Tag: Queensland

clueless, naive and dangerous in its understanding of its responsibility – what is the legacy?

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The NSW and Queensland Government have a plan. If they sell off the assets they will be no longer responsible if things go wrong. This does leave a fundamental problem in terms of legacy – A number of problems actually.

Starting with: Will corporate simply view governments as irrelevant in the near future. They already do think that, and as an example when the Queensland Transport Department set traps to catch UBER drivers employed by Google and Goldman Sacks. The corporate told the drivers to continue business as usual and ignore the Department. Google even then disabled the Government ‘s capability to track the drivers. How could they do that – they are quoted nationally as saying the conglomerate has deeper pockets than the government.

Both NSW and Queensland seem to have suitors for the Energy Networks Companies they have on offer. Even the relevant Ministers’ seem confused as to what and how much is for sale.   What the public know is that it is very likely two Asian based corporations will be in the front seat for the assets purchase. Both with deep pockets, and both with a high probability on controlling the total business in both states.

Can we have confidence wise decisions will be made? Maybe time will tell. But in NSW at least a very worrying case indicates the Government is more interesting in avoiding responsibility for its choices.

If you follow this story you may feel as apprehensive as we do: Wind farm at Gullen Range a ‘mess’ as matter heads back to court , January 26, 2015. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/wind-farm-at-gullen-range-a-mess-as-matter-heads-back-to-court-20150126-12ygnn.html

“”The scene is set for a right royal mess with no one happy. It follows the protestors, the complainants, the Developers, are all challenging the Minister over who is responsible for a litany of ‘mistakes’. s clueless, naive and dangerous in its understanding of national security. Suggesting the department is clueless, naive and dangerous in its understanding of its responsibility. To quote directly from the story: the Department – and therefore Ms Goward – had taken three different positions on the wind farm, which would be difficult to defend.

Firstly, the Department recommended conditional approval of the turbine changes to the PAC. In turn, this body refused the DA but along the way, the Department had recommended that just nine turbines be moved.

“So if it all goes to court, which position will she defend?” Mr Brooks asked.

“The whole thing is a colossal mess.”

Complicating matters is the Department’s oversight role earlier in the development. The company appointed an independent environmental monitor to oversee turbine placement and report to government planners. However, the Landscape Guardians alleged he had a conflict of interest as director of a consultancy firm that worked on the wind farm.

A Department spokesman told the Goulburn Post that this person was employed by a consultant and not by the government.

“[He] was not involved with the design, construction or operation of the project, having worked as a consultant preparing the environmental assessment for the application.

“Appointing [him] as the project’s environmental representative is in line with the project’s approval conditions and the Department’s procedures at the time.

“The Department has since improved requirements further to require wind farm consultants have an even greater level of independence.”

Adding to an “invidious” position, the Department allowed turbine construction to continue for a year after residents alerted it to their “incorrect” placement, Mr Brooks said.

“My [legal] advice is that the Minister will be obliged to defend the [Land and Environment Court] action seriously because her authority is at stake,” he told the Post.

“I hope the court throws it out, but that would throw up the situation where the PAC has rejected it, and we still have a wind farm of 69 turbines that are not in their approved locations. What happens next?”

A Department spokesman said the appeal was not about the merits of the modification, such as whether any turbines should be moved, but the process the PAC followed to make its decision.

“If the appeal is successful, then the modification application will need to be re-determined: at this stage the merits will be considered again,” he said.

“It would be highly unusual for a court to require new evidence from any party regarding an appeal of this nature,” he said.

Late last year, Mr Brooks lodged a complaint with the NSW Ombudsman about the Department’s handling of the project.

The Ombudsman was currently investigating, he said.

He’s not stopping there. Mr Brooks is also writing a submission for a Senate select committee’s inquiry into governance and the economic impact of wind turbines. He is not only highlighting the Gullen Range wind farm and the Department’s “incompetence” but the fact the developer collected renewable energy certificates, despite alleged “noncompliance” with state and federal regulations, as required.””

Co2Land org therefore must conclude a captains call will be required – then confuse you even more. But in all seriousness – you will note someone will have to pay. Guess who! Hint – you because no one else will be responsible.

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Killing off domestic low cost energy mix – Queensland style

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It was some surprise amongst friends that Angus Taylor (thought to be the rising star of the Liberal Party) said gas was the future of a low-cost energy mix. This seemed at odds with Tony Abbott’s (the Prime Minister’s) view that coal is the key. Some react to that story as an OMG moment. We take the story as one that is a design to disguise and deflect on what is actually happening and lead the consumer to a path to pay more. Some might even say it is a centrifuge of fluid appeal. The opening line story is from:

http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/2791033/angus-at-odds-with-abbott-over-coal/?cs=181

So there is no confusion as to what we believe: Lets us declare we are pro-market. What we question is whether pro-business rent-seekers are slewing benefits for the rent-seekers at the expense of the consumer. After reading the article immediately below, the story should unfold as to why the opening paragraph was so well linked:

Will Queensland defy the trend of declining demand? By Paul McArdle Wed, 24 December 2014 | Topic Summer 2014-15 in the NEM –

“As early as 2011 and perhaps earlier, we’ve been posting commentary about how growth in electricity demand was slowing, and then began to decline.  Across the NEM this trend does not appear to be slowing (and there are a number of reasons for this).

However, within Queensland we wonder whether what we’ll see this summer and next will buck this trend?

Earlier this week we noted articles (Gladstone Observer, Courier Mail and SMH) about the arrival of the first LNG export tanker in Gladstone.  Billions of dollars of investment have been sunk into this new east-coast industry, a fair percentage of which being focused on the upstream tasks of releasing the coal-seam gas and delivering it to Gladstone.  With the three projects each opting for electric compression of gas delivery to Gladstone, we’re looking to see a sizeable increase in demand for electricity as a result.”

Good stuff, hey! Can you see that only a few benefit? We cannot save you, but we can make you aware!

Lets us look at some of those linked ‘demand risers’ in more detail:

The $170m Bauhinia rail electrification project has just been completed and is a spur line to link with the Blackwater System in Central Queensland. The Blackwater system too was upgraded to double its electrical capacity, so rather than using diesel trains carrying coal from the Rolleston mine all the way to the coast it will be all electric powered haulers, which will no doubt further increase electricity demand. Queensland now has electric locomotives rated to 4,000 kW each as opposed to the previous 3000kW. So this means each locomotives at 100% load factor it would be 4 GW of demand! For more information go to –

http://www.aurizon.com.au/projects/bauhinia-electrification-project

Therefore you can expect: Each new coal train is likely to have three locomotives and each locomotive is about 4 megawatts load rated and drawing current directly from the overhead wires. This is and 12MW additional load on the network for each new train. This load was not required before.

We then read the Queensland people and business in general will pay more for gas than other states in Australia. Despite that state having more than enough gas for domestic purposes. Our Queensland contact said it has something to do with the resources rent policy of the state government. We noted that the quoted price, last week, from traders is Brisbane trades for gas in the order of $4.21 per GJ. This was an increase, which was coincident on the arrival of the first LNG tanker in Gladstone to export gas. At that same time Sydney prices rose to $4.00 per GJ. However Victorian prices remained at around $3.50 per GJ.

Now, 13 January 2015, Paul McArdle reported Brisbane hub for gas trades had reached $8.69 per GJ, Sydney $4.52 and Victoria 3.75 per GJ. While we could argue Sydney and Victoria are merely movements in the market, it is obvious Brisbane is a seismic like demand wave pushing up prices.

We no longer need to speculate that higher Queensland gas prices will mean gas for electricity peaking generation plants will be a higher price. Being that the energy market is a spot market the higher bidder sets the price. In short, as electricity demand increases so does price. What this means for electricity generators is higher demand, higher Queensland gas prices, and the market rewarding them because the higher bidder sets the electricity price for them to benefit. How much higher Queensland gas prices will go will be interesting to follow. We no longer speculate as 13 January also see Queensland peak electricity prices running as much as 300 precent plus higher than the remainder of the eastern seaboard on that day.

A short while a go the Federal Government with the Queensland Government’s endorsing repealed the carbon tax (the inception program was called the Carbon Price) as it was claimed it was to blame for higher energy prices! But now those bodies welcome higher prices, and the investor rent seekers want to hear this glorious venture has raised higher revenues from higher prices. It may be immoral but it is not illegal they say.

We are told gas prices must increase to match world demand and the price continuum. But that is seeming a hollow argument as even Japan now appear to be reluctant to source or pay for our LNG. This is a shift from their previous willingness to pay high prices for gas. Why this shift? Because, new low-cost LNG producers elsewhere are joining the supply side, and Japanese LNG demand is moderating to lower levels of need. Other factors to indicate a lower LNG demand is lower oil prices, and alternate energy sources coming in lower priced too.

Why will the demand increase in Queensland, the key to this is three projects each opting for electric compression of gas delivery to Gladstone, and therefore an increase in demand for electricity as a result.

The confidence trick here is QCLNG and APLNG are electrified using electricity from the NEM, and the GLNG upstream project has gas turbine driven hub compressors and electric driven nodal compressors supplied by open cycle gas turbine generators. Therefore it is the gas prices that is be the price setters for the electricity price, not any increase electricity demand on the NEM. Good double talk is it not?

Then Hugh Saddler said, 7 January 2015, via WattClarity: “The excellent data available through NEM-Review tells me that a large new continuous load of around 400 MW came on line in Queensland on 27 October last. This suggests that the 2014-15 summer peak is likely to be considerably higher, for equivalent weather, than in recent years; this has already happened on 9 and 17 December. However, without knowing what the load is, it is difficult to be certain with such a prediction.”

The later we find most interesting and it is the unknown that is more to worry about. About what price you will end up paying.

Now back to Paul McArdle he continued to say:

“1)  We can see that, in summer 2014-15, we have already experienced a higher demand in Queensland than was the case in the whole of summer 2013-14 .

2)  Queensland demand (with respect to the competition) has already peaked to the level of 8,472.23MW

3)  That demand peak occurred as late as 17:15 on that day (hence as the effect of solar PV injections into the grid had receded).  This is something we would not have seen several years previously!

4)  We also see that price volatility is starting to look as something like what happened in summer 2012-13 as well.”

Co2land org concluded it will continue to be a good time for ole king coal generators in Queensland and those state consumers will pay the price. A price that will lead to other east coast states rising their prices too. However, it will not the market causing the rise it will be rent seekers and their influence on the policy makers.

The ray of sunshine is it may become too expensive for policy makers to bear!

Links to customer value – Future Energy Supply Strategies

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Regulatory tests and security of supply –Sounds so elegant so simple when it is a strategic position statement or statements. Queensland gives some very good examples in recent times.

The first being the effort Ergon Energy put into the work to secure power supply upgrades to the ‘Granite Belt’ and that process started in 2011. It was abandoned 17 September 2014. What changed?

Then there is biofuel potential in Queensland. Why the focus on non-fossil sourced fuel now?

Then there are the Coal industry woes – China does not want the Galilee Basin coal type – it is too dirty for its cities!

Back to Ergon: After the Warwick Daily News headlined its story, 15 September 2014, “ERGON pulls the plug” – The story was quoting the Qld Energy Minister – Mark McArdle, as announcing the end of duplication of the Warwick to Stanthorpe power line and the controversy over the routes being selected. Ergon Energy then in a letter 17 September 2014 wrote to the landholders that were to be affected by the proposed duplication of the power line and formally advised they will no longer be effected. Clearly indicated for making the decision were the outcomes of the regulatory test(s). How could the regulator test find as it did to stop the project, even sway the politics of the project? Well, the key findings were:

  • The reliability standards changed on 1 July 2014. There is a heightened need to weigh the costs against the value to customers.
  • Existing demand is slowing and the evidence future demand will continue that trend if not further reduce. Certainly not inside the regulatory forecast periods.
  • Rising costs can no longer be blamed on rising demand predictions, that waste and excess must now be addressed for efficiency dividends.
  • There was very little to be concerned about with the reliability of the network as it stands now.
  • There is an edit the focus should be on affordability. That capital expenditure must be justified as needed.

Another way of putting all this is – Ergon Energy or any other supplier cannot get away with gold plating and excessive redundant equipment and infrastructure just because it gives them comfort – it must give value. How can you get value? You can improve the technology offering better monitoring, performance and be ‘smart’. The later is as simple as balancing the demand supply equation with incentives and/or implementing demand management strategies.

And, yes there is more: alternative energy supply is opening being touted as ‘planned initiatives’ What alternative energy? Call it what you like – clean, green or whatever. But what will stick is not only ‘proven technology’ as the descriptors now includes ‘likely technology’ of distributed type and ‘battery’ storage.

As an aside did you know as ‘battery’ can be a physical volume exchange as well as an electron store!

Does this mean technology will save coal? It is possible – but at the end of the day it will get down to the economics and it is not looking all that bright for coal as sustaining its position even for baseload demand.  Even our world partners are turning their backs on coal – it is now seen as too expensive in terms of the outlook, and the economics, the environment and the cost of the process to make it ‘clean’. Recent Chinese regulatory changes are testimony to that issue. Then there is the story -AngloAmerican boss sees coal mines closing at a rate of one a fortnight http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/2569015/angloamerican-boss-sees-coal-mines-closing-at-a-rate-of-one-a-fortnight/ … – no a good look is it!

Yesterday, 22 September 2014, in Canberra the Minister for Industry Ian MacFarlane addressed a biofuel forum on the strategy for Queensland to take the lead on bio fuel production. This follows a paper released through the Queensland University of Technology prepared by Corelli and Deloitte Access Economics. The paper called “Economic impact of a future tropical bioenergy industry in Queensland”. It talks of the ‘potential’ of new manufacturing facilities, and how biofuels can be used as an area of increased focus in agricultural strategy.

What all this means is that traditional energy is heeding a need for a strategic change of heart. Despite what is being said about business as usual, that is not the behaviour behind the scenes and increasingly it is coming to the fore that change is inevitable. The EUAA calls it a paradigm for the industry. The question is what part of the pack are we to become. Australia has always been world renown for finding solutions. What we have not been good at is getting things done, besides talk about it that is.

And, there is more: some government facilitations would assist in industry establishment. Not our quote, it is taken straight from the above papers key findings.