26 Jun 2017
Insider 29: Will Finkel Fix the NEM?
IES CEO, Hugh Bannister, takes a look at a key recommendation of the Finkel panel and a few critical things the panel did not address.
Insider 29: Will Finkel Fix the NEM?
The National Electricity Market is facing its greatest crisis since inception. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly until a few years ago, when the cracks started showing. In the last twelve months it has morphed into a full blown disaster.
So what went wrong? Was this great enterprise to create markets out of monopolies destined to fail? Is the NEM market design so rickety that it needs a complete re-design? If so, what should it look like? Or does it just need a cosmetic makeover, with a few additional layers of rules, regulations and oversight boards, which is how the Finkel report can be interpreted?
26 Apr 2017
Insider 28: Does Snowy Hydro 2.0 Stack Up?
This edition of IES Insiders considers the economic viability of the "Snowy Hydro 2.0" proposal by making a comparison to the existing Snowy pumped hydro scheme, known as Tumut 3.
Insider 28: Does Snowy Hydro 2.0 Stack Up?
The Federal Government recently announced a proposed expansion of Snowy Hydro’s electricity generating capacity by 2,000 MW at a cost of $2 billion.
Is this proposed pumped hydro scheme likely to be economically viable? Pumped hydro projects move water uphill before releasing it and relying on gravity to drive a generator.
A comparison is made to the operating activity of the existing Tumut 3 scheme and includes a consideration of wholesale prices, water usage, and equipment efficiencies.
21 Feb 2017
Insider 27: How to Break the Electricity Impasse (in your dreams)
In this edition of Insiders, you can read IES CEO Hugh Bannister's advice and comments on what should be done with East Coast Australian electricity market.