Page Comparison

The In Source the bulk licensing node in Source represents bulk access metering points and is used for accounting purposes only. It is essentially a management node that can only be connected to a gauge node. For a river system that contains several water users, the bulk licensing node allows you to debit orders or flows, going past one or more points in a system, from a portfolio of accounts. In cases where there is insufficient water to meet demand, the node will calculate how much water to distribute to various water users based on either:

• How much water was ordered; or
• On a first come, first serve basis.

This distinction is made based on how the bulk licensing node is connected to other gauges in the river systemis used to represent the points in a river system at which a bulk access licensing system is debited for usage. A bulk licensing node is connected to one or more gauge nodes and the flow or orders going past these gauge nodes are used to debit water from the portfolio of accounts held by the bulk access licensing system. The bulk licensing node uses the same set up as the water user to determine how much and in which order the water in its portfolio should be used.

Resource allocation systems and bulk licensing

The node is linked to a resource allocation system (if multiple types of account need to be deducted for orders/flow at a location) or a resource allocation account type (if only one type of account needs to be deducted). Rules for deduction of bulk accounting accounts (such as order/use-debit) would be defined in the resource allocation system (at the system, account type or account level). The default behaviour of accounts is:

• Use-debit accounts linked to the bulk licening node are deducted for the flow at the node;
• Order-debit accounts linked to the bulk licensing node are deducted for the ‘committed’ order at the node; and
• Order-debit accounts are refunded the shortfall if a time-step’s flow does not match the order due in that time-step at the node.

Water users

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Bulk access licensing systems

The phrase "bulk access licensing system" is used to indicate the situation where one or more water entitlements are being used cooperatively by two or more water users. The primary example of this situation is the NSW Irrigation Corporations where tens to hundreds of irrigators share a portfolio of three water entitlements (general security, high security, and conveyance). The idea of a bulk access licensing system could be used to represent other instances where a portfolio of accounts is shared between different uses; such as an environmental entitlement that can be utilized at more than one location.

Resource assessment systems and bulk access licensing systems

To simulate a bulk access licensing system the model user will have to set up at least two resource assessment systems. The primary resource assessment system represents the level at which the portfolio of accounts held by the bulk access licences are credited. Each bulk access licensing system will have to a secondary resource assessment system with its own accounts system to allocate the available water to the users that are sharing.

Water users and bulk access licensing systems

The water users in a bulk access licensing system will have a portfolio of accounts from the secondary resource assessment system. In an order debit system the water user will have their accounts in the secondary resource assessment system debited as they order water. The bulk access licensing system's accounts in the primary assessment system would be debited as the order passed any gauge node connected to the bulk licensing node. Likewise in a use debit system the bulk access licensing system's accounts will be debited as the ordered water flows past the connected gauge nodes; the water users will be debited as they pump their water.

Working with bulk licensing in Source

Each bulk access licensing system will have its own bulk licensing node. The bulk licensing node uses accounts to determine water availability and distribute water amongst users. To associate a bulk licensing with a water user account:

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performs two roles:

• As the holder for the portfolio of accounts held by the bulk access licensing system; and
• Specifies where in the system the debiting of the accounts will take place.

Specifying a portfolio of accounts

Setting up the bulk access licensing system's portfolio of accounts is a three step process:

1. Add a bulk licensing node to your system
2. Create the bulk access licensing system's accounts and associate them with the bulk licensing node
3. Set the priorities describing in which order the accounts will be used

Create one or more water accounts using the Resource Assessment Explorer (refer to Adding an account)

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and

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choose the bulk licensing node

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The water user accounts that are associated with the bulk licensing node can be viewed either in:

• The node's feature editor (shown on the left of Figure 1). Toggle the Accounts Enabled switch to ON to enable this association. The Account Distribution table shows all accounts that are associated with the node.
• The Resource Assessment Explorer, in the Accounts tab (shown on the top right side of Figure 1) or under the actual account in the Associated Account Host section (on the bottom right of Figure 1)

In this case, Account 2 is associated with Bulk Licensing Node 7.

Figure 1. Bulk licensing node accounts

Image Removedas the associated account host. The account usage priorities are set up in a similar manner as at a water user node. The account, or accounts, with the lowest value assigned to "priority" will be used first and will be continued to be used until they have no balance remaining. The process will be repeated for each level of priority in order of increasing priority level until there is no remaining balance in any account. In the case of two or more accounts having the same value priority the usage will be distributed in proportion to the share value of each account to the total share value at each priority level.

Figure 1. Bulk licensing node accounts

Specifying debiting locations

One or more locations can be specified as being points where the bulk access licensing system's accounts are debited. Debiting locations are specified by connecting one of the bulk licensing node's lateral link connectors to the lateral link connector on a gauge node.

General information on setting up a resource assessment system is covered here. Each bulk access licensing system will require its own secondary resource assessment system. The principal difference between a primary and a secondary system is that the secondary system sources its water from one or more accounts held in another resource assessment system. To set this up you will have to specify a function under Other Resources that will return the sum of the balances of the bulk access licensing system's accounts.