RP2006: FredZED - Mainstreaming LC Housing in WA

_{Peer Reviewed Research Publications}

RP2006: Journal Article: Disruptive innovation, stranded assets and forecasting: the rise and rise of renewable energy

Disruptive innovations are seen to have three core features: 1. They occupy a niche that expands into being a major disruption to a technological system; 2. They grow exponentially and are thus very surprising in their disruption and; 3. They create stranded assets. 

This paper shows how renewable energy with battery storage has the three core features of a disruptive innovation, and predicts that the number of fossil fuel stranded assets are thus likely to increase with the rise of renewable energy generation. Forecasts for the share of renewable capacity in global energy demand will go beyond current estimates, due to the introduction of battery storage and decline in retail renewable electricity prices, and could account for 100% of global energy demand in a number of different scenarios by 2050. The authors find that renewables and storage can be characterised as disruptive innovations and have the potential to change energy systems dramatically between now and 2050.

Read the full article here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20430795.2016.1265410

RP2006: Journal Article: Planning and governance for decentralised energy assets in medium-density housing: the WGV Gen Y case study

The energy needs of most urban populations are serviced with centralised, fossil fuel based generation and transmission infrastructure. However, with the advent of affordable solar and storage technology, this will likely move towards an increasingly hybridised and decentralised model. While many households presently benefit from stand-alone solar photovoltaic systems, in higher density areas this technology is difficult to provide due to the way multi-dwelling buildings are governed.

This paper examines a case study for a multi-dwelling, residential building called Gen Y within a bigger innovative development called WGV, in which a planning and governance structure has been developed to provide both financial incentive for the installation of renewable energy in multi-dwelling buildings, as well as to demonstrate how planning can best optimise the behind-the-meter installation and management of solar and battery technology. It suggests the building management company can become a precinct-scale utility.

RP2006 & RP3033: Journal Article: Citizen utilities: The emerging power paradigm

Green, J. and Newman, P. (2017), 'Citizen utilities, The emerging power paradigm'. Energy Policy, vol. 105 (published online 24 March 2017).

Abstract: 

The emergence of citizen-based power systems in an integrated grid has been anticipated for decades. We can reveal how this is emerging in practice due to the significant uptake of solar photovoltaics (solar PV) and now battery storage in Perth, Australia. The high cost of electricity, high radiant energy levels and easy access to cheap Chinese technology, has led to dramatic buying during Perth's recent boomtown years. The traditional uni-directional power system is rapidly disrupting and this paper assesses where this may lead and what it means for the grid. Results of detailed monitoring in a solar powered house along with the impact of a battery storage system show the impact on the traditional grid is substantial but it will still be needed and must therefore adapt to the new distributed, bi-directional energy system. Surveys and price trajectories reveal how the trends to solar power storage will continue and how a citizen utility paradigm will emerge as the future grid building block using new blockchain support systems. Responses from utilities are then see to be fight, flight or innovate.

View article.