Converge: enabling greater integration of rooftop solar into the grid

Sitting on the rooftops of millions of Australian homes is the largest generator of electricity in the country. For the first time in our history, it is everyday Australians who collectively own the assets responsible for producing the largest share of electricity on the market. This is a game changer for the industry.

One in four households now have rooftop solar and this rapid uptake continues to outstrip all forecasts. As more and more Distributed Energy Resources (DER) enter the electricity system, in particular the millions of rooftop assets across Australia, congestion management is a major issue facing electricity networks.

Converge is an exciting new project, based in the ACT, that will explore new ways to utilise smart software, rather than building more poles and wires. Essentially allowing greater penetration of renewable energy into the National Electricity Market.

Following on from the success of the ARENA-funded evolve project, Converge will demonstrate the next step to ‘dynamic operating envelopes’, called ‘shaped operating envelopes’. Shaped operating envelopes have the ability to optimise ‘real-time’ control of DER assets. On top of this, the technology will create financial benefits to people who own their own solar panels, batteries and/or electric vehicles, by enabling better access to energy trading markets.

But it is not just the technology that is important. Converge will include a comprehensive social science research investigation to better understand the perspectives of electricity users and market participants, and seek to understand how public values such as ‘efficiency’ ‘fairness’ ‘environmental stewardship’ and ‘reliability’ can be integrated into technology design.

Format:

• Welcome and introduction.

• ACT – a global climate action leader, Shane Rattenbury, Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction, ACT.

• What is Project Converge? Project partners explain.

• Structured discussion panel.

Project partners: ARENA, ACT Government, Evoenergy and Zepben.