May-21 Energy News Bytes

Carl Daley -

A significant month in the industry with Federal Government announcing taxpayer funded Kurri Kurri gas powered generator, whilst the NSW Government signs a 10 year off-take renewable agreement with Shell and Edify including a new battery in Riverina, and the AER approves the EnergyConnect NSW-SA interconnector. Disaster strikes at Callide C unit 4 with a fire and explosion causing 2,200MW baseload power trip for Queensland homes and businesses.

This is the byte size version of our Energy News for the month, and the full version is available in our subscriber section of the Market Report.

Renewables

  • Oxford research shows vertical wind turbines more efficient
  • Minister vetoes $280m loan for the Kaban Green Energy Hub, but Neoen pushes ahead regardless
  • "Relithiation" process eliminates significant cost and complexity from recycling battery components
  • Global wind and solar supplies grow at fastest rate in two decades whilst SA trial finds virtual power plant participants able to export more than 5kW limit
  • Treasury Wine Estates aim for net zero emissions by 2030 and 100% renewable electricity by 2024
  • Approval given for Uungula Wind farm and NSW Lightsource BP 600MW solar energy hub
  • Powercor proposes 20 Big Batteries for Victoria, Lumea plans delivery of 10 GW of renewable power whist wind-solar hybrid project pushes ahead in South Australia
  • AEMO's "one at a time" connection rules causing fear in market
  • CSIRO launches collaborative mission to drive down hydrogen cost
  • A $2bn plan to fast track Hunter Valley hydrogen project and first time ever that hydrogen based renewable energy is fed into Australia's gas grid, while CEFC invest in hydrogen sector
  • RATCH-Australia Corporation Pty Ltd opens WA Yandin Wind Farm
  • Jemena calls for renewable gas target to mirror RET
  • Morrison government signals end to "ad hoc" market intervention

Storage

  • Wallerawang power station to be re-purposed into renewable battery storage facility
  • Construction of Australia's first pumped hydro energy storage system and Shell and Edify Energy will build a big 100MW battery storage facility in Riverina region
  • Yackandandah's 24 KWh battery said to "make energy providers nervous"
  • Qld government announces development of 100MW/150MWh Wandoan South Battery Energy Storage on the Darling Downs

Generation

  • Closure of Liddell power station Unit 3 brought forward a year to 1 April, 2022 and concerns the earlier closure of Yallourn will leave Victoria and South Australia exposed to higher blackout risk
  • Callide power station fire and explosion cut power to homes and businesses, and resulted in turbine parts flying hundreds of metres in the air, and is expected to be out of action for up to 12 months

Our separate article recapping the Callide event can be found at Callide C Catastrophic Failure

Gas Market

  • Origin's gas deal puts pressure on Port Kembla as the Morrison government announces $58.6m package to underwrite AIP for the new gas import terminal and power station at the port
  • Whilst Australian LNG industry fears losing buyers from China, EnergyQuest believes that declining gas supplies pose more of a threat to Australian LNG exports than any threat from China
  • Clean Energy Council believes newly publicly funded Kurri Kurri gas power plant "unhelpful and unnecessary"; whilst the pandemic "gas led recovery" suffers a serious setback following a Dutch court decision to compel Shell to make faster and deeper carbon emissions cuts

Our assessment can be found here at Kurri Kurri Gas Power Station.

Financial

  • New Energy Solar should secure sale of Beryl and Manildra solar farms by mid year 2021
  • Cultana Solar Farm and Playford Big Battery put up for sale by Gupta
  • Budget 2021: Big carbon emitters to pay up to reduce output
  • Speculation mounts that Origin Energy to make big announcement with share price continuing to fall
  • Jobs lost as ExxonMobil Melbourne refinery closes and partial closure of three Qenos petrochemical manufacturing plants
  • AGL considers equity raising as demerger doubts arise, and share price falling
  • Commodity slump sees Shell and Arrow Energy in $1.2bn write down
  • Super fund REST considers options for 50% stake in SEA Gas
  • Elliott Green Power seeks buyers for $600m Australian solar portfolio
  • Boost for solar, wind and storage as "transformational" SA link approved
  • Amber completes successful partnership with Commonwealth Bank
  • Controversial EV road tax law passed in upper house

Power Purchase Agreements

  • NSW government signs $3.2bn deal to boost renewable energy in Riverina region
  • Forty six local Victorian councils sign up to new partnership sourcing all their electricity from Dundonnell and Murra Warra 2 wind farms

Policy & Regulation

  • AER approved NSW-SA EnergyConnect transmission line project forecast to cost $2.28 billion

The full version of our Energy News is available in our subscriber section of the Market Report. If you wish to join, then simply follow the link or contact us.