Project Jupiter
Project Jupiter
Residential customers will be able to join a VPP through new products offered by their energy retailer or aggregator, once available. Education and engagement programs will help customers understand how VPPs work and how they can benefit.
Larger energy users will be engaged directly or through third-party aggregators to participate in services like capacity, energy and network support. Their involvement will be key to meeting grid needs and realising the full potential of DER.
Project Jupiter is a key initiative under the WA Government’s Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Roadmap, which supports the continued uptake of DER to strengthen the electricity system and maintain secure, reliable power.
It builds on the success of the Project Symphony pilot, which proved that virtual power plants are feasible in WA’s energy system. Project Jupiter takes this from concept to reality, developing the functionality needed to enable wide-scale participation in VPPs across the network.
Project Jupiter is not directly funding the installation of community or grid-scale batteries. However, it is developing the capability for existing and future residential, community and larger batteries to work together through VPPs, unlocking more value and improving overall system performance.
Project Jupiter is building the functionality needed – technical solutions, customer-focused products and services, and supporting policy and regulatory settings – so that all new rooftop solar panels and batteries connected to WA’s main electricity network will have the opportunity to participate in a virtual power plant.
This means customer energy assets can actively support the grid by providing capacity and network support services, while enabling customers to earn more value from their energy assets.
By combining, or aggregating, commercial and residential energy assets, a VPP can provide capacity and network support services to the grid. The specific ways customers will be able to participate, and how value will be created, will be explored and developed through Project Jupiter.
A VPP connects and coordinates household solar panels, batteries and other energy systems so they operate like a traditional power station. This allows energy to be shared with the grid when it’s needed, supporting system stability and creating opportunities for customers to earn additional value from their assets.
Distributed Energy Resources are small-scale energy technologies that generate or store electricity close to where it’s used. This includes rooftop solar panels, home batteries, electric vehicles, community batteries, air-conditioners and pool pumps. While Project Jupiter is currently focused on solar and battery systems, it will lay the foundation to include other types of DER in virtual power plants in the future.