Ben Valley SWER Project

This project consisted of 14 PV installations to create a fully operational mini grid on a SWER line in the Ausnet Services network area.

The research project was partially funded by ARENA, and is a project in partnership between University of Technology Sydney, Ausnet Services and Mondo Power. Solar Integrity were chosen as installation partner, due to our extensive technical competency.

The project integrates solar, battery and a control tool called UBI (designed and made by Mondo Power), to assist in creating grid harmony by managing voltage rises and drops in a SWER scenario.

Thus creating greater energy security for those living on the SWER; less or if in best case scenario no power interruptions and less maintenance costs for the network provider.  This particular SWER was chosen as it was due for an upgrade.

The particular SWER had been experiencing voltage rises during the day. When the rises in voltage occur outside the acceptable thresholds the UBI can identify when batteries have the capacity to store excess energy and divert power to those batteries, thus bringing voltages back within range.

A more significant concern was the voltage drops occurring at approximately 2am when electric storage water heaters were switching on.  To help manage this via the UBI, a small amount of power from the customers’ batteries is fed back into the network in order to bring the voltage back up into the acceptable range.

The needs of each customer were assessed individually and the systems designed to their needs first and foremost.  However all the batteries were to be the same size as stipulated by the project owners.

All current data is showing success in creating grid harmony, and the customers are excited to be a part of such a significant trial.

It was for an installation in this project that Luke Fraser won a national CEC Solar Installers Award. The photos featured are our award winning installation.