The future of energy generation and storage

[Antirnator]

just want to add that growing crops to make biofuel is actually energy negative but for sugar cane.
so growing maize (US) or wheat/sugar beets in the EU to make ethanol end up consuming more oil..or gas.. due to fertilisers, processing/farming energy costs
But tell that to an ALP leader in need of green votes.
so either fully ignorant, dumb or devious..your choice..
it will always remain a niche industry reusing wastes or an indirect subsidy (US)

So all our prime farmland will be transmission/powerlines, concrete/steel windmills, plastic/heavymetals solar panels, a vast amount of bio fuel crops and NO food. None of this makes any sense and nor is it good for the environment. It's like someone is playing a really bad simcity simulator.

Oh I forgot in order to reduce emissions Australia stopped farmers land clearing for the massive carbon offset so how are we going to increase land usage for bio fuels, if it is emissions lowering policy to shrink farmland.

 

[mullokintyre]

So all our prime farmland will be transmission/powerlines, concrete/steel windmills, plastic/heavymetals solar panels, a vast amount of bio fuel crops and NO food. None of this makes any sense and nor is it good for the environment. It's like someone is playing a really bad simcity simulator.

Oh I forgot in order to reduce emissions Australia stopped farmers land clearing for the massive carbon offset so how are we going to increase land usage for bio fuels, if it is emissions lowering policy to shrink farmland.

You also forgot to mention that due to catastrophic global warming/climate change (coming to a region near you), there will be no arable land left, and no water to use with it.
Mick

 

[Antirnator]

You also forgot to mention that due to catastrophic global warming/climate change (coming to a region near you), there will be no arable land left, and no water to use with it.
Mick

Ssshhh... you can't talk about the increase in arable land and CLIMATE CHANGE. Nor can you talk about the greening of the earth.

 

[sptrawler]

So all our prime farmland will be transmission/powerlines, concrete/steel windmills, plastic/heavymetals solar panels, a vast amount of bio fuel crops and NO food. None of this makes any sense and nor is it good for the environment. It's like someone is playing a really bad simcity simulator.

Oh I forgot in order to reduce emissions Australia stopped farmers land clearing for the massive carbon offset so how are we going to increase land usage for bio fuels, if it is emissions lowering policy to shrink farmland.

You also forgot to mention that due to catastrophic global warming/climate change (coming to a region near you), there will be no arable land left, and no water to use with it.
Mick

It might finally make the Ord river project viable, there is a massive dam and a 30MW hydro power station sitting idle, the Government might as well make a pet bio fuel plant there at least most of the infrastructures in place. Lol
But then of course native title may become an issue.

Ord River Hydro Power Station - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Smurf1976]

it will always remain a niche industry reusing wastes

Rationally this.

If there’s legitimate waste by-products then it’s rational to put them to a productive use, especially when doing so saves a finite resource imported from overseas.

There’s only so much legitimate waste however.

 

[basilio]

Excellent report on the future of energy generation and storage. Really puts the blow torch on fossil fuel energy sources.

“Too cheap to contain and too big to ignore:” The electrotech revolution that will sweep away fossil fuels​

Image Credit: Neoen Australia

Joshua S Hill
Sep 18, 2025

Chart of the day, Renewables

Key Takeaways​

• A new report highlights the disruption of the global energy system driven by low-cost, efficient 'electrotech' technologies.
• Electrotech technologies, including solar, wind, EVs, and heat pumps, are three times more efficient than fossil fuels and can displace 70% of fossil fuel imports.
• The report suggests a shift from a fossil fuel-centric view to an 'electrotech' perspective that emphasizes growth and innovation.

A new report published this week has highlighted the profound disruption and transformation of the global energy system – driven by the uptake of low cost, highly efficiency “electrotech” – solar and wind, electric vehicles and heat pumps, batteries and digitalisation.

The report, from the UK-based think tank Ember, says these new technologies are three-times more efficient than fossil fuels, are capable of displacing around 70 per cent of fossil fuel imports, and will continue to see their costs fall by around 20 per cent every time deployment doubles.

Most of all, the new report, The Electrotech Revolution, flags a rethink about the way the world views the global energy system, and draws a parallel with the IT revolution that preceded it.

It divides the global energy system into two main parts – electricity generation and energy use – and splits the planet into four key groups – mature economies, China, emerging markets, and petro-regions – and paints a convincing picture of how electrotech is reshaping how the world generates, uses, and shifts electrons.

“Too cheap to contain and too big to ignore:” The electrotech revolution that will sweep away fossil fuels

Electrotech – low cost and highly efficient solar, wind, EVs, batteries and digital technology – is causing a fundamental rethink of global energy systems.

reneweconomy.com.au

 

[basilio]

Where is Australia's electricity generation now with renewable energy production vs fossil fuel powered plan ?

This month we set a new daily record for the amount of renewable energy that was curtailed by the energy system. Which highlights of course the new for more battery storage.

“Remarkable:” Record day of wind and solar curtailment as renewables surge and rooftop PV holds sway​

Photo by José Alejandro Cuffia on Unsplash

Giles Parkinson
Sep 15, 2025

Chart of the day, Renewables, Solar, Wind

Key Takeaways​

• Australia's National Electricity Market experienced over 10 gigawatts of wind and solar curtailment for the first time.
• The total curtailment peaked at 10.21 GW, surpassing the previous record by nearly 1.5 GW.
• Electricity demand hit a new low of 9.5 GW around 1pm on the same day.

Australia’s main grid saw what energy experts are describing as a “remarkable day” of records on Sunday, as excellent generation conditions and low grid demand results in multiple new records of renewable curtailment.

According to Geoff Eldridge, of GPE NEMWatch, there were a heap of records that tumbled, mostly in the middle of the day, with the most notable being the first time on the National Electricity Market that wind and solar curtailment had totalled more than 10 gigawatts.

It reached a new peak of 10.21 GW, nearly 1.5 GW above the previous record that was set in September, 2024. The remarkable part is that is in itself more than electricity demand at the time, which hit a new low of 9.5 GW just after 1pm.

There were also new highs for individual technologies, with wind curtailment breaking through 5 GW for the first time on the NEM, with Victoria being the most impacted with a new high of 3.5 GW of wind curtailement.

Total curtailment also reached a new peak of 4.6 GW in South Australia and 8.4 GW in Victoria, Eldridge says.

The share of curtailment was also remarkable, with the combination of actual production and curtailment reaching a new peak of 114 per cent of total demand – the highest since October last year when it reached 106 per cent, and a new record in Victoria where it reached 156 per cent.

Eldridge said that the curtailment record of 107 per cent of total grid demand (excluding the demand served by rooftop solar) mentioned earlier shows how far availability exceeds system absorption.

He notes that renewable energy production and curtailment exceeded native demand from 9.15 am to 3.10 pm, underlying how sustained the surplus was through the day.

“The behind the meter rooftop PV is reducing demand for dispatchable generation,” Eldridge tells Renew Economy.

“You can see that, on average, for every 1 MW of rooftop PV output there was 0.8 MW of Wind and Solar Curtailed. Coal will be running on or close to minimums, and there are four units out in Victoria at the moment, along with 3 in each of NSW and Queensland.

It points, he says, to the gap in flexibility – storage, electric vehicles and dynamic tariffs can capture surplus renewables, but not yet in sufficient quantities.

“Some battery charging and pumped hydro reduced the curtailment, but a lot more needed, plus lots of potential to move loads into the sunny/curtailment part of the day.
“The big question is: Which lever — batteries, transmission, demand-shifting, or reform — most reduces next spring’s curtailment?” he asked.

“These records highlight not just how far renewables have come, but how much further system flexibility and integration must go.”

“Remarkable:” Record day of wind and solar curtailment as renewables surge and rooftop PV holds sway

Wind and solar curtailment hit new records, with the amount not sent to the grid eclipsing total grid demand, underlying case for more storage to soak up rooftop PV.

reneweconomy.com.au

 

[mullokintyre]

Where is Australia's electricity generation now with renewable energy production vs fossil fuel powered plan ?

This month we set a new daily record for the amount of renewable energy that was curtailed by the energy system. Which highlights of course the new for more battery storage.

“Remarkable:” Record day of wind and solar curtailment as renewables surge and rooftop PV holds sway​

Photo by José Alejandro Cuffia on Unsplash

Giles Parkinson
Sep 15, 2025

Chart of the day, Renewables, Solar, Wind

Key Takeaways​

• Australia's National Electricity Market experienced over 10 gigawatts of wind and solar curtailment for the first time.
• The total curtailment peaked at 10.21 GW, surpassing the previous record by nearly 1.5 GW.
• Electricity demand hit a new low of 9.5 GW around 1pm on the same day.

Australia’s main grid saw what energy experts are describing as a “remarkable day” of records on Sunday, as excellent generation conditions and low grid demand results in multiple new records of renewable curtailment.

According to Geoff Eldridge, of GPE NEMWatch, there were a heap of records that tumbled, mostly in the middle of the day, with the most notable being the first time on the National Electricity Market that wind and solar curtailment had totalled more than 10 gigawatts.

It reached a new peak of 10.21 GW, nearly 1.5 GW above the previous record that was set in September, 2024. The remarkable part is that is in itself more than electricity demand at the time, which hit a new low of 9.5 GW just after 1pm.

There were also new highs for individual technologies, with wind curtailment breaking through 5 GW for the first time on the NEM, with Victoria being the most impacted with a new high of 3.5 GW of wind curtailement.

Total curtailment also reached a new peak of 4.6 GW in South Australia and 8.4 GW in Victoria, Eldridge says.

The share of curtailment was also remarkable, with the combination of actual production and curtailment reaching a new peak of 114 per cent of total demand – the highest since October last year when it reached 106 per cent, and a new record in Victoria where it reached 156 per cent.

Eldridge said that the curtailment record of 107 per cent of total grid demand (excluding the demand served by rooftop solar) mentioned earlier shows how far availability exceeds system absorption.

He notes that renewable energy production and curtailment exceeded native demand from 9.15 am to 3.10 pm, underlying how sustained the surplus was through the day.

“The behind the meter rooftop PV is reducing demand for dispatchable generation,” Eldridge tells Renew Economy.

“You can see that, on average, for every 1 MW of rooftop PV output there was 0.8 MW of Wind and Solar Curtailed. Coal will be running on or close to minimums, and there are four units out in Victoria at the moment, along with 3 in each of NSW and Queensland.

It points, he says, to the gap in flexibility – storage, electric vehicles and dynamic tariffs can capture surplus renewables, but not yet in sufficient quantities.

“Some battery charging and pumped hydro reduced the curtailment, but a lot more needed, plus lots of potential to move loads into the sunny/curtailment part of the day.
“The big question is: Which lever — batteries, transmission, demand-shifting, or reform — most reduces next spring’s curtailment?” he asked.

“These records highlight not just how far renewables have come, but how much further system flexibility and integration must go.”

“Remarkable:” Record day of wind and solar curtailment as renewables surge and rooftop PV holds sway

Wind and solar curtailment hit new records, with the amount not sent to the grid eclipsing total grid demand, underlying case for more storage to soak up rooftop PV.

reneweconomy.com.au

The issue is, the problem about curtailment was predicted by engineers years ago, it has been highlighted consistently since then,
but only now it seems to a something to be addressed?
Pretty much standard approach by the "experts" who are driving this.
Mick

 

[basilio]

The issue is, the problem about curtailment was predicted by engineers years ago, it has been highlighted consistently since then,
but only now it seems to a something to be addressed?
Pretty much standard approach by the "experts" who are driving this.
Mick

It is not something to be addressed as much as used. The amount of excess renewable energy produced also highlights the progress that has been made in developing wind and solar.

In the near future the very large increase in home batteries will further depress demand on external energy sources as well as offering extra power for evening peak demands.

“The big question is: Which lever — batteries, transmission, demand-shifting, or reform — most reduces next spring’s curtailment?” he asked.

“These records highlight not just how far renewables have come, but how much further system flexibility and integration must go.”

 

[Smurf1976]

It is not something to be addressed as much as used.

See my previous post.

It's beyond crazy that we're putting gas water heaters into homes when we've got VRE going to waste at a rapidly increasing rate. If we're going to generate it, it's crazy to not fully use it just for political reasons.

The real issue is this logically ought be done as an integrated plan. That's what's missing, proper planning.

Meanwhile we've now got two significant generating units, at separate power stations in different states, out of service following "incidents".

 

[SirRumpole]

Meanwhile we've now got two significant generating units, at separate power stations in different states, out of service following "incidents".

Due to lack of maintenance?

The real issue is this logically ought be done as an integrated plan. That's what's missing, proper planning.

No one want to bite the bullet and build more pumped hydro, the best way of storing the excess VRE, or even just turning on hot water systems to soak it up.

While we have rent seekers with their fingers in the pie, we will have lack of planning. Governments have to get back control of the grid, imho.

 

[IFocus]

Ssshhh... you can't talk about the increase in arable land and CLIMATE CHANGE. Nor can you talk about the greening of the earth.

View attachment 208967

Hmmm without further technical advancements in cropping it will be a problem current crop returns comes from newer techniques without we wouldn’t get any where near the yield now that’s from my brother retired farmer.
Oh much of it now is corporate not Aussie farmers.
As for renewables taking over arable lands… you need to get out more.

 

[IFocus]

Noticed Coober Pedy has turbines

 

[Smurf1976]

Due to lack of maintenance?

One I'd say was sheer bad luck. A bit like winning the lottery except in reverse, bad things can happen. Transformer failed and caught fire. Plan is to install a temporary spare, which is about two thirds the capacity of the original, pending manufacture of a proper replacement. Plan is to have that done before summer.

The other though is very different. Old, tired, worn out and many have warned the time bomb was ticking. Rationally it'd be closed at this point but it seems the plan is for a repair simply due to lack of options.

 

[Smurf1976]

As for renewables taking over arable lands…

They would if we were to use biofuels to any major extent.

Using legitimate waste to produce fuel yes sure do that, but to grow crops intentionally to produce fuel has a lot of issues with scalability, environment and so on.

 

[qldfrog]

They would if we were to use biofuels to any major extent.

Using legitimate waste to produce fuel yes sure do that, but to grow crops intentionally to produce fuel has a lot of issues with scalability, environment and so on.

they do in Widgee, Qld.
solar garm: look at the disaster in a high rainfall area

Woolooga Solar Farm

CleanCo is now sourcing 68MW of generation from the operating Woolooga Solar Farm near Gympie, which is operated by Lightsourcebp.

cleancoqueensland.com.au

The good thing is as Co2 increases with our current solar warming phase, deserts are greening and yield increasing: up to 20% so far so humans are not starving yet.
only trouble is cooling is coming , less co2 less life

 

[qldfrog]

They would if we were to use biofuels to any major extent.

Using legitimate waste to produce fuel yes sure do that, but to grow crops intentionally to produce fuel has a lot of issues with scalability, environment and so on.

and the fact you can find numerous studies demonstrating that for 1 litre of bio ethanol or bio diesel, you have actually consumed more of fossil fuel oil if using crops..but for sugar cane..save the reef

 

[Antirnator]

Hmmm without further technical advancements in cropping it will be a problem current crop returns comes from newer techniques without we wouldn’t get any where near the yield now that’s from my brother retired farmer.
Oh much of it now is corporate not Aussie farmers.
As for renewables taking over arable lands… you need to get out more.

Hmmm, everything you said is good but are unrelated to what I said.

 

[IFocus]

So all our prime farmland will be transmission/powerlines, concrete/steel windmills, plastic/heavymetals solar panels, a vast amount of bio fuel crops and NO food. None of this makes any sense and nor is it good for the environment. It's like someone is playing a really bad simcity simulator.

Oh I forgot in order to reduce emissions Australia stopped farmers land clearing for the massive carbon offset so how are we going to increase land usage for bio fuels, if it is emissions lowering policy to shrink farmland.

Hmmmm……

 

[IFocus]

and the fact you can find numerous studies demonstrating that for 1 litre of bio ethanol or bio diesel, you have actually consumed more of fossil fuel oil if using crops..but for sugar cane..save the reef

Bio fuels was a scam run by US farmers