The Monash Energy Transformation project is exploring a broad spectrum of microgrid and smart embedded network applications looking at new energy technology solutions, optimisation and network security, business and regulatory models and consumer drivers and value. Monash has committed to building a microgrid on its 40,000 student Clayton campus, acting as a living laboratory, partnering with industry to research and demonstrate solutions for the transformation of energy networks.

A key component of this is an economically and technically optimal control architecture that allows integration of software platforms to provide Energy (EMS), Distribution (DMS) and Power Quality Management System (PQMS) functionality to achieve a high penetration of renewables and guarantee benefits to customers while providing resilience and security to local microgrids and to the wider network.

Monash is particularly interested in how we use layered intelligence, distributed optimisation and next generation communication systems to achieve increased reliability and high penetration of DER, but at a fraction of the cost of more typical hardwired centralised systems. This will make microgrids replicable in non-campus applications and provide solutions to current regulatory, policy and business model challenges to wider application of grid-tied microgrids.

Tony Fullelove
Program Director, Sustainable Energy Transformation and Microgrid Project
Monash University, Australia

Tony Fullelove has over 15 years' experience in the energy industry delivering large scale wind and solar renewable projects such and leading major transformational programs across the property and energy sectors. Currently as Project Director for the Monash Energy Transformation, Tony and his team are focused on transitioning the Monash Clayton campus to net zero emissions. This precinct will incorporate a sustainable microgrid and provide a centre of excellence for microgrid and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) projects across Australia and the region. The project aims to find solutions to the challenges of an energy sector transitioning to a high penetration of distributed renewables, while also increasing reliability and providing fair and affordable energy to customers.