Australians are installing rooftop solar in record numbers. In New South Wales (NSW), on Australia’s east coast, around 1 million households and small businesses (approximately one quarter of all homes in the state) have rooftop solar installed. While these technologies enable Australian consumers to save money and reduce emissions, this rapid adoption increases the risk of minimum system load events (where supply outstrips demand) and the likelihood of power instabilities leading to outages if not managed.
In December, Ausgrid, working with the NSW government and other NSW DNSPs, commenced delivery of the NSW Emergency Backstop Mechanism, a last resort grid protection against these grid reliability risks. The Emergency Backstop Mechanism requires NSW distributors, such as Ausgrid, to have the ability to temporarily reduce or pause the exporting and/or generation of rooftop solar systems in emergency situations at the direction of AEMO.
In response to this requirement, Ausgrid has chosen to collaborate with Itron and deploy Itron’s IntelliFLEX low voltage distributed energy resource management system (LV DERMS) solution. LV DERMS provides Ausgrid with the technology it needs to meet its obligations safely and efficiently by enabling the real-time monitoring and control of rooftop solar systems in its network area. IntelliFLEX LV DERMS also gives Ausgrid enhanced visibility into its low voltage network, allowing operators to identify constraints, monitor CER performance and respond to changing conditions in real-time.
“Building on more than 15 years of collaboration with Ausgrid, which initially included the deployment of Itron’s IEE Meter Data Management System, this project reinforces our shared commitment to advanced low voltage visibility, said Don Reeves, Itron’s senior vice president of Outcomes. “By deploying IntelliFLEX LV DERMS, Ausgrid is equipping its network with the technology needed to safely and securely integrate the rapid increase of rooftop solar.”
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