Trans-Tasman EV power deal

Counties Energy and South Australia’s SA Power Networks have agreed to collaborate on developing opportunities in the Distribution System Operator (DSO) space for EV charging services.

Both have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to that effect.

The companies will be focusing on smarter energy orchestration and the benefits this will bring to customers and ultimately to the environment, says Counties Energy Group chief strategy and transformation officer Moonis Vegdani.

“We’ve identified that there is immense scope between us as we develop electric vehicle charging services with demand management capability for our DSO vision.

“Our aim is to collaborate with the leading minds in this space so we can develop industry leading DSO services for our customers in a short timeframe.”

The deal involves OpenLoop, Counties Energy’s e-mobility software platform, and SA Power Networks’ expertise in implementing Dynamic Operating Envelopes (DOEs).

The companies will jointly develop implementation algorithms for DOEs to manage EV charging demand using IEEE CSIP-AUS 2030.5, taking SA Power Networks’ learnings from their advanced trials focused on demand management solutions, while also developing a proof of concept for managing multiple EV charging aggregators in a DSO model.

OpenLoop will also be trialled to orchestrate EV chargers through aggregators and validate the operating model for SA Power Networks and Counties Energy.

The companies will ultimately target benefits associated to managing security of supply and avoiding costly and unnecessary investment.

SA Power Networks network strategy head Brendon Hampton says that the aim of the partnership is to create more efficient and flexible EV charging services.

“This partnership will focus on the opportunities our transition to DSO capability presents in terms of EV charging and the mass market evolution to e-mobility,” he explains.

“Our aim is to work with Counties Energy to unlock potential new solutions and orchestrate them in a coordinated way that meets growing customer expectations, operates within our networks’ dynamic operating envelope and creates new energy opportunities.

“Currently, the IEEE CSIP-AUS 2030.5 standard sits at the heart of industry leading services such as Flexible Exports in Australia and we are now looking at ways to extend this further for EV charging demand management,” Hampton adds.

“This is a rapidly evolving market with huge opportunity for us as electricity distributors to develop and offer customers smart, cost-effective solutions while managing peak and bi-directional demand.”

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