Western Power has launched Western Australia’s first dedicated Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Test Lab, designed to trial how customer-owned energy technologies can be safely and efficiently integrated into the electricity network.
Located at Western Power’s South Metro Depot, the lab replicates real-world household energy systems and provides a controlled environment to better understand how these technologies can connect, communicate and interact.
DER includes rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles and smart appliances that generate, store or manage electricity.
The lab facilitates the testing of these technologies along with dynamic connection approaches which will enable solar and battery systems to export more energy when the network can support it and scale back energy when capacity is constrained.
By simulating real-world conditions, the facility can assess interoperability, performance and compliance across devices and systems and these insights are informing Project Jupiter.
Project Jupiter is the joint initiative led by Western Power with Synergy, AEMO and Energy Policy WA to enable the scaled uptake and benefits of virtual power plant services by customers across the South-West Interconnected System by 2028, supported by $20.8 million in funding from ARENA.
With more than 40 per cent of WA households now generating power from rooftop solar and battery uptake increasing rapidly, DER will play a central role in the State’s energy future.
“The lab gives energy partners a space to address the technical challenges of integrating DER into a network that was not designed for two-way energy flows,” Western Power Executive Manager Energy Transition and Sustainability, Matt Cheney said.
“As more solar, batteries and EVs connect, it is vital they do so safely and in a way that enables participation in opportunities such as virtual power plants, allowing customers to unlock more value from their assets while supporting the energy transition,” Mr Cheney said.
“The DER Test Lab is a practical and collaborative way to overcome barriers to DER integration.
“It is an exciting time for DER integration at Western Power, and the DER Test Lab is playing a vital role in ensuring we and our partners get the technical settings for DER orchestration that will support customer participation in the energy transition at scale.”