In this report, Project Symphony focuses on the virtual power plant (VPP) orchestration platform. Lessons learnt relating to the technology build from the perspective of a Distribution System Operator (DSO), Distribution Market Operator (DMO) and Aggregator were shared.
Report extract
Project Symphony is a pilot project where customer distributed energy resources (DER) like rooftop solar, battery energy storage and other major appliances, like air conditioning, will be orchestrated as a virtual power plant (VPP) to participate in a future energy market and unlock greater economic and environmental benefits for customers and the wider community.
A collaboration between Western Power, Synergy, AEMO and Energy Policy WA, with funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the Project will understand how the opportunities and challenges of increasing DER can be managed to ensure a reliable, secure, and affordable electricity system. To achieve this purpose, the Project will design, procure, develop, implement, and test software based ‘platforms’ capable of registering, aggregating and orchestrating customer DER to provide ‘must have’ on-market and off-market scenarios.
While technology plays an important role in realising the safe and reliable integration of increasing DER, customer participation in sufficient numbers via a positive customer experience will be critical to the success of the Project. In addition to research of the customer experience, the Project includes installing and securing a meaningful aggregation of customer DER assets via direct engagement and multiple third-party aggregators.
To be completed by September 2023, the Project has secured over 900 DER assets from approximately 470 customers predominantly on a single electricity distribution feeder in the pilot area of Southern River, south-east of Perth.