Advanced VPP Grid Integration
- $1.03m Funded by ARENA
- $2.48m Total project cost
Summary
The Advanced VPP Grid Integration project aims to show how higher levels of energy exports to the grid from customer solar and battery systems can be enabled through dynamic, rather than fixed, export limits, and to test the value this can create for customers and Virtual Power Plant (VPP) operators.
Key results
- SA Power Networks and Tesla have co-designed an Application Programming Interface (API) that enables the secure real-time exchange of data between Tesla’s and SA Power Networks’ systems via the internet
- Tesla has successfully operated their VPP at exports exceeding their previous static limit of 5kW per site while maintaining compliance with the limits received via the API across a variety of network conditions
- It was found that time-varying and locational export limits could enable DER to be hosted at higher levels of penetration, particularly distributed energy storage VPPs conducting arbitrage between solar and non-solar hours
- The results support the view that a dynamic network capacity management approach can enable larger, more active DER and demand management systems to continue to operate under higher levels of DER penetration than would otherwise be possible with static limits.
Learn more
Report: Advanced VPP Grid Integration Final Report
This document is the final Knowledge Sharing Report for SA Power Networks’ Advanced VPP Grid Integration Project. This report describes the project, the activities undertaken, outcomes achieved and key lessons learned.
Report: Technical Description of VPP API Implementation
This report provides a technical description of VPP API implementation and explains how the different technologies fit, the user interaction points, data storage, configuration details and data structures to provide a detailed understanding of the solution.
Media Release: Distributed Energy Projects Awarded Nearly $10 Million
ARENA awarded funding to 12 projects and studies to further integrate distributed energy resources (DER) into the electricity system.
Report: Analysis of the VPP Dynamic Network Constraint Management
This report analyses the network constraint management mechanism implemented in the trial.
Report: Technical Description of API Implementation
This report contains a detailed technical description of API implementation for SA Power Networks’ Advanced VPP Grid Integration project.
How the project works
The Advanced VPP grid integration project will introduce an interface (API) to exchange real-time and locational data on distribution network constraints between SA Power Networks and the Tesla South Australian VPP, enabling the VPP to optimise its output to make use of available network capacity.
This concept will be tested in a field trial over 12-months. Read more about distributed energy resources.
Area of innovation
Recent work by the Australian Energy Market Commission, and the joint Energy Networks Australia/Australian Energy Market Operator Open Energy Networks project has recognised the dynamic management of distribution network capacity is a key requirement to unlock the full value of VPPs and other distributed energy resources. This project will be the first to demonstrate this concept in operation with a real VPP that is actively participating in the market, and to seek to measure the real-world costs and benefits of this approach.
Benefit
The intention is to enable the VPP to operate at higher levels of export power than would otherwise be allowed under normal fixed per-site export limits. In principle, this could double the VPP’s maximum export capacity at certain times, enabling the VPP to provide greater market and system-wide benefits. The learnings from this project could help develop a consistent national approach, and potentially a standard API, for VPP aggregators to access advanced network integration services from distribution networks across the National Electricity Market.
Read more
ARENAWIRE Blogs
Plotting next steps in distributed energy transformation
As Australians embrace rooftop solar at world-leading rates, work is underway to create a modern, fairer electricity system for the future.
What are virtual power plants and why do they matter?
Thousands of household solar and battery installations are being aggregated into virtual power plants to help stabilise the electricity grid.
What are distributed energy resources and how do they work?
According to the twentieth century model of energy distribution, large power plants fuelled by coal, hydro or gas, generated electricity that was distributed via a centralised grid.
$9.6 million to support distributed energy revolution
To support the transition to an electricity network that is increasingly powered by small-scale energy assets, ARENA has announced $9.6 million funding for 12 new projects and studies.
