Network Opportunity Maps

For this project, ISF partnered with Energy Networks Australia to develop a series of free online maps showing Australia’s electricity network. Called Network Opportunity Maps, they aim to inform the market about locations where investment in demand management and renewable energy may reduce the need to invest in 'poles-and-wires' electrical set-ups. Ultimately, their goal is to support the uptake of local sustainable energy options, and reduce costs for energy consumers.

The challenge

In order for a robust market for demand management or distributed energy to develop in areas where it provides network benefit, it requires clear, consistent and easily accessible data about network constraints, costs and potentially avoidable investments. Without this access to information, the market is unable to invest in a timely, cost-effective manner to support a reduction in traditional network investment.

While electricity network businesses annually report capacity and constraint data, this information is often difficult to interpret for those without specialised skills, or is missing key pieces of information. This information is produced in different formats across the Australian National Electricity Market (NEM) and often lacks sufficient geographical and network support value data to be useful from a decentralised energy project proponent’s perspective.

The solution

The project uses the Dynamic Avoidable Network Cost Evaluation (DANCE) model developed by ISF as part of the Intelligent Grid research program. ISF has previously applied the DANCE model for mapping Decentralised Energy for Victoria and for rural areas of the NEM suitable for concentrating solar power.

ISF has developed a streamlined process to collect data provided by the electricity network businesses annually, which is fed into the DANCE model to produce the Network Opportunity Maps on the Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) platform.

The maps identify and provide information on areas of network constraint, planned investment and the potential value of decentralised energy resources in networks across the NEM. They:

identify the most valuable locations to invest in renewable energy and demand management across the grid
improve the transparency and accessibility of information about development of the electricity grid in a consistent and easily accessible format that was not previously available
support the community and the emerging market of new energy service providers to better evaluate opportunities to improve the operation of the grid
help to build the market for demand management
prepare network businesses and market participants for a new collaborative era of grid management, involving many third party service providers
help to deliver better value and benefits to all electricity consumers.

Download supporting information

Network Opportunity Maps - worked calculation examples

NOM Half Hourly Load Trace Data for whole of NEM

Map of Sydney showing where value could be achieved in deferring network investments.

Ed Langham presenting at Energy Networks

Network Opportunity Maps Project Manager, Ed Langham, presenting about the maps at the Networks 2016 conference in Adelaide.

Partners

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) provides funding support. The project receives additional funding from NSW Department of Industry, Ergon Energy, UTS, Energy Networks Australia, AusNet Services and Powerlink, and is supported by ElectraNet and TransGrid.

Data Providers

The maps have been developed in collaboration with all transmission and distribution network businesses in the National Electricity Market, who have generously committed their time and expertise to provide data and refine the maps.

Online host

The mapping data is currently hosted on the AREMI platform by Geoscience Australia, which has been developed with funding support from ARENA, and managed by CSIRO’s digital innovation group, Data61.

Industry map production

As of October 2017, Energy Networks Australia has formally taken over the production of the Network Opportunity Maps from UTS. This arrangement is formalised in a Collaborative Agreement between Energy Networks Australia, UTS and ARENA.