by Phil Shorten
SuRF (Southcoast Resilience Feasibility study) is a microgrid feasibility project funded by the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.
Last spring, working groups in Congo, South Durras, Mystery Bay, the two Tilbas, Bodalla and Broulee spent several hours reviewing their current supply arrangements, learning about ‘islandable’ microgrids and developing a mud map for the configuration of their community’s microgrid.
A microgrid is a small electricity grid that utilises local electricity, typically generated by rooftop solar, and perhaps a solar farm, with a community battery. There are many design configurations and different sources of electricity to be considered.
The SuRF microgrid design team led by ANU’s Bjorn Sturmberg is drafting potential designs for these communities to be considered in April 2023, based on a brief created by community discussion groups.
The project outcomes include designs that might be considered technically,economically and socially feasible for those communities and other interested parties, including project partner SHASA (Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance), to consider in more detail after the SuRF project.
The design options being offered include two key modes of operation. The first is in ‘islandable’ mode. Islandable means the microgrid can be disconnected from the main grid relying on local electricity generation and storage only to service that community – ideal if the main grid has been compromised by fires and storms etc.
The other mode is when the microgrid is connected to the main grid and exchanges ectricity up and down the line. This mode can assist the main grid to remain in balance and protect the network components as electricity moves up and down the line. This is particularly effective when the microgrid has a battery to store electricity when there is too much power heading back up the line. In this grid-connected mode there may also be community benefits, including greater access to green power, higher feed-in limits and, potentially, lower prices for local users if the community is interested in sharing electricity locally.
One of the communities in this project is exploring how an existing diesel generator might be used sparingly to charge up a community battery when rooftop solar is not sufficient, due to rain, at night or on smoky days that reduce the output of solar panels.
Another working group in a particularly heavily treed community is interested in increasing utilisation of existing rooftop solar. Phil Shorten from SuRF says the challenge for the SuRF team is to offer a design that will facilitate that access saying “This is especially challenging as the current rules around the distribution of electricity don’t allow for peer-to-peer or neighbour-to-neighbour sharing.’
Suggested changes to these rules, along with business cases and implementation plans, will form the bulk of the SuRF project outcomes. These outcomes will assist other community groups to have informed discussions around the feasibility of a community microgrid.
Another community working group is looking at how a microgrid, in islanded mode, might support a village-wide sprinkler system as well as a refrigeration space for local businesses to share during long power outages.
Others want to know if a local microgrid using local generation and storage might be offered to the main grid to offset peak power costs as well as the possibility of setting up local tariffs that might favour low-income consumers in these communities. The role of a suitable retailer to set up and manage these tariffs will be explored as part of the design options drafted by the design team.
The next round of consultations in these communities will be in April and is being designed and managed by Phil Shorten from SHASA and Hedda Ransan-Cooper from ANU. Details of these consultations will be made available on the SHASA website and other social media platforms. Call Phil for more information on 0438 217 916 or email phil@impartskills.onmicrosoft.com
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