Regional Microgrid Fund with Monash University
How can businesses and homes work together for a more reliable grid?
Monash University and birdwood are investigating it thanks to the Federal Governments Regional and Remote Microgrid Reliability Fund.
Monash University has received almost $2 million from the Federal Government to use its net zero expertise to assess the feasibility of implementing microgrids in six regional Victoria communities.
Monash will work with Birdwood Energy on delivering the project. They will lead the analysis for the feasibility study and draw from their commercial experience in establishing microgrids.
Birdwood Energy CEO Scott McGregor said they were delighted to be working with Monash on this practical program.
“Together, we will show Victorian communities how they can work together to bring forward the clean, distributed energy future – from the bottom up,” he said.
The project will use the pair’s microgrid, smart energy, storage and commercial expertise to help six communities in the Surf Coast, Yarra Ranges and Wodonga local government areas (LGAs). The project will now identify suitable communities for the project, which is expected to be completed in 2023.
Each microgrid will aim to virtually connect one business and approximately 20 homes into a microgrid including local renewable generation and energy storage. The study will capture and analyse data to help develop attractive and replicable investment opportunities.
Keep an eye out for more.
