Flexible with fridges: Iconic smallgoods company joins VPP to support grid at times of peak demand

Iconic Australian smallgoods supplier Don Smallgoods has signed up to a virtual power plant scheme, taking advantage of the flexibility in its refrigeration units and co-generation facilities to help the grid in times of peak demand.

Don Smallgoods will link its facility in Castlemaine to the VPP managed by Enel X, part of the Italian energy giant Enel Group, and which works to take pressure off the grid by working with energy users to reduce demand when the grid needs it most.

According to Enel X, when its VPP reduces energy use at the same time as demand is high, “the effect on the system is like bringing another power plant online.”

Enel X’s VPP currently manages over 900-megawatts (MW) across over 670 sites in Australia and New Zealand.

Don Smallgoods becomes the third business under the George Western Foods umbrella to join the Enel X VPP, following Australian bread manufacturers Tip Top and Mauri.

Don Smallgoods and the other participants are paid to use less energy for short periods, in its case by powering down its refrigeration units and using its co-generation units.

“Joining Enel X’s VPP is an important step in how we manage energy more intelligently,” said Sean Kenny, operations director at Don Smallgoods.

“By being flexible with our electricity use, we’re helping to strengthen the grid as it transitions to renewables and contribute to electricity reliability for our community. It’s a practical example of our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility.”

“Working with Enel X, we identified two key ways to participate in the VPP; temporarily powering down refrigeration units within safe operating parameters; and repurposing our co-generation units as a flexible energy resource. This will help to safeguard supply for the broader community while maintaining production continuity.”