Industry News

Clean, green power across the Territory is a priority of the Territory Labor Government.

A renewables future is one step closer for the Tiwi Islands, with construction underway at the Wurrumiyanga Solar Infill and Energy Storage Pilot Project.

Wurrumiyanga is home to over 2000 people, and soon it will be powered by 50 per cent renewable energy.

The Territory Labor Government is investing $6.1 million into the project, which will deliver 1.2 megawatts of additional solar PV to the community, and a Battery Energy Storage System with a capacity of 3 megawatt hours.

Local and Australian company 5B is delivering the project, with earthworks and the installation of cyclone-resilient solar arrays now complete.

Facilitating a renewal of the community’s energy system is a key component to this project, which includes aging diesel infrastructure and dated solar PV technology.

This is an important step forward in delivering advanced renewable energy for Wurrumiyanga and changing the way power is generated across our communities.    

The project is expected to be completed and operational by 2024, allowing the community to be powered by 50 per cent renewable energy.

This announcement comes as the remote community of Titjikala, south of Alice Springs was recently powered by 83 per cent renewable energy.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Renewables, Nicole Manison:

 “This pilot program in Wurrumiyanga is an important step towards the Territory Labor Government achieving our target of 50 per cent renewables by 2030, which includes an average of 70 per cent renewables in communities supplied by Indigenous Essential Services.

“We will keep doing the hard work as we push towards our target of 50 per cent renewables by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.

“A renewables future is now one step closer for the Wurrumiyanga community and we look forward to extending the lessons learnt from this project to other remote Territory communities.”

Quote attributable to the Member for Arafura, Manuel Brown:

“It is great to see our largest community on Bathurst Island driving down emissions and creating stable reliable energy in line with the rest of the Territory.

 “Soon we will see less and less communities around the NT rely on diesel powered generators through Territory Labor’s remote power system strategy, a strategy which is changing lives in our most remote communities.

5B Chief Strategy Officer Nicole Kuepper-Russell

“We’re proud to be part of this important project that will see almost 50 per cent of the Wurrumiyanga community’s power provided by renewables, delivering lower-cost cleaner energy, greater energy resilience, and employment opportunities.

“Our latest generation high-wind resilient 5B Maverick - wind rated up to 72 metres per second - is specifically designed for cyclone prone regions like the Tiwi Islands. It is also fast to deploy in remote regions, a deployment team of four unfolded the 1.2 MW 5B solar farm on Bathurst Island in just four days, with mechanical installation, including unpacking, staging, cabling, the extra anchoring required for wind region C and clean up, taking less than two weeks.

“We’re working to replicate this rapid deployment model across other remote communities in the Territory and we welcome the Government’s support in accelerating renewable energy projects and investments.”

Source: Northern Territory Government Newsroom

Santos notes the decision of the Federal Court of Australia today ruling pipelay activities can commence on an 86km section of pipeline for the Barossa Gas Export Pipeline (GEP).

As per the ruling, no activity will occur south of kilometre point 86 (KP86), as outlined on the map below.

The Court has set 4 December 2023 as the date of commencement of the hearing of application bought by Mr Simon Munkara and two others seeking to restrain Santos from continuing the pipelay until it revises its environmental plan after re-consultation with relevant persons, and NOPSEMA accepts a revised plan.

As detailed in its ASX announcement on 2 November 2023, Santos intends to vigorously defend those proceedings.

Santos is committed to delivering the Barossa Gas Project.

With the Barossa Project set to supply the Darwin LNG plant for years to come, it is important for local jobs, as well as opportunities for Traditional Owners, exports, and relationships with investors and gas customers in Asia, that this project continues. 

To view the full ASX announcement / Media release (and map), click here.

Source: Santos.com

The Northern Territory’s abundant solar resources and geographic location position us well to meet the growing demand for green energy in Asia and the Pacific.

Today, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles signed an MOU with Samsung C&T Corporation Engineering & Construction to develop a green energy project in the Northern Territory.

Samsung C&T will work with the NT Government to establish large-scale renewable energy generation, transmission and storage in the Northern Territory, including photovoltaic, wind, hydrogen and battery energy storage systems.

Additionally, Samsung C&T intends to establish a substantial manufacturing hub as part of this project.

The clean energy produced will help manufacturing companies, including Samsung affiliates and other global companies, transition to 100% renewable energy.

A working group comprised of Samsung C&T and the NT Government will be established under the MOU to scope and investigate the feasibility of a large scale green energy project in the Northern Territory.

The MOU will operate for a period of two years and, during this time, suitable locations for the green energy project will be identified, with the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct one of the locations to be investigated.

A green energy project of this scale is a game changer for the Northern Territory and would create thousands of local jobs and generate billions of dollars into our economy.

Quotes attributed to Chief Minister Natasha Fyles:

“Renewable energy makes economic and environmental sense.

“Signing today’s green energy MOU with Samsung C&T, is a key step towards creating local jobs and significantly contributing to the Territory’s drive to become a hub for low emissions sustainable manufacturing.

“The MOU sets out how the NT Government and Samsung C&T will work collaboratively to explore options and conduct feasibility investigations including how we can facilitate this project being built in the Territory.

“Samsung knows what Territorian’s know, our solar irradiance and proximity to Asia makes this the ideal place to invest in a green energy future”.

Quotes attributed to the Samsung C&T President & CEO of Engineering & Construction Group, Sechul Oh:

“Samsung C&T is committed to global industry decarbonisation, leveraging the exceptional resources in the Northern Territory.

“The MOU establishes a collaborative partnership for building a prime hub dedicated to green energy production.

“Together, we aim to decarbonise Australia and South Korea and contribute to the development of a sustainable economy.”

Source: NT Government News Room

Consultation is now open on the focus areas for Australia’s First Nations Clean Energy Strategy.

The consultation invites your views on how to enable First Nations peoples to lead and benefit from the clean energy transformation.

The First Nations Clean Energy Strategy aims to ensure First Nations peoples can:

• meaningfully participate in and benefit from Australia’s clean energy transformation
• access affordable and reliable renewable energy
• lead and be equal partners in the energy transformation.

First Nations peoples have strong local and cultural knowledge, including management of Country. This knowledge can, and should, inform how Australia transforms its energy systems to achieve net zero emissions.

We’re developing the strategy in partnership with First Nations peoples, organisations and communities across Australia.

We’re also holding a series of Roundtables with:

• representatives from First Nations communities
• Traditional Owners
• Prescribed Body Corporates
• Land Councils
• industry, government, law and policy experts
• state and territory governments.

We will use the feedback received through this consultation, the Roundtables and regional conversations to inform the development of the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy, which will be delivered by mid-2024.

To have your say:

• read the consultation paper
• provide a written submission (optional)
• provide feedback by completing the online form on the consultation hub.

Read more

• First Nations Clean Energy Strategy | energy.gov.au
• First Nations Clean Energy Strategy | fnces.org.au

Source: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

GR Production Services is pleased to announce the award of a new three-year contract with two three-year extension options with INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd (INPEX) for the provision of operations and maintenance support services to the Ichthys LNG upstream and downstream facilities.

The scope of work involves providing production and technical roles to INPEX as required to supplement their business, and support for maintenance shutdown planning and execution on all facilities.

The estimated contract value over the three-year period is $28 million. Work on this project is expected to commence on 1 December 2023.

Commenting on the award of the contract, GR Production Services CEO, Cameron Wills, said:

“We are delighted to have been selected to support INPEX on the Ichthys LNG Onshore and Offshore production facilities and look forward to building a strong partnership through the delivery of valued services.”

Source: GR Production Services

The Territory Labor Government is powering towards its target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

During the month of September, the remote community of Titjikala, about 130 kilometres south of Alice Springs, was powered by 83 per cent renewable energy.

Home to 200 residents, the community was solely powered by renewable energy for an average of 20 hours per day during the month.

Titjikala has a 400 kilowatt solar array, integrated with a 300 kilovolt-ampere (970 kilowatt hour) battery energy storage system.

It is one of 25 communities part of the Power and Water Solar Energy Transformation Program (SETuP).

SETuP integrates 10 megawatts of solar in remote communities, to transition to a renewable energy future and reduce reliance on diesel fuel.

Battery energy storage system technology enables the storage of excess solar energy and allows diesel engines to be turned off during the daytime.

The diesel engines start up again overnight when the battery energy storage system is depleted.

Installation of the battery energy storage system was funded by the Northern Territory Government and commissioned in March 2021.

The SETuP program is largest isolated off-grid solar program in remote communities and has enabled significant savings on diesel and transport costs.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Renewables, Nicole Manison:

“Titjikala is a great remote renewable energy success story – providing safe, reliable and environmentally friendly power to the community.

“The Territory Labor Government wants a future powered by renewable energy, creating green jobs and driving down emissions.

“With our abundant solar resources, we can create permanent and stable energy solutions that decarbonise our regional and remote areas.”

Source: NT Government

Federal Parliament has recently passed new legislation, supported by both sides, that allows for the import and export of carbon dioxide. This development opens up new economic opportunities for Australia through carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS). Operators who have limited options for storing their own industrial emissions can now turn to Australia for CCUS solutions.

During the legislative scrutiny, a parliamentary committee composed of government and opposition MPs acknowledged the importance of carbon capture technology for Australia and its regional climate mitigation efforts.

This legislation is designed to fulfill Australia's obligations stemming from the 2009 and 2013 amendments to the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972. It achieves this by amending the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 in the following ways: enabling the granting of permits for the export of carbon dioxide streams from carbon dioxide capture processes, allowing for sequestration into sub-seabed geological formations; allowing for permits for the placement of wastes or other matter for scientific research in marine geoengineering activities; and making necessary consequential and technical amendments.

To read the bill as passed on the 13 November 2023, click here.

Santos has furthered strengthened its position as a carbon capture and storage (CCS) leader, by formalising a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on carbon solutions with Korean energy company, SK E&S.

The MOU provides for Santos and SK E&S to cooperate in seeking to develop a low-carbon hub at Darwin in Northern Territory after a CO2 storage permit was awarded for G-11-AP, within the Bonaparte basin, off the coast of Western Australia in 2022.

Santos and SK E&S will also collaborate on securing additional CO2 storage including the Bayu-Undan field and develop a transboundary business model to aggregate and transport CO2 from Korea to Australia for safe and secure storage underground.

Santos CEO and Managing Director Kevin Gallagher said the MOU highlighted the important role CCS is expected to play in decarbonising the large energy-consuming economies of Asia.

“Just as Australia has been a reliable energy producer for Asian economies for more than half a century, there is an enormous opportunity for Australia to be at the forefront of helping them decarbonise using our natural competitive advantage in carbon storage resources and knowhow,” Mr Gallagher said.

“The International Energy Agency 2023 Net-zero update says about 6GTpa of storage from CCS will be required by 2050 – that’s about 100 times higher than today’s operational capacity.

“And the Agency recently noted “Australia is well-suited to large-scale deployment of CCS to facilitate domestic CO2 abatement and support regional emissions reductions.

“As demand for CO2 transport and storage continues to grow, Santos and SK E&S intend to collaborate under the terms of the MOU to work with relevant governments to urgently progress the necessary regulatory, fiscal and carbon credit frameworks required to support international collaboration on CCS to decarbonise our region.

“We know a large scale-up of CCS is required to meet the world’s climate objectives and Santos has the technology, infrastructure and knowledge to be able to deliver low-cost CCS competitively on a global scale."

Mr Gallagher said the agreement follows the signing of four other MOUs with third parties for carbon capture and storage at Santos’ proposed Darwin and Bayu-Undan CCS Hub, indicating strong customer-led demand for CCS as a relatively low-cost decarbonisation solution.

“These MOUs complement a further MOU with Timor-Leste’s national oil company, TIMOR GAP, to explore partnership opportunities for the proposed Bayu-Undan CCS,” Mr Gallagher said.

“CCS is a proven technology that is critical to achieving climate goals throughout the region and executing these MOUs demonstrates the increasing demand for CCS and the broad acceptance of CCS as a decarbonisation strategy.

“Santos is making excellent progress on our planned three-hub CCS strategy with our Moomba CCS project on track for first injection in 2024, front end engineering and design at Bayu-Undan CCS nearing completion, and plans for Reindeer, offshore Western Australia, continuing to progress.”

G-11-AP has been awarded to Santos Offshore Pty Ltd (40% and Operator), Chevron Australia Pty Ltd (30%) and SK E&S (30%) and covers an area of 26,239 km2 within the Bonaparte Basin.

to view the full media release, click here.

Source: Santos.com

The Acting Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security has declared the Georgina Wiso Water Allocation Plan 2023-2031.

This is the first plan for the Georgina and Wiso Basins within the Daly Roper Beetaloo Water Control District.

The plan applies to an area of approximately 155,000 square kilometres, extending about 600km from north to south, and 500 km east to west (the plan area).

The plan area includes the towns of Daly Waters, Elliott and Newcastle Waters and smaller communities of Jangirulu, Likkaparta, Murranji and Wutunugurra.

The plan allocates water from the Cambrian Limestone Aquifer, the most extensive and highest quality groundwater resource in the plan area.

The plan retains water for environment and cultural uses and allocates 210,000 mega litres of water for public drinking water supplies and for development in the region.

The amount of water allocated is less than the replenishment rate and means that during the eight year life of the plan the aquifer storage will continue to increase.

In the plan, allocations for public water supply are prioritised over water for other beneficial uses, protecting the quantity of water for drinking.

Currently there is very limited water use in the plan area, which is predominately for stock and domestic purposes across pastoral leases that cover 85 per cent of the area.

More than 20,000 mega litres per year is allocated to the Aboriginal water reserve for Aboriginal economic development.

The Beetaloo Sub-basin is in the plan area and water for petroleum activities has been capped at 10,000 mega litres per year.

Information about the plan and supporting documents are available on the Georgina Wiso water allocation plan website, available at: https://nt.gov.au/environment/water/management-security/water-control-districts/daly-roper-beetaloo/planning-for-the-georgina-basin

Quotes by DEPWS Water Resources Division Executive Director, Amy Dysart

“The Georgina Wiso Water Allocation Plan has been produced to meet the recommendations of the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory.

“The plan ensures water is prioritised for the environment and cultural purposes and determines how water is shared between beneficial uses.

“The plan presents a comprehensive understanding of the water resource informed by studies undertaken as part of the Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment (SREBA).

“The Department looks forward to working with the Traditional Owners of the region as part of an Aboriginal Reference Group to ensure that Aboriginal cultural values and knowledge are understood, key groundwater dependent sites are defined, and specific cultural protections are developed for future inclusion in the plan”.

ENDS. 

Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security

Media Contact 0437 915 366

Source: NT Government newsroom

Our appetite for solar PV continues. At the end of the third quarter, Australia’s total installed solar rooftop capacity had reached 21.2GW.  More than 68,000 new installations were added to the grid in the quarter with a total installed capacity of 620MW. In addition to the latest installation statistics, we take a look at other developments in the sector, including its levelised cost of energy and the average payback period for solar PV systems. Read more. 

For more, contact Carol Tran, Australian Energy Council

Source: Australian Energy Council