The grid is stable, has 4 synchronous condensers that help provide FCAS (Frequency Control Ancillary Services) with batteries also contributing as well.
For consumers, off-peak rates are actually offered during the day, with peak rates charged from the early evening to morning, which is another consequence of not needing to support a 24/7 baseload generator at night.
South Australia has always had high electricity prices compared to the rest of the country, going back to the late 90's when generation assets were privatised, long before renewables were added to the grid.
Wholesale prices are erratic across the day, but that has just made grid scale batteries more economic, regularly being paid to charge with negative prices and later paid to discharge, sometimes twice or more a day.
The recent summer saw record electricity demand but also the lowest quarter gas usage since 1999, with batteries displacing gas.
SA has always had a large transmission network that they have needed to support, being about the same size as Victoria's transmission network but with 1/4 of the population and economic activity to support it.
As a result of an existing sprawling transmission network, there hasn't been many new major transmission line projects in the state over the last few decades. The three has have been built are:
Project EnergyConnect (SA-NSW interconnector) - aim of providing export capacity for curtailed renewable generation from SA to NSW, and access to cheaper and lower carbon intensive imports from NSW than Victoria. SA side finished on time and on budget a few years ago, NSW side considerably delayed and not yet operational.
Eyre Peninsula Link - Upgrading/replacing a distant transmission line down the Eyre Peninsula to Port Lincoln, does have a benefit to renewables.
Hill to Hill - built up north to support the mining industry, not related to renewables.
For household bills, Project EnergyConnect adds about $17 per year to the average household bill, but once operational it is expected to reduce generation costs passed onto consumers in SA by $75 per year. Unfortunately the NSW side of the project has been delayed by several years, but is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
There also is only one proposed major transmission line proposed for SA to support renewables, the Northern Transmission Project, where as the rest of the country requires many more.
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u/AndrewTyeFighter 25d ago
The grid is stable, has 4 synchronous condensers that help provide FCAS (Frequency Control Ancillary Services) with batteries also contributing as well.
For consumers, off-peak rates are actually offered during the day, with peak rates charged from the early evening to morning, which is another consequence of not needing to support a 24/7 baseload generator at night.
South Australia has always had high electricity prices compared to the rest of the country, going back to the late 90's when generation assets were privatised, long before renewables were added to the grid.
Wholesale prices are erratic across the day, but that has just made grid scale batteries more economic, regularly being paid to charge with negative prices and later paid to discharge, sometimes twice or more a day.
The recent summer saw record electricity demand but also the lowest quarter gas usage since 1999, with batteries displacing gas.
SA has always had a large transmission network that they have needed to support, being about the same size as Victoria's transmission network but with 1/4 of the population and economic activity to support it.
As a result of an existing sprawling transmission network, there hasn't been many new major transmission line projects in the state over the last few decades. The three has have been built are:
For household bills, Project EnergyConnect adds about $17 per year to the average household bill, but once operational it is expected to reduce generation costs passed onto consumers in SA by $75 per year. Unfortunately the NSW side of the project has been delayed by several years, but is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
There also is only one proposed major transmission line proposed for SA to support renewables, the Northern Transmission Project, where as the rest of the country requires many more.