Submission: Response to, Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Dear Capacity Investment Scheme team,

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Thank you for this opportunity to respond to the Public Consultation Paper on the proposed Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), prepared by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in August 2023.

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AUSTELA is an industry association of companies that are involved in solar thermal power generation. It includes Australian companies and Australian subsidiaries of international companies in the field.

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AUSTELA welcomes the Capacity Investment Scheme and considers that it has great potential to address the current electricity market shortcomings, if it is implemented well.

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AUSTELA appreciates the specific acknowledgement of concentrating solar thermal and strongly endorses the technology-neutral, renewable-only approach of the CIS Discussion Paper.

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However, AUSTELA believe it is a mistake to use a 4-hour storage metric to define the CIS, since 4 hours is much smaller than the long-duration required for maximum reliability benefits in the future electricity system.

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In the following pages we respond to the discussion paper in three parts:

1. Overview of the main issues arising from the proposed CIS;
2. Specific responses to 'Consultation Questions'; and
3. Recommendations.

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Yours sincerely,

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Keith Lovegrove

Craig Wood

Victor Marin

Directors, AUSTELA

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Please read our Submission Capacity Investment Scheme here.

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Contact: Keith Lovegrove klovegrove@itpau.com.au

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