The 3rd annual Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) Conference is currently taking place in Sydney, with one of our very own in attendance.
PHES accounts for over 95% of all energy storage capacity worldwide and is a viable option to address Australia’s storage needs.
This year’s two day conference, the third installment since 2017, brought together industry and government leaders, as well as experts across a number of fields, for an opportunity to discuss and debate the future of the energy industry in Australia, and what part PHES will play in providing critical energy storage solutions. Interestingly, over the course of this conference, approximately 30MW of new capacity will be added in Australia.
AEMO’S Chief Operations Officer, Damien Sanford presented on the second day of the conference with a focus on the transformation of the energy mix from reliance on coal-fired generation to one with a portfolio of technologically and geographically diverse variable renewable generation sources. Grid demand is flattening due to the growth of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) and increasing use of local storage, as well as overall increases in energy efficiency.
Mr Sanford also provided the conference attendees with a deep dive into our Integrated Systems Plan (ISP) - a comprehensive evaluation of the likely changes that will be occurring over the next 20 years across the National Electricity Market (NEM). As the independent market and system operator and national transmission planner, AEMO’s role is to promote efficient investment in, and efficient operation and use of, electricity services for the long-term interests of consumers. The ISP, released in late 2018, is the roadmap for this activity.
To view the full Integrated System Plan report, click here. You can view Mr Sanford's presentation to the conference below.