This report provides an overview of the demand response provided by EnergyAustralia across New South Wales and Victoria for the ARENA Demand Response Trial. The knowledge shared is for the period between July 2019 to May 2020.
Report extract
Demand response is demonstrating its capacity to support the development of a new Australian energy system that works, one underpinned by renewable energy and supported by flexible “firm” generation, storage and smart energy management. In the first half of 2020 EnergyAustralia’s ongoing demand response trial attracted more participants – even though no marketing recruitment campaigns were run – and delivered reductions in load at or exceeding targets, helping maintain system reliability. In “live” tests, demand response provided a market reserve of more than 50MW, freeing up capacity when it is needed most.
As at May 2020, the EnergyAustralia Behavioural Demand Response (BDR) cohort includes more than 21,000 household and industrial energy consumers.
Surveys of BDR customers have indicated a strong preference for advance notice of events. This was tested in market events run over the 2019/20 summer, and results indicated that regardless of notice period there is negligible difference in the participation rate nor the amount of energy curtailed.
Given the positive customer engagement and their willingness to participate in events, EnergyAustralia is now exploring broadening access to BDR for residential customers’ and launching a program for business customers soon.
