As renewables make up more of our generation capacity, we are increasingly susceptible to periods where the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine. In APA Group's first energy explainer, I discuss why gas is an essential partner of renewables Read the full article to understand why gas is the insurance policy the grid simply cannot do without: https://lnkd.in/gc-v-Stf
Peter Farley
21h
It may be that we need gas or we may not. Gas has fallen from 12.9% of NEM supply in 2014 to 3.4% over the last 12 months. Over the next 5 years coal which is currently generating 23 TWh/y is expected to retire while we are adding 10-12 TWh/y every year from renewables while demand is only increasing by about 3 TWh/y so by 2032 supply will have increased by 55 TWh, demand will have increased by 15 TWh/y and 23 TWh/y of supply will be retired so gas demand will probably still continue to fall. Further the remaining coal plants are operating well below capacity so with another 15 GW/400 GWh of storage (including Snowy II) added it would be possible for renewables including hydro to supply 160 TWh, Coal running at 70% capacity to supply 105 TWh or a total of 265 TWh against a projected demand of around 250 TWh As for peak demand 11 GW of hydro/pumped hydro, 17 GW of coal and 20 GW of batteries in front of and behind the meter can easily meet peak dispatchable demand which has not exceeded 28 GW in the last few years
Ian Nichols
22h
David Whatmough Hi David. An article would be useful on how and how much gas storage, underground and pipeline line pack will be needed and how upstream production will be needed quickly to replenish the stored gas (probably at overall lower utilisation). APA is in a good position to support that need.
Ali Nami
18h
Great perspective David. I like the way you’ve framed the role of gas alongside renewables. As the generation mix changes, it’s not just about what we build, but whether all the pieces come together at the right time. Renewables, storage, transmission, system security and flexible generation ultimately have to work as one system. Getting that coordination right is going to be one of the big challenges ahead.
Justin Tutty
20h
they're not even pretending at 'transition' any more
Geoff Edwards
38m
Gas in the electricity generation mix is just a temporarily necessary factor until we build out the required renewable energy storage as the long game solution. Gas is more valuable as a feedstck for chemical manufacture and in high temperature processes where we do not yet have the necessary renewable solutions ar scale.
Plain wrong. Pumped hydro + batteries performs the same service at lowest cost and without the methane leakage with its 84X worse than CO2 ghg forcing. Only lazy modelling comes up with gas as an answer.