❓ Mr. Redman inquires about government support, costs, standards, and network risks associated with behind-the-meter batteries on Western Power and Horizon Power networks. The response details project specifics, inverter standards, and network stability considerations, highlighting Horizon Power's proactive approach to DER integration.
AnsweredQoN 6365Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can the Minister outline the full extent of government support behind the meter batteries installed on either the Western Power or Horizon networks: (a) Can the Minister show where these are, and the level of support that has come from government? (2) Where government has made investments to support and/or directly purchase behind the meter batteries, what has been the cost of these investments and where have they been made? (3) What have been the inverter standards that have been matched to these behind the meter battery investments: (a) Do these inverter standards have communications functionality, allowing for aggregation as a virtual power plant; (b) If not, why not; and (c) If yes, what is the government's plan for utilisation of this functionality? (4) Given the significant interest from consumers in behind the meter battery technology and the likely reduction in price for such installations, can the Minister outline any network risks in such installations, and whether it is likely to help or hinder network stability?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 September 2020
Responded by
Minister for Energy
Response time
7 days
Horizon Power
(1) The Government does not provide support to behind the meter batteries (BM Batteries), and those installed for Horizon Power projects are part of Horizon Power’s own technology trials and deployment, and not the result of Government support.
Horizon Power is aware of approximately 70 customers, on the businesses networks, who have installed BM Batteries to comply with the ‘Renewable Energy Smoothing Requirements’ in Horizon Power’s Technical Requirements for DER Connection .
(a) The table below details a number of projects which include BM Batteries supported by Horizon Power:
Project
No. Customers with BM Batteries
Broome SmartSun
17 Customers
Onslow DER
25 Customers
Carnarvon Microgrid Trial
16 Customers
Horizon Power’s investment in the listed projects are the businesses strategic initiatives and technology trials and not Government directives.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The inverter standards of the BM Batteries in Horizon Power’s projects listed meet Horizon Power’s Technical Requirements for DER Connection , as well as relevant Australian Standards including AS/NZS3000 (Wiring Rules), AS/NZS 4777 (inverter standard) and AS/NZS 5139 (battery installation standard).
(a) Yes. Data communications and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) control requirements are included in Horizon Power’s Technical Requirements for DER Connection. However, at present the Australian Standards for inverters do not include communications functionality.
(b) Australian Standards have not yet addressed the issues related to operation of Virtual Power Plants, however Horizon Power includes this in its own requirements – given its unique challenges in operating microgrids.
(c) At this stage, Horizon Power intends to utilise the data communications and DER control requirements to maintain system stability, to mitigate adverse impact of surplus DER to its customers, and ensure ongoing compliance with DER standards.
(4) Any connection of a DER has the potential to cause network stability difficulties, such as generator loading issues and frequency disturbances which can be particularly pronounced in Horizon Power’s islanded microgrids. The business mitigates these issues through its own standards, connection processes and operating practices.
When BM Batteries are well-coordinated they support the operation of the electricity network and improve power quality. Integration of DER is a key strategic objective for Horizon Power and there is work underway to facilitate connection of more DER to its systems.
Western Power
(1) Western Power has a single behind-the-meter battery. Please see the State Government’s media statement of 11 July 2020 regarding the Margaret River battery trial.
(a) The Margaret River battery can be found at the Margaret River Recreation Centre, at 51 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River. This community battery installation is a unique trial that takes advantage of a network need at the location. It will give Western Power the opportunity to understand the impacts on the network of a utility-grade behind-the-meter battery.
(2) This project is a Western Power initiative, not a Government direction. The details of these contracts, including costs, are Commercial in Confidence.
(3) All behind the meter battery systems are required to meet a number of Australian Standards as well as additional requirements including the Western Power Technical Rules and associated Western Power manuals and guidelines. The significant Australian Standards that are applied are AS/NZS3000 (Wiring Rules), AS/NZS 4777 (inverter standard) and AS/NZS 5139 (battery installation standard).
(a) The current inverter standard AS/NZ 4777 does not include in its scope the functionality that may be needed for operation of a battery as part of a Virtual Power Plant. However, the Western Power community batteries do have the ability to be controlled remotely.
(b) Australian Standards have not addressed the issues related to operation of Virtual Power Plants. The WA Government has introduced the WA Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Roadmap to assist in the development of standards that will support the operation of Virtual Power Plants in the future. Western Power is a significant contributor to the development of the inverter standards and has been instrumental in ensuring that improvements in the standards will benefit the community by allowing battery and/or solar PV inverter systems using these standards to be safely integrated into the network.
(c) Not applicable.
(4) The connection of behind the meter batteries compliant with relevant Australian Standards and Western Power technical requirements poses a lower risk to network stability than the installation of solar PV systems by themselves. Continuing improvements in the inverter standards and development of connection requirements, including actions under the WA DER Roadmap, will facilitate increasing numbers of these systems being sustainably connected to the network. Western Power is continuing to safely manage the operation of the distribution grid and will continue to plan the network for the future where increased use of distributed energy systems is expected.
(1) The Government does not provide support to behind the meter batteries (BM Batteries), and those installed for Horizon Power projects are part of Horizon Power’s own technology trials and deployment, and not the result of Government support.
Horizon Power is aware of approximately 70 customers, on the businesses networks, who have installed BM Batteries to comply with the ‘Renewable Energy Smoothing Requirements’ in Horizon Power’s Technical Requirements for DER Connection .
(a) The table below details a number of projects which include BM Batteries supported by Horizon Power:
Project
No. Customers with BM Batteries
Broome SmartSun
17 Customers
Onslow DER
25 Customers
Carnarvon Microgrid Trial
16 Customers
Horizon Power’s investment in the listed projects are the businesses strategic initiatives and technology trials and not Government directives.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The inverter standards of the BM Batteries in Horizon Power’s projects listed meet Horizon Power’s Technical Requirements for DER Connection , as well as relevant Australian Standards including AS/NZS3000 (Wiring Rules), AS/NZS 4777 (inverter standard) and AS/NZS 5139 (battery installation standard).
(a) Yes. Data communications and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) control requirements are included in Horizon Power’s Technical Requirements for DER Connection. However, at present the Australian Standards for inverters do not include communications functionality.
(b) Australian Standards have not yet addressed the issues related to operation of Virtual Power Plants, however Horizon Power includes this in its own requirements – given its unique challenges in operating microgrids.
(c) At this stage, Horizon Power intends to utilise the data communications and DER control requirements to maintain system stability, to mitigate adverse impact of surplus DER to its customers, and ensure ongoing compliance with DER standards.
(4) Any connection of a DER has the potential to cause network stability difficulties, such as generator loading issues and frequency disturbances which can be particularly pronounced in Horizon Power’s islanded microgrids. The business mitigates these issues through its own standards, connection processes and operating practices.
When BM Batteries are well-coordinated they support the operation of the electricity network and improve power quality. Integration of DER is a key strategic objective for Horizon Power and there is work underway to facilitate connection of more DER to its systems.
Western Power
(1) Western Power has a single behind-the-meter battery. Please see the State Government’s media statement of 11 July 2020 regarding the Margaret River battery trial.
(a) The Margaret River battery can be found at the Margaret River Recreation Centre, at 51 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River. This community battery installation is a unique trial that takes advantage of a network need at the location. It will give Western Power the opportunity to understand the impacts on the network of a utility-grade behind-the-meter battery.
(2) This project is a Western Power initiative, not a Government direction. The details of these contracts, including costs, are Commercial in Confidence.
(3) All behind the meter battery systems are required to meet a number of Australian Standards as well as additional requirements including the Western Power Technical Rules and associated Western Power manuals and guidelines. The significant Australian Standards that are applied are AS/NZS3000 (Wiring Rules), AS/NZS 4777 (inverter standard) and AS/NZS 5139 (battery installation standard).
(a) The current inverter standard AS/NZ 4777 does not include in its scope the functionality that may be needed for operation of a battery as part of a Virtual Power Plant. However, the Western Power community batteries do have the ability to be controlled remotely.
(b) Australian Standards have not addressed the issues related to operation of Virtual Power Plants. The WA Government has introduced the WA Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Roadmap to assist in the development of standards that will support the operation of Virtual Power Plants in the future. Western Power is a significant contributor to the development of the inverter standards and has been instrumental in ensuring that improvements in the standards will benefit the community by allowing battery and/or solar PV inverter systems using these standards to be safely integrated into the network.
(c) Not applicable.
(4) The connection of behind the meter batteries compliant with relevant Australian Standards and Western Power technical requirements poses a lower risk to network stability than the installation of solar PV systems by themselves. Continuing improvements in the inverter standards and development of connection requirements, including actions under the WA DER Roadmap, will facilitate increasing numbers of these systems being sustainably connected to the network. Western Power is continuing to safely manage the operation of the distribution grid and will continue to plan the network for the future where increased use of distributed energy systems is expected.
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