The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), on behalf of the Federal Government, has announced $9.75 million in funding for Intellihub to launch a new Demand Flexibility Platform (DFP). Intellihub’s $22 million project is designed to target 510MW of aggregated load under control through the enrolment of over 140,000 customer devices. The project will initially target integration with residential hot water […]
Demand management
Navigating utility standards with advanced asset management
Utility Journalist Asset management, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Projects, Sponsored Editorial 0At the heart of the utility industry lies critical assets – the indispensable infrastructure encompassing power plants, pipelines and water treatment facilities that deliver essential services to communities. Compliance, therefore, stands as the safeguard ensuring the integrity, reliability and safety of these vital services. Failure to comply can result in service interruptions, loss of trust between organisation and customer, and […]
Transgrid seeking contracts with battery operators
Yasmin Isaacs Batteries & Storage, Company news, Demand management, Electricity, News, Solar, Spotlight 0Transgrid is set to hit the market, seeking contracts with battery operators to maintain electricity reliability in parts of New South Wales. Grid-scale batteries have been identified as part of the preferred options for maintaining a reliable supply to the Bathurst, Orange and Parkes areas and the NSW North West Slopes region. By entering the market, Transgrid hopes to gain […]
Transgrid unlocks 170MW following $45M VNI upgrade
John Thompson Asset management, Demand management, News, Substations 0Recent upgrades, totalling $45 million, have increased capacity by 170MW at Transgrid’s Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector (VNI). Transgrid CEO, Brett Redman, said the project was delivered on budget and features world-leading SmartValve technology from US-based grid enhancing technology company, Smart Wires. “The speed at which the energy transition is accelerating means we must embrace new technology and innovate and SmartValve […]
The largest approved grid-forming battery in Australia
Rebecca Todesco Batteries & Storage, Demand management, Features, Renewable Energy 0By Rebecca Todesco, Journalist, Utility Magazine Australian renewable energy development and storage investment company, Edify, is building a new lithium-ion battery which is the first battery project in the market to be financed with commercial banks and will be the largest approved grid-forming battery in Australia once completed. The battery project will add more flexible dispatchable capacity to the New […]
Health of the NEM: triaging a critical electricity system
Imogen Hartmann Batteries & Storage, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, Renewable Energy, Retail, Smart meters, Stakeholder Engagement 0by Imogen Hartmann, Journalist, Utility magazine At the beginning of 2021, the Energy Security Board (ESB) handed down its 2020 Health of the National Electricity Market (NEM) report, the fourth annual report measuring the health of the NEM against six strategic energy objectives. With increasing renewable generation simultaneously improving emissions reduction and threatening security, plus an imminent technology boom underpinned […]
Industry unites for Digital Utilities 2021
Charlotte Pordage Big Data, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, IOT, Smart meters, Water 0A landmark virtual event for the Australian utility sector, Digital Utilities took place over the course of two weeks in March 2021. This major summit consisted of four Virtual Conferences, diving deep into some of the critical challenges and focus areas for the sector, and providing delegates with genuine learning opportunities from some of the best and brightest minds across […]
Industry gathers for The Digital Home Virtual Conference
Charlotte Pordage Big Data, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, IOT, News, Water 0The Australian utility industry recently gathered online for The Digital Home: new opportunities for utilities Virtual Conference, which was held on Thursday 30 July. Close to 250 delegates registered for the Virtual Conference, which was hosted by Utility Editor, Charlotte Pordage. Over the course of approximately two and a half hours, the speakers explored the challenges and opportunities the growing […]
Easing the load: boosting consumer participation in demand response
Charlotte Pordage Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, Stakeholder Engagement, Telecommunications 0Non-network solutions are increasingly used to ensure reliability during peak demand events, requiring network distribution businesses to engage with customers to reduce load. By understanding consumer household decision-making and electricity use, CitiPower Powercor created insights to engage customers with messaging, solutions and tactics to maximise participation in peak demand events. CitiPower supplies power to a 157 kilometre square area across […]
Industry 4.0: the implications for industrial motor control
Charlotte Pordage Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial 0Industry 4.0 is ushering in a new era for industry, with more intelligence and connectivity, combining machines, computers and the internet to make systems smarter. This has implications for industrial motor control, especially for mature technologies like soft starters. With the right technical capability (e.g.interchangeable smart processor cards), soft starters can control a whole system by connecting directly to other […]
NBN experiences unprecedented demand as Australians work from home
Kim Ho Company news, COVID-19, Demand management, Digital Utilities, News, Spotlight, Telecommunications 0As many Australians continue to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, upload demand on nbn’s main wholesale access service has significantly increased. For the week from Monday 6 April to Sunday 12 April, peak upload throughput (the measure of data flowing through the NBN access network) during daytime business hours increased by 102 per cent to 1.01 terabits […]
Cybertec in the utilities sector
Charlotte Pordage Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Powerlines, Sponsored Editorial, Telecommunications 0Critical infrastructure calls for critical equipment. Cybertec cellular modems are trusted by the Australian utilities sector for their reliability, rugged build and ease of use. The Cybertec 2255X is utilised and favoured by utility providers Australia-wide. Cybertec cellular modems have been deployed and trusted in the Australian utility sector for well over a decade. There is good reason for their […]
The ‘digital’ utilities enterprise – surviving and thriving in today’s environment
Jessica Dickers Big Data, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Embedded networks, Sponsored Editorial, Telecommunications 0Technology is rapidly transforming many Australian and global industry sectors. For electric, natural gas, and water utility companies, the need to embrace digital transformation and evolve to become a “digital enterprise” has never been clearer. What is a digital enterprise? A digital enterprise can be defined as an organisation where digital technology plays a central role in how the company: […]
Digital Utilities 2020: innovation in the face of adversity
Charlotte Pordage Big Data, Cyber Security, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, IOT, Spotlight, Water 0The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in state-wide lockdowns, mass event cancellations and the closure of workplaces, as social distancing measures become key to slowing the spread of the disease. Despite the restrictions on travel and in-person meetings, the Digital Utilities event was able to connect utility leaders across the country by moving quickly to deliver a successful digital conference. Hosting […]
A smart grid for all: International insights on the changing energy landscape
Charlotte Pordage Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, Features, Renewable Energy 0As rooftop solar and batteries become the norm, how to appropriately manage their output becomes an increasing challenge around Australia. We spoke to Suleman Alli, Director of Strategy at UK Power Networks, ahead of his international keynote presentation at Digital Utilities 2020, about the utility’s plans to create the world’s most advanced electricity network control system and how it is […]
Households could save with demand response program
Charlotte Pordage Asset management, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Disaster Management, Electricity, News, Retail, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability 0EnergyAustralia and energy distribution company Jemena will reward customers living in north-west Melbourne with bill credits if they reduce their energy usage to help reduce strain on the electricity grid. Through the Energy Saving Rewards program, EnergyAustralia customers living in Coolaroo, Essendon, Footscray, Somerton, Yarraville and surrounding suburbs could receive up to $100 of bill credits over the 2019-2020 summer […]
Network Opportunity Maps 2019 update released
Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, IOT, News, Renewable Energy 0Updated interactive investment and constraint maps, also known as Network Opportunity Maps, have been released as part of a push by network businesses to improve network efficiency and lower network prices. Energy Networks Australia, in partnership with the University of Technology Sydney, has released the 2019 update of the Network Opportunity Maps for distribution businesses based on December 2018 Distribution […]
2019 Digital Utility Awards winners announced
Charlotte Pordage Big Data, Company news, Cyber Security, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, IOT, News, People and appointments, Projects, Smart meters, Spotlight, Telecommunications, Water 0The winners of the 2019 Digital Utility Awards have been revealed at a Gala Dinner at the Digital Utilities Conference in Melbourne. Six awards were handed out celebrating the utility industry’s greatest achievements in the digitisation of utility networks, processes and practices across Australia. The winners are: Best Customer Innovation Award – Jemena Best Use of New Technology Award – […]
Utility offers innovative demand management solution
Utility Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, News, Spotlight, Stakeholder Engagement 0Powercor is launching a new program to help save energy within the community and reduce costs to customers will be launched in the Bellarine Peninsula and some parts of the Surf Coast area by network over the 2018-2019 summer. ‘Powercor Energy Partner’ uses a smart device installed in the home to allow both residents and Powercor to set temperatures on air conditioning […]
Improving the transparency of electricity demand projections
Utility Journalist Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, News 0The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has made a final rule to improve the transparency and consistency of information the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) provides to signal whether or not electricity supply is projected to meet demand in the medium-term. This forecasting exercise is called the medium-term projected assessment of system adequacy, or MT PASA, and is used to […]
Winners of the 2018 Digital Utility Awards announced
Utility Journalist Big Data, Company news, Cyber Security, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, IOT, News, Renewable Energy, Smart meters, Spotlight, Telecommunications, Water 0The Digital Utility Awards were launched as a way to gather some of the best ideas when it comes to the digitisation of utilities – and the best implementation of these ideas – so that all of the industry can benefit from some of the impressive changes that are being made. The awards recognise the utility industry’s greatest achievements in […]
The utility industry’s best share their digital transformation journey
Utility Journalist Big Data, Cyber Security, Demand management, Digital Utilities, Electricity, IOT, News, Renewable Energy, Smart meters, Telecommunications, Water 0Representatives from Australia’s major water and energy utilities gathered in Melbourne in April to discuss the impact of digital disruption on the utility sector and learn how to embrace emerging technologies and be fearless in the face of innovation. Digital Utilities 2018 was held from 19-20 April at the Pullman Hotel in Albert Park, Melbourne, providing members of the utility […]
Urging NEG to support competition and reduce costs
Utility Journalist Batteries & Storage, Demand management, Electricity, News, Policy 0ERM Power has released a submission, jointly signed by 10 retailers, on the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) urging policy makers to get the design right to drive investment in the right resources in the right locations while supporting competition and reducing costs. The Energy Security Board (ESB) discussion paper opens up the conversation on how to deliver affordable energy, well-placed […]
DTN ranked number one for accurate forecasts in Australia
Lauren Cella Demand management, Electricity, News, Sponsored Editorial 0DTN, a leading provider of information services, has announced that based on comparisons from a recent report, it has the lowest forecast error for both one-day-out and two-day-out high temperature forecasts. The study, released by ForecastWatch, a leading analyst of predictions and outcomes in the weather industry, based on the weather conditions forecast 24 hours a day over 12 months, […]
Industry leaders welcome Finkel Report
Utility Journalist Asset management, Demand management, Electricity, News, Policy, Renewable Energy, Solar, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability 0Government and industry leaders have welcomed the findings of the Finkel Report, commenting that its recommendations were necessary to secure the future of Australia’s energy. The final report, prepared by an Expert Panel and chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO, was released on 9 June 2017 and recommends action to create a reliable and affordable energy system, […]
Melbourne’s water utilities work towards digitisation
Lauren Cella Demand management, Digital Utilities, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Smart meters, Water 0To meet the challenges of climate change and more extreme droughts, the three metropolitan Melbourne water utilities are working together to explore new ways to further improve the performance of the water network, and ensure it operates even more efficiently and delivers greater value to their customers. Early last year, City West Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water […]
Utilities taught methods for managing data security
Jessica Dickers Asset management, Big Data, Cyber Security, Demand management, Digital Utilities, News, People and appointments, Safety and Training, Water 0Utility professionals came together for the inaugural Secure Utilities event on 23 March in Melbourne where experts in data security discussed the steps that utilities should be making to ensure their organisations are protected against cyber attacks. Due to the rapid digitisation of the utility industry, security is now more important than ever before, and Utility Magazine’s Secure Utilities was […]
Balancing act: future-proofing Australia’s electricity network
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