Adelaide market secures Schneider microgrid

The power of microgrids: Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric says microgrids, a collection of local, on-site distributed energy resources (DER) that work together as a single and separate version of the grid, deliver not just resilience and energy cost optimisation but also sustainability.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC was selected to design a system for a fruit and vegetable market in the Adelaide suburb of Pooraka that sought to reduce energy costs.

In what is touted one of the state’s largest private solar PV systems, the produce market (SAPM) will install 1,600 solar panels and a large lithium-ion battery.

The $10.5m microgrid has received a $2.5 million State Government Energy Productivity Program grant.

Schneider designed the ‘AZZO Solution’ by developing the operational strategy and controls in collaboration with EcoXpert AZZO.

Schneider Electric will provide the EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor, cloud-based optimisation and analytics platform.

The M580 PLCs, Micrologic MTZ LV breakers, ION and PowerLogic metering, SEPAM HV relays and Power SCADA Operation Edge Control software, will be embedded into the existing EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert platform and metering solution.

The microgrid should reduce the market’s power bills by $500,000 a year and in addition to supplying all of the market’s energy needs will feed surplus power back into the grid. It will also reduce pressure on the grid and increase reliability in the event of a power outage.

Meanwhile in the paddocks …

Australia’s largest commercial industrial microgrid to date can be found at Hardwicks Meat in regional Victoria.

The abattoir’s aim was to mitigate power outage impact by providing continuity of operation for the critical cold chain processes during power network events.

The team also wanted to maximise the penetration of renewable energy on site, integrating 1.5 MW solar generation and a single 2 MW/2 MWh battery storage system.

Schneider Electric fulfilled the order for the microgrid, which allows Hardwicks to benefit from an optimised energy bill, maximised on-site renewable energy usage.

The abattoir has also reduced site demand such as peak shaving through advanced forecasting and dispatching analytics, and can operate with full energy independence from the grid should an outage occur.

The microgrid provides Demand Response for the Australian Energy Market Operator and reactive power, frequency and voltage support for local utility Powercor.

Job done!