Case Study: LV Management with SA Power Networks
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05 August 2022
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EA Technology
Client: SA Power Networks
This case study describes how EA Technology investigated a range of strategies for SA Power Networks to respond to future challenges on the low voltage (LV) network.
These challenges included:
- Accommodating increasing customer uptake of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) while maintaining quality of supply and minimising network augmentation.
- Customers making use of available value streams from their DER investment through participation in VPPs and access to markets for energy, ancillary services and network support.
The approach taken by EA Technology clearly allowed SA Power Networks to understand which of the possible strategies delivered the best value moving forward and presented the least overall cost to both network (augmentation expenditure) and customer (energy curtailed).
Historically, SA Power Networks’ electricity network was designed to meet the needs of customers who only connected to passive and predictable technology. But a significant shift was changing how customers connected to the LV network. Customer uptake of DER was rapidly increasing via solar photovoltaic energy with behind-the-meter storage.
The traditional ‘passive’ approach to LV management would not be fit for purpose for the next regulatory period. After a competitive tender process, SA Power Networks decided to work with EA Technology to develop a strategy for the efficient management of their LV network.
‟We engaged EA Technology to undertake the modelling that underpins our approach. EA Technology was selected through a competitive tender process as they are recognised as leaders internationally for their expertise in this area. The modelling is highly rigorous and takes into account a broad range of factors, including the mitigating impact of battery storage in absorbing solar during the day, the impact of local inverter Volt-VAr response, and potential impact of tariff changes in shifting loads.”
Bryn Williams
SA Power Networks