carbonTRACK trials consumer flexibility platform in UK

Australian energy tech provider carbonTRACK has launched a trial in the Energy System Catapult’s over 500 home Living Lab.

carbonTRACK’s platform integrates ‘at the edge’ hardware, wireless network infrastructure and control systems with machine learning and predictive engines to provide what the company describes as “competitively priced, reliable and scalable energy intelligence for both residential and commercial applications”.

With an established Australian residential fleet, carbonTRACK is aiming to adapt its technology for the UK market, focused on managing batteries, heat pumps and electric vehicles.

Energy Systems Catapult is supporting carbonTRACK to test its flexibility platform in homes with solar PV, battery storage and an EV alongside a smart meter and more regular appliances such as a gas boiler, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, etc.

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Energy Systems Catapult’s Living Lab is a real-world test environment of over 500 connected homes, spread across England, Scotland and Wales with a variety of tenures, property types and demographics. Its aim is to help innovators de-risk and scale innovations by running trials directly with consumers in their homes.

In particular, carbonTRACK hopes to better understand energy demand profiles, including electric and gas data and test the control of both clean technologies and regular appliances in homes as well as better understand how UK energy consumers interact with its solution.

“Over the past decade there has been a rapid uptake of solar PV and battery systems by Australian homes and businesses, and carbonTRACK created a platform in response to this need, to monitor and optimise renewable energy generation,” says carbonTRACK UK CEO, Darren Shipard.

“We expect this Australian expansion to mirror the rapid uptake of electric vehicles and heat pumps in the UK. We’ve spent the past 18 months adapting the platform for the UK market by integrating with various energy distribution networks, such as Western Power Distribution and UK Power Networks and National Grid.”

The trial with Energy Systems Catapult’s Living Lab is expected to help to rapidly adapt and evolve the platform for UK households.

At present in the UK, the platform is applied to non-residential customers such as universities, business parks and government buildings. Local authorities that have received Public Sector Decarbonization funding will use carbonTRACK to monitor and optimise the performance of assets such as heat pumps, battery and solar systems.

carbonTRACK’s technology is installed in over 10,000 homes and businesses across Australia and New Zealand as well as in South Africa and the USA.