As mine owners and operators, you know that renewable energy sources can help reduce costs and minimise environmental impact, but how can you ensure that power is affordable, secure and continuously meets your power demands? GE’s industry-leading aeroderivative gas turbines have been used in mining applications in Australia for over 20 years. They offer an efficient solution to complement renewable generation and provide a reliable dispatchable power supply, positioning them as an ideal option for Australian mines — today and tomorrow.
Australia’s energy market continues its transition through unprecedented transformation. With the scheduled retirement of large baseload coal-fired power station in coming years, the enhanced viability of renewables (both grid-connected and islanded remote locations) is creating an opportunity for flexible gas-fired power plants and capacity firming solutions. The rise of solar and wind power has led to an accompanying deterioration in reliability and security of supply, and with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) forecasting an increase in the risk of load-shedding events over the next few years, the need for dispatchable solutions is clear.
Also known as grid firming, capacity firming is a vital characteristic for any power generation system, whether grid-connected or remote. While renewable power generation sources are now essentially competitive with traditional power, they can have adverse system impacts if not carefully integrated into the power system. While AEMO remains agnostic to technologies, this uncertainty remains one of the AEMO’s key concerns. As wind and solar power are typically non-dispatchable, their nameplate capacity does not always align with demand and can’t always respond quickly and effectively to the dynamic needs of the power system.