My initiatives and engagements in the electricity sector fall broadly into the following categories.

The DERlab

I have led the design and construction of a $4m power systems testing lab at the ANU. The lab is designed and operated for a wide range of users across industry and R&D.

Please get in touch if you wish to know more and make use of this world class facility! See https://der-lab.net.au/ for details.

This project is a joint initiative of the ANU, ITP Renewables, UNSW Canberra, and evoenergy. It is funded by the ACT Government.

All DERlab posts are here.

Policy

I make regular contributions to the (sadly troubled) Australian energy policy discourse.

All Policy posts here.

Microgrids

I’m a leader of an interdisciplinary team working to bolster the resilience of our electricity supply through the use of microgrid technologies to create a “grid of microgrids”.

All Microgrids posts are here.

Community batteries

I’m part of an interdisciplinary team at the ANU working on the potential for medium scale battery storage, aka Community batteries.

All Community battery posts are here.

Solar for rentals

I founded a social enterprise called SunTenants that makes solar work for rental properties. This was acquired by Solar Analytics in 2019.

All Solar for rentals posts are here.

Solar for apartments

I lead the first deployment of solar + storage into an Australian apartment building in 2015-16, at a housing co-operative in Sydney called Stucco.

All Solar for apartments posts are here.

Latest posts

• PM’s Prizes for Science
  It was an honour to attend the PM’s Prizes for Science, particularly with the inaugural PM Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems. A few lines from Anthony Albanese really stood out to me: “the work that you do lasts through generations.” “Over the span of thousands of generations, First Nations’ Australians have… Continue reading →
• Podcast & slides on flexible electrification research
  It was refreshing to present at some conferences IRL recently (SoERC and Cigre). My slides – on the ANU research on accommodating electrification demand growth into the side capacity of the distribution network – are now on the Australian Policy Online (this is a great initiative and treasure trove – check it out!). https://apo.org.au/node/331066 This… Continue reading →
• Household energy data
  Good CER policy depends on good (transparent, open source) analysis, which depends on good (open source) data. Here is data set of 100 Canberra properties, including their power demand, solar generation and battery operation. This has been foundational to much of the analysis I conducted at ANU, and I hope make others will find many… Continue reading →
• Reflections on 6 years at ANU
  I’ve chosen to finish up at The Australian National University this week. Some, incomplete, reflections on the six years there:
• The opportunities to flex water heating and electric vehicle charging loads in the ACT
  “it is vital that before we build more network, we use more network” – AER Chair, Clare Savage Electrification and population growth will both drive significant increases in electricity demand over the coming decades. This study investigates how the effect of this growth on zone substations could be mitigated by scheduling water heating and electric… Continue reading →