Other projects
ASI commissioned projects to enable the development and deployment of solar technologies. These projects focused on financial and technical challenges.
Projects supported include:
Benchmarking Report – Solar RD&D Funding Sources and Models
Baker & McKenzie’s report for ASI identified a range of innovative funding models used to support solar and renewable energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D) activity internationally. It represents the first attempt to systematically review and analyse different funding models for solar RD&D, with findings that are relevant to solar research and industry in Australia and around the world.
Global Benchmarking Report for ASI: Solar RD&D Funding Sources and Models, Baker & McKenzie (PDF 784KB)
PV modelling
With ASI support, the Australian PV Association developed a set of techno-economic projection models and applied these to predict changes in the cost of electricity generated by solar photovoltaics (PV), compared to prevailing grid electricity prices. Three models were developed, one for residential systems, one for systems on commercial buildings, and another for systems designed for generation on a large scale, resulting in three reports:
International Energy Agency PV Power Systems Programme activity
ASI supported the Australian PV Association (APVA) to contribute on behalf of Australia to the International Energy Agency PV Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS). This Programme spans fourteen tasks to enhance international collaboration to accelerate the development and deployment of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy as a significant and sustainable source of renewable energy. Reports developed as part of this work include:
Task 1: Exchange and dissemination of information on photovoltaic power systems
This report, which covers installed PV power, costs and prices, PV production and investment in Australia in 2011, represents Australia’s contribution to the Annual PV Power Systems Trends in Photovoltaic Applications report, prepared by the IEA.
PV in Australia 2011 (PDF 1.1MB)
Previous annual PV status reports available at www.apva.org.au
Task 14: High Penetration of PV Systems in Electricity Grids
ASI supported APVA and the UNSW Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets (CEEM) to undertake research relating to Task 14 activities. This work involves the preparation of a number of Australian case studies including:
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Alice Springs – A case study of increasing levels of PV penetration in an electricity supply system
This report describes key technical experiences with increasing levels of PV penetration in the Alice Springs electricity grid.
Alice Springs: A case study of increasing levels of PV penetration in an electricity supply system, APVA and CEEM (PDF 2MB)
Further case studies are planned for Magnetic Island (Townsville), Norfolk Island, Blacktown (Sydney), and other sites with high levels of PV.
A Review of Solar Energy Forecasting Requirements and a Proposed Approach for the Development of an Australian Solar Energy Forecasting System
The Australian Energy Market Operator identified a need for solar energy production to be forecast in the National Electricity Market (NEM) in light of the proposed construction of two large scale Solar Flagships power stations, the rapid increase in smaller distributed PV systems and an expectation that solar generation capacity in the NEM is likely to continue to increase over the coming years.
ASI commissioned a review of solar energy forecasting (SEF) requirements to identify the current status of SEF in Australia and overseas, identify SEF areas requiring further research and development, and to help inform the development an Australian Solar Energy Forecasting System for the NEM.
The resulting report is A Review of Solar Energy Forecasting Requirements and a Proposed Approach for the Development of an Australian Solar Energy Forecasting System, by Dr Peter Coppin, CSIRO (PDF 836KB)