Thought Leadership

26 June, 2024

Power systems in the range of 200–500 MW face unique challenges, including how to incorporate increasing amounts of intermittent inverter-based renewable energy, such as solar PV and wind generation. What are these challenges, and how can they be solved?  Large power systems, like the interconnected grid of the eastern Australian states, are well-understood. These systems […]

8 May, 2024

In the booming global solar industry, installation of bifacial panels has been rapidly overtaking conventional monofacial modules, particularly in utility-scale projects but increasingly at smaller scales (<5 MW) too. But are they the right technical investment for your solar project – and what do you need to consider? We recommend getting to grips with the […]

19 March, 2024

From Baby Boomers to Gen Alpha, the generation names and characteristics come and go – but despite the changing working styles and preferences of older and younger engineers, some things stay the same. Developing good engineers still calls for many elements that have shaped countless careers over time: people who were willing to share their […]

26 February, 2024

The wind industry, well-established in Europe for decades, took baby steps onto Australian soil in the late 1980s and 1990s. By the early 2000s, Australia’s new wind industry was ready to take off. Given that wind farms usually have a design life of anywhere between 15 and 30 years, our earliest wind farms are now […]

12 December, 2023

This article reflects on a panel discussion chaired by Ray Massie at the Energy and Mines Australia Summit 2023, which you can read more about here. The discussion about powering mines with renewable energy has moved a long way in a short time. As the imperative to go green has escalated, the mining sector has […]

8 December, 2023

This article is based on a recent presentation by Richard Lindqvist, a data integration specialist with Entura, at the ANCOLD Tailings Dam Operators Forum 2023. Richard describes the need, opportunities and barriers to adoption of advanced monitoring systems. Tailings facilities are crucial for preventing any spread of mine tailings into surrounding land and waterways. Some […]

13 November, 2023

I have just ‘returned’ from the World Wind Energy Conference 2023, held just down the road from Entura’s Hobart office. At the conference there was an overwhelming sense that the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables is well underway and the era of coal-fired power generation is coming to a close. This has been […]

10 November, 2023

The clean energy transition is set to create millions of new renewable energy jobs worldwide. It will, however, also bring major change for workers and communities who currently depend on carbon-intensive industries. This leads to two major challenges: how can the clean energy sector find enough skilled workers to enable the mammoth task ahead of […]

28 September, 2023

The rapid transformation of the energy sector is exciting and ripe with opportunities. Inevitably, it also involves a level of complexity and a range of uncertainties. Phrases such as ‘decarbonising the future’, ‘net zero emissions’ and ‘energy security’ feature in almost every energy transition seminar, but what do they really mean when it comes to […]

6 September, 2023

Entura’s Technical Director Power, Donald Vaughan, presented a paper at the global CIGRE Symposium in Cairns, Queensland in September 2023. This is a short summary of the outcomes of the analysis presented in his paper, regarding the value and roles of conventional hydropower, pumped hydro and battery energy storage as the power system transitions to […]

1 June, 2023

Compared with other clean energy technologies, hydropower is a long-distance runner. Many hydropower facilities have an expected lifespan of up to a century. An increasing challenge, however, is that many of these facilities are already well progressed on their life journey. With much of the world’s hydropower fleet already at or beyond mid-life, effective asset […]

24 May, 2023

In an already water-stressed world and a rapidly changing climate, water is increasingly precious. To manage and control this vital resource, we must create and maintain safe, reliable and sustainable water infrastructure – and such a challenge calls for good planning. The International Commission on Large Dams is working towards releasing new guidance for water […]

3 March, 2023

The old adage of ‘a company’s greatest assets are its people’ is never more true than in an emergency situation. The success of any emergency plan depends upon the skills, training and willingness of the people involved. It also relies on robust emergency preparation that takes as many scenarios as possible into account, and builds […]

31 January, 2023

Modelling has a very important role in every sphere of engineering. Complex mathematic models help us better predict and understand behaviours and performance so that we can solve technical problems, push the boundaries of applied science, and optimise construction and manufacturing. We use finite element models (FEM) to determine the forces, stresses and deflections of […]

12 December, 2022

The construction of large dams may be controversial, particularly if the social and environmental impacts appear to outweigh the benefits. How can we create the right kind of dams in the right places to deliver maximum benefit with minimal impact? I recently watched Franklin, a documentary in which eighth-generation Tasmanian and environmentalist Oliver Cassidy retraces […]

17 November, 2022

Entura’s Rajeev Raina, Resident Director India, discusses the challenges of hydropower developments in South East and East Asia, as well as how these are being overcome. This video is part of a broader discussion about the role of hydropower in a changing renewables landscape, lifted from an Entura webinar to celebrate Global Hydropower Day on […]

16 November, 2022

Dr Amanda Ashworth, Entura’s Director of Strategy, Sales and Commercial, discusses the role that hydropower plays in the race to net zero. This discussion took place during the webinar held by Entura to celebrate Global Hydropower Day on 11 October 2022, where our Executive Team and Technical Leaders came together to explore the future of […]

20 September, 2022

Throughout the renewable energy sector, there are plenty of examples where decisions made during the planning and procurement phases have caused difficulty during construction and affected future operations. A smoother construction process is to everyone’s advantage – avoiding cost blow-outs and time over-runs, and a lot of unnecessary stress and sweat. An experienced Owner’s Engineer […]

21 June, 2022

Access to quality long-term records is crucial for dam safety. Read what our specialists have to say about keeping your records under control. The ANCOLD (Australian National Committee on Large Dams) guideline on dam safety management recommends regular reviews on different timescales – including routine inspections undertaken by the operator (daily to monthly), intermediate inspections […]

17 March, 2022

Conducting field investigations in remote areas is no ‘walk in the park’. On top of the investigation activities themselves, there are the complex logistics of getting personnel and equipment into hard-to-reach places, the imperatives of maintaining safety and managing community expectations, and the significant challenge of conducting works but leaving minimal impact on the landscape. ‘Leave […]

16 December, 2021

With the current bow wave in publicly announced emerging and committed storage, wind and solar farms in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM), it is now more important than ever that your connection application processes are rigorous and efficient. This article charts a path of least resistance within the framework of the Australian Energy Market Operator […]

23 September, 2021

In previous thought leadership articles, we’ve argued that the downstream consequence of dam failure is a better measure of dam risk than the size of the dam. For example, saddle dams can often have significant consequences downstream, despite being smaller than the main dam. The same applies to cofferdams. A cofferdam is a temporary dam that […]

27 April, 2021

How can owners or developers assess alternative options for hydropower and dam projects objectively and consistently? How can you maintain an appropriate balance among the environmental, social, financial and technical risks? If you place a value on the non-cost aspects of projects, how can you confidently assess the many criteria that your project options bring […]

9 March, 2021

Depending on when and where you want to connect your new solar farm or wind farm, the network service provider or your consultant may tell you that you’ll need a synchronous condenser. That may not be good news, because these machines don’t come cheap and they usually don’t provide a direct revenue stream. What should you do next?

8 December, 2020

In remote or isolated locations, hybrid renewable energy systems offer an effective option for meeting energy goals. With the plummeting costs of solar PV and its ease of installation, is there still a role for wind turbines in the design of a hybrid system? Our answer is yes; however, there are a number of factors to consider when choosing the best configuration for your location and needs.

13 August, 2020

While some aspects of fieldwork can be modified through technological innovation, there are other things that simply can’t be done without getting out on the ground or in the water. How can we make fieldwork not only efficient and effective, but also COVID-safe?

13 May, 2020

There are very few areas in the consulting life in which we can simply say ‘we’ll wait until this is all over’. Life, and projects, must go on. Here, Entura’s Environment and Planning team continue to apply their proactive approach to keeping projects alive in the current circumstances, and explain how they are continuing their activities on two international projects despite the travel restrictions that are making it impossible to visit the project sites.

28 April, 2020

A vital part of the success of all projects, whether they are new or operational, is maintaining progress towards milestones and retaining currency in the social and regulatory realms. How can we achieve this during a global pandemic?

5 September, 2019

When engineers think about the future, do we get so engrossed in the complex technical problems that we don’t attend enough to the human angle?

6 June, 2019

How can a small island become a giant battery for a nation? We’re finding the answers in increasing interconnection, developing new pumped hydro and repurposing our existing hydropower assets.

26 February, 2019

Beyond the typical images of blue water, white sand and sunny days, many Pacific islands are becoming visions of renewable energy innovation ...

14 February, 2019

Examples from around the world demonstrate the devastating consequences of dam failures. Safety must be every dam owner’s key concern, but how should action be prioritised across a large portfolio of dams?

1 November, 2018

Integrating renewables into grids and markets is a hot topic worldwide, with many challenges and approaches to explore...

10 October, 2018

In the hydropower sector, we’re all trying to do more with less. And as hydropower assets age, there’s always more to be done...

7 September, 2018

To keep communities and assets safe during flood events, dam operators need to make rapid and difficult decisions. The best protection is having the right systems in place before an emergency arises...

23 August, 2018

Renewables are now the cheapest form of new energy generation, but to make variable renewables ‘dispatchable’, we need to add storage...

18 July, 2018

How can a wind farm realise its full lifetime potential in an increasingly cost-sensitive market?

4 July, 2018

Building, maintaining and operating power and water assets involves a level of environmental risk. If you can identify and manage these risks early, your projects or operations are far less likely to run into trouble down the track...

22 May, 2018

Anyone who’s ever had a cold understands the discomfort of blocked airways. Congestion challenges, albeit slightly different ones, also face developers of new renewable energy generation...

10 May, 2018

Whether on-grid or off-grid, hybrid renewable energy systems offer exciting potential for achieving a sustainable and reliable power supply...

16 April, 2018

There are many thousands of potential sites for pumped hydro energy storage developments across Australia, but how can a developer filter these down to the best few?

3 April, 2018

Ambitious renewables targets, movements away from thermal generation, increasing demand for electricity … it’s boom time for renewables around the world. Yet the global energy transformation brings some challenges...

9 March, 2018

Big investments require confidence – however, caution in unlocking funds is perfectly reasonable. A thorough due diligence is the key to building investment confidence by identifying and quantifying the project’s risks, costs and benefits...

29 January, 2018

Cities in flood-prone areas have much to gain from effective flood forecasting, because they have so much to lose through flood damage to property and business...

8 January, 2018

As the proportion of renewable energy in the grid continues to grow, pumped hydro energy storage offers a solution for greater reliability. But can the business case for storage stack up?

30 November, 2017

Flood forecasting is critical for protecting infrastructure and public safety.

17 October, 2017

Installing a SCADA system is a major outlay. With the ever-increasing pace of technological change, how can you ensure your new system or upgrade will repay your investment and deliver maximum benefits?

27 September, 2017

Big data and advances in artificial intelligence hold extraordinary potential for transforming the energy sector. But is change in the wind sector likely to be transformational, or can we expect only incremental performance improvement?

30 August, 2017

As the global population continues to grow, how can utilities and water managers balance the increasing and interrelated pressures on water, energy and food?

11 August, 2017

A sustainable grid needs sustainable energy sources. While there’s no doubt that it makes sense to store renewable energy, whether in batteries or in a pumped hydro scheme, just how sustainable are these technologies?

5 July, 2017

Dams, water courses and water bodies typically offer a range of recreational benefits enjoyed by many. But where there’s water, there’s inherent danger...

21 June, 2017

Two very different storage technologies – one old, one new; one that takes years to build, one that can be built ‘within 100 days (or it’s free)’. How else do they differ, and is there a place for both?

24 May, 2017

If you are planning to generate some of your own electricity, such as through a few wind turbines or a small solar farm, you’ll need to know about islanding...

18 April, 2017

The potential for successful large-scale solar in Australia is enormous, but problems with financing can spell death for your project...

14 March, 2017

The issues and trends we’re seeing playing out right now relating to hydropower and the clean energy sector are not unique to our region...

6 March, 2017

Is designing a solar farm child’s play… a simple matter of snapping some Lego together? Not if you’re after maximum efficiency, operability and value...

2 February, 2017

Like many stories of island journeys, the pursuit of high levels of renewable energy in the Pacific involves good planning and skilled navigation to stay safe and on course, and holds the promise of rich rewards...

12 December, 2016

For dam owners, measuring the right things in the right locations is essential for a successful dam safety program...

16 November, 2016

Pumped storage hydropower projects are a natural fit in an energy market with high penetration of renewable energy as they help to maximise the use of the renewables that are subject to the vagaries of the weather...

24 October, 2016

Not fully understanding the geological conditions is one of the biggest risks in a hydropower project, and can lead to large cost blow-outs, major repairs and even public safety issues...

26 September, 2016

With 2020 and its renewable energy targets fast approaching, the race is on to deploy renewable energy developments in Australia. Efficient and right-sized grid connection can get projects moving quickly and...

12 September, 2016

Perhaps the greatest gift to any agricultural region is increased certainty of reliable, available water...

26 August, 2016

Can our network and market frameworks support two to three times more renewables in Australia in the next ten to fifteen years without radical or innovative actions?

2 August, 2016

If you are planning a utility-scale solar development, how can you avoid the potential pitfalls and maximise success?

20 June, 2016

Safety risks around high-voltage electrical assets are far from trivial, particularly those risks associated with earthing hazards during construction activities...

26 May, 2016

What do you need to know to minimise your risk and maximise the value of your commercial-scale solar and storage system?

28 April, 2016

What value can you derive for renewable energy projects through developing accurate models?

8 April, 2016

How can distribution network service providers best take advantage of the emerging opportunities presented by...

2 March, 2016

The right data and analysis could unearth new strategies to get more from your infrastructure, and that’s too good an opportunity to miss...

18 February, 2016

For power and water businesses, information is one of the most valuable assets. But good data you can’t find or use is a wasted opportunity...

13 January, 2016

The security of an electricity network is threatened by the rise of sophisticated controls on modern generating equipment. These controls lead to complex interactions with the electricity network and must be managed carefully to...

1 December, 2015

An arc flash is one of the greatest dangers electrical workers face, with potentially tragic consequences...

5 November, 2015

The measures taken to address safety risks at the underground Rouna 2 hydropower station in Papua New Guinea offer a timely reminder of the basic requirements for adequately managing safety risks...

12 October, 2015

Hydropower stations can pose significant safety risks to those who work in them, but there is no excuse for injury or death in our workplaces...

7 September, 2015

An effective flood forecasting system is a vital tool for managing the significant risks that floods pose to communities, infrastructure and the environment...

27 August, 2015

As the electricity sector is revolutionised by new distributed generation and storage, can all the players survive?

22 July, 2015

Asking ‘what is the best dam type for my dam site?’ is a key question in the early stages of planning a dam project. A number of dam types are being used around the world, such as...

1 July, 2015

A lot of the talk about the ‘death spiral’ in the demand for electricity from the grid in Australia has centred on the distribution end of the equation and the downside or asset risk associated with ‘disruptive’ technologies such as solar PV and storage...

28 May, 2015

The Grattan Institute’s recently released report ‘Sundown, sunrise’ observes that household solar PV will soon be cost-competitive under existing tariff structures...

26 May, 2015

When you are considering investing in a renewable energy project, a thorough due diligence investigation can identify the costs, benefits and risks, and lead to well-informed decisions...

4 May, 2015

Hydropower stations, like all technology or infrastructure, won’t stay efficient, reliable or safe without regular and ongoing attention...

21 April, 2015

Many countries are experiencing huge increases in distributed generation. Utilities are wondering whether it's a blessing or a curse

25 March, 2015

Hydropower is increasingly becoming a major source of renewable energy for emerging markets throughout Asia. Managing the not-so-obvious risks associated with developing and operating hydropower schemes is often a key challenge in securing project finance and gaining or maintaining a social licence to operate. “Power projects, especially in developing countries, are increasingly scrutinised by international […]

23 March, 2015

Remote area power systems that integrate renewable energy sources such as solar and wind with storage or diesel backup are increasingly allowing remote communities to become more self-sufficient and sustainable...