Energy network rewarded for innovation

New South Wales electricity distributor Endeavour Energy has won the Energy Network Industry Innovation Award 2022 for its application ‘Using a Network Digital Twin for Digital Emergency Response and Resilience’.

Presented along with the Consumer Engagement Award and the Industry Contribution Award at the Energy Networks Australia (ENA) annual dinner, the Innovation Award recognises leadership in the design, development and application of a groundbreaking Australian energy network initiative.

The Digital Twin is a 3D digital model of Endeavour Energy’s footprint including topography and network assets, along with flood modelling capabilities. This allows for near real-time information in the event of a major incident such as flood or fire and for longer-term planning of the grid such as infrastructure builds and vegetation management.

ENA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Dillon said while all the submissions were of a high calibre this year, Endeavour Energy’s application stood out as an Australian-first initiative.

“Australia’s energy networks are world leaders in innovation and Endeavour has demonstrated this in creating a platform that increases network reliability and resilience in the event of a natural disaster,” he said.

“The Digital Twin and other digital tools will help design a more resilient network in the face of large weather events, which is increasingly important to address climate change impacts.”

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