United Energy (UE) has entered into a partnership with a global energy technology company to deliver an energy storage project on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula which will defer the need to build new infrastructure by managing periods of peak demand.
UE and GreenSync will work together to provide for cost competitive alternatives to traditional network augmentation, through GreenSync’s Community Grids Project.
Over the next five years, GreenSync will engage and provide incentives to households, small businesses and community organisations on the lower Mornington Peninsula, from Rosebud to Portsea, to help them reduce and shift their electricity usage voluntarily or through the use of solar PV and energy storage systems.
GreenSync will also engage local utilities and other larger commercial and industrial operations to control their discretionary loads.
The non-network demand response initiative will allow UE to delay having to build new infrastructure to meet infrequent high demand in the area, typically over the summer holiday period.
United Energy Chief Executive Officer Tony Narvaez said an important driver of the company’s current and future strategy is the ability to leverage advanced technologies.
“The GreenSync solution will allow us to work collaboratively with our customers to continue to deliver a safe, reliable and cost-effective energy supply,” Mr Narvaez said.
“Our partnership with GreenSync is another sign of our evolution from a traditional network distributor into an enabler of an innovative energy future.”
GreenSync’s Founder and Manager Director Phil Blythe said, “United Energy is a progressive utility that understands how new technologies can benefit Victoria’s energy network.
“We’re looking forward to demonstrating how our world leading technology can deliver this project of national significance.”
A small scale trial of the Community Grids Project will be run over the 2016/17 summer period and the project itself is expected to commence in late 2018.
