Author: Ben Ready

EcoJoule Energy’s EcoVAR Low Voltage D-STATCOM delivers utility-scale power quality outcomes from distributed installations — addressing voltage instability, phase imbalance, and harmonics at the point of cause, rather than attempting centralised correction downstream.

A common assumption in network planning is that system-scale problems require system-scale equipment. EcoJoule Energy’s EcoVAR challenges that assumption — and the evidence from operating deployments supports a different conclusion: distributed power quality correction, applied at the source of grid stress, is more effective, more cost-efficient, and more resilient than centralised approaches.

The EcoVAR is a Low Voltage Distribution STATCOM (D-STATCOM) installed on the LV distribution network by the utility. A single unit serves all customers downstream on a feeder segment, from typically 5 to 200 residential connections, or a combination of residential and commercial loads including three-phase commercial buildings.

The device is not a customer-premises solution. It is utility infrastructure, approved, owned, and operated by the network business.

The Case for Distributed Correction

Distribution networks are not uniform. Voltage instability, phase imbalance, and harmonic distortion each originate at specific points on the network. They are at the customer connection, at the inverter, at the motor load. Centralised solutions, whether at the substation or at transmission level, address these problems after the fact, working against the impedance of the network itself.

The physics favour distribution. Reactive power, which governs voltage stability, cannot be efficiently transported over long distances. Every kilovar of reactive support sourced locally avoids the losses associated with delivering that support from a remote point. An EcoVAR installed at the end of a feeder provides reactive compensation where the voltage drop is greatest, with no transmission losses and no dependency on upstream infrastructure capacity.

“Centralised solutions address power quality problems after they have already propagated through the network. The EcoVAR eliminates them at the point of origin,  which is where they do the most damage.”
Dr Mike Wishart, CEO EcoJoule Energy

The same principle applies to harmonics. Distortion generated by inverter-based loads, variable speed drives, and EV chargers propagates upstream through the network. Filtering that distortion at or near the source, before it reaches the substation transformer, reduces impedance stress throughout the network. Centralised harmonic management addresses the symptom; distributed filtering addresses the cause.

Stacked Economic Benefits: How Utilities Build the Business Case

The EcoVAR’s value is not derived from a single performance metric. Its business case is built by stacking measurable outcomes across the performance categories that regulators and utilities already track: voltage compliance, loss reduction, asset life, and capital deferral. Each benefit is independently quantifiable; together they produce a compelling investment case even at the individual feeder level.

Scale Through Distribution: Many Units, One Outcome

The objection that distributed solutions cannot achieve system scale impacts misunderstands how distribution networks function, they are in fact distributed systems themselves. It makes intuitive sense that a distributed solution is the best solution for distribution networks.  A utility deploying EcoVARs across a portfolio of feeders achieves network-wide power quality improvement through coordinated distributed correction. This is the same principle that underpins modern distributed energy resource management. The EcoVAR is not a substitute for system planning; it is a tool that makes existing infrastructure more capable, deferring the need for system-level intervention.

KEY INSTALLATION ADVANTAGE
The EcoVAR requires no network outage for installation. It connects to existing LV infrastructure and eliminates the switching costs and customer disruption associated with alternative network upgrades. This reduces the total cost of deployment and simplifies scheduling for network operators.

Critically, each EcoVAR installation is independently valuable. The business case does not depend on network-wide deployment. A single unit on a constrained feeder delivers measurable, reportable outcomes from day one. Voltage compliance, loss reduction, asset life extension, all while the utility builds confidence in the technology before broader rollout.

This deployment model reduces investment risk significantly compared to large, centralised infrastructure projects, which require full commitment before any benefit is realised.

About EcoJoule Energy

EcoJoule Energy designs and manufactures Low Voltage Distribution STATCOMs (EcoVAR) and Battery Energy Storage Systems (EcoSTORE) for electricity distribution networks worldwide. EcoJoule’s technology is deployed by utilities across Australia, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. The company’s mission is to ensure that the benefits of the energy transition reach all users of the distribution grid — by relieving grid congestion, enabling solar generation to reach more customers, and maximising the capacity of existing network infrastructure. EcoJoule is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Martin van der Linde
Chief Commercial Officer
sales@ecojoule.com

Global operator of Distribution STATCOMs across four continents brings field-proven grid management expertise to the Australian engineering community.

EcoJoule Energy today announced it has joined the Electric Energy Society of Australia (EESA) as a Bronze Sponsor. The membership reflects EcoJoule’s commitment to contributing global operational experience in low voltage distribution management to Australian power engineers as the sector navigates the challenges of widespread distributed energy resource (DER) integration.

EcoJoule’s EcoVAR Distribution STATCOM is currently in service across four continents, making it one of the most operationally validated low voltage STATCOM platforms available to distribution network service providers worldwide. The company joins EESA at a time when Australian networks face mounting pressure from rooftop solar penetration, load imbalance, and power quality degradation across low voltage feeders.

A core principle guiding EcoJoule’s deployment approach is that Distribution STATCOMs are most effective when applied close to the point of voltage excursion — at the low voltage lines where solar generation, excess load, and power quality issues interact directly. This distinguishes the EcoVAR from upstream voltage management approaches, which address symptoms rather than causes and leave low voltage customers with limited relief.

The EcoVAR delivers simultaneous reactive power compensation, phase balancing, and active harmonic filtering in a single field device. Its 800 VDC secondary architecture and installation process that requires no network outage reduce deployment cost and customer disruption. These are both material considerations for networks managing increasingly tight maintenance windows.

EcoJoule positions the EcoVAR as the commercially demonstrated, field-proven alternative to network augmentation for managing the modern distribution environment. Augmentation carries a structural disadvantage that is widely understood but rarely quantified in investment decisions: the stochastic nature of network demand means new assets routinely enter service years ahead of their utilisation curve, creating capital that earns no return until load growth catches up. The EcoVAR allows networks to extract maximum capacity from existing infrastructure now, deferring augmentation expenditure until it is genuinely warranted — and in many cases avoiding it entirely.

The installed cost of EcoVAR deployment is a fraction of augmentation, and the device operates dynamically, responding to real-time network conditions rather than being sized for a future peak that may arrive later than modelled, or not at all. Through its EESA membership, EcoJoule intends to contribute to the Society’s technical program with content grounded in operational data from live network deployments, supporting Australian power engineers with practical, evidence-based guidance on low voltage STATCOM application as DER penetration continues to grow.

About EcoJoule Energy

EcoJoule Energy develops and deploys Low Voltage Distribution STATCOMs and Battery Energy Storage Systems for electricity distribution networks. The company’s EcoVAR platform is in service across four continents, enabling distribution network operators to manage voltage excursions, phase imbalance, and power quality issues at the low voltage level — maximising the capacity of existing network infrastructure and enabling greater solar generation to reach more customers. EcoJoule believes the energy transition should deliver benefits to all electricity users, and designs its technology to ensure the benefits of distributed generation flow equitably across the distribution grid.

Martin van der Linde 
Chief Commercial Officer
EcoJoule Energy
sales@ecojoule.com

As distributed solar generation and EV charging reshape load profiles hour by hour, static compensation and scheduled phase balancing can no longer keep pace. EcoJoule’s EcoVAR addresses the root cause: dynamically, continuously, and without taking feeders out of service.

Distribution engineers across four continents are specifying EcoJoule’s EcoVAR low voltage D-STATCOM as the primary tool for managing congestion, voltage instability, phase imbalance, and harmonic pollution on LV networks. The EcoVAR is pole-mounted on existing overhead LV infrastructure. In form and installation footprint it closely resembles a conventional MV/LV distribution transformer, connected directly to each LV phase conductor. Four technical characteristics consistently drive specification decisions.

1. Maximise existing infrastructure: defer or eliminate capital augmentation

Traditional network congestion has a traditional answer: build more poles and wires. Overhead line augmentation typically costs an average of $560,954 per km, with some DNSP’s reporting over $1.5M AUD per km in submissions to the energy regulator. LV augmentation often requires easements, community consultation, and civil works measured in years, and delivers capacity that may be underutilised for the first decade of operation.

A single EcoVAR unit provides reactive power compensation, voltage regulation, and harmonic filtering from an existing pole position on the LV overhead network. By correcting power factor and reducing resistive losses in real time, it recovers usable capacity on conductors already in service. In documented deployments, a single installation has deferred line augmentation by three to seven years, with capital savings representing a substantial multiple of the device and installation cost.

Installation note: The EcoVAR’s 800 VDC secondary bus architecture enables connection directly to the LV overhead lines with no HV interruption, no planned outage, and no network access window required. Australian distribution utilities are commissioning EcoVAR units in a few hours, at a total installation cost of a few thousand AUD per unit.

2. Manage dynamic and bidirectional loads: rooftop solar and EV charging simultaneously

The operating envelope that distribution equipment was designed for has changed. A residential feeder that once carried predictable morning and evening peaks now experiences reverse power flows during midday solar export, rapid load ramps as EV chargers cycle on and off, and voltage rise events that trip inverters and curtail generation. Static capacitor banks and fixed tap changers were not designed for this environment.

“The question for distribution planners is no longer whether to adopt dynamic compensation. It is how quickly existing feeders can be equipped to handle the resource mix that is already being connected.” — Dr Mike Wishart, CEO EcoJoule Energy

The EcoVAR operates as a fully dynamic compensator, responding to network conditions in under one cycle. It absorbs or injects reactive power continuously, suppresses voltage swings caused by variable generation, and provides active harmonic filtering to address the harmonic currents introduced by inverter-based resources and EV chargers. The result is a feeder that can accommodate significantly higher penetration of distributed energy resources without voltage limit violations, increasing the volume of solar generation that reaches end customers through existing infrastructure.

Network-level impact: Voltage rise on congested feeders is the primary technical constraint limiting rooftop solar connection approvals. An EcoVAR installation directly expands the connection capacity of the feeder, reducing deferred solar connections and improving returns on existing network assets.

3. True dynamic phase balancing: manual rebalancing is no longer a viable maintenance strategy

Phase balancing on LV overhead networks has historically been performed by a linesman crew travelling to the affected area, climbing poles, and physically disconnecting overhead line connections to individual properties before reconnecting them to a different phase. This is not a switchboard adjustment. It is live overhead work requiring traffic management, safety exclusion zones, and multiple crew members. A single rebalancing job across a suburban street can consume a full day of skilled labour and plant, at significant cost per intervention, before accounting for repeat visits as conditions change.

This approach had a reasonable basis when load profiles were stable and predictable, and when a survey conducted on a Tuesday morning could be relied upon to reflect typical conditions. It no longer does. On a modern LV feeder, a household’s net phase contribution changes sign between 11am and 6pm as rooftop solar generation gives way to EV charging. The phase that appeared lightly loaded during the morning survey may be the most heavily loaded by the time the crew reaches the end of the street.

Manual rebalancing performed against one set of conditions creates imbalance under another, and the cost of scheduling a return crew visit is non-trivial. Neutral current increases, transformer losses rise, and voltage deviation across phases widens, accelerating asset degradation and increasing energy costs for every customer on the feeder.

The EcoVAR resolves this because each internal phase operates independently, referenced phase-to-ground rather than phase-to-phase. The unit measures imbalance continuously and compensates in real time, injecting or absorbing current on each phase independently to maintain balance across the full 24-hour cycle, regardless of how the generation and load mix shifts throughout the day. There is no crew dispatch, no overhead line work, no residual imbalance between surveys, and no cost for a return visit.

Asset life consequence: Voltage imbalance across phases introduces negative sequence currents whose losses are disproportionate to their magnitude, due to the lower impedance presented to negative sequence components. These currents cause localised winding heating in distribution transformers, where the Arrhenius relationship means ageing is exponentially accelerated with temperature. Even modest sustained hotspot increases measurably compress asset life. Dynamic phase balancing via EcoVAR reduces transformer thermal stress continuously over the asset life, compounding the return on installation.

4. Active harmonic filtering: protecting network assets as device quality varies across the customer base

The proliferation of inverter-based devices — rooftop solar systems, EV chargers, variable speed drives, and consumer electronics — has fundamentally changed the harmonic profile of residential LV feeders. Many of these devices, particularly lower-cost units that drift into non-compliance after prolonged service in harsh conditions, generate significant harmonic currents that propagate through the network. These currents heat conductors and transformers beyond their rated thermal capacity, cause nuisance tripping of protective devices, and degrade power quality for neighbouring customers.

Distribution utilities cannot simply instruct affected households to replace their devices. The customers most likely to have purchased lower-cost equipment are also the customers for whom replacement costs are most prohibitive. Excluding these households from participation in rooftop solar and EV charging on the basis that their equipment has drifted out of compliance is not a viable social or commercial position for a utility to hold. The energy transition must be accessible to all energy users, not only those who can afford premium equipment or frequent replacements.

The EcoVAR provides active harmonic filtering as an integrated function, continuously measuring harmonic content on each phase and injecting compensating currents to cancel distortion at the point of common coupling. This protects transformers, cables, and switchgear from premature thermal degradation. Those are assets whose replacement cost is substantial, and whose loss of service is disruptive to all customers on the affected feeder.

Asset protection framing: A single distribution transformer replacement typically costs tens of thousands to over $100,000 installed, excluding outage costs and customer compensation. Active harmonic filtering that extends transformer service life by even two to three years generates a return that is straightforward to quantify in any business case.

RELATED
UK Power Networks — Content from this release supports EcoJoule’s contribution to the UK Power Networks innovation programme. See: Innovation on electricity poles helps drive UK toward Net Zero · UK Power Networks, 2024.

About EcoJoule Energy

EcoJoule Energy is headquartered in Loganholme, Queensland, Australia. The company designs and manufactures low voltage D-STATCOMs and Battery Energy Storage Systems for distribution network operators worldwide. The EcoVAR product family is pole-mounted on existing LV overhead infrastructure and provides reactive power compensation, active harmonic filtering, dynamic phase balancing, and voltage regulation from a single unit connected directly to each LV phase conductor. EcoJoule distributes through a global network of accredited utility partners and operates directly in selected markets. EcoJoule’s position is that the benefits of the energy transition should flow to all energy users, and that existing poles and wires, properly equipped, are the most cost-effective path to that outcome.

Media and technical enquiries: sales@ecojoule.com

Distributor and partnership enquiries: martin.vanderlinde@ecojoule.com

EcoJoule Energy has completed the first installation of an EcoVAR™ Static Compensator (STATCOM) in the United Kingdom, marking a significant step in the company’s international expansion and global growth strategy.

The project, delivered in partnership with UK Power Networks (UKPN) and EcoJoule’s UK partner Fundamentals, represents the first of five EcoVAR units to be deployed across the UKPN network as part of a trial aimed at assessing the technology’s capability to manage voltage variability in the grid.

EcoJoule Energy Founder and CEO Dr Mike Wishart said the installation was a key milestone in the company’s expansion into international markets, demonstrating the global relevance of its technology.

“We’re thrilled to partner with UKPN and Fundamentals to have an EcoVAR system deployed for the first time in the UK,” said Dr Wishart. “This installation is an important step in our international growth plans and reinforces EcoJoule’s position as a global innovator in voltage management and grid stability.”

“The challenges facing electricity networks in the UK and Australia share a common theme – rapid electrification and the transition to cleaner energy. Our technology is helping utilities adapt to that transition cost-effectively and sustainably.”

UK Power Networks has partnered with Ecojoule Energy and Fundamentals to deliver an innovation project called LeVeR (Low Voltage Regulator). The initiative will see five EcoVAR units installed — smart, pole-mounted devices — that keep the network balanced and operating efficiently at the low-voltage level, where most homes and businesses are connected.

The technology works by managing the flow of electricity across the network’s three separate lines, known as phases. Sometimes one phase can become overloaded while others are underused.

The EcoVAR unit automatically redistributes electricity to the quieter lines, helping the network accommodate more clean energy technologies without spending customers’ money on infrastructure where it is not needed. Installed on existing poles, the device can be up and running within hours.

The first EcoVAR unit has been installed in Graveney Bridge, with data collected during the trial being used to assess how effectively the system improves network efficiency. Each unit can be monitored and updated remotely, allowing for smarter, more responsive management of electricity distribution.

The trial will also test the unit across different weather conditions, helping to ensure that as low-carbon technologies become widespread, electricity networks remain resilient, flexible and ready for the low-carbon future.

Luca Grella, head of innovation at UK Power Networks, said: “Being the first to install this kind of technology in the UK highlights our commitment to working with partners who share our vision for a smarter, more resilient grid. The EcoVAR trial is helping us understand how digital solutions can deliver real improvements for customers at street level.”

Colin Relf, treasurer of Graveney & Goodnestone Village Hall, said: “The EcoVAR device has been a godsend. Without it, export was very unreliable, preventing a much-needed income that without it would have ultimately led to the Village Hall closing. It provides peace of mind and security for supplying back onto the grid.”

EcoJoule announced a major partnership with Fundamentals in 2024 that combines Fundamentals’ existing expertise in high voltage networks with EcoJoule’s low voltage network platforms – EcoVAR and EcoSTORE.

Fundamentals CEO Dr Jon Hiscock said: “Voltage management is becoming one of the defining challenges for UK network operators. The rapid growth in distributed and variable generation is creating an increasingly complex and dynamic grid that demands a smarter, more agile reponse. Working with UK Power Networks to deploy EcoJoule’s proven solutions gives us a real opportunity to show how intelligent control can make our grids more resilient, efficient and ready for a low-carbon future.”

While much of Australia’s voltage variability arises from the rapid growth in rooftop solar generation, the UK is experiencing similar challenges from the increasing prevalence of electric vehicle (EV) chargers and heat pumps. The EcoVAR installation will play a crucial role in stabilising voltage on local networks affected by these new load dynamics.

EcoVAR™ is a pole-mounted static compensator that uses power electronics and software to regulate voltage levels on low-voltage networks in real time. The technology enables network operators to integrate more distributed energy resources and electrification technologies without the need for costly grid upgrades.

The UK project follows installations of EcoJoule Energy’s EcoVAR in multiple states and utilities across Australia, further demonstrating the adaptability of its technology across diverse grid conditions and regulatory environments.

“Our technology is designed to make grids more flexible, resilient and efficient,” Dr Wishart said. “Whether it’s managing solar export in Australia or supporting electrification in the UK, EcoVAR provides a common solution to different manifestations of the same global problem – network instability.”

Established nearly a decade ago, EcoJoule Energy is a 100% Australian-owned company providing innovative solutions to help electricity distributors integrate renewable energy and manage grid reliability. The company’s products include the EcoVAR™ voltage regulation system and the EcoSTORE™ community energy storage platform, both designed to reduce the need for expensive network augmentations and enhance power quality for consumers.

EcoJoule Energy is proud to support the Australian Science & Engineering Fair (AUSSEF). AUSSEF is a national STEM competition that showcases the creativity and dedication of Australian students in Years 9 to 12.

How does it work?

👉 A record 120 Stage 1 Judges review submitted projects, with each project scored by five or six judges. From this stage, the strongest 30 to 40 projects will progress.
👉 Stage 2 judging will narrow the field to the top 18 to 20 shortlisted projects.
👉 Students will learn their results in early December, and shortlisted students will receive interview details on 3 December.

The top nine projects will win an all expenses paid trip to the USA to compete at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May 2027 (pending funding).

This is the largest pre-college STEM competition in the world and an incredible opportunity for young Australian innovators.

At EcoJoule Energy, we believe in encouraging the next generation of problem-solvers who will help shape a smarter, cleaner energy future. Good luck to all participating students. Your ideas are helping inspire the future.

Energy technology company EcoJoule Energy is gunning it with the appointment of three new executives to power its national and international expansion strategy.

The company produces a pole-mounted community battery energy storage system (BESS) that offers consumers a paid subscription to store their access to solar energy into a local battery to be retrieved when needed.

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It claims the technology is cheaper than home batteries, allows for load diversity as not all consumers use energy at the same time, as well as provides grid support and high-level virtual power plant functions for grid providers and retailers when needed.

“As grids face greater volatility, our technology offers utilities a cost-effective alternative to traditional infrastructure upgrades – and that’s why interest in our solutions is accelerating both here in Australia and overseas,” chief executive officer Wishart said.

He said the Queensland based company was seeing unprecedented demand for the product and was now “entering the next phase.”

Read the full article on The Fifth Estate.

EcoJoule Energy has strengthened its marketing and customer service team with the appointment of three new executives to support its national and international expansion strategy.

The appointments include Philip Keogan as Strategic Advisor Growth, Martin Cottrell as Head of Technical Sales and Kieran Thompson as Customer Service Manager.

EcoJoule Founder and CEO Dr Mike Wishart said the appointments will strengthen EcoJoule’s sales and customer care functions.

“Philip, Martin and Kieran are all very experienced operators in the industry, and will play a key part in our future growth plans,” Dr Wishart said.

“We are continuing to see demand for our EcoVAR low voltage Static Compensator and EcoSTORE battery energy storage system grow, and we’re excited to enter the next phase in our journey.”

EcoJoule completed a $15 million capital raising in March to support the company’s national and international growth ambitions and help manage the problem of energy grid instability caused by household solar adoption.

Philip Keogan 

Philip Keogan, an energy and technology veteran with over 30 years of experience, has been appointed as the new Strategic Advisor for Growth at EcoJoule Energy. In his new role, Philip will use his extensive background to support the company’s market development and strategic partnerships. 

His work will focus on helping electricity networks and partners deploy innovative grid-edge solutions to improve network resilience and accelerate the integration of renewable energy into a smarter, cleaner grid.

Martin Cottrell

Martin Cottrell brings more than 15 years of experience in the energy sector and has a strong background in helping utilities adopt more innovative, data-driven solutions. He has spent the last six years at AI software company Daitum, where he helped utilities and other clients make more intelligent decisions through advanced computational optimisation.

In his new role, Martin will work closely with electricity network operators across Australia and internationally to advance the deployment of our intelligent voltage optimisation and energy storage platforms.

Kieran Thompson

Kieran has more than ten years of experience as a mechatronics engineer across various roles, most recently as an IoT Engineer with LPA Energy Group and as a Technical Support Engineer with Verton Australia.

In the new role with EcoJoule, he works closely with service contractors and internal engineering and production teams to resolve complex issues around on-site maintenance, system upgrades, and installations.

He will also play a key role in developing system improvement opportunities by analysing support case trends to recommend enhancements, ensuring all service activities comply with safety, quality, and company standards.

EcoJoule Energy’s technology platforms include pole-mounted community energy storage units that store the excess solar energy from residents for later use, and a voltage regulation device to help integrate more renewables into the grid.

The company, which was established nearly a decade ago, currently has around 20 employees with major customers including Endeavour Energy, Essential Energy, Ausgrid and AusNet Services.

EcoJoule’s EcoVAR product is a static compensator mounted on existing power poles using power electronics and software to correct grid voltages.

EcoJoule has also developed EcoSTORE, a battery energy storage system (BESS) that absorbs excess solar energy and releases it when needed, while also improving the grid power quality for consumers using the same voltage stabilisation technology.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has committed $3 million to Australian clean energy technology company EcoJoule Energy (EcoJoule), to support the deployment of grid strengthening technology and help future proof energy networks for increased uptake of distributed generation.

The CEFC investment via the Powering Australia Technology Fund (PATF), is part of EcoJoule’s $15 million capital raise.

The company’s innovative technologies help manage the impact of the rapid growth of distributed energy resources (DER), including rooftop solar, battery storage, and EVs. The growth of DER integration is introducing challenges such as bidirectional power flows and voltage variability in electricity networks, which were not originally designed to accommodate these impacts.

“The energy transition is changing the landscape of Australia’s electricity network and the way that energy is produced and distributed. The EcoJoule technologies address a key challenge in Australia’s transition to net zero by enhancing grid reliability and capacity for distributed generation,” said Malcolm Thornton CEFC Head of Growth Capital.

EcoJoule has developed unique solutions to these challenges to enable the optimisation of energy management across low voltage networks. Its EcoVAR product uses proprietary software and electronics to synchronise power across networks and correct grid voltage fluctuations, while its EcoSTORE battery technology reduces further pressure on the grid by storing excess energy generated during the day, releasing it when needed to improve grid power quality for consumers.

CEFC Head of Growth Capital, Malcolm Thornton, said: “The energy transition is changing the landscape of Australia’s electricity network and the way that energy is produced and distributed. The EcoJoule technologies address a key challenge in Australia’s transition to net zero by enhancing grid reliability and capacity for distributed generation.

“The PATF growth capital investment strategy supports fast-growing technology businesses, and by investing in EcoJoule, we are supporting a market leading Australian technology provider as they scale up and deliver more of their unique network solution to their customers.”

EcoJoule Founder and CEO Dr. Mike Wishart, said: “The CEFC backing helps us capitalise on the enormous opportunity presented by the global energy transition, both for Australia and internationally.”

Australia generated 18 per cent of its electricity from solar in 2024, up from seven per cent in 2019,¹ and remains the country with the highest solar generation per capita at 1,8666 kWh, over seven times the world average.² Under the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan for the National Electricity Market (NEM), the NEM must almost triple its capacity to supply energy by 2050 to replace retiring coal capacity and meet increased electricity consumption as other sectors decarbonise through electrification³.

CEFC finance is also supporting access to renewable energy for multi-tenant sites, and the roll out of smart meter technology solutions to help consumers to manage energy consumption.

The PATF is a $500 million fund to support the growth or expansion of clean energy technology projects and businesses to facilitate the development, commercialisation or take up of clean energy technologies. Lifetime commitments from the PATF to 31 December 2024 exceeded $176 million.

1 Ember, Global Electricity Review 2025, 8 April 2025. p25.

2 Ember, Global Electricity Review 2025, 8 April 2025. p65.

3 AEMO ISP, 2024, p7.

EcoJoule Energy has secured a $15 million capital investment to support the company’s national and international growth ambitions and help manage the problem of energy grid instability caused by household solar adoption.

As the world accelerates towards decarbonisation, Queensland-based EcoJoule Energy has emerged as a key player in the transition by providing innovative solutions that address the challenges posed by increasing solar adoption.

EcoJoule’s technology platforms include pole-mounted community energy storage units that stores the excess solar energy from local residents for later use and a voltage regulation device to help integrate more renewables into the grid.

The company, which was established nearly a decade ago, currently has around 20 employees with major customers including Endeavour Energy, Essential Energy, Ausgrid and AusNet Services.

The company has secured $15 million from an investor group led by Ellerston Capital’s Industrial Growth Fund and Fifth Estate Asset Management. This investment is consistent with Ellerston’s Industrial Growth Fund’s focus on the electricity grid and the collaboration between public and private funding.

It is the first time EcoJoule has taken on an institutional equity partner, with the capital primarily used to fund a national and international expansion strategy.

EcoJoule Founder and CEO Dr Mike Wishart (pictured above) said the investment was a significant milestone for the company and would help to accelerate its growth strategy.

“Ellerston understands our vision and brings valuable long-term investment expertise to the table,” said Dr Wishart. “Their support will help us capitalise on the enormous opportunity presented by the global energy transition.”

“We’re a proud Queensland business, but our ambitions are global. In the next few years, we aim to expand internationally where we see major opportunities in the UK, Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America.”

Dr Wishart said EcoJoule Energy’s mission was to deliver technologies that would transition the electricity grid into a cheaper, more reliable, environmentally friendly system.

“As renewables, particularly household solar, become more prevalent, our energy grids become more unstable, and it is a significant issue for distribution network service providers (DNSPs),” he said.

“Our community energy storage units and voltage regulators can help network operators avoid the need to invest significant capital in major upgrades to the grid.”

“Our technology is globally unique and backed by a worldwide patent,” said Dr. Wishart. “We’re helping utilities manage the shift from a one-way electricity system to a dynamic, decentralised grid where rooftop solar and other decentralised low carbon technology equipment such as EV chargers become major factors.”

Ellerston Capital Investment Partner Mark Paton said EcoJoule’s technology provided an exciting opportunity for rapid growth as the take-up of solar accelerates.

“Australia’s energy grid, and grids around the world, are under immense pressure as the transition to renewables gathers pace,” he said. “EcoJoule’s technology provides a cost-effective solution for electricity distributors, with those benefits being passed down the line as real cost-savings for everyday consumers,” he said.

“Under Mike’s guidance, we are confident that the company will be able to achieve its aggressive growth goals over coming years and become a globally significant player in managing the transition to renewables.”

Australia’s Department of Climate Change estimates there are now four million rooftop solar installations across the country, with about 300,000 new systems installed annually.

The average rooftop system saves a household more than $1,500 yearly on energy bills. 

Rooftop solar benefits the broader energy system by reducing wholesale prices and demand for more expensive energy sources during the day, however it also creates voltage problems on the grid, which was designed for one-way energy flows.

EcoJoule’s EcoVAR^TM product is a static compensator mounted on existing power poles using power electronics and software to correct grid voltages.

EcoJoule has also developed EcoSTORE^TM, a battery energy storage system (BESS) that absorbs excess solar energy and releases it when needed, while also improving the grid power quality for consumers using the same voltage stabilisation technology.