Turning the duck into a platypus: DER integration in Western Australia
The South-West Interconnected System (SWIS) which powers Perth and surrounding regions is experiencing a ‘clear and present challenge’, a near term system security risk regarding low demand in Spring and Autumn, largely driven by the uptake of rooftop solar PV. This transition to decentralized energy supply is occurring the world over, however Western Australia has some unique characteristics that make the need for action more decisive, and provide the opportunity for innovation and a customer-focused response. The State Government’s Energy Transformation Strategy aims to facilitate the transition, as the State’s critical work program to ensure the delivery of secure, reliable, sustainable and affordable electricity to Western Australians for years to come. Delivery of the Strategy includes the creation and implementation of a DER Roadmap, to guide the integration of DER in the SWIS. Jai Thomas, Program Director, Energy Transformation Implementation Unit, will provide an overview of the Transformation Strategy and the key activities underway as part of implementing the DER Roadmap in the SWIS.
This webinar is the first in a series of eight webinars on consumer-centric energy, being held between October 2020 and February 2021, co-hosted by the Energy Transition Hub and the Climate and Energy College, sponsored by the Victorian Clean Technology Fund.
Jai Thomas is the Program Director, Energy Transformation Implementation Unit, responsible for day to day delivery of the energy transformation work program on behalf of the Energy Transformation Taskforce, which was established to deliver the Government's Energy Transformation Strategy. Prior to this, Jai held the role of Project Director, Distributed Energy Resources, and developed the Energy Transformation Strategy's Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap. Jai is an energy sector professional with expertise in electricity regulation and distributed energy projects, and has held regulatory and project delivery roles at both Horizon Power and Western Power.