Monash University’s Grid Innovation Hub has welcomed two new collaborative partnerships with consulting and engineering firm Power Systems Consultants (PSC) and Spain’s X-ELIO.
The Grid Innovation Hub is a collaborative research vehicle bringing together industry, government and Monash University’s world-leading researchers to tackle some of the most important opportunities of our time through ingenious research and inspiring education.
“We created the Grid Innovation Hub to help solve critical issues facing Australia’s energy grid today, and to help create a fit for purpose grid for decades to come,” says Dr Tony Marxsen OAM, Monash Grid Innovation Hub chair.
“Later this year we’ll report on a suite of technologies that can strengthen the grid.”
Professor Ariel Liebman, director of the Monash Energy Institute, host of the Grid Innovation Hub at Monash University, said they were excited to have PSC and X-ELIO joining the Hub.
“They will enable us to bring the best academic, business, and engineering knowledge to the challenges facing Australia’s national grid. They join our research partners across the University,” he said.
Belinda Fan, country manager of X-ELIO in Australia said, “We are delighted to be part of Monash’s Grid Innovation Hub – a world-class research-industry collaboration. We hope our input can support the research and development of the Australian energy market sector, and a smooth and productive journey to a carbon-neutral economy. In this participation, X-ELIO reaffirms its commitment to be a part of Australia’s clean energy transition in the years to come.”
X-ELIO has built more than 2.6 GW of renewable energy capacity around the world including the 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm, near Chinchilla, QLD. They are also developing solar farms at Maxwell and Forest Glen, both in NSW.
Matthew Robinson, head of Strategic Service Development with PSC says, “The role of energy storage is a big part of the energy transition, and this research will enable us to develop new market designs which will take this valuable element into account. Market systems are one of our main areas of expertise and we are delighted about the partnership with Monash. This project is a great example of industry collaboration, bringing together other key stakeholders such as AEMO and AEMC.”
The Hub is tackling two critical areas currently:
Physical stability: the grid is undergoing a major transformation where fossil fuels are being replaced by renewable energy resources such as solar and wind. Many of these renewable resources are in weak areas of the grid in regional areas and are prone to various stability issues.
Financial/economic stability: the grid will rely on large-scale storage to ensure reliable supply. The Hub has started a project to determine the policies needed to ensure reliable renewable energy at low cost while avoiding a concentration of market power.