Network company strikes deal to optimise community batteries, as fleet grows by 76

New South Wales distribution network company Endeavour Energy is expanding its partnership with Israeli software firm mPrest, rolling out a resource management system for its growing fleet of community batteries.

Endeavour Energy selected mPrest to supply its Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) software for the Bawley Point and Kioloa community microgrid, a first-of-its-kind community microgrid on the state’s South Coast which went live at the end of 2023.

Since then, Endeavour unveiled plans in March to deliver 76 community batteries across the Illawarra, South Coast, Greater Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and Southern Highlands, a program which would be funded in part by the federal government.

Endeavour Energy is also already operating a number of community batteries around the state.

Billed as one of the largest community battery programs in NSW, Endeavour Energy expects up to 6,000 households will benefit from cheaper and greener power bills as a result of the rollout of community batteries.

As part of the community battery rollout, Endeavour Energy announced this week that it would expand its strategic collaboration with mPrest to more broadly deploy its mDERMS software, helping to enable real-time monitoring and control of the fleet of community batteries.

According to mPrest, the platform provides advanced visibility, forecasting, and control over local demand, generation, and grid constraints, to support the smarter use of locally generated renewables like rooftop solar, while also boosting power quality, reliability, and energy flow efficiency.

Further, by providing real-time data access to retailers and aggregators, the software can help deliver innovative products that can offer consumers greater participation in wider energy markets, or maximise their use of renewable while and strengthening grid stability.

Having already deployed mDERMS to oversee the Bawley Point and Kioloa community microgrid, Endeavour Energy will now scale those same capabilities to support its wider community battery initiative.

“Our vision is to lead the transition to smarter, more sustainable energy solutions which provide our customers with greater choices and access to renewable energy options for a more sustainable energy future,” said Colin Crisafulli, Endeavour Energy’s general manager of future grid and asset management.

“In partnership with the Federal Government, we are delivering the largest community battery program in NSW, and this extended partnership with mPrest will further enhance local grid resilience by increasing Customer Energy Resources hosting capacity as well as providing opportunities for retailers and aggregators to desing new products and services for our customers.”

Endeavour Energy will build 76 community batteries across 33 suburbs, helping to provide households access to more affordable and sustainable energy through shared renewable storage.