Thought Leadership

No dam is ‘maintenance free’. Without appropriate maintenance and refurbishment at the right times, a dam may not be able to fulfil its function safely for the full length of its design life (which could be more than a century). This presents many challenges for asset owners. To keep the dam operating as the designer […]

With the evolution of modern inverter and renewable energy technologies, it’s become possible to build microgrids with very high renewable penetration. These renewable solutions are revolutionising electricity sustainability, reliability and access in many far-flung locations – such as Pacific islands, remote locations around Australia, and on mining sites.   High renewable penetration allows operators of off-grid […]

The alternating current (AC) transmission age started in 1891 through collaboration and perseverance. This transmission method has transformed the world, led us to the brink (or over the brink) of a climate disaster, and provides the backbone for a future founded on abundant renewable resources (in Australia, at least). Collaboration and perseverance are now required […]

Technical due diligence (TDD) for a renewable energy project evaluates the risks and opportunities associated with the project to establish its technical and financial viability, compliance with regulations, and other factors influencing its value. TDD is fundamentally a well-understood risk assessment process, with practitioners typically having templates they can tailor to specific projects and client […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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?

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?

It’s a major challenge to keep an existing local project running during these tricky times (let alone an interstate or international project!), but how can we start new projects as the ground shifts around us and as regulations around Australia change?

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.

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?

For your pumped hydro project to be suited to future energy market conditions, you need to understand the technology options available – because pumped hydro plant is not one-size-fits-all.

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?

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.

Even a single day of load shedding makes people doubt the national grid’s robustness. How will the grid cope if we experience extreme weather conditions more often?

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

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?

New functionality, increased visibility of plant, greater security … SCADA systems are rapidly advancing. So, should you stick with what you have, upgrade some components, or embrace a complete replacement?

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

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...

The failure of a dam in July 2018 in Laos highlights again how crucial it is that dams are designed, constructed and operated safely – regardless of their size...

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...

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

Although hydropower is older than wind and solar generation and battery storage, its role in Australia and around the world has never been more important...

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

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...

Sedimentation is a problem for water storages, particularly in Asia. It is a major concern for all communities and industries that depend on water storages for water, food and energy security...

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...

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

Effective engagement can reduce community opposition to a solar farm, but, better yet, it has the potential to create a level of community support that results in locals themselves promoting it...

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?

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...

As Australia replaces retiring coal generation with renewables, can we achieve an energy future that is affordable and sustainable as well as reliable?

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...

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...

Location, location, location!’ It’s a familiar catch-phrase in the real estate industry, but it’s just as relevant in the power and water sector...

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?

Flood forecasting is critical for protecting infrastructure and public safety.

Technology and expectations are constantly evolving for the dam engineer but the ultimate goal remains the same: safe, lasting dams. Are you fully equipped to make that target a reality?

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?

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?

On any large-scale renewable energy project, every opportunity to reduce costs counts...

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

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?

Climate change presents major risks for power and water businesses. To best prepare for the impacts of extreme or changing weather conditions, asset managers need to act now to build climate resilience into operations and ongoing risk management...

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...

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?

Global declines in water storage are increasingly troubling. With greater hydrological variability due to climate change, more storage will be vital to provide the same level of security of water, food and energy...

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...

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

As the network continues to incorporate increasing levels of inverter-based asynchronous generation such as wind and solar, connection standards in the weakening grid are tighter than ever before...

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...

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...

With energy reliability a hot topic in Australia, eyes are now turning to pumped storage hydropower… but what has been holding it back?

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...

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

Planning regimes for large-scale infrastructure are rarely simple. Investing time and energy in planning for project approvals makes it more likely that your solar project will succeed...

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...

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...

A portfolio risk assessment allows owners of dams and other water assets to see the bigger picture of how to prioritise their efforts and resources to achieve the best safety result across their whole portfolio...

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...

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

In recent years, India has emerged as a world leader in renewable energy and this growth is presenting opportunities for businesses looking to diversify their activities.

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?

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

So, you want to develop a hydropower project? Any hydropower development is a major undertaking, so you need to be sure you get it right...

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

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

There is banter doing the rounds of social media: One person asks, ‘What if we develop our people and they leave?’ The retort that quickly follows is, ‘What if we don’t develop our people and they stay?’

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

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

All power and water projects involve risks. The key to project success and sustainability is being able to...

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

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...

Like having a pile of puzzle pieces but no box, are you drowning in data but unsure what it is telling you about your power and water assets?

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...

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

Whether your focus is on a single dam or a whole portfolio, a risk assessment process helps you decide how best to intervene, and when, to get the maximum improvement...

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...

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...

Because electricity has inherent risks with serious consequences, safety should always be a fundamental concern of consultants and clients...

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

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

Almost every day, somewhere in the world, floods are putting lives at risk and causing major damage and financial impacts to...

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...

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...

The remote Ok Menga hydropower station in the Western Province of PNG is vital to the operation of the Ok Tedi mine. It offers an example of just how expensive it can be when ageing power stations deteriorate and become increasingly unreliable

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

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...

Climate change poses new uncertainties and risks to power and water asset developers, operators and financiers, in addition to the challenges already facing these sectors. Higher temperatures, changes in water availability and rainfall, more frequent and severe weather events, and natural disasters may pose threats to...

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

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

Dam safety is a crucial aspect of modern dam building. Ensuring the safety of existing dams is a key concern of any dam owner, whether the dam is for generating power...

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 […]

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...

In many developing nations, governments and utilities are scrambling to bring much-needed power to their people and industries to improve quality of life and...