Project Jupiter

Project overview

Lead Organisation
Electricity Networks Corporation (Western Power)
Location
Perth
ARENA Program
Advancing Renewables Program
Start date
1 February 2025
End date
17 January 2028
Project Partners
Synergy
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
WA Department of Energy and Economic Diversification (DEED)

Summary

Project Jupiter is accelerating the integration of distributed energy resources (DER) – including rooftop solar, and customer and community batteries – at scale into Western Australia’s main energy system, the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), enabling households and businesses to participate in virtual power plants (VPPs) and the energy transition.

Need

More than 40% of WA households now have rooftop solar – one of the highest uptake rates in the world – with around 30,000 new systems installed each year. As more homes and businesses add solar, batteries and EVs, opportunities to harness renewable energy continue to grow. At the same time, this rapid growth creates new challenges for balancing supply and demand in the SWIS, which is critical to keeping electricity secure, reliable and affordable. To meet this challenge, customer energy assets need to be better coordinated with the network, system and market.

Action

Project Jupiter will develop the enduring technical systems, customer pathways, value frameworks and regulatory settings needed to safely integrate and coordinate distributed energy resources at scale through VPPs.

Building this system-wide functionality will enable customers to get more value from their solar and batteries, ease pressure on the network, strengthen the electricity system, and support a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Outcome

The project will reach key milestones so that by early 2028:

All newly connected solar and battery systems will be visible to the network, compliant with technical requirements, and capable of participating in a VPP.
Customers will have the choice to join a VPP and unlock greater value from their energy assets.
Aggregated customer-owned DER will form an integral part of the energy system, providing capacity and network support services (NSS) in the market.

Success will mean that the project delivers these outcomes:

The SWIS will be able to accommodate the expected accelerated uptake of DER while supporting a smooth and affordable transition for customers and maintaining system security and reliability on the network.
Customers will have the information and tools required to participate in VPPs with confidence.
Customer choice will be improved by increasing the VPP products and services available.
A single integrated DER orchestration system enabling stakeholders to fulfil their roles and obligations in the market to support DER integration and management.
New connecting DER have technical requirements for improved visibility, compliance monitoring and orchestration, including provision of energy services to the market and network.
DER performance is well defined and installed DER is compliant with technical and market standards; and
Regulatory frameworks support effective DER integration.