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Marubeni, CEP.Energy begins development

of battery-based virtual power plant

AUSTRALIA SMARTESTENERGY Australia, owned by – primarily rooftop solar installations – to the
Japan’s Marubeni, has signed a memorandum of energy network and large-scale battery array,
understanding (MoU) with Australian renewa- the project will ensure ongoing reliability and
bles fund CEP.Energy to embark on the creation sustained energy supply to consumers.
of one of the world’s largest energy battery banks. Landlords and tenants of properties across
The first stage of the project will see Smartes- Australia will benefit from lower energy costs as
tEnergy Australia manage and operate the first a result of this innovative VPP project and total
400 MW of Virtual Power Plant (VPP) for CEP. renewable energy solution.
Energy located at various industrial park sites Peter Wright, CEP.Energy CEO, said: “Smart-
across the country owned by industrial devel- estEnergy Limited has a proven track record in
oper and property owner Pelligra Group. the commercial and industrial energy space in
“As a next-generation energy company, we’re the UK and has recently entered Australia, and
delighted to be associated with this large-scale we are pleased they have come on board to be
and innovative project led by CEP.Energy in our retailer of choice. They will use their expe-
Australia. It will shape the way renewable energy rience and battery and solar technology to offer
generation and storage projects are delivered at electricity at a materially lower cost.’’
scale leveraging the latest technology,” said Rob- CEP.Energy’s A$1bn ($712mn) capital raising
ert Owens, SmartestEnergy Australia’s CEO. efforts are set to close soon and were launched
CEP.Energy said that the project involved by the former New South Wales (NSW) premier,
SmartestEnergy managing the assets, thereby Morris Iemma, in June 2019.
optimising the value of the solar energy pro- The CEP.Energy CEO, ex-Macquarie Bank
duced, and selling it back to Pelligra’s retail and executive director Peter Wright, said the capital
commercial customers at a roughly 20% dis- raising is progressing well, putting CEP.Energy
count to grid prices. on track to get to work in Victoria as the state
The CEP.Energy project will go on to build progresses out of lockdown – which should
an impressive 1,000-MW battery bank, made mean within the next two weeks.
up of aggregated batteries in a VPP, including “We’ve had a strong market response driven
the commissioning of three large-scale utility by the fact that many institutional investors are
batteries. underweight in commercial clean energy invest-
By connecting solar generation assets ments,” Wright said.™

NEWS IN BRIEF

GRIDS transforming power systems,” said Zibelman. System Operator (Energinet)are leading this
“This consortium will help meet this need consortium.
World’s leading power by engaging key power system operators, partnering with more than 25 prominent
These founding system operators are
applied research and educational institutions,
system operators launch governments, businesses, and stakeholders system operators from Africa, Asia, Latin
America, Eastern Europe, and other regions
from developed and developing countries
global consortium to accelerate clean energy transitions at the as well as renowned research and educational
institutions from around the world to help
ambitious scope and scale that is required.”
Audrey Zibelman, CEO of the Australia The goal of the consortium s to guide the G-PST vision. The system operators
Energy Market Operator (AEMO), dramatically accelerate the transition to low from emerging and developing countries
announced the launch of the Global Power emission and low cost, secure, and reliable will engage in technical collaboration,
System Transformation Consortium (G-PST). power systems, contributing to >50% peer learning, and workforce development
Speaking at the BloombergNEF Summit, emission reductions of all pollutants globally to support the application of advanced
Zibelman highlighted the need for a major over the next 10 years by enabling the efficient engineering and operational solutions to meet
global collaborative effort in overcoming integration of substantial clean energy their priorities.
technical barriers related to the integration investments into power systems. “We’re excited to join fellow system
of clean energy into power systems at an CEOs of six of the world’s leading system operators in leading the consortium’s research
unprecedented scope and scale. operators, Australia Energy Market Operator agenda that is holistic and driven by making it
“Countries around the world are looking (AEMO), National Grid Electricity System all work together,” said Fintan Slye, Director,
to pursue a path to modern, low-emissions Operator UK, California Independent System National Grid Electricity System Operator
energy systems, but face significant challenges Operator (CAISO), Electric Reliability (ESO).
in acquiring and applying the technical Council of Texas (ERCOT), Ireland’s The core technical team for the consortium
knowledge needed to operate and plan rapidly System Operator (EirGrid), and Denmark’s includes the Energy Systems Integration

Week 42 21•October•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P9