Presented to the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC), Perth, March 2007

This animation illustrates the various stages of development of Hot Rock geothermal resources for electricity generation. The animations were produced in GAV by the 3D animator, using 3D Studio Max software. Professional voice-over has been added, as well as sound effects. This version is based on the original version - 08-3385, geocat no.68461.

High voltage transmission towers are key linear assets that supply electricity to communities and key industries and are constantly exposed to wind effects where they traverse steep topoloty or open terrain. Lattice type high voltage transmission towers are highly optimised structures to minimise cost and reserve strength at design wind speeds (Albermani and Kitipornchai, 2003). The structures are tested under static loading conditions for specified load cases at the design stage. However, the interconnected nature of the lattice towers and conductors present a complex response under dynamic wind loading in service (Fujimura, et.al., 2007). The transmission tower's survival under severe wind and additional load transfer due to collapse of its neighbours is difficult to assess through modelling. Furthermore, the lack of data in the industry doesn't allow for a probabilistic analysis based on history (Abdallah, et.al., 2008). Hence, there is a need for developing an alternative methodology for analysing transmission tower collapse and survival of transmission lines subjected to cyclonic winds utilising design information, limited filed data and industry expertise. Methods: This paper presents a noval methodology developed for the Critical Infrastructure Protection Modelling and Analysis (CIPMA) capability for assessing local wind speeds and the likelihood of tower failure for a range of transmission tower and conductor types. CIPMA is a program managed by the Federal Attorney-General's Department and Geoscience Australia is leading the technical development. The methodology explicitly addresses the highly direction-sensitive nature of tower/conductor vulnerability which varies greatly. It has involved the development of a vulnnerability methodology and heuristically derived vulnerability models that are consistent with Australian industry experience and full-scale static tower testing results. This has been achieved through consultation with industry...

A newsletter to Project Stakeholders to inform of progress and future events

The Paterson airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey is Australia's first regional AEM survey, flown between September 2007 and August 2008 under the auspices of the Australian Government's Onshore Energy Security Program (OESP). The survey was flown over the Archean eastern Pilbara, the Palaeoproterozoic Rudall Complex and the Neoproterozoic Yeneena Basin (both of which comprise the Paterson Orogen) and on-lapping sediments of the Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic Officer Basin and Palaeozoic-Mesozoic Canning Basin. The survey was flown at line spacings of 6, 2 and 1 km and 200 m for a total area of 45,330 km2 targeting known mineral deposits and other highly prospective rocks under cover. The survey was designed to provide pre-competitive data to reduce exploration risk primarily for uranium but also for other metals as well as groundwater resources for local indigenous communities and mineral exploration.

This report has been prepared at the request of Engineers of the Department of Works and Housing. The writer spent a day with Mr. Crotty examining the site, and another day alone studying general geological conditions relevant to the proposed scheme. The visit and its findings are outlined in this report.

Note: A more recent version of this product is available. This point dataset contains the major power stations in Australia including all those that feed into the electricity transmission network.

This document outlines Geoscience Australia's Onshore Energy Security Program and a working plan for its implementation over five years commencing August 2006. Part 1 summarises the budget, principles of the Program, consultation, objectives, outputs, program governance and structure, and communication. Part 2 outlines the plan of activities for each of the five years, and describes where some of the major datasets will be acquired, including radiometric, seismic reflection, airborne electromagnetic and geochemical data. Part 3 describes in brief the national and regional projects. The national projects are: Uranium, Geothermal, Onshore Hydrocarbons, and Thorium. The first four regional projects of the Program, in Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory and northern Western Australia, are summarised. Appendix 1 outlines the objectives of current seismic reflection data acquisition as well as proposed and possible seismic reflection surveys. Appendix 2 outlines proposed and possible airborne electromagnetic surveys.

The Australian Solar Energy Information System V3.0 has been developed as a collaborative project between Geoscience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology. The product provides pre-competitive spatial information for investigations into suitable locations for solar energy infrastructure. The outcome of this project will be the production of new and improved solar resource data, to be used by solar researchers and the Australian solar power industry. it is aimed to facilitate broad analysis of both physical and socio-economic data parameters which will assist the solar industry to identify regions best suited for development of solar energy generation. It also has increased the quality and availability of national coverage solar exposure data, through the improved calibration and validation of satellite based solar exposure gridded data. The project is funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The ASEIS V3.0 has a solar database of resource mapping data which records and/or map the following Solar Exposure over a large temporal range, energy networks, infrastructure, water sources and other relevant data. ASEIS V3.0 has additional solar exposure data provided by the Bureau of Meteorology. - Australian Daily Gridded Solar Exposure Data now ranges from 1990 to 2013 - Australian Monthly Solar Exposure Gridded Data now ranges from 1990 to 2013 - Australian Hourly Solar Exposure Gridded Data now ranges from 1990 to 2012 ASEIS V3.0 also has a new electricity transmission reference dataset which allows for information to be assessed on any chosen region against the distance to the closest transmission powerline.

The Australian Energy Resource Assessment examines the nation's identified and potential energy resources ranging from fossil fuels and uranium to renewables. The assessment reviews the factors likely to influence the use of Australia's energy resources to 2030, including the technologies being developed to extract energy more efficiently and cleanly from existing and new energy sources. Australia has an abundant and diverse range of energy resources. It has very large coal resources that underpin exports and low-cost domestic electricity production, more than one third of the world's known uranium resources, and substantial conventional gas and coal seam gas resources. These can support Australia's domestic needs and exports for many years to come. Identified resources of crude oil, condensate and liquefied petroleum gas are more limited and Australia is increasingly reliant on imports for transport fuels. Australia has a rich diversity of renewable energy resources (wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, wave, tidal, bioenergy) with low greenhouse gas emissions. With the exception of hydro and wind energy (which is growing strongly) many of these resources are largely undeveloped, constrained by the current immaturity of technologies. The expected advances in technology by 2030 will allow them to make a growing contribution to Australia's future energy supply. Australia's energy consumption pattern is expected to change significantly by 2030. While fossil fuels (coal, oil and increasingly gas) will continue to dominate the energy mix, renewable energy sources, notably wind, are expected to become increasingly more significant. Chapter 1 is an executive summary of key assessment findings. Chapter 2 presents an integrated synthesis of all Australia resources and markets. Individual resource chapters each consider world and Australian resources and markets, examines key factors in utilising the resource, and the resource and market outlook to 2030. The Australian Energy Resource Assessment was undertaken jointly by Geoscience Australia and the <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares">Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE)</a> at the request of the <a href="http://www.ret.gov.au">Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism</a> as a contribution to future energy policy. Bibliographic reference: Geoscience Australia and ABARE, 2010, Australian Energy Resource Assessment, Canberra.