LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., Dec. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating new ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water, is collaborating with Jemena, a provider of gas and electricity services to millions of customers in Australia, to deploy Itron's Low Voltage Distributed Energy Resource Management System (LV DERMS) to manage rooftop solar generation and enhance resiliency within the energy system.
The innovative data-driven and flexible solution transforms the planning and operating risks caused by consumer energy resources (CERs), specifically solar, into opportunities. LV DERMS will help address challenges stemming from the integration of CER into the low voltage network with real-time insights to enable operational decisions.
Following the emergency solar backstop mechanism mandated by the Victorian Government, from Oct. 1, 2024, all new or upgraded rooftop solar systems must have a utility compatible inverter and reliable internet connection that will allow utilities to manage minimum demand.
The Itron LV DERMS solution enables Jemena, at the direction of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), to remotely curtail solar power generation when supply and demand imbalances occur within the electricity grid. This capability ensures compliance with the Victoria mandate and offers an easy-to-install, cost-effective and secure solution for addressing stability challenges faced by AEMO.
"Across Jemena's electricity distribution network, we are seeing more customers adopt solar panels, electric vehicles and other technologies than ever before. While solar generation is beneficial to customers and a sustainable way to power homes, excess solar power can cause supply-demand imbalance within the energy system and potentially overload it," said Georgia Cronin, General Manager Customer & Energy Solutions at Jemena.
"Maximizing the contribution of consumer energy resources (CERs) is key to meeting Australia's climate goals... With Itron's solutions already integrated at the edge of many Australian utility providers' Advanced Metering Infrastructures (AMI) networks, deploying Itron's LV DERMS provides a cost-effective and streamlined approach," said Alex Beveridge, Itron's director of sales for APAC.