This project investigated and developed strategies to overcome the challenges faced by commercial and industrial (C&I) customers in demand response programs.
More specifically, the project investigated approaches to improve demand response baselines, barriers to backup generator connection and strategies to improve backup generator power export limits. Moreover, the project investigated the use of battery energy storage systems in demand response programs to benefit C&I customers in terms of electricity cost savings and return on investment.
Dates
October 2021 to August 2023
Project outcomes
The project led to several key recommendations to improve the effectiveness of demand response programs:
- Demonstrated the effectiveness of interpretable machine learning techniques in calculating demand response baselines for weather-sensitive loads, including those heavily influenced by temperature, such as shopping centres.
- Recommended dynamic export limits for backup generators, i.e., the export limit varies based on the time of the day, instead of the static export limit to improve their power export capability.
- Recommended to standardise inter-tripping and synchronisation requirements to achieve consistency across all distribution network service providers.
- Recommended adopting a dynamic operating envelope to effectively deploy behind-the-meter batteries at C&I facilities while safeguarding the long-term integrity of the network.
View more information about the project outputs on the Centre for New Energy Technologies (C4NET) website.
Key people
- A/Prof. Lasantha Meegahapola (Lead Investigator)
- Dist. Prof. Xinghuo Yu
- Prof. Mahdi Jalili
- Prof. Brendan McGrath
- Prof. Flora Salim
- Dr Kazi Hasan
- Dr Richardt Wilkinson
- Dr Reza Razzaghi
Relevant collaborators
- C4NET
- Monash University
- AGL
- AusNet Services
Funding source
- C4NET Demand Response Initiative
