called SWER Broken Conductor, which aims to instantly detect a broken powerline and cut electricity before the line hits the ground.

The technology operates on Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) powerlines, which make up about a third of the electricity network and are typically found in rural and remote areas.

Powercor is leading the technology trial, which has received $500,000 from the Victorian Government as part of the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning (DELWP) Powerline Bushfire Safety Program.

More installations are planned for Bendigo and Kerang in coming months.

The program’s grants explore emerging powerline safety technologies and systems to further enhance the safety of electricity assets to protect people and property from bushfires.

Powercor Asset Engineer, Joe Vinci, said the technology would complement other safety devices already installed on the SWER network and the broader network to keep communities safe.

“We are always exploring new ways to boost the safety and reliability of our network and we are testing if this device may provide another layer of protection on SWER powerlines,” Mr Vinci said.

“The technology is designed to respond instantly when a powerline conductor breaks, sending a signal to cut the power to that line before it even hits the ground.”

Powerlines can break for a range of reasons, including lightning strikes and trees or branches hitting them during extreme weather events.

Mr Vinci said the technology would work in a similar way to the Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter devices that protect the broader 22kv three-phase network in high bushfire risk areas, with both technologies acting as a ‘safety switch’ and reacting to faults on the network to avoid fire starts.

The $1.2 million program is the second stage of the SWER Broken Conductor trial, following a successful research component led by Victoria University and Melbourne-based distributor United Energy in 2018.

The new phase of the trial runs for 13 months and involves a focus on the communications systems.

Powercor is working with DELWP, Victoria University and fellow distributor AusNet Services as part of the trial.

Powercor’s SWER network is already protected by several different technologies, like more than 1200 enhanced Automatic Circuit Reclosers (ACRs) installed across western, northern and central Victoria as part of a $140 million, eightyear program following recommendations out of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

This comes as Powercor inspections from the air continue across central and western Victoria as part of electricity distributor Powercor’s year-round vegetation inspection and tree-cutting program.

Helicopters fitted with advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to accurately scan for trees and branches growing near to powerlines. This information is fed back to experienced teams that will cut the vegetation away from powerlines to keep the network and community safe.

Powercor’s vegetation management program is the largest in the state, inspecting and managing vegetation across more than 70,000km of powerline through central, northern and western Victoria, including across hazardous bushfire risk areas.

Powercor Head of Vegetation Management, Chris Heinz, said the program was a critical part of keeping the network safe and reliable for customers.

“Our work is about reducing the risk of trees and branches coming into contact with powerlines, which can lead to power outages and fires,” Mr Heinz said.

“By inspecting the entire network every year, we are able to determine where and when we need to cut trees and branches away from powerlines,” he said.

Teams then attend each site, both on private and public property, to assess and scope what cutting needs to occur. If crews are required to cut trees on private property, Powercor will notify customers in advance of any cutting unless the work needs to occur immediately for safety reasons.

“We work closely with our contractors to ensure branches are kept clear of powerlines, allowing for expected growth rates,” Mr Heinz said.

“Last year we cut vegetation back from more than 60,000 powerline spans and with this summer’s wetter conditions, we expect to do just as much, if not more, in 2022.”

Mr Heinz said Powercor had made significant investments towards improving its vegetation management in recent years, including bringing its aerial capacity and LiDAR data analysis in-house.

“We’re able to use the data from our LiDAR helicopter scans to form a 3D model of the network.”

Weather permitting, the Bell 505 helicopters fly at an altitude of just over 300m, capturing enormous amounts of data to form an accurate image of powerlines across the region.

Powercor is responsible for the cutting and removal of trees near its powerlines within the boundaries of private properties and on public land as part of Victoria’s requirements set by the state’s energy safety regulator.

The helicopters are operated by the network’s affiliate business, Beon Aerial Services.

AUSTRALIA’S BIG BATTERIES: NEW STORAGE TO MATCH THE RISE OF RENEWABLES

Battery storage systems are vital assets for stabilising energy generation during the national energy transition, and a robust stock of storage assets might serve as the best insurance policy for any network powered by renewables.

Around the country, utility-scale batteries are gaining traction, with newly delivered assets including one of the largest batteries seen globally – the Victorian Big Battery.

Indeed, the national battery sector is expected to reach new heights this year, with independent energy consultancy Rystad predicting that utility-scale battery capacity will double.

Here we offer a comprehensive assessment of the big battery projects shaping Australia’s energy storage future: from major operational batteries, to those under construction, newly approved, or ambitiously proposed.

Australia’s energy networks are evolving, and lithium-ion battery storage projects will help ensure our national energy transition is both manageable and secure.

The costs associated with grid-scale battery storage technologies have significantly decreased over the last decade, while battery storage capabilities continue to grow rapidly, resulting in a much improved economic case for large-scale battery projects.

As a result, governments and private companies are investing in an ever-increasing number of big batteries to expand network storage capabilities.

Large-scale, grid-connected battery systems are expected to play an important role in Australia’s energy future, with a growing number of large storage projects planned or underway, acting to both smoothen renewable generation and offer network contingency.

WHY WE NEED BATTERIES: MATCHING THE RISE OF RENEWABLES

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has predicted that 63 per cent of coal-fired generation will retire by 2040, making way for 26-50GW of renewable energy generation across wind and solar (2020 Integrated System Plan).

But this rise of renewables must be matched by up to 19GW of ‘firming’ generation assets, such as battery storage and pumped hydro, that are dedicated to supplying energy during times of poor renewable generation.

Integrated into the National Electricity Market (NEM), big batteries will help stabilise networks and pave the way for increased renewable generation, allowing states and territories to make sustainable and safe progress on renewable energy targets.

Large-scale energy storage, such as Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), offers a range of important benefits to electricity grids, from responding to fluctuations in renewable energy generation to managing frequency disruptions.

Batteries can be used for energy market participation, load shifting, and providing various market and non-market ancillary services to the NEM.

As a result, batteries can help mitigate costs and suspend the need for additional generation infrastructure, or network upgrades to meet peak demand.

Further, battery peakers can ramp up quickly, have near zero start-up time and provide a strong frequency response.

NOW SHOWING: OPERATIONAL BIG BATTERY PROJECTS

Victorian Big Battery (300MW/450MWh), VIC

Launched in December 2021, the Victorian Big Battery is both the largest operational battery in Australia and one of the world’s largest batteries to date. The 300MW/450MWh BESS, built and operated by Neoen, is located in Geelong. The battery will be instrumental in helping Victoria reach its target of 50 per cent renewable energy generation by 2030. The Federal-owned Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has provided $160 million towards its construction. The Victorian Government will pay $84.8 million over 11 years for the services provided by the BESS, which should alleviate unscheduled load shedding over the peak summer months. The project experienced a setback in July 2021, when a fire occurred at two of the Tesla Megapack BESS units during testing. Works resumed with the approval of the safety regulator after measures were put in place to prevent recurrence.

Hornsdale Power Reserve (150MW/193.5MWh), SA

With a capacity of 150MW/194MWh, Hornsdale Power Reserve is currently the second largest operational battery in Australia. The battery is owned by Neoen and co-located with the Hornsdale Wind Farm in mid-north South Australia. When the original $172 million construction project was completed in 2017, it was the largest lithium-ion battery in the world at 100MW/129MWh. In 2020, an $82 million expansion project was completed, increasing the storage capacity by 50MW/64.5MWh to a total of 150MW/193.5MWh. The installation is based on Tesla battery technology.

Lake Bonney BESS (25MW/52MWh), SA

The Lake Bonney Battery Energy Storage System, located with the Lake Bonney Wind Farm near Millicent in South Australia, has a capacity of 25MW/52MWh. This Tesla-based lithium-ion BESS is owned by Infigen and was energised in 2019. According to ARENA, which co-funded the project, the final construction cost totalled around $41.6 million.

Gannawarra Energy Storage System (25MW/50MWh), VIC

The Gannawarra Energy Storage System (GESS) is a 25MW/50MWh grid-scale lithium-ion battery located with the Gannawarra Solar Farm in north-western Victoria. The $41.19 million project was undertaken by Edify in a consortium with Wirsol Energy, using Tesla Powerpack technology, and was completed in 2018. The GESS is operated by EnergyAustralia, under agreement with the joint owners Edify and Wirsol.

Ballarat Energy Storage System (30MW/30MWh), VIC

The Ballarat Energy Storage System (BESS) has a capacity of 30MW/30MWh and utilises Fluence lithium-ion battery technology. The BESS is a standalone system, located at the AusNet Services Ballarat Terminal Station in Warrenheip, Ballarat. It is owned by Ausnet Services, and operated by EnergyAustralia. The construction project was undertaken by a consortium comprising Downer Spotless, AusNet Services, EnergyAustralia and Fluence, and the BESS was integrated into the Victorian grid in 2018.

Bulgana Green Power Hub Battery Storage (20MW/34MWh), VIC

This 20MW/34MWh Tesla-based lithium-ion battery is part of the Bulgana Green Power Hub in the Wimmera region of central-western Victoria, along with a 194MW wind farm. The hub is owned by Neoen, which undertook a $350 million project to construct the battery and wind farm. After delays in commissioning, the battery was switched on in 2021.

Dalrymple BESS (30MW/8MWh), SA

The 30MW/8MWh Dalrymple Battery Energy Storage System is located at ElectraNet’s Dalrymple substation on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. The $30 million project was completed in 2018 and was the first BESS in the National Electricity Market (NEM) to provide both regulated network reliability and security services alongside competitive market services. The Dalrymple BESS is owned by ElectraNet and operated by AGL. This standalone BESS uses Samsung lithium-ion battery technology. In 2021, ElectraNet returned the $12 million grant the company received to construct the BESS to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), due to the project’s financial success.

Newman Battery Storage (35MW/11MWh), WA

The Newman BESS operates on an islanded high-voltage grid supplying power to major mining operations in the Pilbara region of WA. It is owned by Alinta Energy and located adjacent to the company’s gas-fired Newman Power Station. This 35MW/11MWh battery system uses Kokam technology. Its construction cost was around $45 million and it was completed in 2018.

Agnew Gold Mine BESS (13MW/4MWh), WA

The Agnew Gold Mine BESS is another battery system operating on a private grid in Western Australia. The BESS is part of the hybrid gas and renewable energy microgrid powering operations at the remote Agnew Gold Mine. The $111.6 million microgrid project was completed in 2020 and uses Saft lithium-ion batteries.

COMING SOON: BIG BATTERY PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Wandoan South BESS (100MW/150MWh), QLD

The 100MW/150MWh Wandoan South Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is being constructed by Vena Energy in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. The $120 million construction project is nearing completion and, once operational, the BESS will be contracted to AGL. The BESS uses lithium-ion battery technology, operated by a Doosan control and monitoring system. When connected to Powerlink’s Wandoan South Substation, it will be Western Australia’s first state-grid-connected big battery.

Wallgrove Grid Battery/Western Sydney BESS (50MW/75MWh), NSW

Construction on Transgrid’s 50MW/75MWh Wallgrove Grid Battery began in early 2021, at the Wallgrove substation in Western Sydney. When commissioned, the Tesla Megapack lithium-ion battery system will be operated by Infigen, providing synthetic inertia and fast frequency response services to stabilise the grid. The project is expected to cost around $61.9 million in total.

Tom Price Battery (45MW/12MWh), WA

The Tom Price Battery is under construction by Rio Tinto in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The lithium-ion battery system will have a capacity of 45MW/12MWh and power Rio Tinto’s iron ore mining operations. When complete, the Tom Price Battery will be the largest battery connected to a private grid (as opposed to an interconnected national grid, such as the Australian NEM) in the world. The system is employing Hitachi ABB inverters and Kokam batteries.

Lincoln Gap BESS (10MW/10MWh), SA

The 10MW/10MWh Lincoln Gap BESS is located at the Lincoln Gap Wind Farm in South Australia. The BESS is owned by Nexif Energy and utilises LG Chem lithium-ion battery technology, supplied by Fluence. The battery was installed as part of the ongoing three-stage $770 million

Lincoln Gap Wind Farm project. Construction of the battery is complete, but commissioning has been subject to significant delays, due to a supplier change resulting in regulatory issues. The second stage of the project is currently underway, and the battery capacity is likely to be expanded in the future.

Wooreen Energy Storage System (350MW/1400MWh), VIC Co-located with EnergyAustralia’s Jeeralang gas-fired power station, the Wooreen Energy Storage System will be Australia’s first four-hour utility-scale battery of 350MW capacity. It will provide cover for more than 230,000 Victorian households for four hours before needing to be recharged. EnergyAustralia is

currently seeking partners to help in the delivery of this project, which is scheduled for completion by 2026.

LOCK IT IN: APPROVED BIG BATTERY PROJECTS

In addition to those already under construction, a multitude of big battery projects are soon to begin or have been confirmed. With the market for grid-scale battery services expanding rapidly, an ever-increasing number of projects are being announced or progressing through various stages of planning. According to Rystad data, as of December 2021, around 28GW of utility-scale batteries were in the pipeline across Australia. Here we look at a selection of the largest confirmed battery projects so far.

Kurri Kurri Battery (1.2GW), NSW

In 2021, CEP Energy unveiled plans for a 1.2GW (1,200MW) battery energy system at Kurri Kurri. CEP Energy has secured a lease on the site of the proposed project, which is approved for power generation. Construction is expected to begin this year, so the BESS can start operating in 2023.

Goyder Renewables Hub BESS (up to 900MW/1.8GWh), SA

Neoen has secured approval to build a battery of up to 900MW/1800MWh in Goyder South, as part of the $3 billion Goyder South Renewables Zone project. The zone will also feature up to 1.2GW of wind energy, and 600MW of solar power generation. Work has already begun on the first stage of the project, which involves constructing a 412MW wind farm at the site.

Loy Yang Battery (200MW/800MWh), VIC

AGL has received planning approval for a 200MW/800MWh battery at the Loy Yang Power Station in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley. This BESS is part of the company’s planned national rollout of 850MW of grid-scale batteries.

Eraring Battery (700MW/2.8GWh), NSW

Origin is progressing plans for a 700MW/2800MWh gridscale battery at Eraring Power Station in New South Wales. The company has lodged a connection inquiry with Transgrid to connect the battery to the national grid via the Eraring substation. The full capacity of the BESS will be deployed over three stages, with the first expected to be reached by the end of 2022.

Gould Creek Battery (225MW/450MWh), SA

Maoneng has received development approval and is undertaking procurement for a 225MW/450MWh BESS adjacent to the Para transmission substation in Playford, South Australia. Construction is planned to begin in late 2022, with completion expected before the end of 2023.

Sunraysia Emporium BESS (100MW/200MWh), NSW

Maoneng has announced a 100MW/200MWh battery system, called Sunraysia Emporium, near Balranald in New South Wales. The battery is expected to be completed in 2022/2023.

Bouldercombe Battery (50MW/100MWh), QLD

Genex is progressing plans to build a 50MW/100MWh battery on land adjacent to Powerlink's Bouldercombe substation in Queensland. The battery will comprise forty Tesla Megapacks and is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

Big Canberra Battery Project (250MW), ACT

The ACT Government has announced plans to build 250MW of battery storage capacity and is in the process of shortlisting proposals. The total storage capacity will be made up of one or more batteries spread across the territory.

Dream big: the latest proposed battery projects

In recent times, dozens of new battery storage projects have been proposed. These include multiple battery systems with massive storage capacities of over a gigawatt. Those that follow are just a few of the biggest proposed big batteries to date.

Australia-Asia PowerLink Battery (36–42 GWh), NT

In the Northern Territory, Sun Cable intends to build a 36–42GWh battery. The Australia-Asia PowerLink would be the world’s largest battery storage facility and solar farm. It is intended to supply Darwin, Singapore and Asian Markets. The project is expected to cost around $30 billion to construct, and to provide around $2 billion of energy exports per year. The first supply of electricity to Darwin is forecast for 2026, the first supply to Singapore in 2027, and full capacity by the end of 2028.

Photon Solar and Storage Battery (3.6GWh), SA

Dutch-based solar developer Photon Energy proposes to construct a 300MW solar generation facility, along with 3.6GWh of battery storage, in South Australia. Photon has secured land for the project and is progressing plans.

Melton Renewable Energy Hub BESS (600MW/2.4GWh), VIC

Syncline Energy has released plans to build a 600MW/2400MWh BESS in Victoria. According to the proposal, the Melton Renewable Energy Hub will connect to the grid via AusNet’s Sydenham terminal station.

THE BIG BUILD CONTINUES

Among the many other large grid-scale battery projects proposed across Australia are the 500MW/1GWh Great Western and Wallerawang nine batteries, and the 700MW/1.4GWh Waratah Super Battery, all in New South Wales; the 203MW/812MWh La Trobe Valley BESS in Victoria; and the Robertstown Solar Battery (250MW/1GWh) in South Australia.

The rapid expansion of the energy storage arena, and a continued drive to decarbonise the economy and reach netzero emissions, means one thing is for sure about Australia’s big battery future: more is yet to come.

Australia’s national energy sector will continue to benefit from ambitious storage projects like the Victorian Big Battery – a critical new asset that will directly help Victoria reach the important target of 50 per cent renewable energy generation by 2030.

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SUCCESS FACTORS FOR AUSTRALIA’S HYDROGEN EXPORT INDUSTRY

by Lachy Haynes, Integrated Infrastructure Partner, PwC Australia

With abundant land and high-capacity factor renewable energy resources, Australia has the building blocks to produce globally-competitive green hydrogen to service growing domestic and international markets.

The nascent green hydrogen industry in Australia stands to benefit from sovereign commitments to clean hydrogen economies, including major trading partners such as Japan and Korea. This is evidenced by the growing offshore investor interest and participation in, and commitments to, Australian projects.

But with other energy-rich nations racing to capture this opportunity, there’s little time to waste.

That’s why PwC Australia’s Integrated Infrastructure team has produced a new report, Getting H2 Right. This report highlights four critical factors that will underpin the success of green hydrogen projects in Australia. This success will create more jobs of the future and new opportunities for regional Australia through the production of globally-competitive green hydrogen.

Three years ago, you could have counted the green hydrogen projects in Australia on one hand. But today, there are more than 90 publicly-announced green hydrogen projects, and many more not yet on the public radar.

Our analysis highlighted that capital investment attributable to this pipeline exceeds $250 billion – yet more than 98 per cent of this figure is accounted for by the largest 20 projects, leaving a long tail of relatively smaller ones.

So far, so good, but this is no time for complacency. That’s why the four critical success factors we’ve identified are important to keep front-of-mind for all developers. While there are specific factors that change for every project, these four remain common across projects we work on within the sector.

1. GETTING THE PRICE RIGHT

Firstly, improving Australia’s cost competitiveness will enhance its position as a green hydrogen supplier of choice. Our report reveals Australia’s forecast green hydrogen production costs will decline rapidly by 2040, positioning Australia as a first quartile cost producer.

Developers will need to think innovatively about how they can best configure their project, including the sizing of the electrolyser, the choice of technologies, and where best to locate the project, for ongoing access and proximity to a secure water source, low-cost renewable energy and export infrastructure.

2. INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPLY CHAINS MUST BE DEVELOPED

Secondly, Australia’s critical infrastructure and hydrogen supply chain will require parallel development as pilot projects progress towards industrial-scale production targeting both the domestic and export markets over the coming decade.

There will be important tradeoffs to be considered. Examples might include reliance on offshore electrolyser suppliers or domesticating some production to alleviate potential bottlenecks, and the development and ownership of infrastructure on a sole or shared basis. How existing infrastructure could be repurposed is another consideration.

The form of hydrogen for export as it leaves Australia’s shores represents a further trade-off.

Whether it’s liquified hydrogen, ammonia or methylcyclohexane, each method comes with its own pros and cons. Emerging technologies such as compressed hydrogen tankers or metal hydride technology will provide more food for thought when it comes to how to transport hydrogen effectively.

3. NAVIGATING POLICY AND REGULATION

Beyond the physical infrastructure required across the renewable hydrogen value chain, it’s the ‘soft’

infrastructure – the regulatory and social infrastructure – that is required to accelerate the growth of Australia’s green hydrogen industry.

We anticipate that the setting of formal emissions targets will help drive demand signals and improve the investment attractiveness of the industry. Furthermore, a Guarantee of Origin scheme would provide muchneeded transparency and consistency, and would enable different hydrogen products to be compared accurately.

There is a role for Governments, industry, educational institutions and registered training organisations to work together to develop and deliver quality education and training. This collaboration will be crucial to ensure a skilled and capable workforce is established to support the hydrogen transition.

Our analysis has found more than 40 roles are needed to support the Australian hydrogen economy over the next five years, spanning six occupational clusters including engineers, technicians and tradespersons, safety and quality control, specialists, logistics and managers.

The good news is that many existing skills are transferable to the hydrogen industry, yet this may only exacerbate the current tightness in the market for skilled labour.

4. MAKING PROJECTS BANKABLE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

For investors and financiers, hydrogen projects are currently more challenging than traditional infrastructure assets due to complex technology and supply chain considerations. Nevertheless, many hydrogen export projects under development today are forming consortia bringing together the requisite industry knowledge, skillsets and delivery capability.

From getting the price right, and establishing a hydrogen-ready supply chain, through to navigating policy and regulation and engaging partners and offtakers, these success factors are essential when it comes to developing the projects that will underpin a competitive green hydrogen industry.

There is great potential for Australia to play a leading role as a globallytraded hydrogen market evolves – but this is not a time to watch and wait.

Australia must put its green hydrogen future at the forefront, or risk innovation and investment being deployed elsewhere.

How can strong principal and subcontractor partnerships increase the chance of success on a microtunnelling project?

Too often on construction sites – when unexpected situations occur or a different way of doing things to reduce risk and improve project outcomes are suggested – it can become a case of principal contractor versus subcontractor. When this occurs, it creates an environment that is not conducive to performance.

In order to have a successful construction project, it is vital that there is a strong partnership between the principal contractor and the subcontractor. Communication is key to this; as unexpected conditions can increase risks of a project failing.

Subcontractors need to be able to explain these risks as soon as they arise and present the best way forward, as well as the pros and cons of any other options – or the merits of keeping to the original plan.

On the other hand, principal contractors need to be willing to listen and understand any concerns and solutions to help alleviate and mitigate risk. A partnership built on this will ultimately create the right environment for successful outcomes as communication is encouraged and factual situations are embraced.

At the end of the day, both the principal contractor and subcontractor’s reputations are at risk if the project is unsuccessful, or there are budget and deadline blowouts that could’ve been prevented. No one wants this, so working together to ensure a successful outcome is important.

COMMUNICATION IN ACTION

Edge Underground worked on one project recently where we had a principal contractor who is risk averse and sees the benefits of mitigating risk as much as possible in advance – to ensure the project is a success. This was crucial for the project as it was undertaken in an area that was notorious for the geotech being incorrect due to the mixed ground conditions. In such situations, being agile and open to changing aspects of the project is needed to improve the chance of a successful installation.

As expected for the area, the team hit ground formations on two of the three lines that were not covered by the geotech and that created challenges. One challenge was that during one of the lines, a gaseous layer was found which can be extremely dangerous if machinery becomes an ignition point.

By running the AXIS laser guided system, this risk was eliminated; as it uses liquid ring vacuum pumps which don’t have an ignition point. If a microtunnelling system with a blower style vacuum pump had been used instead, there would’ve been a much greater chance of it igniting.

The liquid ring vacuum pumps in the system also have the advantage of having a lot of power behind them. With this job, the shafts were quite deep, so having the power to lift heavy rock materials up through the shaft and into the tank was needed to get the job done on time.

UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR PRE-PLANNING TO MITIGATE THE WORST CASE SCENARIO

Sometimes a suggestion is made that will allow there to be a solution to be in place to account for the worst case scenario. This will often be communicated by the subcontractor when there is a high chance of the worst case scenario occurring, as it will ultimately keep the project on track and reduce costs in the long term.

Edge Underground saw this exact situation play out in a project, which was undertaken as it was heading into the wet season and the risk of flash flooding was high. While compromises were made with the first shaft, three days of flash flooding that stopped all progress on the project before momentum could be made, cemented the need for preplanning and preparing the shafts for such a scenario.

The flooding did make the job more complicated, and increased the scope of work and timeframe to complete it, but with the lessons learnt throughout, the other lines were completed without any problems and the full installation was completed within the timeframe.

ACHIEVING SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES

When the principal contractor and subcontractor can have a solid partnership, where every concern or issue is listened to and understood, fantastic project outcomes can be achieved.

However, where an us-versus-them mentality permeates the partnership, there is a greater chance of identified risks impacting project costs and increasing project timelines.

ABOUT STUART HARRISON

Global microtunnelling pioneer Stuart Harrison is the Managing Director of Edge Underground, where he specialises in on-grade microtunnelling installations with millimetre accuracy.

Stuart is also the inventor of the AXIS Guided Boring system, and he is constantly working to improve the effectiveness of this and other trenchless systems used in the installation of gravity sewers.

To discuss your next microtunnelling installation, contact Stuart on 1300 JACKED or at stuart@edgeunderground.co

NOVEMBER 2022

MAY 2023

Water Industry Operations Conference & Exhibitions 2022

Personnel involved in the operation and maintenance water related infrastructure should attend these conferences. A great forum for all involved in water operations to:

• Listen and learn from the experience of others through the latest information

• View and discuss technical equipment, products and services with suppliers

• Update knowledge and skills through interaction with other water industry employees