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Abstract: Coalbed methane (CBM) or coal seam gas (CSG) as it is known in Australia is becoming an increasingly important source of energy around the world. Many countries such as United States, Canada, Australia and China are investing in the CSG industry. A rise in the cost of conventional natural gas and many other energy resources, along with a decline in these conventional resources and issues such as climate change have encouraged a global interest in alternative sources of energy like CSG. The estimated quantity of CSG worldwide is around 1.4×1014 m3, it is clear that coal seam gas is a significant source of energy. The first section of this paper will discuss the production size of CSG worldwide and the future of the industry. The usage of the coal bed seam for the sequestration of CO2 is also an added benefit. The reduction of CO2 released to the environment may help in the future mitigation of global warming. In addition, the re-injecting of the co-produced CO2 enhances the commercial recovery and production of CSG wells. In the second section, the impact of the CSG industry's by-products on the environment, the freshwater ecosystem and human health are analysed. The second section includes issues associated with the large volume of co-produced water with undesirable composition in the CSG industry. The management of this enormous amount of water requires cost effective technologies and methods. Many methods for dealing with water problems are discussed and analysed in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores the global impacts of climate change and pollution across diverse regions, highlighting unique challenges and innovative initiatives. From rising temperatures and severe droughts in Africa and Australia to melting glaciers in the Arctic and pollution in Asia, each continent faces significant environmental threats. Despite these challenges, countries are making strides in renewable energy, conservation, and community-based actions. International agreements and local indigenous practices play vital roles in these efforts. The paper concludes with a call for continued global cooperation and local action, emphasizing the potential for a sustainable future through collective innovation and resilience-building. Through this comprehensive analysis, the paper underscores the urgency and possibility of addressing global warming and pollution for a healthier planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously published studies on Australia's energy security did not examine the country's domestic energy security situation in tandem with its international energy statecraft. This paper fills this research gap. In order to provide a robust analysis of a country's strategic options in the energy sector, it is paramount to balance domestic and international dimensions, along with internal and external factors. The paper utilizes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) method to review Australia's strategic options by balancing the inward-looking, domestic risk minimization dimension (energy security), with the outward-looking, international power projection dimension (energy statecraft). The paper also applies the 4A framework (availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptance) to assess Australia's energy security performance. On the one hand, the results demonstrate that Australia has many strengths and opportunities as a reliable and stable energy supplier, endowed with traditional and renewable energy resources, and critical minerals. On the other hand, numerous internal weaknesses and external threats may affect Australia's strategic options in the future. The most pressing issue is the historical lack of strategic government intervention in the energy market, which has, paradoxically, resulted in domestic energy accessibility and affordability crisis. The market-based approach is also the main reason why Australia has not transformed its energy resources into capabilities to be used as instruments of statecraft. The paper uses the SWOT analysis and the 4A assessment as the basis for discussion on how Australia can transform its energy sector weaknesses and threats into strengths and opportunities, to benefit the national interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia, like many other countries around the world, is undergoing a transition toward net zero emissions. It requires changes and development in many sectors, which not only bring benefits but also challenges. The rapid growth in renewable energy sources (RESs) is necessary to decarbonise electricity generation but negatively affects grid stability. Residential buildings also contribute to this issue through specific load profiles and the high penetration of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) installations. Maintaining grid balance will be crucial for further emissions reductions. One of the potential solutions can be the replacement of conventional heating and cooling systems in houses with solutions capable of storing energy and shifting the electrical load. As presented in this paper, heat pumps and hydronic systems can significantly improve the electrical load of a typical South Australian household when they are controlled by algorithms reacting to the current grid conditions and household-generated electricity compared to conventional solutions. TRNSYS 18 simulations of air source and ground source heat pump systems with smart control based on measured electricity consumption and domestic hot water usage data showed the possibility of total energy consumption reduction, shifting the load from peak periods towards periods of excessive RES generation and increasing self-consumption of rooftop PV electricity. These improvements reduce the amount of emissions generated by such a household and allow for further development of other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent passage of the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act (2021) (Cth) opened up the potential for Australia to produce renewable energy at unprecedented scale. Six regions have been identified as potential locations for developing offshore wind projects, promising thousands of new local jobs to legacy industrial regions. This paper charts the regulatory framework for Australia's offshore wind industry and how it positions local economic benefits in the licencing of projects. It then draws on interviews with key stakeholders supported by media and policy analysis to examine the early development of offshore wind capability in one of the proposed regions, the Illawarra, in NSW. Here existing steelmaking capacity positions the region to play a key role in supply chains for local and potentially national projects, but considerable structural and geographical constraints in the labour market will need to be addressed. In light of overseas experience indicating that economic benefits often fall short of promises, greater attention by policy makers is required to ensure hosting communities can develop local skills in the industry and facilitate their relative supply chain capabilities. This paper also calls for careful evaluation of early projects to allow for adjustments to policy settings as the industry matures domestically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper addresses the current lack of solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption by Australian apartment dwellers by proposing a conceptual model that identifies and integrates the factors influencing owners' attitudes towards PV adoption. Design/methodology/approach: The conceptual model, which this paper terms the apartment-based solar adoption (ASA) model, is developed by applying motivation–opportunity–ability (MOA) theory to relevant findings in property development, green energy and strata governance literature. Findings: The ASA model demonstrates the process by which an apartment-owning consumer may progress from considering solar PV adoption to recommending the action to their strata property's Owners' Committee (OC). It incorporates three motivational drivers (pragmatic considerations, perceived values and perceived social norms), three conditional mediators (location accessibility, resource availability and decision-making conditions) and three requirements from the consumer (actual and perceived knowledge, the ability to participate in decision-making and social connections and status). Research limitations/implications: This article contributes originality to research on two counts. Firstly, it provides a conceptual framework of specific relevance to issues concerning solar PV adoption, and secondly, it offers a systematic means for research into strata governance decision-making. Further research is required to develop the means with which to utilise the model prescriptively and measure longitudinal effects, such as ongoing trends in apartment owners' motivations. Further research is also recommended into how the ASA model may be utilised to identify generalisable consumer typologies among apartment owners. Practical implications: The ASA model may assist building maintenance providers in developing and marketing solar PV services tailored to apartment residents' requirements and enhance strata managers' ability to inform and guide apartment owners. In turn, property developers would be able to review apartment-based solar projects, measure their increased value and decreased energy costs and incorporate this information when planning future developments. Social implications: The ASA model may provide a template for apartment owners and owners' corporations considering solar PV for their property. Public policymakers could also refer to the model to incentivise apartment-based solar PV adoption, whether through designing local information campaigns, developing financial incentives or mitigating identified regulatory barriers. By facilitating solar PV adoption in Australian apartment housing, the model may ensure sustainable post-carbon energy consumption for Australia's housing stock and act as an example for high-density housing development internationally. Originality/value: The ASA model addresses the many drivers and barriers known to affect solar PV adoption by apartment owners, presenting a framework on which to arrange these factors and outline their causal relationships. This framework may inform strata properties' future solar PV adoption initiatives by incorporating their specific physical characteristics, stakeholder dynamics and institutional structure. It also consolidates and provides generalisability to the concepts established in current literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the capability approach to analyse renewable energy developments on Aboriginal land in Australia's Pilbara and Kimberley regions. These regions in the north-west of Australia have very high rates of Indigenous land tenure, and are attractive for both solar and wind power generation, particularly as developing technology makes it economically feasible to transport power over large distances. They are also remote from Australia's electricity networks and often rely on expensive fossil fuels for electricity generation. Resident Aboriginal communities are among the most income-poor in Australia yet live in regions rich in renewable energy. Their ability to benefit from the opportunities offered by a transition to renewable sources of energy varies according to a number of factors. This paper examines the conditions under which Indigenous capabilities may be enhanced or inhibited, through examining three scales of energy generation: large-scale developments for export; remote utility-owned networks; and small-scale standalone off-grid applications. This paper will ask what capabilities can Indigenous people achieve from a just approach to a renewable energy transition in northern Australia, and what capabilities are required in order to gain maximum benefit from this current rapid energy transition? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate prediction of renewable energy consumption (REC) is of great significance to ensure energy security, reduce dependence on fossil energy, and promote sustainable economic and social development. In this paper, a novel grey model with conformable fractional opposite-direction accumulation (CFOA), abbreviated as the CFOGM (1,1) model, is proposed to forecast REC in Australia. The new model is discussed in detail with a new CFOA operation and the GM (1,1) model and can take full advantage of the information carried by the original data. The CFOGM (1,1) model has lower modeling error and better fitting and forecasting accuracy than other grey, Holt, and ARM models and can better capture the change trend of REC and achieve accurate prediction. The forecasting results present that the REC in Australia is 497–581 petajoules in 2021, 596–728 petajoules in 2022, and 715–912 petajoules in 2023, indicating that the REC in Australia is still accelerating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian media reporting of climate change and renewable energy, along with public perceptions of the science and solutions of climate change, have shifted in ways that have increased pressure on politicians and policy makers. With the promotion of renewable energy central to ending Australia's heavy reliance on fossil fuels, it is critical to understand how this complex intersection of media and politics is evolving with regard to Australia's renewable energy options. Therefore, this paper examines Australian newspaper reporting of a pivotal moment in Australia's renewable energy discourse: the Australian Government's announcement, in March 2017 to expand the seventy-year-old Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme (known as Snowy 2.0), which marked a turning point in conservative energy policy. Qualitative content analysis reveals that, while political discourse delimited newspaper narratives, the sentiment of the framing was most strongly associated with the partisan alignment of the publishing organization. Regional influences also had a minor association with the framing of renewable energy. Through close analysis of this decisive moment in Australian media's political representation of renewable energy, this paper offers insights that can be used to inform media strategies for renewable energy policy in Australia, and to track changes in framing over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nKEY POINTSHigh-purity quartz (HPQ) is the only naturally occurring and economically viable source for the production of silicon. Silicon is a critical mineral, and a key component in modern technologies such as semiconductors and photovoltaic cells. Critical minerals support the move towards a greater reliance on electrification, renewable energy sources and economic security. The global transition to net zero carbon emissions means there is a growing need for new discoveries of HPQ to supply the silicon production chain. HPQ deposits are identified in a multitude of geological settings, including pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, sedimentary accumulations and quartzite; however, deposits of sufficient volume and quality are rare. Quartz is abundant throughout Australia, but the exploration and discovery of HPQ occurrences are notably under-reported, making assessment of the HPQ potential in Australia extremely difficult. This paper presents a much-needed summary of the state of the HPQ industry, exploration and deposit styles in Australia.High-purity quartz (HPQ) is a key material for the manufacture of photovoltaic cells, semiconductors and other high-technology applications.HPQ can be recovered from a variety of different source rocks in a range of geological settings.Currently, the HPQ industry in Australia is under-utilised for high-technology applications, and historical exploration and mining records are under-reported and opaque.This review presents an outline of the characteristics, processing requirements and end uses of HPQ, and a summary of the operations, deposits, exploration targets and known occurrences of HPQ in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional energy consumption such as coal, natural gas, and oil is a source of deteriorating environmental sustainability as well as a severe challenge to the green environment. The present paper explores the nexus between CO2 emissions, energy imports, energy intensity, and power generation from renewable and non-renewable energies from 1990 to 2021 in Australia. Based on the ARDL model, the findings reveal that energy imports and power generation from non-renewable energy sources show an adverse effect on the green environment. A 1% increase in conventional energy imports leads to an 11% increase in CO2 emissions. Similarly, a 1% increase in energy generation from conventional sources will increase CO2 emissions by 45%. On the other hand, lower energy intensity and power generation from renewable sources reveal a positive effect on environmental quality. A 1% increase in energy intensity will decrease CO2 emissions by 92% while energy generation from non-conventional sources by 15%. Most interestingly, energy intensity reveals the foremost position among all the selected variables to decarbonize and effectively transform conventional energy to clean and green energy production and utilization. The robustness test outcomes confirm the results of the empirical output. Furthermore, this study suggests that governments and policymakers should focus on the adaptation of lower energy intensity for the purpose to reduce CO2 emissions and promote a clean and green environment. Finally, power generation from renewable energy sources plays an inevitable role which ultimately helps environmentally sustainability in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the evolution of generation technology-mix in Australia, with specific emphasis on understanding how such evolution has been shaped by wider political and socio-economic influences. This assessment is predicated on the argument that the contemporary, quintessentially techno-economic, policy discourse on renewable energy is deficient, as it ignores climacteric political and socio-economic influences on generation technology-mix. The methodological framework employed in this paper is informed by the core tenets of technological change theory. The assessment suggests that generation technology-mix in Australia has historically been overwhelmingly influenced by the underlying technological paradigm of the electricity industry; and that this technological paradigm essentially draws its imprimatur from the wider political and socio-economic contexts. By implication, it suggests that a rapid uptake of renewables will have widespread ramifications, extending into political, socio-economic and cultural realms of a society. Clearly, existing policy discourse – that tends to focus on technical potentials, cost competitiveness, externalities and risks of various renewable technologies – is deficient. A much broader discourse is needed. This paper also made an attempt to develop a basis for such a discourse by reviewing broader aspects of the Australian society that would be affected by a rapid uptake of renewables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is a potential future solution addressing global warming, climate change, and energy security challenges. It efficiently allows for storing excess renewable energy and generating heat and electricity without increasing greenhouse gas emissions. It can create a practical pathway to replace fossil fuel vehicles and move toward a net-zero transport sector. Various hydrogen strategies and industry roadmaps have been developed to identify key goals, set targets for progress, and develop strategic plans to remove barriers. As identified through these documents, the development of consistent national and international codes and standards and the creation of clear procedures and regulations are essential for the safe implementation and adaptation of hydrogen systems, leading to the successful process of hydrogen sector. This paper provides a comprehensive and critical review of the different aspects of hydrogen safety to advance hydrogen regulations, codes, and standards. While it summarises the key international hydrogen frameworks, the main focus of the paper is on Australian plans, progress, and working groups for hydrogen deployment that will help future green energy society. • The safety developments affect the cost of Australian hydrogen scaling targets. • Training and safety developments are essential to achieve public trust in Australia. • Better community engagement is needed to move from hydrogen planning to its development. • Data-based tools assist the development of hydrogen safety procedures in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions will be enabled through the transition from a centralised fossil fuel system to a decentralised, renewable electricity system. However, due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy, storage is required to provide a suitable response to dynamic loads and manage the excess generated electricity with utilisation during periods of low generation. This paper investigates the use of stationary hydrogen-based energy storage systems for microgrids and distributed energy resource systems. An exploratory study was conducted in Australia based on a mixed methodology. Ten Australian industry experts were interviewed to determine use cases for hydrogen-based energy storage systems' requirements, barriers, methods, and recommendations. This study suggests that the current cost of the electrolyser, fuel cell, and storage medium, and the current low round-trip efficiency, are the main elements inhibiting hydrogen-based energy storage systems. Limited industry and practical experience are barriers to the implementation of hydrogen storage systems. Government support could help scale hydrogen-based energy storage systems among early adopters and enablers. Furthermore, collaboration and knowledge sharing could reduce risks, allowing the involvement of more stakeholders. Competition and innovation could ultimately reduce the costs, increasing the uptake of hydrogen storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-exposed regions tied to the fossil-fuel industry have uncertain futures. The promise of regional regeneration and job stimulus through a transition to renewable energy has been presented by governments, environmental organisations and some unions as a viable solution to their dilemmas. In this paper, we critically evaluate the job generation and local development possibilities from two high profile renewable energy initiatives – offshore wind farms and hydrogen hubs. Our starting point is that the debate to date has tended to be very narrowly focused on 'employment estimates for renewable versus fossil fuel industries' without consideration of where these jobs will be located and the nature of these jobs. Adopting a case study method, we consider the development of offshore wind farms and hydrogen hubs in Australia and their location within global value chains (GVCs) and the temporal and spatial dimensions of work required for developing, operating and maintaining these emerging industries. We demonstrate how the low labour intensity of ongoing work in offshore wind and hydrogen hubs means that new jobs created are mostly in short bursts of temporary labour in project construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The untapped potential of offshore wind is vast, and will be critical in the global transition to renewable energy and carbon neutrality. Although Australia's waters are home to enough wind energy to cover its entire electricity needs, the lack of a regulatory framework has prevented the establishment of an offshore wind industry. However, with the passage of the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 , there are now significant opportunities for the offshore generation of renewable energy, as well as the transmission of electricity within—and beyond—Australian waters. Framed by consideration of the global and regional context, this paper provides a meaningful perspective on the potential for offshore wind energy in Australia, outlines the new regulatory framework which will enable it to be realised, and highlights key points of contact with contemporary issues of ocean law and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Przegląd Elektrotechniczny is the property of Przeglad Elektrotechniczny and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hydrogen supplying to industrial users is currently the major hydrogen business worldwide and the demand for hydrogen is almost entirely supplied from fossil fuels. In the last years a widespread interest on hydrogen has grown as energy vector for the decarbonization of multiple sectors, including industry, transport and buildings. Nevertheless, the impact of natural gas and other fossil fuels substitution with hydrogen is highly affected by the mix of different technologies and energy sources applied for hydrogen generation. The paper aims to investigate current CO 2 emissions related with hydrogen generation in Australia and Italy by means of PEM and alkaline technologies; and to evaluate the potential impact considering cell characteristics variation and 3 scenarios based on energy mix. A sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the critical parameters. Based on experimental data, the energy consumption for hydrogen production using PEM technology is more sensitive to cell voltage compared to current density, which indicates the importance of cell manufacturing and electrolyte resistance. In addition, by performing sensitivity analysis regarding energy sources scenarios it is found that carbon dioxide emission in Australia is more sensitive to renewable energy sources rather than Italy. [Display omitted] • Importance of manufacturing and electrolyte resistance because of high PEM energy consumption sensitivity to cell voltage. • Predicted emission in 2030 is 5–10 kg CO 2 using PEM/alkaline technology in Italy. • 18% reduction of national electricity grid CO 2 emission in Australia is predicted. (In 2030 in comparison to 2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia has significant offshore wind resources that can support ever-increasing power demand and hence provide a long-term contribution to the net-zero target by 2050. Although some offshore wind farm projects are proposed in Australia, the industry is not mature enough to justify the benefits and display economic opportunities. More specifically, the techno-economic analysis of offshore wind energy has not been systematically mapped in Australia. Therefore, the investigation of the spatial variation of technical feasibility and economic potential of offshore wind is vital to identify the potential regions and to develop strategies for future offshore wind farm developments in Australia. This paper presents detailed mappings of the techno-economic potential of offshore wind energy in Victoria-Tasmania's exclusive economic zone. Offshore wind energy resources are assessed in the paper in terms of energy availability and variability and the feasibility of various offshore wind technologies is investigated, including turbines, foundation types and transmission topologies. In addition, the high-fidelity life-cycle cost models and two innovative evaluation matrices are developed to assess the economic potential of offshore energy farms in South-eastern Australia. The impact of local power system regulation costs and future carbon prices on the viability of offshore wind is also investigated in this paper. It is concluded that the detailed mapping approach and analysis in the paper can provide a systematic tool for industry partners, investors and policymakers at the pre-planning stage of developing offshore renewable energy systems. • The technical feasibility of offshore wind is mapped under various constraints. • The novel LACE and high-fidelity LCC assessment models are developed. • The techno-economic potential is systemically mapped in South-eastern Australia. • The impacts of electricity market regulation and future carbon prices are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a rule-based power management algorithm to enable the dispatch of a utility-scale PV power plant consisting of a hybrid energy storage system, in accordance with the Australian national electricity rules. This algorithm is purposely designed to regulate the instantaneous power of a PV plant with the same level of dispatchability as conventional power plants. Additionally, the proposed algorithm is robust under large forecasting errors (up to 60%) of solar irradiance and it can be easily implemented in practice. Specifically, this algorithm can be executed within seconds even when considering detailed market operation and model nonlinearities. A 30 MW PV plant, including a 7.5 MW/1.25 MWh vanadium redox battery and a 1.5 MW/0.25 MWh suppercapacitors bank, has been modeled using MATLAB/Simulink and PLECS software environment. The simulation results were based on various scenarios and confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed power management algorithm. It has been shown that even in the worst-case scenario of solar forecasting error of 60%, the proposed algorithm still managed to deliver over 94% of the available energy for a given solar irradiance profile of one month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which both formal and informal control, operating as a package, are implicated in responding to organisational change arising from the introduction of the Australian Federal Government’s Clean Energy Act (2011). Design/methodology/approach – This investigation is based on a review of archival data, and semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 staff at different hierarchical levels within an Australian renewable energy company. Findings – Although formal management control systems and informal control both played important roles in the organisation’s reorientation to organisational change, it was the latter form of control that predominated over the former. The influence of the prevailing organisational culture, however, was pivotal in orchestrating both formal and informal control efforts within this organisation. Originality/value – This study contributes to management control theory and practice in two ways: first, it provides much needed empirical evidence about the ways in which management controls act as a package; second, it offers insights into the relative importance of the components of a management control package in the context of a particular organisational change. In addition, it responds to Laughlin’s (1991) call for empirical “flesh” to be added to the skeletal framework he advocates to make this conceptualisation of organisational change, “more meaningful”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the variability and partial unpredictability of renewable energy sources (RES), generation reserve sizing is key for managing operational risks and enhancing grid reliability. Most existing approaches for reserve sizing estimate the forecasting error for RES using either simple point forecasts, or probabilistic forecasts that assume a predefined parametric model of the underlying distribution, such as a Gaussian distribution. However, these approaches are unable to accurately model the probability of critical events that occur in the tails of the distributions, which is vital for operational risk management. Further, they do not account for multiple dynamic factors that may impact operational risk. In this paper, we introduce a data-driven dynamic probabilistic reserve sizing method based on the artificial intelligence technique of dynamic Bayesian belief networks. The method considers the actual underlying distribution of forecasting errors from the availability of conventional generators (forecasting errors of their available generation capacity), demand, RES, and prevailing conditions such as weather and market prices. In addition, we introduce a new dynamic metric for calculating the reliability level of the power grid in order to provide a real-time stochastic decision support tool for power system operators. The proposed method is demonstrated using seven years of real historical data with a granularity of 30 min from the power system in Australia, and has been implemented and is currently used by the Australian system operator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgrids are extensively integrated into electrical systems due to their many technical, economic, and environmental advantages. However, they encounter a challenge as they experience high-frequency fluctuations caused by the stochastic nature of renewable energy generation, electric loads, and the presence of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Therefore, various techniques, algorithms, and controllers have been introduced to ensure effective Load Frequency Control (LFC) and maintain a stable power system in microgrids. These methods aim to ensure that the system's frequency remains stable and within an acceptable range, especially when faced with changing load demands and other factors. This paper presents a novel enhanced control approach, Particle Swarm Optimization-Trained Artificial Neural Network (PSO-TANN), to optimize the load frequency model of a microgrid with vehicle-to-grid integration. The results are then compared under various scenarios, including renewable energy integration, EV charging and discharging dynamics, and varying load demands. The comparative analysis involves assessing the performance of the conventional Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) controller, the PSO-PID controller, and the newly proposed controlling technique. The suggested controller attains 99.904% efficiency with a negligible mean squared error of 1.1112 × 10−7, decreasing the integrated time absolute error to 1.0 × 10−4. It shows rapid response, precise targeting, and quick peak output ability, with marginal overshoot and undershoot, and a transient time of 28.5626 s, efficiently controlling microgrid frequency. Stability analysis validates the effectiveness of the proposed PSO-TANN controller in ensuring stability within the microgrid's LFC system during uncertainties and disturbances. This establishes resilience, diminishes settling time, and maintains reliable performance while controlling frequency. • An investigation into an islanded microgrid's Load Frequency Control (LFC) model framework has been conducted, comprising diesel generator, solar PV system, wind turbine, and EVs operating in vehicle-to-grid mode to supply power to electric loads, consequently impacting the frequency dynamics of the microgrid system. • A novel enhanced control approach, Particle Swarm Optimization-Trained Artificial Neural Network (PSO-TANN) has been implemented to optimize the load frequency model of a microgrid. • An extensive comparative analysis with other controllers, including PID and PSO-PID, is conducted across diverse scenarios involving renewable energy integration and EV charging and discharging dynamics under various load disturbances to reduce settling time, control system frequency, and ensure reliable performance. • The stability analysis validates the efficiency of the proposed PSO-TANN controller in ensuring reliability during uncertainties and disturbances, maintaining overall robustness and stability of the LFC system within the microgrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) as an effective mechanism to reduce carbon emissions leads to an increased weather dependency for power and energy systems. This has created dynamic operation and degradation phenomena, which affect the lifetime estimation of the assets operated with RESs. For the reliable and efficient operation of RES it is crucial to monitor the health of its constituent components and feature selection is a crucial step for building robust and accurate health monitoring approaches. In this context, this paper presents a probabilistic feature selection approach, which probabilistically weights and selects features through a heuristic and iterative process for an improved asset lifetime estimation. Power transformers are key power grid assets and they are used to demonstrate the validity and impact of the proposed approach. The approach is tested on two different photovoltaic power plants operated in Spain and Australia. Results consistently show that the proposed feature-selection approach reduces the prediction error and consistently selects relevant features. The approach has been applied to transformer lifetime estimation, but it can be generally applied to assist in the lifetime estimation of other components operated in RESs. Part of the studies presented here as well as source codes are all open-source under the GitHub repository https://github.com/iramirezg/FeatureSelection. • Probabilistic feature selection approach for improved asset lifetime estimation. • Integration of environmental features for improved renewable-operated asset lifetime. • Systematic and robust feature weighting methodology. • Improved transformer lifetime estimation including sensor and environmental data. • Validated on two real photovoltaic power plant case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind energy and wave energy are two exploitable sources of renewable energy available in the same marine environment. A co-located energy harvesting system of these two resources has the potential to play a leading role in the recent renewable energy mix mandate. A co-located system of mature offshore wind technology and a nascent wave energy technology can exploit the synergies of the two technologies, including the reduced cost, the easy operation and maintenance, and more importantly the potential of decreased power variability. This paper deals with a multi-site analysis of wind and wave power resources, and the estimation of exploitable energy through different wind turbines and wave energy converters (WECs). Results are presented for NSW Australia, but the devised strategy is generic and can be implemented in any region. Ten WECs, with different operating principles, are used for the estimation of the exploitable wave power, and the best performing converter is considered for the co-located wind-wave farm. A power fluctuation factor is introduced to quantify the reduction in power variability of the co-located wind-wave farm. Different percentage mixes of wind and wave energy are evaluated for the co-located wind-wave farm in the multi-site analysis. •A multi-site analysis of wind and wave for estimation of exploitable energy. •Performance evaluation of wind and wave energy conversion technologies. •Power variability representation with power fluctuation factor for a co-located farm. •Characterization of percentage share of wind and wave in a co-located farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy transition to wind and solar opens up opportunities for green hydrogen as wind and solar generation tend to bring electricity prices down to very low levels. We evaluate whether green hydrogen can integrate well with wind and solar PVs to improve the South Australian electricity grid. Green hydrogen can use membrane electrolysis plants during periods of surplus renewable energy. This hydrogen can then be electrified or used in industry. The green hydrogen system was analysed to understand the financial viability and technical impact of integrating green hydrogen. We also used system engineering techniques to understand the system holistically, including the technical, social, environmental, and economic impacts. The results show opportunities for the system to provide seasonal storage, grid firming, and reliability services. Financially, it would need changes to electricity rules to be viable, so at present, it would not be viable without subsidy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a popular method of increasing the portion of renewable energy generation in electricity supplies. The Australian Federal Government introduced a RPS that, in addition to accelerating the uptake of renewable energy, is designed to provide an ongoing base for the development of commercially competitive renewable energy and contribute to the development of an internationally competitive renewable energy industry. The design parameters of the RPS and the existing electricity market framework within which it operates are important considerations in determining the success of this policy initiative in meeting all its objectives. On the basis of the Western Australian experience, this paper argues that while conceptually the RPS may be a useful tool for increasing the portion of electricity generated by renewable resources, and supporting the development of a competitive renewable energy industry, its effectiveness depends upon the policy framework within which it operates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Australian Journal of Political Science is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Comparing the United Kingdom's Renewables Obligation and Australia's Renewable Energy Target, this paper reconstructs the market for green certificates in which penalties are imposed on missed certificates. Our analysis shows that excess demand in the Renewables Obligation makes the penalty the minimum certificate price, but excess supply in the Renewable Energy Target makes the penalty the maximum certificate price. Further, excess supply also implies that the sales of certificates are not guaranteed in the Renewable Energy Target. Therefore, compared to the Renewables Obligation, generators face greater risk under the Renewable Energy Target as there is more uncertainty about the price of certificates and the possibility of sales. • Reconstruct demand and supply curves for TGC models. • Excess demand (supply) makes the penalty the minimum (maximum) certificate price. • The recycling mechanism pushes up the certificate price in the RO. • The refunding mechanism pushes down the certificate price in the RET. • Generators under TGC with excess supply face greater price risk and volume risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proponents of low-carbon transformation face an uphill battle to reconfigure incumbent energy systems against powerful interests protecting the status quo. Australia's electricity sector is an example of such a system, wedded to fossil fuels and backed by much of the country's political establishment. This paper addresses the potential for low-carbon transformation in Australia's electricity sector. It explores the complex and uncertain dynamics shaping the sector and outlines how these can be understood through the lens of strategic agency – with an eye for opportunities to drive a shift to renewables. It reviews the dynamics of change and re-stability shaping Australia's electricity sector between 2006 and 2015 and applies a resource-based view of transformative agency to analyse these dynamics. Results show the sector suffers multiple stressors and emphasise disruptive changes ‘in the pipeline’. Critically, many of these transformative dynamics stem from factors outside the influence of the electricity sector and its supporters. While results do not point to a clear trajectory or outcome of transformation, they indicate the uptake of small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems by households and small business will play a defining role in the sector's future configuration. Furthermore, the exploration of transformative dynamics affecting the electricity sector through a resource-based lens shows that many opportunities exist for strategic agents to intervene in support of a disruptive shift to renewables. The paper suggests a range of mechanisms that agents could use to undermine the strength of fossil energy in the electricity sector and encourage a shift to renewables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both developed and developing countries have committed to reduce their emissions through the increased use of renewable energy. This paper aims to compare renewable energy deployment in developed and developing countries represented by Australia and China. The paper firstly argues the validity of comparison of renewable energy deployment in Australia and China. Then, the governance structures in both countries are compared; the paper also compares management mechanisms in terms of funding and incentive support, renewable energy grid-connection and coordination between different levels of governments in both countries. Moreover, the current status of renewable energy development in two countries is summarized. From the study, it can be concluded both countries have set a Renewable Energy Target and promulgated legislation and regulations to enlarge the scale of renewable energy; China shows a stronger commitment to renewable energy than Australia. However, Renewable Energy Certificate mechanism is implemented more effectively in Australia than in China. The paper suggests: augmenting and rebuilding the electricity network and strengthening coordination between different levels of governments for both countries; enhancing manufacturing facilities and incentives for the solar and wind industry for Australia, while developing more-detailed implementation legislation and renewable power quota system for China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Smart Grid (SG) is an emerging concept, which is in a testing phase in many countries. It is a relatively new perception that integrates electricity and communication on power system networks, which enable SG applications, mainly for the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES). This paper presents a review of the existing studies on SG systems, the use of SG technologies and the modeling techniques for SG available in the literature. Furthermore, the paper focuses on SG features when connected at a distribution grid and its active distribution management capability. It also identifies the current practice as provided in technical standards and potential industry investments that can facilitate a pathway towards SG development in Australia. The paper also has highlighted the possible areas of research that would be required to implement practical SG facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a viable technique to address food waste (FW) problems by converting FW into sustainable energy. Despite the advantages of the AD process, large-scale AD plants like in Germany and the USA have not been developed in Australia. Therefore, this paper aims to study the technological, economic, and environmental feasibility of sustainable energy production from household FW in Australia. In addition, this paper discusses the different waste to energy (WtE) technologies along with the operational parameters as well as the challenges in developing a biogas plant. The energy and economic potential analysis of the AD process indicates that the processing of 10% FW from Australian states and territories can generate 1.22 GWh to 35.4 GWh electricity which can subsequently earn AUD 0.54 million to AUD 15.7 million revenue per year. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis indicates that conversion of the 10% of Australian FW has the potential to lower GHG emissions by 639,852 tonnes per annum. Hence, it can be said that FW plays a vital role as a promising source of sustainable energy and is capable of benefiting the country's economy significantly and reducing GHG emissions. • FW is a potential source of sustainable energy. • AD is a useful waste to energy process for producing clean energy. • Conversion of FW into energy can significantly lower GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the future energy demand and avert any looming crises, efforts are being carried out to utilize sustainable and renewable energy resources. In this paper, the naturally occurring non-linearity and non-stationarity deficiencies within the climatological predictors to forecast solar radiation (Rdn) are resolved via a multivariate empirical mode decomposition method (MEMD). First, a set of antecedent weekly lags at timescale (t -1) of input datasets were collated and then were divided into training and testing subsets. The MEMD method is restricted to dissolve the training and testing climatic data independently into intrinsic modes functions (IMFs). As the numbers of total IMFs were very large, the singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm is accustomed for dimensionality reduction simultaneously capturing the most relevant oscillatory features embedded within the IMFs. Finally, the random forest (RF) model is applied to forecast Rdn at selected solar-rich regions in Australia. The resulting hybrid MEMD-SVD-RF model was established as a consequence of the aforementioned modelling strategy. The results are benchmarked with other comparative models. The hybrid MEMD-SVD-RF model generates better and reliable forecasts having significant implications for renewable and sustainable energy applications and resources management. • A double decomposition based solar radiation forecasting model incorporating climate drivers. • Multivariate decomposition splits climate drivers into intrinsic mode functions (IMF). • Singular value decomposition reduces dimensionality to pertinent features from a pool of IMFs. • Random Forest (RF) algorithm used to design newly integrative hybrid model. • Hybrid model provides significant energy management implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]