Unlucky Australia! “Catastrophic” double failure of Waratah Battery transformers cruelly delays Net Zero miracle yet again. By Joanne Nova.
The billion-dollar “shock absorber” for NSW’s renewables grid has effectively short-circuited before it even started.
One of the world’s most powerful battery storage projects has suffered a crippling failure just a couple of months before it was supposed to be ready for full operation. The problem with one, and possibly two of its three transformers is so bad, it’s the kind of glitch that affects the whole national transition. This battery was supposed to provide stability for the grid as coal power stations were forced out by the renewable subsidies. But suddenly generators all over NSW are recalculating maintenance schedules and closure dates.
The company is saying it will be six months to a year-long delay, but, given the waiting times for transformers in the US have blown out to an astounding 120 weeks, and up to 210 weeks or 2 to 4 years, it seems wildly optimistic to hope this can be back in action next year. Currently the AEMO officially describes this fault as continuing until May 3rd, 2026. …
Transformer “catastrophic” failure:
The team had one transformer running on October 18th, and was testing the other two to add them in, when it suffered what the CEO of Akaysha Energy describes as a “catastrophic failure”. …
Each of these custom-built transformers was a feat of engineering in itself. The three at Waratah were made in Victoria at Wilson Transformer Company, and according to Tristan Rayner at PV Magazine, it took nine days to transport the last 477 ton unit 950 kilometers from Glen Waverley to its new home, about 100 kilometers north of Sydney. …
The AI industry is taking all the power equipment. They are disregarding net zero — AI is too important.
In the US the demand for transformers is so high that waiting lists are measured in years, not months. Though the US only makes 20% of its own transformers. Demand for transformers is surging with new data-centres for AI work. Because transformers need to be made to custom specifications they are not mass produced factory items sitting in a warehouse waiting to be put on a truck. …
Clueless lefties:
The left wing Grattan Institute is mystified. The director of energy there says that we thought transforming our energy was going to be easy and cheap but it’s not turning out that way. Like, it could happen to anyone, you know…
It’s almost like redesigning major infrastructure with new technology that was crafted with a century of engineering — was nothing at all. …
The arts graduates running the country have no clue how engineering works — which would be fine if they just listened to the engineers.
They said renewables would be cheap, but power bills are way up.
Reminds me of that old joke:
