Victoria-headquartered Deakin University has conductected a large-scale randomised control trial exploring a virtual energy network (VEN) that enables households and small businesses to buy and sell solar and battery power.
The VEN study, led by Deakin Business School and funded by Energy Consumers Australia’s grants program investigates how households and small businesses can be enabled to sell excess solar or battery-stored power directly to others via a digital platform.
300 sellers and buyers in the trial from Queensland, New South Wales (NSW), Victoria and South Australia (SA) traded energy based on mutually agreed prices, prompting cheaper than standard electricity rates and demonstrating a pathway to help consumers who cannot install solar panels.
One hundred participants did not have rooftop solar or batteries.
Deakin University Economics Associate Professor Dr Andrea La Nauze said the project shows a potential blueprint for creating a more inclusive and flexible energy system in Australia.
“Helping more people access the benefits of solar and battery power is vital to supporting Australia’s successful transition to net zero,” La Nauze said.
“The VEN allows people with solar to decide who their surplus power goes to, and how much they charge for it. It also shows how we can help more Australians access clean energy – even if they cannot install panels themselves.”
“Our research is a significant step toward leveraging this distributed energy resource for the benefit of all Australians, not just those able to install solar themselves,” La Nauze said.
The VEN is underpinned by Energy Locals, with trading managed via Enosi’s Powertracer software, and is funded through Energy Consumers Australia’s Grants Program in partnership with QuantumNRG, ReThink Sustainability, and WinZero.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
Comments
Please login to comment
The June issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Thursday, July 9, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
pv magazine USA hosts its third multi-day virtual event on advancing U.S. solar and energy storage markets, covering financing, supply chains, and distributed energy’s role in grid resilience.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
Showcase your brand across all our platforms: from 13 websites in 7 languages to our magazines, daily newsletters, industry events and more. Reach your audience the right way!
You have no items in your basket.
