Demand Response Management System
TRANSPOWER
Transpower owns and operates the National Grid in New Zealand, providing the high voltage transmission network connecting areas of generation with towns and cities across New Zealand. They actively manage the network as well as the forecasted demand to ensure that the lights stay on throughout the country.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Transpower implemented a Demand Response (DR) programme in 2011, allowing electricity consumers to reduce their electricity demand for a period of time in exchange for a payment.
Why?
Sometimes there are substantial, short-term increases in electricity demand. Changes like these may trigger the need for additional investment in New Zealand's electricity transmission network – a cost that is passed on to all Kiwis.
Managing such peaks in demand can be an alternative to that investment. By helping to lighten the load, Transpower can get the power needed to the right place.
Peak demand occurs in the morning and evening when people wake up or get home to cook dinner.
DEMAND RESPONSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
To manage an upcoming demand response event, Transpower use a Demand Response Management System (DRMS) to send notifications, agree on the kW amount that participants can respond with, and the price for the event (reverse auction). Once agreed, it is over to the participants to reduce their demand in a few hours’ time.
To manage this, Transpower had an off the shelf solution which was implemented in 2011. Due to limitations in the system, Transpower needed a new solution to enable them to expand their DR programme into new markets and to create new opportunities.
SOLUTION
YouDo won the tender to build a new DRMS solution for Transpower. The project was broken into multiple phases, with the goal of the first phase being to replace the existing system.
Phase one had a extremely short development time frame, with the project starting in May 2018 and going live in October 2018.
Working with an very focused and dedicated Transpower team, we were able to deliver the project on time with the expected functionality.
What’s next?
YouDo are continuing to work with Transpower, to expand the new DRMS and develop extra functionality over the next development phases. This is an exciting project, with the Transpower team pushing the boundaries and developing new applications for the DR programme.
Stay tuned for future updates around the OpenADR implementation…
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