- The Transition to Renewables – Lessons from Australia



This panel discussion on Energy Transition introduced the re-launch of PES (Power and Energy Section) on 7 Nov 2023. The key-note presentation was given by Prof Simon Bartlett, giving an overview of the Australian experience with emphasis on the following: El Nino, managing the Duck Curve with discipline, Lessons of electricity market and regulator, Lessons of electricity market and regulator, Fickle winds and the overlooked importance of weather forecasting.
Australia boasts of its leadership in market-based development and operation of electricity generation, customer choice and efficient investment in transmission and distribution, co-ordinated by an independent system operator and regulator. It claims to be leading transition from a coal-fired history to massive amounts of distributed renewables generation, wind-power, solar farms and record penetration of roof-top solar, firmed by battery storage and new pumped storage schemes. All co-ordinated/driven by it`s Integrated System Plan. Whilst this may sound perfect, it’s not a bed of roses.
Panelist representation and names:
Tx System Operator (Scheduling and Dispatch; Ancillary Services) – Marius Roets and Siju Joseph respectively
Tx System Planning – Caswell Ndlhovu
Dx Planning – Kurt Dedekind
Generation (repurposing) – Mzayifani Mzebetshana
Contents:
00:00 Introduction
07:47 Key Presentation
35:00 Panelist contributions
1:14:30 Questions & discussion
Presenter: Prof Simon Bartlett AM (BE (Elec Hon), BSc (Stats and Comp), CPEng) is a power system engineer with ten years’ experience as an Australian university professor and forty years` working in the power industry in electricity transmission, power systems and generation in Australia, Europe and Canada. His experience includes planning, design, construction, system operations, asset management, regulation, leadership and board directorship. He is a professor at University Tasmania`s Renewable Energy Centre. He held Australian Chair of Transmission at the University Queensland and was COO of Powerlink Queensland, Board Director of ElectraNet South Australia, Chair of the Australian Power Institute. He received various awards for services to Australia`s power industry and engineering profession.