AEMO’s Integrated System Plan
Every two years, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) produces an Integrated System Plan (ISP) which maps out what we need to do in electricity to transition to a low carbon future. In the earlier versions of this document, AEMO assessed our future generation mix associated with various potential rates of change: slow-change, fast-change, step-change, etc.
As with all our attempts at peering into the future, real life always surprises us. AEMO’s 2022 ISP states that we are already on the “step-change” trajectory, i.e. the energy world is changing much faster than anticipated.
And events in May showed us that we are not ready. The “energy crisis” has subsided, for now, but there is a lot for us to do. The 2022 ISP gives us a glimpse of the scale of the challenge facing us. The document states that in the next five years, we need to double the current amount of solar PV installed on our roofs, add 4 times the current amount of utility grade renewable power plants, while losing about 27% of our coal generation.
Events in May showed us that we are not ready.
We can try to assess the accuracy of these predictions, or just accept that we need to build lots of stuff, and build it fast. Furthermore, price pressures will remain for a while.
We also think that the industry is underestimating the contribution from consumer owned energy resources. Individuals make quicker decisions and install equipment faster than large companies building large power plants and storage, where site acquisitions, grid connections, and capital allocations take time.
So, what does this all mean?
Like it or not, what we do as individuals affects and contributes to our energy security and affordability. We can’t leave energy to governments and big companies any more.
This is where Localvolts comes in—we are here to support individual energy consumers and producers—it’s your energy and money, after all.
We can’t leave energy to governments and big companies any more.
We are also happy to announce that we now have persons in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania, who are buying and selling electricity with each other locally and across state boundaries.
No trials or pilots—now it is normal for our customers to take control of their energy and contribute to the energy transition.
You can join them by signing up on our website or asking us for a registration pack.
You will find AEMO’s 2022 Integrated System Plan here:
