This report details the experience of consumers within the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Demonstration, exploring how best to improve it in the future and how consumers feel about letting VPP operators utilise their assets.
Report extract
Recent innovations in technology, energy storage and communications have led to the development of VPPs – groups of households with solar panels and batteries that are coordinated to deliver services for power system operation and electricity markets. VPPs are at an early stage of development in the energy market, although the deployment to consumers across Australia is occurring at a steady pace.
VPPs have demonstrated potential to support the efficient operation of the power system, as well as providing value to consumers who own VPP assets. This is an important study given that it is based on a new way for the industry to interact with consumer-owned devices and a level of ‘social licence’ is required throughout the journey.
Understanding the consumer experience and exploring ways to enhance it will help improve the success of VPPs overall.
AEMO conducted VPP Demonstrations, with the support of ARENA to achieve a number of objectives, and in July 2019 Customer Service Benchmarking Australia (CSBA) was commissioned to conduct a customer experience research program.