Grid Innovation Hub welcomes industry partners

Monash University’s Grid Innovation Hub — a collaborative, interdisciplinary research body that tackles the challenges brought about by Australia’s rapidly transforming energy industry — has announced it will be joined by two new industry partners: electrical engineering consultant Power Systems Consultants (PSC) and sustainable energy specialist X-ELIO, from Spain.

With Australia’s energy transition outpacing the technologies and policies that have supported the National Energy Market since 1998, there is a pressing need to develop new solutions. Dr Tony Marxsen OAM, Monash Grid Innovation Hub Chair, said, “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.

“Later this year we’ll report on a suite of technologies that can strengthen the grid,” he said.

“We’re excited to have Power Systems Consultants (PSC) and X-ELIO joining the Hub,” said Professor Ariel Liebman, Director of the Monash Energy Institute and host of the Grid Innovation Hub at Monash University. “They will enable us to bring the best academic, business and engineering knowledge to the challenges facing Australia’s national grid.”

The Hub is tackling two critical areas: physical stability and financial/economic stability.

In the case of the first, 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.

In relation to the second, 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.

“We are delighted to be part of Monash’s Grid Innovation Hub, a world-class research–industry collaboration,” said Belinda Fan, Country Manager of X-ELIO in Australia. “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, Queensland. It is also developing solar farms at Maxwell and Forest Glen, both in NSW.

Matthew Robinson, Head of Strategic Service Development with PSC, said, “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,” Robinson said.

Image caption: Monash University welcomes PSC and X-ELIO as members of the Grid Innovation Hub. Left to right: Dr Sarah Goodwin, Monash Energy Institute; Tina Kazmer, PSC; Associate Professor Guillaume Roger, Monash Energy Institute; Matthew Robinson, PSC; Dr Behrooz Bahrani, Monash Energy Institute; Belinda Fan, X-ELIO; Nandhini Nehru, Monash Energy Institute. Image credit: Angkit Thapa, Monash University.