As part of the Smart Grid Smart City demonstration program, EnergyAustralia will turn 15,000 households across New South Wales into ‘smart’ homes in Newcastle, Scone, Newington, Sydney CBD and Ku-ring-gai.
AGL will drive the development of products, services and pricing structures to help customers better manage their energy consumption.
EcoGeneration spoke with EnergyAustralia's Smart Grid Manager, Adrian Clark about the Smart Grid, Smart City and the significance of the program to improving Australia’s energy efficiency.
What are some of the greatest challenges involved in establishing a smart grid?
The fundamentals of supplying power have changed little over the past 120 years since the time of Thomas Edison. Transforming this traditional electricity infrastructure into a network that is smarter, greener, more reliable and more interactive requires thorough planning.
Are there any challenges anticipated for the Smart Grid, Smart City demonstration project? What are some of the innovative and novel ways they might be overcome?
There is limited information about the use of smart grid technologies. The project will allow lessons to be shared across industry to avoid unnecessary ‘false starts’. To help consumers manage the new smart grid technology, we will be trialling a number of customer applications to determine the influence they have on household energy use and identify which has the most impact.
What is the significance of the Smart Grid, Smart City project in terms of Australia moving towards being more conscious of energy efficiency?
Smart Grid, Smart City will demonstrate Australia’s first fully-integrated, commercial-scale smart grid and is a vital step for a more energy-efficient future. Consumers will have the ability to better manage their energy use thanks to access to the detailed information readily available. This technology has the possibility to improve the efficiency of our electricity sector and transform the way we use energy in our homes and businesses. The Smart Grid, Smart City initiative will also gather robust information about the costs and benefits of smart grids to inform future decisions by Government, electricity providers and technology suppliers across Australia.
Is there an international project comparable Smart Grid, Smart City?
Smart Grid, Smart City puts Australia at the forefront of international efforts to develop innovative smart grid technologies. This project is an opportunity to gather information that will help to transform Australia’s future electricity infrastructure at the beginning of the smart grid technology revolution.
