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.
Alice Springs Future Grid Roadmap to 2030 — Public Release Hosted by CSIRO
CSIRO
2023
Power systems around the world are experiencing significant change. The transition to decarbonised renewable energy sources and widespread consumer adoption of new energy technologies such as rooftop solar panels and electric vehicles is introducing both new opportunities and operational challenges. The Alice Springs power system has the opportunity to be on the leading edge of this global transformation. The Alice Springs Roadmap to 2030 Report, Roadmap to 2030 is a capstone project of the Alice Springs Future Grid and is designed to help diverse stakeholders understand the need for change and explore different ways the transition may occur. Without seeking to ‘predict’ the future, the Roadmap sets out pathways for achieving 50% renewable generation by 2030 and the recommended phases which are resilient across the most plausible future developments. Join Lyndon Frearson - Alice Springs Future Grid Project Director. Ekistica an some of the Sub Project Leads (TBC) as we showcase the report to you. We’ll be demonstrating how the report will answer questions like? • How has Alice Springs traditionally been powered? • How is Alice Springs’ power system changing and why? • What might Alice Springs’ future power system look like? • What are the risks and opportunities of Alice Springs’ power system transformation? This live session includes a Q&A session about the report.
Type: Presentation Format: Video
ALL EYES ON ALICE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
Territory Q
2023
All Eyes on Alice for Renewable Energy In a rapidly changing technical environment, it can be hard to distil what the Energy Future will hold, but one thing is for sure, we are in the middle of an energy revolution.
Type: Media coverage Format: URL
Alice Springs public housing solar trial kicks off
Northern Territory Government
May 2023
Fifteen Alice Springs households are taking part in a new public housing solar and battery trial.
Type: Media release Format: URL
Solar Connect VPP launched
Northern Territory Government , Alice Springs Future Grid
Oct 2022
The Alice Springs Future Grid project is proud to announce that operation of the Solar Connect Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is underway. It is the first VPP in the Northern Territory. Click through for Ministerial media release (Ministers Uibo and Paech) and project release.
Type: Media release Format: PDF URL
Alice Springs Future Grid: lessons for the NEM of tomorrow
Alice Springs Future Grid
Sep 2022
Energy Magazine feature on the Alice Springs Future Grid project, written by Future Grid communications officer Andrea Johnston.
Type: Media coverage Format: URL
Desert Knowledge Precinct to welcome large-scale battery for innovative trial
Alice Springs Future Grid
Jun 2022
The Alice Springs Future Grid project is procuring a 300kW/358kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) which will facilitate the transformation of the Desert Knowledge Precinct into a local microgrid.
Type: Media release Format: PDF
Energy Management Technology vendor appointed to deliver NT’s first Virtual Power Plant
Alice Springs Future Grid , SwitchDin
Jun 2022
Alice Springs Future Grid has appointed SwitchDin to deliver the technology that links solar and battery systems across Alice Springs, creating the Solar Connect Virtual Power Plant (VPP). The Solar Connect VPP provides an opportunity for the community to be involved in one of Future grid’s innovative trials.
Type: Media release Format: PDF
Media Release: Residential Inverter Trial at CDU technical facility
Charles Darwin University , Alice Springs Future Grid
May 2022
The Alice Springs Future Grid project has teamed up with Charles Darwin University (CDU) to test the capacity of battery and solar inverters to provide support services to the electricity grid. Testing will be undertaken at CDU’s Renewable Energy Microgrid Hub for Applied Research and Training (REMHART) in Darwin The primary technology tested will be three residential inverters – the devices that convert energy generated from solar panels and batteries into electricity suitable for use in the grid.
Type: Media release Format: PDF
Territory Q: Alice Drives Future Grid
Territory Q
Apr 2022
A feature in Northern territory business and industry publication, Territory Q, outlining how the Alice Springs community’s embrace of renewable energy has driven the urgent need to prepare for a clean energy future. Published in Q2, 2022. Picture courtesy of Chloe Erlich/Territory Q.
Type: Media coverage Format: PDF URL
Advitech appointed to conduct low socio-economic study
Advitech
Apr 2022
Engineering and environmental consulting firm Advitech has been appointed by the Alice Springs Future Grid project to investigate how lower socio-economic demographics can participate in and benefit from the transition to clean energy.
Type: Media release Format: URL
Fact Sheet: Time to install a battery?
Arid Lands Environment Centre , Alice Springs Future Grid
2022
If you are considering adding a battery to an existing solar system, or as part of a new solar installation. You may be wondering if the cost is worth it? This fact sheet, produced by Future Grid's Community Engagement Partner, the Arid Lands Environment Centre, provides a short guide to some of the factors you may want to consider when investing in a battery.
Type: Fact Sheets Format: PDF
Fact Sheet: Upgrading an ageing solar system
Arid Lands Environment Centre , Alice Springs Future Grid
2022
There are many reasons to consider upgrading an ageing solar system - particularly if your system was installed more than 10 years ago. This fact sheet, produced by Future Grid's Community Engagement Partner, the Arid Lands Environment Centre, covers some factors to consider including system size and age, metering arrangements, feed-in tariffs and other rebates.
Type: Fact Sheets Format: PDF
Solar Connect webinar
Arid Lands Environment Centre , Alice Springs Future Grid , Jacana Energy
Feb 2022
The Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) hosted a webinar about the Solar Connect VPP trial, including talks from Alice Springs Future Grid Project Manager Hannah Farrow, and sub-project leads Hayley Michener (ALEC) and Perrine Orlandini (Jacana Energy).
Type: Event details Format: URL
Media release: Tell your friends about the Solar Connect VPP
Arid Lands Environment Centre , Alice Springs Future Grid
Feb 2022
Residents of Alice Springs are being urged to get talking to their friends and neighbours about the forthcoming Solar Connect VPP trial, earning them the chance to pocket $150. (NB time-limited offer now closed).
Type: Media release Format: PDF
Ground-breaking renewable energy trial encouraging participation
Alice Springs Future Grid
Nov 2021
The Alice Springs Future Grid project is creating the Northern Territory’s first residential Virtual Power Plant (VPP). The VPP trial, named Solar Connect, is the most prominent public-facing activity of the Future Grid project, intended to run for up to a year.
Type: Media release Future Grid publication Format: PDF
Wind Monitoring Study Underway in Alice Springs
Northern Territory Government
Oct 2021
A media release by Northern Territory Minster for Renewables and Energy, Eva Lawler, regarding the Alice Springs Future Grid Wind Monitoring Study.
Type: Media release Future Grid publication Format: URL
Lessons Learnt #2: Building a multi-stakeholder partnership
CSIRO , Alice Springs Future Grid
Oct 2021
Future Grid’s Partners are a multi-level stakeholder collective, directed by a consortium. This Lessons Learnt Report provides an overview of the development of a large collaborative project with multiple stakeholder organisations. The organisations involved in Future Grid are primarily energy industry stakeholders. Community organisations also play a vital role in engaging residents to get involved in the project, including through trials involving household batteries and other technologies.
Type: Future Grid publication Format: URL
DKRI Knowledge Intersections Symposium — Future Grid knowledge sharing
Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy , Alice Springs Future Grid
Sep 2021
Intyalheme Project Manager Hannah Farrow delivered an update on one of the critical components of the Alice Springs Future Grid project at the Knowledge Intersections Symposium. She focused on Future Grid’s knowledge sharing efforts, which are mostly conducted as part of its commitment to funding body ARENA (the Australian Renewable Energy Agency).
Type: Future Grid publication Format: PDF
Alice Springs power system demand forecast
Northern Territory Government , Power and Water Corporation
Aug 2021
A new power demand forecast is available for Alice Springs, via the Northern Territory Electricity System Market Operator website: ntesmo.com.au. It provides Power and Water’s System Control with an additional tool to help manage the system with regard to incorporating renewable energy. Prediction of solar generation and the outputs of behind-the-meter installations assists in maintaining system security and stability. Within this post you can find both the website, and the Northern Territory Government media release. This demand forecast achieves a recommendation of the Utilities Commission Independent Investigation of Alice Springs System Black Incident on 13 October 2019.
Type: Website post Format: URL
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
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