澳大利亚的能源转型新格局:微电网、去中心化和数字化

文摘   2024-11-06 18:13   北京  



随着澳大利亚以及全球各国加速向可再生能源转型,一个崭新的能源格局正在形成——这一格局以微电网去中心化数字化创新为主要特征。这个趋势不仅能够帮助企业组织和个人保障自身利益,更能保护地球。


为了适应这一新格局,企业需要在四个关键技术领域发力:发电储能电动汽车(EV)能源效率,并通过数字化和可再生能源的电气化来支撑这些技术的发展。


“澳大利亚的能源转型正在将电力分配从集中化模式转向以分布式能源资源(DER)为核心的去中心化系统。”施耐德电气安全电力业务副总裁Farokh Ghadially总结道。


这个转变源于太阳能和风能等可再生能源逐步从电力系统的边缘走向核心位置。


“这个由互联产品和数字化支撑的新兴能源格局,正加速推动向可再生能源的转型,目前这一趋势已愈发明显。”Ghadially表示。


数字化是这场变革的关键组成部分,它能够监测和优化能源使用,提升效率的同时减少浪费。通往可持续未来的道路并不依赖遥远的技术,而是基于触手可及的解决方案。


“数字化让原本看不见的能耗数据变得可见,监测则让我们了解能源使用情况,从而优化能耗并改善业务运营。目前,利用新型能源格局的技术已经具备,既可行、也看得见,随时可以应用,我们真正需要的是集体行动。”Ghadially说。


微电网与储能是未来趋势

推动能源去中心化的关键创新之一是微电网的兴起,它使企业和社区能够独立生成、存储并管理能源。微电网具有灵活性,可以从单一建筑到整个社区规模不等,整合太阳能、电池及其他可再生能源,从而构建自给自足的能源系统。


“微电网是一种小型能源系统,可以在局部范围内生成、存储并分配能源。”Ghadially解释道。他指出,微电网能够支持各类规模的企业适应不断变化的能源格局。


“微电网可以是一个带有太阳能和储能的小型建筑,与电网互动;也可以是多个建筑的组合,甚至一个社区。”Ghadially表示。


南澳农产品市场(SAPM)的案例就展示了微电网的巨大潜力,这里新安装的微电网不仅降低了对州电网的依赖,还减少了三分之一的温室气体排放。通过参与能源市场并确保本地电力供应,南澳农产品市场预计在未来十年中将节省400万美元。


澳大利亚电动车普及的滞后问题

电动车的普及是能源转型的另一关键环节,然而澳大利亚在这方面落后于其他发达国家。


“澳大利亚在电动车领域确实落后了。我们曾是仅有的两个未采纳燃油效率标准的经合组织国家之一,另一个是俄罗斯。值得庆幸的是,澳大利亚将在2025年引入新的车辆能效标准。”Ghadially说。


澳大利亚承诺在2050年实现净零排放,电动车将为这一目标提供关键支持。“预计减排目标中有15%将通过推广电动车实现。”Ghadially强调了加快电动车普及的紧迫性。


目前电动车仅占澳大利亚汽车市场约7%,而在新西兰,这一比例已接近20%。


“我们需要鼓励组织和个人转向电动车,此外,还需确保在充电过程中使用绿色电力,因此必须增加可再生能源的发电量。”Ghadially补充道。


能源产消者和去中心化发电的兴起

从传统的能源消费者转向“产消者(prosumers)”正在进一步改变能源格局。


能源用户正越来越多地成为能源生产者,屋顶太阳能在其中扮演着重要角色。在澳大利亚,超过四分之一的可再生能源来自屋顶太阳能,澳大利亚住宅已安装超过20吉瓦的太阳能发电能力。


不过,“产消者”的这一趋势不仅仅局限于住宅区。Ghadially表示,企业部门也在将可再生能源发电和微电网作为运营的一部分。


技术、数字化与企业可持续发展

对于企业而言,采用可再生能源不再只是环境选择,它正在成为一种财务必需。澳大利亚即将实施的《气候相关财务披露法》将披露那些未有效管理能源消耗和碳排放的企业,这使得企业在数字化转型和绿色能源投资方面面临更大压力。


“我们发现,仍有三分之二的公司依赖电费账单或电子表格来管理能源。”Ghadially表示。


依赖这些传统工具已成为提升能源效率和实现可持续发展的障碍。不过,越来越多的企业正开始利用技术来推动能源转型。调查显示,超过三分之一的公司正在使用或计划使用人工智能来管理其减碳工作。


Ghadially对此趋势表示乐观:“一旦电力和流程实现电气化,数字化的监控和控制能力可以显著减少排放。”


墨尔本的EastLink高速公路就是利用数字化升级带来节能效果的典型案例。该高速公路隧道的通风系统采用了施耐德电气的数字控制系统,使得能耗减少近70%,每年碳排放降低9000吨。


迈向可持续发展的未来之路

“随着全球向低碳未来转型,企业必须立即采取行动,确保其运营能够跟上未来趋势。现在是能源行业的一个关键时刻,这是重新思考我们如何使用和管理能源的好机会。”Ghadially表示。


如今电气化转型已经开始,随着越来越多的可再生能源供应,电网的碳排放量在逐步减少。


澳大利亚能源生产力联盟(A2EP)致力于推动澳大利亚的可持续能源发展,该联盟的首席执行官Jarrod Leak指出,下一步是落实有效的解决方案,以最大限度地释放电气化的潜力。“电气化的基础已经铺好,我们现在需要的是找到最好的解决方案。”Leak说。


除了电气化,生物能源在难以脱碳的行业(如重工业)中也逐渐显得重要。尽管生物能源的发展还稍慢于电气化,但是Leak对它在能源转型中的作用充满信心。


“生物能源的潜力正在被认可,未来它将帮助解决这些难以脱碳的行业问题。”Leak认为,实现可持续发展不仅可行,而且在经济上也有保障,不会增加人们的生活成本负担。“我们完全可以做到这一点,在当前生活成本危机中,经济上推进可持续成果是可能的。”Leak说。


与此同时,合作和最佳实践的应用对组织转向清洁能源至关重要。Leak提到,那些依托广泛的专家网络的企业,已成功完成转型。


尽管前路挑战重重,Leak依旧保持乐观。他指出各行业正在取得进展,并相信随着生物能源等新技术的不断成熟,能源转型的势头将持续增强。


滑动或点击“阅读原文”查看原文

The energy transition’s new landscape


As Australia, along with the rest of the world, accelerates its transition to renewable energy, a new energy landscape is emerging – a landscape characterised by themes of microgrids, decentralisation, and digital innovation.

Organisations and individuals alike must adapt to this landscape not only to protect their bottom lines but also to safeguard the planet.

To keep pace with these changes, companies need to focus on four key areas – generation, storage, electric vehicles (EVs), and energy efficiency – underpinned by digitisation and electrification using renewable energy.

Farokh Ghadially, vice president secure power at Schneider Electric, sums up the shift: “The energy transition in Australia is causing a shift from a centralised way of distributing power to a decentralised system with a multitude of DERs (Distributed Energy Resources).”

This decentralisation comes as renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, move from the fringes of the power system to the core.

“The emergence of this new energy landscape of connected products and digitalisation, supporting the energy transition to renewable energy sources, has already commenced,” says Ghadially.

A crucial component of this transformation is digitisation. It’s necessary for monitoring and optimising energy use, driving efficiency and waste reduction simultaneously.

“Digitisation makes the invisible visible and monitoring enables us to see how we use our energy, thereby optimising energy use and improving business operations.”

The road to a sustainable future is not paved with distant technologies but rather solutions already within reach.

“The technology to harness the new energy landscape is already here. It’s viable, it’s tangible, and it’s available,” says Ghadially. “What we really need is collective action.”

Microgrids and storage are the future

One of the key innovations driving this decentralisation is the rise of microgrids, which allow businesses and communities to generate, store, and manage their energy independently.

Microgrids are versatile, ranging from single buildings to entire neighbourhoods, integrating solar, batteries, and other renewable sources to create a self-sufficient energy system.

“Microgrids are small-scale energy systems generating, storing and distributing their own energy in a local area,” says Ghadially.

He says microgrids can support businesses of all sizes in this evolving energy landscape.

“A microgrid could be just a small building with some solar energy and storage interacting with the grid, or it could be a portfolio of buildings or even a suburb,” says Ghadially.

The South Australian Produce Market (SAPM) offers a prime example of the potential impact of microgrids. Its newly installed microgrid has not only reduced its dependence on the state’s power grid but also lowered its greenhouse gas emissions by one-third.

SAPM is projected to save $4 million over the next decade thanks to its participation in energy markets and the security of its local power supply.

E-mobility and Australia’s lag in EV adoption

The switch to electric vehicles is another critical aspect of the energy transition. However, Australia is lagging behind other developed nations. “Australia is truly behind the eight ball on EVs,” says Ghadially.

“We were only one of two OECD countries, along with Russia, that had not adopted fuel efficiency standards. Great to see that, we now have a new vehicle efficiency standard coming into play in 2025.”

Australia has pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and EVs will play a pivotal role in achieving this target. “Fifteen per cent of reductions are expected to come from the switch to EVs,” Ghadially says, stressing the urgency of accelerating EV adoption.

Now only about 7 per cent of Australia’s car market is made up of EVs, compared to New Zealand, where EV penetration is approaching 20 per cent.

“We need to encourage organisations and individuals to switch, and then we need to charge these EVs, which needs to happen with green power, so we need more renewable power generation,” Ghadially says.

The rise of prosumers and decentralised generation

The shift from traditional energy consumers to “prosumers” is further transforming the energy landscape.

Users of energy are increasingly becoming generators, with rooftop solar playing a significant role. In Australia, more than a quarter of the country’s renewable energy comes from rooftop solar, with over 20 gigawatts of solar power installed on Australian homes.

This prosumer movement, however, extends beyond residential areas. Ghadially says that corporate sectors are also embracing renewable generation and microgrids as part of their operations.

Technology, digitalisation, and corporate sustainability

For companies, adopting renewable energy is no longer just an environmental choice – it is becoming a financial imperative.

Australia’s impending Climate Related Financial Disclosure Laws will expose companies that fail to address their energy consumption and carbon emissions. The pressure is mounting on organisations to transform their operations through digitalisation and invest in green energy.

The firm’s Sustainability Index 2024 highlights the challenges many companies face.

“We found two-thirds of companies are still relying on energy bills or spreadsheets to inform their energy management,” says Ghadially.

This reliance on outdated tools is a significant barrier to improving energy efficiency and sustainability.

However, many businesses are beginning to embrace the role of technology in managing the energy transition.

The survey found that more than a third of companies are using or planning to use artificial intelligence to manage their decarbonisation efforts.

Ghadially says this is a promising trend. “Once power and processes are electrified, the monitoring and control capacity of digitisation can substantially reduce emissions,” he says.

Melbourne’s EastLink freeway offers a compelling case for the energy savings that can be realised through digital upgrades.

The freeway’s ventilation system for its tunnels was upgraded with Schneider Electric’s digital control system, which reduced energy use by nearly 70 per cent and lowered the carbon footprint by 9000 tonnes annually.

Adapting for a sustainable future

“As the world transitions to a low-carbon future, companies must act now to future-proof their operations,” says Ghadially.

“Right now, we’re at a turning point in the energy industry and it’s a great opportunity to unlock new potential for how we use and manage energy.”

The transition to electrification is well under way, with renewable electricity supply on the rise and grid emissions steadily declining.

According to Jarrod Leak, CEO of the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP), the next step is implementing effective solutions to maximise electrification’s potential.

“The foundations are coming for electrification, and now we just need to work out how to best implement the solutions,” says Leak, whose organisation is dedicated to advancing sustainable energy practices across Australia.

Beyond electrification, bioenergy is emerging as a key player in decarbonizing harder-to-abate sectors, such as heavy industry.

Although bioenergy options currently lag a few years behind electrification, Leak remains optimistic about its role in the energy transition.

“The potential for bioenergy is really starting to gain momentum, and we’re seeing that’s going to help with these hard-to-abate sectors,” he says.

Leak says that achieving sustainable outcomes is not only possible but economically feasible, without exacerbating the current cost-of-living pressures.

“We can do this,” Leak says, adding that sustainability can be pursued while addressing affordability concerns.

“Growing sustainability outcomes economically as well, without an impact on this cost-of-living crisis that we have right now,” he says.

Collaboration and the adoption of best practices are crucial for organisations navigating the shift to cleaner energy. Leak says that businesses working within a broad network of experts are already making successful transitions.

“We continue to see the organisations that use a wide network and work with various consultants for help – they can make the transition economically,” he says.

Despite the challenges ahead, Leak remains positive. He points to the progress being made across industries and believes the momentum will continue to build as new technologies, like bioenergy, catch up.

“That gives me optimism for sure.”


本文 2024 年 11 月 4 日发布于The Age。文章仅代表作者观点,不代表本公众号立场。

封面图源:unsplash

翻译 审校/吕雅宁     编辑/包林洁

END


阿尔及利亚何以成为欧洲气源新腹地?

土耳其计划到2035年新增89GW的太阳能和风能装机容量

意大利氢能布局提速,欲赶超欧盟国家

印尼拟议“隔墙售电”,将带来哪些影响?

宜减煤 Farewell Coal
关注能源转型,汇集国际资讯和学术研究,促进跨行业对话。
 最新文章