Flex, Energy Matters’ parent company, has been featured on ABC’s Lateline. The national TV report shows householders with solar and battery systems how Flex’s recently launched PowerPlay solution will be able to support the deX energy trading platform.
DeX stands for decentralised energy exchange and is hailed as the next phase in power management.
Through the platform, connected home appliances, as well as its solar and home battery system, will be connected to the internet and controlled via a deX trading platform app.
The trial is being led by energy technology company GreenSync, and involves nearly 40 industry members.
The idea is to create a new marketplace for even the smallest operators to make money – including householders and SMEs.
Phil Blythe from GreenSync said an energy market already exists for large-scale generation. He said now it’s the turn of small-scale solar generators.
“We need to enfranchise smaller resources that sit in people’s homes and businesses and in their battery systems and allow them to participate in an energy market,” he told Lateline.
“The deX is really the first of its kind to allow that to happen.”
Going behind the meter into the home
Wilf Johnston is Managing Director of Flex Australia, one of the energy companies involved in the trial. He said deX is designed to save householders money by clever management of their energy use.
“What deX will do is coordinate all the energy assets you have in the home, whether it’s solar or storage, and allow them to be optimised for the grid. If you’re not home but you’re generating lots of energy, you can store it and make that available.”
Flex PowerPlay is a next generation smart solar solution, able to not only generate energy and store it, but also help households automatically control their high consumption appliances. This helps to reduce their reliance on expensive grid electricity.
Step into the energy trading ARENA
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is also supporting the rollout of deX. It sees massive potential for what’s known as ‘behind the meter’ power trading. This refers to home solar generators trading electricity with each other and also with the main grid.
ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the long-term forecast suggests 50 per cent of generation will happen behind the meter.
“That still leaves a significant role for the network and big generators. But it also means there’s a very big role in orchestrating the system, tying it all together, and making sure the individual pieces work as a whole.”
