Aurora Energy is seeking alternative ways to manage our network to help drive Aotearoa's efforts towards a decarbonised future.
We recognise the shift in how electricity is generated and used. Non-network solutions allow for smarter, more flexible alternatives to traditional infrastructure upgrades and will help us make sure we’re meeting the future needs of our communities. As electricity use evolves with increased uptake of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) like electric vehicles, solar generation, and battery storage, our network must adapt.
What are flexibility solutions?
Flexibility solutions are a non-network solution relying on DER and other controllable loads to shift, reduce or turn off non-essential energy use and make better use of the existing network. The potential benefits are significant.
Flexibility solutions can:
- support growth
- help avoid large increases in lines charges
- contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand’s net-zero carbon goals.
You can read more about the flexibility market and the role of resource owners, service providers and buyers here.
Upper Clutha trial
We’ve already shown it can make a real difference for customers. Between 2021 and 2024 we successfully trialled this approach in Upper Clutha, using hot water loads and third-party solar-battery systems to reduce peak demand. This allowed us to defer major upgrades by two years, easing capacity constraints and ultimately saving costs for customers.
Open call
We’ve led the way in New Zealand by going to an open market for non-network solutions—setting a precedent in the electricity distribution industry. As we continue to scale this approach, we’re seeking Flexibility Service Providers to help us manage constraints across all levels of our network. You can find out more about the process and view our current open calls here.
Flexibility solutions are part of our wider network investment strategy and could become an important tool to address network constraints in both the short and long term.