Reference no: EM132582920 , Length: word count:2000

EPM5500 Fundamentals of Project Management Assignment - Victoria University, Australia

INTRODUCTION - The following excerpt from Melbourne Energy Institute- Australia's Electricity System: Transition to 2030, sets the scene of the renewable energy requirements in Australia. Melbourne Energy Institute (2017) stated that: "In the wake of the Paris COP21 and the outcomes of the Federal election, Australia's emissions pathway and the policies that will guide the energy sector are becoming clearer. Current policy settings will see a gradual increase in renewables, but it is not yet clear what the emerging policies will be to drive the required rapid decline in carbon emissions through phasing out of existing fossil generators. State governments are also developing climate and energy policy frameworks. In the short term, new generation capacity will likely be wind and solar PV technologies. As the penetration of renewables increases, it is likely the role for storage and dispatchable renewables will become more important." The Energy Transition Leadership Forum (2016), a coalition of 17 industry leaders, has presented to the Federal Government a blueprint, dubbed "Our Energy Future, to drive Australia toward clean energy and renewables." The paper claimed that "A nation powered by clean energy is not only possible, it is necessary to protect our beautiful and fragile island continent from dangerous climate change and provide reliable, secure and affordable energy for all Australians." It stated that, "A planned transition to clean energy will bring healthier lives and economic certainty. It will unleash billions in investment and create jobs." But it also recognised that strong leadership was needed to ensure the shift to renewable green energy was performed as smoothly as possible, and especially that coal dependant communities and low-income earners were not disadvantaged.

The blueprint outlined 8 "actions" proposed by industry leaders as the basis of any future government plans to push Australia toward clean energy. These actions were:

1. Update the electricity market to speed up a clean energy transition

2. Facilitate and accelerate the inevitable closure of coal plants

3. Accelerate the uptake of clean energy and support the development of new technology

4. Create an attractive sustainable investment environment for clean energy

5. Ensure a just transition for communities and workers

6. Protect vulnerable Australians

7. Make Australia's buildings and businesses much more efficient users of energy

8. Dramatically reduce transport emissions It also stated that Australia's coal-fired stations are some of the most polluting in the world, and they are "old, inefficient technology that is well past its use-by date; five of our generators are more than 35 years old." The plan would see Australia shift away from coal-based power, and toward clean, renewable sources of energy. "This is not a decision for future generations. Before a child born today even finishes high school, our energy systems will be vastly different. Change is happening now. Our only choice is how we manage this change," the paper concluded.

THE MAJOR ASSIGNMENT - The closure of Hazelwood power station raised concern if it will affect Victoria's electricity supply. ABC News (2016) reported that closing of Hazelwood would change the supply of energy but not necessarily threaten Victoria's energy supply. It also claimed that in the short-term, the closing of Hazelwood would most likely see Victoria import more energy from other states - most likely from NSW and Queensland black coal-powered stations. In anticipation of the closure of other coal-fired stations, assumed that the Victorian Government has decided to bring forward their plan to construct renewable energy facilities in Victoria in anticipation of the closing of other coal-fired power stations which may adversely affect Victoria's energy supply. Assume that the Victorian Government and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) are calling for Expression of Interest to construct and manage a renewable energy facility of any form - wind, solar, hydro, thermal etc. Economic, social and environmental sustainability will be the main theme of this development and they expect that these principles will be embedded in your proposal. All construction materials used must be recycled or from sustainable sources.

In this Major Assignment, assume that your Project Management Consultancy has been appointed by the Energy Consortium Corporation (ECC) to prepare a Project Charter; and if accepted will be commissioned to prepare the Project Management Plan based on the approved Project Charter. You are given a total budget of $500 million and a target of 250MW energy capacity.

MAJOR ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS - There are four (4) deliverables making up this Major Assignment. Below are details of the four deliverables and their allocated weighting.

Deliverable 3:

Assuming your Project Charter was approved by ECC, you are requested to prepare a Project Management Plan.

The Project Management Plan contains plans for managing all the Knowledge Areas and also including specific aspects of the project that require special focus. The PMP can include, but not limited to:

Change Management Plan

Scope Management Plan

Schedule Management Plan

Requirements Management Plan

Cost Management Plan

Quality Management Plan

Resource Management Plan

Communication Management Plan

Risk Management Plan

Procurement Management Plan

Stakeholder Engagement Plan

Common Baselines: - Scope Baseline, Schedule Baseline, Cost Baseline

Performance Measurement Baseline (integrated baseline of Scope, Schedule and Cost) Any other relevant project-specific information essential to management of the project.

Deliverable 4:

Your project team will prepare and present a final report in a PowerPoint presentation to the class.

This group assignment my parts are

1-Project organization - description of who will be involved in the project, what their roles and/or responsibilities, how will the project team be structured, disbandment of the project team, project manager accountability, project sponsor.

2-Project Resources - A list of required resources and how this will feed into the costs and schedule. Integration - what other stakeholders to work with? Relationships?

3- Do my part in presentation.

2000 words