Study will provide valuable information for rural microgrids and peer-to-peer trading
King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has worked with energy equipment manufacturer LO3 Energy to publish a study on the feasibility of a local energy marketplace in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.
The Latrobe Valley Microgrid Feasibility Study, an Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)-funded project, examines how local distributed energy resources and demand response can be incorporated into a local energy marketplace to improve the efficiency, security, and resiliency of the electricity grid and improve economic outcomes for participants.
Approximately 100 local dairy farmers, residents, and businesses participated in the study that evaluated the economic benefits of trading locally generated renewable energy using LO3 Energy’s blockchain-enabled peer-to-peer trading platform, TransActiveGrid.
KWM prepared the legal and regulatory report that accompanied the feasibility study, which included recommendations as how to best implement a local energy marketplace in line with the current regulatory framework and explored potential regulatory change for the future. The firm’s team involved in the study included partner Scott Gardiner, senior associate Odette Adams, and solicitor Lauren Murphy.
“KWM is delighted to have been involved in this landmark feasibility study that will provide valuable learnings for rural microgrids and peer-to-peer trading as well as our role in facilitating the effective implementation of the local energy marketplace in the Latrobe Valley,” said Gardiner.
