The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has endorsed a University of New South Wales (UNSW) project which explores how consumer energy resources (CER) can be rolled out in a way that maintains the stability of the National Energy Market (NEM).
Backed by $1.7 million from ARENA, the $4.3 million Consumer-Energy-Resources Integration, Compliance and Curtailment Assessment and Data Analysis (Project CICCADA) will analyse large real-world datasets from CER such as rooftop solar, household batteries and electric vehicles to help better understand integration challenges.
ARENA said Australia is a global leader in rooftop solar installations, with approximately 40 per cent of free-standing dwellings having a rooftop system, and household battery and electric vehicle ownership also increasing rapidly.
The proper integration of CER technologies into the electricity grid is a critical step toward achieving national renewable energy and emissions reduction targets.
ARENA Acting CEO, Chris Faris, said CER technologies and products are at the heart of the clean energy transition, turning consumers into active participants in the energy system.
“It is important we know how the rollout of these technologies work with the network,” Mr Faris said.
“CER is about decentralising energy production by harnessing the power generated by rooftop solar panels, batteries and smart home devices. These create a more flexible and cleaner energy grid, that helps reduce emissions while improving energy reliability.
“We know that CER can contribute to the goal of a cleaner, more reliable grid, so it’s important to have a detailed understanding of all the impacts of CER integration.
“Project CICCADA aims to help plug this knowledge gap, helping us understand how the rollout of CER technologies can be done in a way that maintains the stability of the energy grid, and allows us all to benefit from cleaner, reliable energy,” Mr Faris said.
The project is expected to contribute to an understanding of how CER devices operate under a range of different network conditions without compromising network security, power reliability and energy quality for Australian households.
“CER technologies present a powerful shift in the way energy is produced. They localise energy generation, give Australians control over their energy footprint, and can potentially help balance supply and demand. This helps ensure communities are less vulnerable to energy disruption,” Mr Faris said.
Project CICCADA will provide insights that can be used by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and energy distributors in their work to maintain safe and efficient network operations, as well as improving understanding of CER operations in both normal and acute conditions.
UNSW Senior Lecturer and Project Lead, Dr Baran Yildiz, said Australia’s clean, reliable and affordable energy transition is led by CER.
“We need ongoing evidence-based and data-driven research to improve our understanding of CER operations in real-world conditions.
“Project CICCADA will generate key insights on the effectiveness and implications of various network measures governing CER operations and build tools that will help to maximise benefits for society while maintaining and supporting network security,” he said.
The project builds on work done previously by UNSW, including through the ARENA funded Project Match.
Feature image: Halfpoint/shutterstock.com
