Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has become the first council in Queensland to join a trial to optimise electricity use under a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) agreement with Yurika.
The virtual power plant is a cloud-based, load control system created to manage extreme electricity demand during severe temperature events. The technology also provides valuable, real-time data that can be used to make smart decisions about the way power is used.
TRC Water and Waste Committee chair Cr Nancy Sommerfield said council had signed an agreement that incorporates 11 of the council's largest electricity demand sites on the water network including dams and major pumping stations.
"The need to pump water long distances and uphill for our water supply means that Council is a large electricity user," Cr Sommerfield said.
"The financial benefit of this partnership means that during a time of high demand, council’s assets can be switched off, supporting the council to reduce its energy bill and share potential savings gained by a reduction of demand.
"The other important benefit is the opportunity to use Yurika's VPP to reduce the load during peak times, therefore lowering the risk of black-outs or brown outs on the general network."
The VPP was launched in Queensland last September. More information is available on the following website: Toowoomba Regional Council, Queensland Treasurer's office and Yurika.