Analysis

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Outlook highlights challenges and change

The latest US Energy Information Administration (EIA) annual energy outlook provides a useful insight into the shifts in both the drivers of electricity consumption and the anticipated transition in the generation sources. In particular it highlights the ongoing important role that gas generation will play in the energy mix as renewables continue to grow.

BY Australian Energy Council Apr 21 2022

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Electrification and 'peakier' generation: The gas outlook

When the market operator released its gas outlook for eastern and south-eastern Australia this week a lot of media focus was on the potential for a “gas squeeze”. But the assessment also flags the potential for electrification to impact gas consumption into the future, the continuing importance of gas generation and a likely change in peak demand periods for its output.

BY Carl Kitchen Mar 31 2022

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Is degasification plausible?

As energy consumers, we are always looking at more efficient and cost-effective ways of heating and cooling our homes and workplaces. In the southern parts of the country, gas remains a mainstay of heating as many still think it is cheaper than electricity, which is often not the case. But is degasification plausible?

BY Peter Brook & Hamish Fitzsimmons Aug 19 2021

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Gas and hydro: Back-up in action

The first quarter of 2021 for the NEM's spot market was notable for its lack of notability. But in a measure of the how the NEM can turn, the Q2 Queensland average price to date is $135.83/MWh, versus $42.64/MWh over Q1. We look at how the market almost always successfully responds to the NEM’s variations, and its reliance on hydro and gas-fired generation to keep the lights on.

BY Ben Skinner & Carol Tran Jun 17 2021

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A changing of the guard: Gas generation projections

The focus around AEMO’s latest assessment of gas supplies for eastern Australia was on its improved outlook. One change in its expectations for gas demand flows from the potential of gas-fired generation in the National Electricity Market. AEMO expects gas-fired generation demand to become more “peaky” and to switch to peaking in winter instead of summer.

BY Carl Kitchen Apr 01 2021

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Getting hydrogen on your own supply

If you Google “technology roadmap”, in the ‘People also ask’ section there’s a question, “What is the purpose of a technology roadmap?” That seems a good place to start.

BY Hamish Fitzsimmons Sep 24 2020

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Gas supply and gas generation put on centre stage

Gas supply and gas generation has again taken centre stage with the release of the most recent Australian Energy Statistics, among other reports.

BY Carl Kitchen Jun 04 2020

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Gas and wholesale prices: A market at work

Changes in global oil prices have had a knock-on effect for gas prices in areas. At the same time recent dramatic falls in NEM electricity prices have followed the domestic gas market which has in turn followed the world hydrocarbon market. This demonstrates these markets is working competitively and as expected.

BY Carol Tran Mar 26 2020

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Major energy changes go unnoticed

Amidst the focus on COVID-19 significant developments for the energy sector have passed largely unnoticed. Victoria’s intent to go-it-alone on energy policy was behind the passage of state legislation that allows it to sidestep national electricity rules for transmission developments, while a change to the emergency reserves was released, and gas exploration was opened up in Victoria.

BY AEC Mar 19 2020

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Barker Inlet: A new technology responding to the market

At the end of 2019 AGL successfully commissioned the 210MW gas-fired Barker Inlet Power Station in South Australia. This new investment occurred entirely in response to market signals, i.e. without subsidies. The power station employs reciprocating engine technology that has not previously been used in Australia at this scale, and provides remarkable flexibility in supplying on-demand power. Despite being fossil-fuelled, this flexibility will actually help Australia’s transition more rapidly to an almost fully de-carbonised electricity grid.

BY Ben Skinner Mar 12 2020

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Gas in Australia: Where is it now and where is it going?

Gas reform has been a focus of government over a number of years. The implementation of the current reform process is now concluding, with most initiatives expected to be in place by mid-2020.

BY Duncan MacKinnon Oct 31 2019

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Doubtful Domestic Gas Reservation dissertation

The overseas-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis recently published its paper Towards a Domestic Gas Reservation in Australia, alleging that a domestic gas reservation policy fixing existing and future prices at $5/GJ would stimulate the economy and bring down electricity prices. But could it really do all this? We take a look.

BY Duncan MacKinnon Jul 25 2019

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EnergyQuest’s East Coast Gas Outlook to 2036

EnergyQuest's East Coast Gas Outlook warns that LNG import projects are “urgently needed” in Melbourne and Sydney before 2026, to counter the risks of falling short in the southern states by 2022. In turn a supply short fall would impact the contribution of gas-fired generation in our energy mix at a time when an increase in gas generation is forecast to be needed. We take a look at the report findings.

BY Justine Lovell Feb 28 2019

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Increased gas and renewables to bump coal generation: EIA

The latest Energy Outlook by the US Energy Information Administrations predicts that the US will become a net energy exporter by 2020 – the first time in 67 years. We take a look at the report which provides modelled projections of domestic energy markets from today through to 2050.

BY Justine Lovell Feb 07 2019

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Winter gas prices: Are they cooling down or heating up?

Domestic gas prices continue to be on the political radar with leading analyst EnergyQuest noting that east coast gas producers should prepare for “heavy-handed political intervention”, regardless of who forms the next Federal Government.

BY Carol Tran Sep 20 2018

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Taking stock of our energy resources

The most recent stocktake of Australia’s energy resources – the Australian Energy Resource Assessment (AERA) – has been released and offers insight into the extent and diversity of our energy resources. The AERA is produced by Geoscience Australia and the Economics Branch of the Department of the Environment and Energy, with support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. It is intended to be a scientific and economic assessment of Australia’s non-renewable and renewable energy resources.

BY Carl Kitchen May 11 2018

$NT fracking: Still some way to go$

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NT fracking: Still some way to go

The development of onshore gas has been in the spotlight again with the Northern Territory Government’s decision to support, or support in principle, all the recommendations that emerged from the scientific inquiry it established on 3 December 2016 shortly after taking office.

BY Carl Kitchen Apr 26 2018

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NEM generation: Stepping on the gas?

Output from gas-fired power stations in the National Electricity Market increased by 32.3 per cent during 2017.

BY Carol Tran & Carl Kitchen Mar 02 2018

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Gas and electricity bills: What's the story?

The energy debate in Australia continues to be hampered by ideological or partisan positions. This week a new report by the McKell Institute, “The Cost of Inaction”, that purported to model for the first time the impact of wholesale gas prices on household power bills in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland was released.

BY Carl Kitchen Feb 09 2018

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Domestic gas, exports and market mechanisms

In 2015 Australia became the world’s second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Australia is tipped to reach the number one spot by 2020, surpassing Qatar, which has been the world’s largest LNG exporter for almost a decade.

BY Justine Lovell Nov 03 2017

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