EDGE is an ARENA-funded project that will establish and trial a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) services market. Working with our infrastructure side of the business, AusNet Services and in partnership with AEMO are helping this project achieve its goals.
EDGE is a new energy model where every house and business can become part of a safe and environmentally friendly power station. Participating solar and battery owners across the community join forces, creating a Virtual Power Plant powered by renewable energy. EDGE will explore how aggregator orchestrated DER may be offered and dispatched via standardised services for use in the National Electricity Market and by Distribution Network Service Providers for local network services.
The trial will be based in the Hume region in Victoria and develop market models and learnings, informing the development of a future two-sided market for electricity that integrates the increasing amount of DER introduced into the grid by our EDGE participants selling their surplus renewable energy into the grid. This will lower emissions, pushing down energy and reduce blackouts while also creating a brighter future for our future generations.
So what happens next?
The EDGE program includes three market trial phases starting from November 2021 up until mid-2023. We are working within the Hume communities to sign up eligible customers to create energy for the community which is powered by the community. These customers are driving Australia’s quest for a cleaner energy future. Customers in the Hume region will also have the opportunity to be included for the second and third trial phases starting May 2022 and September 2022. The more people involved, the larger amounts of renewable energy added and sold to the grid.
With help from our partners and the Federal and Victorian State Governments, this trial will be scaled across Victoria and Australia to help assist renewable energy targets if successful.
If you are a Hume resident and are interested in joining EDGE, more information can be found here.
