Solar Beats Coal For One Brief Moment In Australia
It only lasted for a few minutes, but for a brief time last Sunday, electricity from solar provided more electricity to Australia’s national energy grid than electricity from coal-fired generating stations. Just after noon, 9,427 megawatts (MW) of electricity came from solar, while only 9,315 MW came from burning coal.
Granted, there were several factors that had to align to make that happen. First, it was a sunny day in Australia. Second, it was a Sunday when demand is typically lower than during the week. Three, it came during a time of year when demand for heat or air conditioning is low. But whatever the reason — or combination of reasons — it was a milestone and a portent of things to come in the Land Down Under, where electricity from coal has been king since 1890 when the Yallourn Power Station began operating in the state of Victoria.
Dylan McConnell, a research fellow at the University of Melbourne’s climate and energy college, told The Guardian that for those few minutes, renewable energy represented 57% of national electricity generation. “This is what I unofficially call ‘record season’,” McConnell said. “It’s actually still pretty early in the season [to get these numbers] but in spring or the shoulder seasons you have the combination of low demand, because there’s no heating or cooling, and then nice weather on the weekend. Those factors combine and you get these giant shares of renewable energy that generally push out coal.” He added the event was only “fleeting” and that “Australia was a long way from peak renewable energy.”
From 8:30 am until 5:00 pm on Sunday, energy prices in Australia went negative. Although the exact price differed by jurisdiction, it meant energy consumers were being paid to use electricity and energy producers were paying to keep their generators spinning. Unlike solar and wind producers, coal generators are particularly hard hit when prices turn negative. The costs associated with shutting down and restarting coal generators are prohibitive, meaning operators choose to keep them running even at a loss.
According to data tracking service NEMlog, South Australia had 100% of its energy needs met by wind and solar, while Victoria would have met 102% of state demand had operators not been forced to switch off during the period of negative prices. Energy analyst Simon Holmes à Court said the overall proportion of renewable energy — solar, wind, and hydro — would have been higher in the energy mix, but wind producers chose to shut down to avoid the price hit.
“There was a significant amount of curtailment,” he said. “What it shows is that there’s already more renewables that could have gone into the grid if the coal plants were more flexible and transmission was upgraded.”
A Tipping Point For Australia?
The Clean Energy Investor Group — an 18-member body that advocates for investors in large-scale renewable energy projects — is advocating for financial reforms to “align Australia with international markets” and unlock new investment.
Simon Corbell, chief executive of CEIG, said governments and regulators should bring Australia’s investment guidelines into line with global markets. “Clean energy investors currently face significant risks in the NEM, which is holding back the capital needed. To unlock an investment pipeline worth $70 billion, we need effective market reforms and policy certainty, which could also save up to $7 billion in capital costs or up to 10% of the cost of Australia’s clean energy transition.”
Modelling conducted for CEIG by Rennie Partners found that Australia needs 51 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy generation by 2042 if it is to meet its commitments under the Paris Climate Change agreement. So far, only 3 GW of new wind and solar projects have been committed, leaving a significant shortfall of 48 GW.
The sclerotic federal government led by fake Christian Scott Morrison has hardly lifted a finger to bring more renewables to the Australian continent and shows zero signs that it even understands, much less cares about, the advancing global warming crisis that is bringing fires, floods, drought, and heat waves to Australia and large sections of the rest of the world. Perhaps someday Australians will elect a real leader, one who will deal with reality rather than religious fantasies.
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Leading yard operation 3PL YMX Logistics has announced plans to deploy fully twenty (20) of Orange EV’s fully electric Class 8 terminal trucks at a number of distribution and manufacturing sites across North America.
As the shipping and logistics industries increasingly move to embrace electrification, yard operations have proven to be an almost ideal use case for EVs, enabling companies like Orange EV, which specialize in yard hostlers or terminal tractors, to drive real, impactful change. To that end, companies like YMX are partnering with Orange EV.
“This relationship between YMX and Orange EV is a significant step forward in transforming yard operations across North America,” said Matt Yearling, CEO of YMX Logistics. “Besides the initial benefits of reduction in emissions and carbon footprint, our customers are also seeing improvements in the overall operational efficiency and seeking to expand. Our team members have also been sharing positive feedback about their new equipment and highlighting the positive impact on their health and day-to-day activities.”
This Orange looks good in blue
One of the most interesting aspects of this story – beyond the Orange EV HUSK-e XP’s almost unbelievable 180,000 lb. GCWR spec. – is that this isn’t a story about California’s ports, which mandate EVs. Instead, YMX is truly deploying these trucks throughout the country, with at least four currently in Chicago (and more on the way).
“Our collaboration with YMX Logistics represents a powerful stride in delivering sustainable yard solutions at scale for enterprise customers,” explains Wayne Mathisen, CEO of Orange EV. “With rising demand for electric yard trucks, our joint efforts ensure that more companies can access the environmental, financial, and operational benefits of electrification … this is a win for the planet, the workforce, and the bottom line of these organizations.”
We interviewed Orange EV founder Kurt Neutgens on The Heavy Equipment Podcast a few months back, but if you’re not familiar with these purpose-built trucks, it’s worth a listen.
HEP-isode 26
SOURCE | IMAGES: YMX Logistics.
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On today’s thrilling episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the all-new Hyundai IONIQ 9 and its “a “rolling living room” pivoting captain’s chairs, Kia gets a go-fast 7 passenger SUV and an updated EV6, while Honda announces plans to start producing solid-state batteries at its new facility in just a few weeks.
We’ve also got big news for American workers – a Minnesota power company is ditching coal for solar while ExxonMobil and LG Chem get to work extracting thousands of tons of lithium out of Tennessee’s soil.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations sitewide. Learn more by clicking here.
You can watch the episode, below.
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Read more: Farm-fegnugen? Volkswagen rolls out an electric tractor.
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Arevon Energy has kicked off operations at Vikings Solar-plus-Storage – one of the US’s first utility-scale solar peaker plants.
The $529 million project in Imperial County, California, near Holtville, features 157 megawatts of solar power paired with 150 megawatts/600 megawatt hours of battery storage.
Vikings Solar-plus-Storage is designed to take cheap daytime solar power and store it for use during more expensive peak demand times, like late afternoons and evenings. The battery storage system can quickly respond to changes in demand, helping tackle critical grid needs.
Vikings leverages provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that support affordable clean energy, strengthen grid resilience, boost US manufacturing, and create good jobs.
The Vikings project has already brought significant benefits to the local area. It employed over 170 people during construction, many local workers, and boosted nearby businesses like restaurants, hotels, and stores. On top of that, Vikings will pay out more than $17 million to local governments over its lifespan.
“Vikings’ advanced design sets the standard for safe and reliable solar-plus-storage configurations,” said Arevon CEO Kevin Smith. “The project incorporates solar panels, trackers, and batteries that showcase the growing strength of US renewable energy manufacturing.”
The project includes Tesla Megapack battery systems made in California, First Solar’s thin-film solar panels, and smart solar trackers from Nextracker. San Diego-based SOLV Energy handled the engineering, procurement, and construction work.
San Diego Community Power (SDCP) will buy the energy from the Vikings project under a long-term deal, helping power nearly 1 million customer accounts. SDCP and Arevon have also signed an agreement for the 200 MW Avocet Energy Storage Project in Carson, California, which will start construction in early 2025.
Vikings is named after the Holtville High School mascot, and Arevon is giving back to the local community by funding scholarships for deserving Holtville High students.
Arevon is a major renewable energy developer across the US and a key player in California, with nearly 2,500 MW in operation and more than 1,250 MW under construction.
Read more: Minnesota’s largest coal plant goes solar: Sherco Solar comes online
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