2 December 2019 – Since the successful handover of the first of EcoJoule’s EcoVAR production units to Endeavour Energy for pilot study trials in the Illawarra region earlier this year, the results have spoken for themselves.
Endeavour Energy has now deployed new EcoVAR units in four areas in Sydney’s Greater West with many more units planned for installation throughout the Endeavour Energy network over the coming period. The deployment of EcoJoule’s EcoVAR units by Endeavour Energy will work to maintain Endeavour Energy’s track record of safe and reliable supply of electricity to 2.4 million people in households and businesses across Sydney’s Greater West, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, the Illawarra and the South Coast.
Currently Australia is at the forefront in the uptake of solar panels worldwide. Solar panels are now reported as being installed in Australian homes and businesses at a rate of six every minute.
CEO of Ecojoule Energy Dr Mike Wishart says, “This solar revolution is great news for sustainable energy generation and improving the bottom line of consumers’ power bills. However, the downside is that large amounts of renewable solar power being generated back into the grid can push the voltage of the grid outside of acceptable ranges, impacting consumer appliances and tripping solar inverters. This is why the EcoVAR units are a vital innovation in the modern world of power grids.”
Endeavour Energy results have shown that the performance of the EcoVAR units has been better than expected, showing voltage improvements greater than 1 volt per kVA.
Endeavour Energy General Manager Customer and Assets Ty Christopher said, “These positive results following the installation of EcoVAR units exemplify our commitment to facilitating solar panel connections for our customers. Endeavour Energy aims to build a sustainable energy future for our customers by harnessing environmentally responsible energy sources wherever possible. As a socially responsible business, we are seeking to conserve our natural resources while still meeting the energy demands of our customer.”
What this means for Endeavour Energy’s consumers is that the EcoVAR units reduce the total voltage variation on the electricity network by 20 volts or more and keep the voltage supplied within acceptable limits.
The EcoVAR units work as a kind of shock absorber to stabilise the system voltage and increase the ability of the network to connect and absorb energy from customers solar panels.
This tighter voltage control improves appliance efficiency and lifespan as well as enabling higher levels of renewable generation, which all contribute to decreasing consumer electricity bills and happier consumers.
Positive feedback is already being received from household consumers since the deployment of the four EcoVAR units in Elderslie, Kentlyn, Berkshire Park and Badgerys Creek, and soon an additional two will be installed in Bawley Point on the South Coast.
Construction consultant Kris Loyolo, from Elderslie, is one of the happy customers benefiting from the installation of EcoVAR. He said, “Last summer before the EcoVAR units were installed my family and I often had to leave and move in with my parents when the temperature in the house reached 40 degrees and the air conditioner failed because of low voltage. It’s great now and I thank Endeavour Energy for its help and keeping me informed the whole time.”
With the summer season upon us, the new EcoVAR units will enable consumers to realise the value of their rooftop solar PV while at the same time keeping the voltage well within acceptable limits.
About EcoVAR
EcoVAR is a Static Compensator (STATCOM) that helps solve voltage problems. Its control algorithms automatically adjust the current to reduce high network voltages and increase low network voltages. EcoVAR reduces the total voltage variation or swing on the electricity network and keeps the voltage supplied to the consumer within acceptable limits.You can view more information about EcoVAR on EcoJoule’s website: https://ecojoule.com/ecovar/