The purpose of this site is to offer a dedicated space to hold information relevant to Central Australia’s strong renewable energy history, and its transition towards a renewable energy future. The materials are hosted by the Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy in the spirit of knowledge sharing and transparency.
The Alice Springs Future Grid Knowledge Bank aims to provide access to documents and information, both historical and contemporary. By building on lessons from the past, we can work towards a renewable energy future for the Northern Territory. Preserving knowledge can also help to mitigate the effects of corporate memory loss caused by population transience — a widely acknowledged challenge for the NT.
Project outputs from Alice Springs Future Grid can be viewed by choosing “Future Grid publication” in the document type dropdown menu.
Intyalheme welcomes feedback, but accepts no responsibility for the content supported by the Knowledge Bank. Intyalheme is careful to work within copyright laws. Please don’t hesitate to bring to our attention any unintentional/possible breaches.
Intyalheme invites ideas for further documents that are relevant to renewable energy in Central Australia. Please get in touch with your suggestions.
Utilities Commission NT Electricity Outlook
Utilities Commission
2021
The Utilities Commission's 2020 Northern Territory Electricity Outlook Report focuses on the system demand and supply reliability outlook for the Darwin-Katherine, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek power systems. This is relevant to the Alice Springs Future Grid project in a number of ways. Indeed, the report starts by stating the electricity industry is experiencing a rapid transformation, driven by strong uptake of rooftop solar PV. More information regarding the report can be found on the UC's Electricity Outlook Report page. Prior to 2017-18, this information was contained within the UC's Power System Review.
Type: Report Format: URL
Lessons Learnt #1: Project Execution
CSIRO, Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy, Alice Springs Future Grid
Jun 2021
This Lessons Learnt report provides an outline of the Alice Springs Future Grid project; with an emphasis on the early phase of project execution. With Partners from all over the Northern Territory and Australia, Future Grid relies on strong relationships and deep discussions that are typically best held in person. The COVID-19 pandemic brought entirely unforeseen challenges into the project, most notably that such face-to-face interactions would now be limited. This document seeks to share the experience of launching a project of this magnitude at such a time in history, in the hope that other similar projects will benefit from the path forged by the Future Grid team. Future Grid public documents are accessible both on this knowledge bank and via the dedicated Alice Springs Future Grid ARENA project page.
Type: Future Grid publication Format: PDF URL
Alice Springs Future Grid — project overview pamphlet
CSIRO, Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy, Alice Springs Future Grid
Mar 2021
As part of its ARENA funding, the Alice Springs Future Grid project fulfils "knowledge sharing" obligations. This helps the project, and ARENA, to make sure knowledge is able to be used as widely as possible. This publication is a six-page pamphlet, designed to provide a high-level overview of the Future Grid project, for use by both the public and industry. It was produced by the Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy with support from CSIRO, the Knowledge Sharing Partner for Alice Springs Future Grid. Future Grid public documents are accessible both on this knowledge bank and via the dedicated Alice Springs Future Grid ARENA project page.
Type: Future Grid publication Format: PDF URL
Alice Springs Future Grid community survey: McGregor Tan results report
McGregor Tan
Feb 2021
To inform the direction of some activities of the Alice Springs Future Grid project, a sample of Alice Springs residents were surveyed to explore current levels of knowledge and awareness of renewable energy, as well as existing levels of engagement with technologies such as solar power and battery storage systems. The attached document, produced by McGregor Tan, covers some of the main findings of the survey. A second whole-of-community survey will be conducted towards the end of the project (mid-late 2022) to help identify areas where Future Grid has had an impact. The survey was facilitated by market research agency McGregor Tan and designed in collaboration with Intyalheme and CSIRO, with input from Project Partners the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) and Jacana Energy. More details can be found on the dedicated survey page on the Future Grid website.
Type: Report Format: PDF
National launch of Alice Springs Future Grid
Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy
Aug 2020
Alice Springs Future Grid was launched on Friday August 14, with press releases from Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
Type: Media release Format: URL
Solar Waste Study by CDU and partners
Charles Darwin University
Jul 2020
“End-of-Life Management of Solar PV Panels” project by Charles Darwin University Northern Institute Research Fellow Dr Deepika Mathur and project partners.
Type: Report Format: PDF URL
NT Renewable Hydrogen Strategy
Northern Territory Government
Jul 2020
This is the Northern Territory's first ever Renewable Hydrogen Strategy. As the international community seeks innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there is a growing demand for clean, reliable and flexible energy solutions like hydrogen. The Territory is well placed to position itself at the forefront of the developing renewable hydrogen industry with large areas of land with high solar irradiance, close proximity to export markets, an established world-scale energy production and export industry and a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.
Type: Report Format: PDF URL
NTG Offsets Policy
Northern Territory Government
Jul 2020
The Northern Territory’s environmental regulatory framework is designed to promote the avoidance, mitigation and management of impacts on the environment associated with developments and other activities. The Offsets Framework contains a set of guiding principles supported by a biodiversity offset policy, a greenhouse gas emissions policy and technical guidelines for each policy.
Type: Report Format: URL
NT Climate Change Response
Northern Territory Government
Jul 2020
This is the Northern Territory Government's Climate Change Response: Towards 2050 and three-year action plan, delivering on a key election commitment and providing a comprehensive, evidence-based response that captures the opportunities for Territorians and provides practical ways to minimise climate-risk. This evidence-based Climate Change Response provides the long-term vision required to protect the Territory and capitalise on the economic opportunities created by climate-smart action.
Type: Report Format: PDF URL
Ecogeneration article on DKA microgrid grant
Ecogeneration
Jun 2020
Ecogeneration takes a detailed look at the Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy will use its RRCRFT Microgrid grant to increase the amount of renewable energy in the Alice Springs power system. This grant forms part of the larger Alice Springs Future Grid project, which had not been publicly announced at the time.
Type: Energy media Format: URL
Renew Economy on NT electricity market reform
Renew Economy
Jun 2020
Sophie Vorrath takes a look at reforms listed in consultation papers released by the NT Government, focused on grid stability, boosting private investment, and moving closer to the 50% by 2030 renewable energy target.
Type: Energy media Format: URL
NT electricity market reforms
Northern Territory Government
Jun 2020
Consultation papers released on the subject of electricty market reform in the NT, focused on improving coordination of solar and gas-fired generators (dispatch), ensuring there is sufficient generation capacity available to meet consumers’ needs (reliability), the facilitation of payments between retailers and generators (settlement) and improvements to the efficiency of the provision of essential power system security services (system services).
Type: Discussion paper Format: URL
Microgrid grants announced
Australian Government
Jun 2020
Desert Knowledge Australia was one of four Northern Territory recipients of grant funding from the Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund - Microgrids Program. The other recipients were Atyenhenge-Atherre Aboriginal Corporation for a microgrid in Santa Teresa, Impact Investment Partners for the Mutitjulu and Martu Community Microgrid Project, and the Power and Water Corporation to build on the lessons learnt during its NT SETuP program.
Type: Media release Format: URL
Renew: Powering Indigenous Communities with Renewables
Renew
2020
A piece by Jodie Lea Martire which explores the extent to which Indigenous Australians are getting a share of the renewables boom.
Type: Energy media
NTG announcement on new renewables measures
Northern Territory Government
Apr 2020
The Northern Territory Government has announced two significant steps in its plan for 50% renewables by 2030. The Government has approved the procurement of a large scale battery for the Darwin-Katherine grid, as well as announcing a Household and Business Battery Scheme (HBBS).
Type: Media release Format: PDF URL
Solar farms to carry cost of Territory government’s glacial pace on grid reform
Renew Economy
2020
Article by Michael Mazengarb, published in Renew Economy on March 5, 2020. The article takes a detailed look at submissions and various arguments surrounding the development of new Generator Performance Standards.
Type: Energy media Format: URL
Climate Justice workshop program
Jesuit Social Services
Mar 2020
Following on from the inaugural NT Climate Justice Workshop held in Darwin in September 2019; Climate Solutions for Territory Communities provided a chance to build connections, share knowledge and skills and collaborate on solutions to the climate challenges facing Northern Territory communities. The event was held in Alice Springs on March 5 and 6, 2020. The attached program features details about the speakers and workshops that comprised the two-day event.
Type: Event details Format: PDF
Utilities Commission — Generator Performance Standards 2020
Utilities Commission
2020
POWER AND WATER CORPORATION’S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CODES - GENERATOR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, FINAL DECISION, 29 February 2020
Type: Regulations Format: PDF URL
System Black progress report
Utilities Commission
2020
PROGRESS REPORT – IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF ALICE SPRINGS SYSTEM BLACK INCIDENT ON 13 OCTOBER 2019. Published in accordance with section 6(1)(h) of the Utilities Commission Act 2000. 27 February 2020
Type: Report Format: PDF URL
Australia could soon export sunshine to Asia
The Conversation
2020
An article by John Matthews, Elizabeth Thurbon, Hao Tan and Sung-Young Kim featured in The Conversation, on February 26, 2020. Published in partnership with Macquarie University, the University of Newcastle and UNSW. The article explores emerging renewable energy export opportunities, including the proposed Sun Cable project in the Barkly region.
Type: Energy media Format: URL
Solar Quotes — Alice Springs VPP
SolarQuotes Blog
2020
SolarQuotes shares detail on the latest developments around a proposed virtual power plant in Alice Springs.
Type: Website post Format: URL
Rooftop Solar in Schools
Northern Territory Government
2020
The Territory Labor Government is delivering on its election commitment to install solar panels in schools, facilitating significant energy savings that can be redirected into learning. The $5 million Rooftop Solar in Schools program, part of the Territory Labor Government’s Roadmap to Renewables Plan, will be delivered over three years to 25 schools. It is expected to save schools up to 40 per cent of their energy costs.
Type: Media release Format: URL
Generator licence application for Alice Springs VPP
Utilities Commission
2020
Application for a generation licence to carry on operations in the Northern Territory Electricity Supply Industry made under section 15 of the Electricity Reform Act 2000.
Type: Regulations Format: URL
Alice Springs System Black — Entura report
Entura
2019
On Sunday 13 October 2019, the Alice Springs power system went black at 2:18pm, with approximately 12,000 customers affected for periods varying from 30 minutes and up to 10 hours. On 14 October 2019, the Territory Government announced that it had ‘called an independent review into the incident to identify and investigate any system-wide issues that led to the problem occurring and the adequacy of responses, both short and long term’. This report provides the findings of that review.
Type: Report Format: PDF
Alice Springs System Black — Utilities Commission
Utilities Commission
2019
Independent investigation of Alice Springs System Black incident on 13 October 2019 - Utilities Commission
Type: Report Format: PDF