eCite Digital Repository
Beyond wind: furthering development of clean energy in South Australia
Citation
Heard, B and Bradshaw, CJA and Brook, BW, Beyond wind: furthering development of clean energy in South Australia, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 139, (1) pp. 57-82. ISSN 0372-1426 (2015) [Refereed Article]
![]() | PDF Restricted - Request a copy 489Kb |
Copyright Statement
© 2015 Royal Society of South Australia
DOI: doi:10.1080/03721426.2015.1035217
Abstract
The deep and rapid decarbonisation of electricity supply systems is an essential
component of mitigating the impacts of climate change. Despite a high penetration
of wind-generated electricity (27%), South Australia remains connected to, and reliant
on, one of the most coal-intensive electricity grids in the world – Australia’s National
Electricity Market. Here we explore the changes to South Australia’s electricity generation
in the context of the recent, large expansion of wind-generated electricity, the
impacts of this expansion, and the potential for alternative, low-emissions technologies
to help the State complete the decarbonisation task. We find that although the expansion
of the wind-generation sector in South Australia has delivered meaningful reductions
in greenhouse-gas emissions in just over 10 years, the limitations of strongly
correlated and variable electricity supply that is decoupled from electricity demand
place upper limits on the plausible future contribution from wind. System costs arise
from integrating these sources, both from managing uncorrelated supply and the
declining availability of ancillary services such as the frequency control provided by
synchronous generators. These costs have been minimal to date, largely due to the
connection to the National Electricity Market and already available, open-cycle gas
turbines as reserve margins. However, evidence of large-scale integration costs is
emerging and expected to increase should wind continue to grow in penetration.
Development of the South Australian hot dry-rock geothermal resource has confirmed
the well-documented challenges in developing this energy source, with still no operating
power supply after more than 30 years of development. Solar–thermal technology
remains uneconomic in the absence of either substantial subsidies or high carbon
pricing. Given these inherent constraints, the deployment of nuclear energy technology
provides the pathway of greatest technical and economic certainty for the permanent
displacement of fossil-fuelled baseload electricity generation in South Australia.
Nuclear power is, however, hampered by legislative barriers and requirements for
the development of legal and regulatory frameworks. Support for the nuclear option
is broadening within South Australia, and innovative economic development strategies
based on the deployment of generation IV ‘integral fast reactors’ could spur the
necessary bi-partisan political support to transition the State’s electricity supply
entirely to low-emissions sources.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Keywords: | climate change, sustainable energy |
Research Division: | Engineering |
Research Group: | Electrical engineering |
Research Field: | Electrical energy generation (incl. renewables, excl. photovoltaics) |
Objective Division: | Environmental Policy, Climate Change and Natural Hazards |
Objective Group: | Mitigation of climate change |
Objective Field: | Climate change mitigation strategies |
UTAS Author: | Brook, BW (Professor Barry Brook) |
ID Code: | 107165 |
Year Published: | 2015 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 4 |
Deposited By: | Plant Science |
Deposited On: | 2016-03-07 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-06 |
Downloads: | 0 |
Repository Staff Only: item control page