Background
Demand Management and Planning Project
Project Background
Introduction
As consumers demand for electricity grew, TransGrid and EnergyAustralia proposed increasing the electricity supply while maintaining the current reliability of supply to the Sydney CBD and inner suburbs. This was called the ‘MetroGrid Project’.
Planning NSW, now the Department of Planning approved the MetroGrid Project in March 2002 with the relevant approval conditions referred to as the "Conditions of Consent".
The Conditions of Consent are designed to provide robust, practical and accurate information for all consumers on demand reduction opportunities in the inner Sydney region. There are 12 Conditions relating to the DMPP describing these requirements.
The Project Plan will operate on a $10M budget over a five year period commencing June 2003.
Mission Statement
To enable the cost–effective deferral or avoidance of major new electrical infrastructure works by providing accurate and reliable information on available electrical demand reduction opportunities.
Goals
- To identify and quantify the cost of reducing demand in the inner Sydney region through investigating power factor correction, interruptability, energy efficiency, cogeneration and energy management
- To develop an inventory of existing emergency standby generator facilities and options for their use
- Ensure accuracy of information through demonstration programs with appropriate monitoring and verification methods
- To confirm actual costs and performance of reducing demand by implementing demand reduction projects
- To provide a framework with relevant information for other organisations and stakeholders wishing to reduce consumers' demand for electricity
- To provide reports detailing the methodology and summary results of the project, for dissemination to the wider community
What is demand management?
‘Demand Management’ refers to any actions which lowers the demand at peak times on the electrical network. The Demand Management and Planning Project (DMPP) will investigate these actions looking at a variety of ways to identify peak reduction opportunities on the electrical network.
Actions may include:
- Energy efficiency and power factor correction improvements
- Load shifting from peak to non peak times
- Load Curtailment (interruption to part or full load of the customer) by winding systems or processes down with an appropriate notification to the customer
- Fuel switching, such as changing from electricity to gas
- Distributed generation, such as stand–by generators in office buildings or photovoltaic modules on rooftops
What is the objective of the Demand Management and Planning Project?
The objective of the DMPP project is to provide accurate information to identify potential opportunities to reduce consumer peak demand for electricity. This project shall identify and quantify the cost for reducing peak demand in the inner Sydney region through a variety of initiatives. Demonstration projects supporting a range of investigative programs will be carried out to provide accurate and reliable information and be made available to the public.