AEMO has released details on its new Project EDGE platform—the first ever energy marketplace trial that gives Australian consumers the edge.
Project EDGE (Energy Demand & Generation Exchange) aims to demonstrate how a proof-of-concept DER Marketplace would work. This includes enabling aggregated DER to provide efficient, secure, and coordinated wholesale and local network support services at the grid edge.
The design of this project builds on previous theoretical studies that provided a basis for how AEMO, the distributed network service
providers and aggregated DER could operate efficiently.
In collaboration with AusNet Services and Mondo, with funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), AEMO will
develop and publish learnings from this project that will inform, alongside other projects, the future design of the two-way energy market and system. A key focus of the future energy system is to maximise outcomes for all Australian energy consumers.
“Australia is leading the world in the installation of rooftop solar and has a growing appetite for other distributed energy resources (DER) including battery storage and electric vehicles,” AEMO said.
“The energy systems which exist today were designed for the one-way flows of electricity from large-scale generators to consumers. In recent years, increasing DER installations have resulted in energy flowing back from the household into the grid.
In order for Australian households and businesses to fully realise the financial and environmental benefits of their DER investments, energy systems and trading frameworks must adapt to facilitate dynamic bi-directional trade and flows of electricity.”
Related article: AEMO releases report on future energy scenarios
Key objectives of the trial are:
- Demonstrate how DER fleets could participate in existing and future wholesale energy markets at scale.
- Demonstrate different ways to consider distribution network limits in the wholesale dispatch process.
- Demonstrate how to facilitate standardised, scalable and competitive trade of local network services.
- Demonstrate how data should be exchanged efficiently and securely between interested parties to support delivery of distributed energy services.
- Develop a proof of concept, integrated software platform to facilitate delivery of objectives 1-4 in an efficient and scalable way.
- Develop a detailed understanding of roles and specific responsibilities that each industry actor should play.
- Conduct comprehensive cost benefit analysis to provide an evidence base for future regulatory decision making.
- Conduct a customer focused social science study to understand customer opinions on the complexities of DER integration.
- Deliver best practice stakeholder engagement throughout the project with a commitment to knowledge sharing.
- Deliver recommendations, supported with evidence, on how and when the concepts demonstrated should be implemented operationally.
Mondo said it was seeking expressions of interest from homeowners and businesses who wished to participate in the trial.
