{"id":353198,"date":"2024-12-04T09:41:33","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T08:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=353198"},"modified":"2024-12-04T09:41:35","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T08:41:35","slug":"solar-power-is-so-good-the-govt-needs-emergency-powers-to-switch-your-panels-off-in-case-they-crash-the-national-grid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=353198","title":{"rendered":"Solar power is so good the govt needs emergency powers to switch your panels off in case they crash the national grid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From JoNova<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Jo Nova<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Shh. The Renewable Crash Test Dummy Nation is at work.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re still subsidizing new solar panels <\/a>even as we figure out how to shut down the excess panels we already have.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n

The body responsible for keeping the lights on<\/a> in Australia\u2019s biggest electricity grids wants emergency powers to switch off or throttle rooftop solar in every state to help cope with the daily flood of output from millions of systems.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It turns out those negative prices for electricity at midday are there for a reason. A firehose of electricity at lunchtime isn\u2019t always a good thing. Negative prices are not a bargain, they\u2019re the penalty a seller has to pay to get someone to take the toxic waste away, and the price signal was saying \u201cDon\u2019t Add More Solar\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amazing thing is that an institution with fifteen years of grid management<\/a> didn\u2019t see this coming fifteen years ago. Does night follow day? Is there any industry that runs better for only four hours a day rather than for 24?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AEMO surely knew that without a Sea-of-Galilee type miracle in battery storage, the whole nation could not run on lunchtime generators. The AEMO also surely knew that our 50Hz stability comes from 500 ton turbines that spin 3,000 times a minute, and not from flat glass panels that make the wrong kind of electricity (the DC kind, not the AC). Yet here we are, 60 quarterly reports later, swamped with excess solar power to the point where we suddenly need to add remote switches to four million already-installed solar panels, so the guys in the the control rooms can stop them doing the one thing they are supposed to do at the time of day when they are best at doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The disaster days are now Spring \u2014 when the sun is shining but people don\u2019t need their air conditioners on, which begs the question of whether we just need to issue emergency announcements to turn on the dishwashers, pool pumps and ovens to save the grid. You know, \u201cPyrolytic Ovens save the day, people\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In any case, wasn\u2019t climate change going to turn spring into summer? Won\u2019t this problem solve itself as spring disappears and long hot summers take over the calendar? No one seems to be saying that now\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solar is pushing out the \u201cother\u201d forms of generation that are keeping the grid stable<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

AEMO said the ever growing output from solar was posing an increasing threat to the safety and security of the grid because it was pushing out all other forms of generation that were needed to help keep the system stable.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But isn\u2019t the whole point of solar exactly that? Aren\u2019t we supposed to drive out the other sorts of generation because they cause storms and floods and they start wars, kill koalas, and makes babies premature. Are all these things OK now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did we say \u201cdesperate\u201d?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The AEMO admits what many suspect they are already doing,<\/a> rather brutally sending voltage spikes down the line to trip out the solar panels:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it warned that unless it had the power to reduce \u2014 or curtail \u2014 the amount of rooftop solar times, more drastic and damaging<\/strong> measures would need to be taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These could include increasing the voltage levels in parts of the poles-and-wires network to \u201cdeliberately\u201d trip<\/strong> or curtail small-scale solar in some areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re hinting these voltage spikes might damage some delicate equipment. Would you like a big blackout or a small capital loss?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An even more dramatic step would be to \u201cshed\u201d or dump parts of the poles-and-wires network feeding big amounts of excess solar into the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf sufficient backstop capability is not available \u2026 the NEM may be operating insecure for extended periods,\u201d the agency wrote in the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bureaucrats that wrote this hope you don\u2019t understand it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c(It may) therefore be operating outside of the risk tolerances specified in the National Electricity Rules, where the loss of a single transmission or generation element may lead to reliance on emergency control schemes to prevent system collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there it is. They\u2019re talking about \u201csystem collapse\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As it is, new solar panels already have to have the remote control switch built in in WA, SA, Victoria and parts of Queensland. Yesterday was the day when the AEMO announced we needed to do this in every state, and \u201cby next year\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just four weeks away\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

h\/t David of Cooyal in Oz<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It turns out those negative prices for electricity at midday are there for a reason. A firehose of electricity at lunchtime isn\u2019t always a good thing. Negative prices are not a bargain, they\u2019re the penalty a seller has to pay to get someone to take the toxic waste away, and the price signal was saying \u201cDon\u2019t Add More Solar\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":353204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818056,691831816,691818247,691818267,691828110],"class_list":{"0":"post-353198","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-climate-change","9":"tag-emergency-powers","10":"tag-national-grid","11":"tag-solar-power","12":"tag-toxic-waste","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0central-solar-repsol.jpg?fit=2000%2C1123&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1tSK","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":423296,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=423296","url_meta":{"origin":353198,"position":0},"title":"Australians to Receive Free Midday Grid Solar Power \u2013 But Don\u2019t Charge your EV","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"26\/01\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Australia's high solar penetration often leads to excess midday power, sometimes resulting in negative wholesale prices or curtailment (wasted solar output). To utilize this better and share benefits more equitably (including with renters or non-solar households), the government is mandating that electricity retailers offer plans with at least 3 hours\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Australia\"","block_context":{"text":"Australia","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=australia"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0exploding-transformer.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0exploding-transformer.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0exploding-transformer.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0exploding-transformer.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":242291,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=242291","url_meta":{"origin":353198,"position":1},"title":"Why Installing Pollock-Breaching Wind or Solar Is Costly and Wasteful","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"30\/01\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Wind and solar power are already disproportionately wasteful and expensive. \u201cEnough is enough!\u201d","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1303.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1303.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1303.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1303.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-1303.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":202535,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=202535","url_meta":{"origin":353198,"position":2},"title":"Wind & Solar Subsidies Destroying Reliable & Affordable Power Supplies","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/06\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Wind and solar subsidies were designed to undermine the owners of reliable power generation plants, making them uncompetitive in the first instance and ultimately putting them out of business. 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Media outlets have repeatedly made similar claims over the past decade, but as with those previous stories, data on power prices and trends in those states\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Everyday States\"","block_context":{"text":"Everyday States","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=everyday-states"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=353198"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":353207,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353198\/revisions\/353207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/353204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=353198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=353198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=353198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}