Knowledge Sharing Management

Case Study Context 

Ekistica was awarded ARENA’s (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) Regional Australia’s Renewables (RAR) Knowledge Sharing and Data Handling contract, which ran from 2014-2017. Ekistica was subsequently appointed by ARENA for an additional Knowledge Sharing and Data Handling contract for the Large-Scale Solar (LSS) projects, which might be implemented to achieve economies of scale with the existing contract, Generator Operations Series, and the Energy Storage Series.

Delivery 

Ekistica was engaged as a data handler and to support the knowledge sharing activities of ARENA, with scope including: 

•Develop and maintain a data storage repository (qualitative and quantitative)

•Analyse, present and report on data; and,

•Develop and agree with ARENA on the knowledge sharing products required to address knowledge sharing priorities relevant to the sector.

Under this contract, Ekistica prepared several knowledge sharing reports covering a broad range of topics and projects such as electricity market analyses, off-grid hybrid microgrids, fringe-of grid power systems and large-scale generators. These included peer-reviewed papers published PV journals and presented at conferences in Europe and Asia Pacific, as well as webinars and podcasts.

Following the RAR and LSS Data Handling contract, Ekistica was awarded the contract for developing further Knowledge Sharing Outcomes studies.

Under this contract, Ekistica prepared eight reports under Generator Operations Series published on the ARENA Knowledge Bank. These involved collation of both publicly available and confidential datasets acquired via ARENA's LSS portfolio of projects, in order to analyze operations and performance of large-scale generators on the NEM. Prepared in close collaboration with ARENA and Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), these reports presented analysis on key topics affecting the renewables industry, including generator curtailment, forecast versus actual performance and impact of negative pricing on bidding behaviour. The dissemination of this information proved relevant and useful to the wider industry.