AGL Energy has announced a significant step in its energy transition plans, after successfully completing a groundbreaking “two-shifting” trial at its Bayswater Power Station near Muswellbrook.
The process involves shutting down a coal-fired unit in the middle of the day and restarting it later, allowing renewable energy, particularly rooftop and large-scale solar, to dominate the grid during daylight hours.
AGL’s Head of Operations at Bayswater, Len McLachlan, said the team desynchronised 20 seconds ahead of schedule and brought the unit back online within 50 seconds of the target time, describing the result as “extraordinary”.
The company says the trial marks a turning point for traditional coal operations as the Hunter Valley region continues to play a pivotal role in the state’s clean energy future.
