Edith

Project Edith is an initiative responding to the increasing presence of distributed energy resources (DER) by seeking a dynamic approach to allocate distribution network capacity. The current static allocation of network tariffs and connection limits fails to account for the evolving landscape of rooftop solar, home batteries, and electric vehicles, hindering the optimisation of the electricity grid and limiting the potential value derived from these resources. To address this, Project Edith proposes the development of a pricing engine that provides customers with dynamic pricing signals, facilitating their participation in energy and services markets. 

Collaboratively led by BSGIP, Ausgrid, Reposit and Zepben, the project aims to create a comprehensive pricing strategy encompassing a fixed charge, a subscription charge based on compliance with a minimum dynamic operating envelope, and a dynamic five-minute price component. By incorporating rigorous economic analysis and models, Project Edith aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of dynamic pricing signals, empowering network operators and regulatory bodies with actionable economic insights.

BSGIP plays a pivotal role in the project, focusing on developing pricing strategies that enable the dynamic allocation of distribution network capacity. We conduct real-world experiments to showcase the effectiveness of these strategies and undertake the crucial task of designing a robust pricing engine. This engine will deliver dynamic pricing signals to customers, enabling their active participation in energy and services markets. 

Overall, Project Edith aims to achieve multiple objectives efficiently. It seeks to enhance dynamic pricing signals through economic analysis, devise subscription fee strategies aligned with network objectives to incentivise customer participation and explore the implications of different pricing goals. Additionally, the project aims to extract simplified and auditable knowledge to assist regulatory bodies in making informed decisions and evaluating the impact of recommended regulations and policies compared to the current ones.

Who is Edith?

This project is named after Edith Clarke (1883 – 1959), the first woman to be professionally employed as an electrical engineer in the United States, graduating from MIT. She was also the first female professor of electrical engineering in the country. Having achieved numerous accolades, during her lifetime and posthumously, she is recognised as one of the most notable women in modern science.