SwitchDin is enabling virtual power plant (VPP) compatibility for three of the five battery products available under the ARENA-supported Simply Energy Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program in South Australia.
Working directly with the manufacturers, SwitchDin provides the VPP-ready energy management system (EMS) in the form of its Droplet controller for the VARTA Storage’s Pulse, the Sonnen’s ‘eco’ range of battery systems, and the Eguana Technologies’ Evolve system. The Droplet controller plugs directly into the Varta and Sonnen products whereas the Eguana product comes factory-equipped with SwitchDin’s software.
Simply Energy offers payments to VPP participants in the form of ongoing ‘VPP Access Credits’ in exchange for access to and dispatch of their battery storage systems. Batteries will be used for both electricity distribution network services and energy market purposes.
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Simply Energy, as the retailer, will dispatch the VPP’s assets to help assist wholesale electricity market exposure. Modulated through SwitchDin’s platform using the Simply Energy and Greensync’s deX, the combined solution will give local distribution network operator South Australia Power Networks (SAPN) visibility of and access to distributed, customer-owned, ‘behind-the-meter’ systems.
The technology provides the VPP-readiness requirements essential for battery product approval under South Australia’s Home Battery Scheme (HBS). This allows households to access the HBS incentive for approved systems as well as retailer offered VPP such as Simply Energy’s VPP Access Credits. Together this dramatically improves the attractiveness of purchasing a home battery system in the state.
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The project showcases how SwitchDin’s technology ties together different verticals in the electricity sector by working with manufacturers and energy companies to facilitate better outcomes for energy end users and the grid as a whole.
“Helping customers, electricity retailers and distribution networks access the shared value that can come from orchestrating renewable energy and smart battery storage is what SwitchDin is all about,” SwitchDin CEO Andrew Mears said.
“We bring a better deal for all parties.”
