Trial aims to do a power of good
Wellingtonians are the test subjects for a ‘‘virtual power plant’’ that can be used to help neighbours in the event of a disaster.
Wellington City Council is working with Contact Energy and lines company Wellington Electricity to fund and install solar and battery systems across a number of homes so residents can continue to use electricity even if the grid suffers an outage.
Homeowners in the trial have agreed to share their stored power with neighbours in the event of a disaster or prolonged outage.
Wadestown resident Craig Burt was one of the first five residents in his suburb to take part in the two-year technology trial.
An extra 25 homes in Wellington’s southern suburbs have recently joined a second phase of the trial.
The role technology will play in the home of the future had been an eye-opening experience, Burt said.
‘‘The system seamlessly recharges the battery, supplies energy to the house and sends any excess energy back to the grid. You can keep track of electricity used, solar energy generated, energy sent to and used by the battery and the battery’s current state.’’
In summer, the battery had provided just under half of his electricity needs. So far this winter, it has supplied about a quarter.
Wellington Mayor Justin Lester said the trial would be a catalyst for valuable neighbourhood connections.
After an event like an earthquake, energy-independent homes could become community assets, helping to ensure the city continued to function, he said.
‘‘This project allows us to test what works best for Wellington before we’re faced with such an event. Simple things like being able to charge your phone so you can keep in touch with friends and family are absolute priorities after a natural disaster and that’s where the batteries come in.’’
The council is contributing $75,000 to the trial.
At times, the batteries will be used by Contact and Wellington Electricity to manage peak demands, which will reduce the need to build more generation plants and network supply infrastructure. This, in turn, will help reduce the cost of supplying energy to customers.
Contact chief customer officer Vena Crawley said the smart network of customer-located batteries would enhance the resilience of communities in the event of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake.
Customer feedback had been positive so far, with a willingness to support the wider community through a neighbourhood charging hub, should the need arise, he said.
Wellington Electricity chief executive Greg Skelton said the project would help it understand how to better integrate new technology into the network.