Energy Masters: New pilot to measure benefits and savings of smart, electric homes

South Australia has launched a $13.8 million pilot that will test the benefits of energy-smart homes by supporting 500 households to optimise their energy use, including through subsidised electrification and incentivised flexible consumption.

The Energy Masters project, which opened to expressions of interest last week, is seeking to sign up a diverse range of households to participate, with 50 spots set aside for low income and energy hardship households.

Households selected to participate will get a free Clipsal Cortex home energy management system (HEMS) and subsidised electric heat pump hot water systems and/or air conditioners, cutting the installed cost by between 50 to 90 per cent. Subsidies are higher for low income homes.

Via participating retailers Amber and EnergyAustralia, households will also trial the new “flexible network connection” offered by SA Power Networks, which combines their flexible exports initiative with a new flexible import limit.

Using the Clipsal HEMS device, SAPN will send signals to households to match the use of various appliances in response to network conditions. SA Power Networks is offering financial incentive for customers opted-in devices, which will be passed on by the project partner retailers.

Energy Masters predicts households could save “several hundred dollars” by opting in to flexible electricity use and optimisation through their HEMS device, while modelling undertaken by SAPN suggests customers who electrify their homes and vehicles could cut their total household energy costs in half.

Additionally, recent industry reports have suggested that ‘demand-side flexibility’ presents an opportunity to avoid between $20 billion and $30 billion in generation and network investment across the country, in turn reducing the costs passed through to all electricity customers.

“As households continue to invest in customer energy resources like electric vehicles, solar, and even electric hot water or smart split-system air-conditioners, we think it’s critical that customers are able to get the maximum possible value from their energy-smart home,” said Mark Vincent, SA Power Networks Chief Operating Officer.

“Currently, a lot of that value is left on the table.

“Energy Masters households will have access to a unique combination of technology and offers that allow them to ‘value stack’ their home energy investments.

“Energy Masters households will be making the most of the latest in-home optimisation, network offers, and retail offers all designed to reward customers for using these devices in an automated, flexible way.”

Participating households will also take part in a research program led by RACE for 2030, which aims to demonstrate the value of energy-smart households and investigate how technology standards can be changed to deliver better customer outcomes as more customer energy resources are integrated into the grid.