newcastle smart grid, peak energy trials

http://minister.ret.gov.au/mediacentre/mediareleases/pages/peak-energy-trials.aspx


Peak energy trials cut consumer costs
22 May 2013


Consumers participating in peak event trials as part of Newcastle's model demonstration project Smart Grid, Smart City have slashed their energy use and received an average rebate of $16.31.

The consumers reduced their energy costs by this average amount in each of seven peak-time trials of up to four hours.

In Newcastle to inspect progress on the project, Resources and Energy Minister Gary Gray was told more than $84,000 has been paid out in rebates for the seven trials since March this year. He was accompanied by the Federal member for Newcastle, Sharon Grierson.

"Customers participating in the network trial have demonstrated the potential of smart grid technologies to reduce pressure on the electricity network during peak events," Mr Gray said.

"These preliminary results demonstrate that the potential for consumers to change their energy consumption behaviour when provided with the information, technology and pricing structures which allows them to better manage their energy use and costs."

The peak-time trials are a small part of the Smart Grid, Smart City project, which is a $100 million commitment by the Australian Government to work with industry to demonstrate and test the integration of a range of new technologies such as smart grids, smart meters, electric vehicles, battery storage and ceramic fuel cells into an existing community."

Ms Grierson said the Smart Grid, Smart City project was the only commercial scale project being delivered in Australia.

"It sits within the top three international smart grid projects currently being delivered," Ms Grierson said.

"The project is testing a range of smart grid technologies and retail tariffs with the potential to help consumers reduce their energy use and ultimately reduce their electricity bills.

"Smart technologies can show consumers at a glance how much energy they are using and how much it is costing them by employing new tools to choose prices and periods that may let them cut their electricity bills. That, in turn, will reduce cost-of-living pressures.

"Meeting peak demand is one of the biggest pressures driving up the cost of electricity, and smarter use of our energy could help ease this pressure."

The Retail Customer Trial, which was launched in November 2012 and sees EnergyAustralia partner with Ausgrid. The trial is in the process of being extended from September 2013 until March 10, 2014.

Mr Gray said the government was currently working with Ausgrid to extend the retail trial by an extra six months.

"The extension will provide additional data and information regarding likely customer behaviours during the peak summer temperature period when consumers are using energy hungry appliances," Mr Gray said.

"The additional data will inform the wider business case for industry investment in smart grid applications and government policy settings."

Working closely with Ausgrid and a consortium of partners, up to 30,000 households are participating in the project.

Highlights of the Smart Grid, Smart City project achievements to date include:

The opening of the SGSC Information Centre in Newcastle in September 2011;
Commissioning of 20 Mitsubishi iMiev Electric Vehicles and charging infrastructure;
Installation of more than 35,000 remote sensors across Ausgrid's network area;
Deployment of 60 Redflow battery storage units, 25 Blue Gen gas fuel cells and six small scale wind turbines;
The installation of 14, 000 Network Smart Meters;
Release of the Smart Grid Australian Standards Roadmap in August 2012;
The launch of the Retail trial in November 2012; and
The launch of the Information Clearing House (ICH) in February 2013.
Further information:

http://www2.ret.gov.au/energy/energy_programs/smartgrid/Pages/default.aspx

Media Contact:
Des Ko - 0457 754 122

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