Integration of renewable energy sources into the electricity delivery network
(J
Boland and
J Filar with F Manzini) In South Australia, much is being said of dramatic increases in the cost of electricity with the introduction of the National Electricity Market. At the same time, there are dire predictions that the demand for electricity in this state will outstrip supply by as early as 2005.
It is proposed to investigate methods whereby the delivery of electrical energy can be optimised, both at the household and also at the supply system levels. The optimisation will include the development of methods to assess the impact associated with extreme weather conditions. The goals of the research are:
- To construct a methodology for determining the optimum mix of conventional and renewable sources for the multiple criteria of cost minimisation and greenhouse gas reduction.
- To develop a methodology for estimating the probabilities of certain climatic scenarios (e.g., a summer with more than 30 days with a maximum temperature over 40 degrees Celsius), to enable "hedging" against such possibilities.