The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has today commenced an industry co-design process to develop a national consumer energy resource data exchange (CER Data Exchange) in partnership with AusNet.
The CER Data Exchange is a key enabler for consumer energy resources (CER) to be an integrated part of a customer-centric, flexible and dynamic, and data-enabled electricity system. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is supporting this initiative through a $1.2 million grant from its Advancing Renewables Fund.
Currently, CER devices are coordinated by energy service providers through a growing number of point-to-point connections. This arrangement risks creating a fragmented energy systems and limits CER customers’ ability to maximise the benefits from their investment.
The CER Data Exchange initiative seeks to create a digital ecosystem that supports multiple organisations to share CER-related information through a secure exchange. The CER Data Exchange will provide lower cost access for organisations to connect and support the development of new and innovative services to provide greater value to all customers.
AusNet General Manager Network Strategy and Planning, Rod Jones said: “In the absence of a national CER Data Exchange, customer representatives would have to deal with multiple, proprietary standards and data platforms to share CER information, resulting in greater costs and reduced customer choice.”
“Many of our customers are trying to reduce their dependence on environmentally damaging fossil fuels by installing solar panels and batteries, while at the same time, reducing their energy costs. A national data exchange will make it possible for energy companies to support greater customer uptake of these technologies.”
Australian households and businesses have embraced CER at rates unparalleled across the globe. Consumer adoption of rooftop solar systems grew 25 per cent year-on-year over the past five years, with the uptake of energy storage, electric vehicles and new technologies such as energy management systems set to follow similar trajectory.
AEMO’s Executive General Manager of Reform Delivery, Violette Mouchaileh said: “AEMO is a strong advocate for enabling small-scale energy resources to be an integrated part of our electricity system.”
“We need to take advantage of the significant advantages that CER can provide to transform our electricity system to one that is low-cost and low-carbon.”
“We are building on recommendations, evidence and research conducted both here in Australia and internationally that showed CER that are coordinated at scale can help to improve electricity reliability and grid-security.
"The development of a national data exchange is the logical step in the CER reform journey. We want to work collaboratively with everyone in the industry to develop the CER Data Exchange. This is not an initiative that AEMO can do on its own,” she said.
For the remainder of 2024, AEMO and AusNet will conduct a collaborative co-design process with a wide range of organisations and businesses to develop a high-level specification for the CER Data Exchange. AEMO and AusNet will draw on an expert working group and host a number of public workshops to provide opportunities for stakeholders to take part in the co-design process.
AEMO has also appointed Mott MacDonald to support this project. Ed Chan, Mott MacDonald’s Australian Head of Energy Advisory, will lead an expert team to facilitate the co-design process. Ed is a well-respected and experienced energy policy advisor who has led several complex CER reforms through collaborative co-design processes. Prior to joining Mott MacDonald, Ed was a Policy Director at the Australian Energy Market Commission and the CER and Data Strategy Lead at the Energy Security Board.
AEMO will be holding a public webinar on Thursday 6 June at 11:00 am to provide an overview of the project, the desired outcomes and how to get involved.
To attend this information session, please visit AEMO’s website and download the webinar invite. For more information on the CER Data Exchange project, please email cerdataexchange@aemo.com.au
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