Future Networks Forum

The purpose of the Future Networks Forum (FNF) is to harness the collective power of the distribution sector to help Aotearoa reach its climate change goals. 

 

The FNF identifies opportunities where Electricity Distribution Businesses (EDBs) can align to help Aotearoa reach our climate change goals and create value for customers. Below is a short summary of the initiatives that are currently being worked on.  

 

The FNF is co-chaired by Sam Elder from Orion and James Tipping from Vector and the group is made up of representatives from across 25 lines companies.  

 

New EDB members are encouraged to join the Future Networks Forum so we can form a comprehensive view of opinions from across all our lines companies. If you are from an EDB, and you want to find out more, please email us at FNF@electricity.org.nz. 

 

ENA members can login to the full FNF pages here.

 

If you’d like to hear more about the FNF – or a particular project – email FNF@electricity.org.nz.

 

Innovation forums 

 

The FNF run three innovation forums per year. These are two day forums to engage with the sector and have valuable kōrero about each of the projects and their progress. These are generally held in Wellington (with an online option).

 

All ENA members are welcome to attend. Our next forum is pencilled in 13-14 November. More details here.

 

a picture of people listing to a presenter at our second innovation forum

 

A photo from our second innovation forum in March 2024

 

Current FNF initiatives 

 

Aligning EDB capability, roles and functions to enable distributed flexibility

 

We’re starting to see more and more distributed energy resources (DER), like solar panels and battery systems, in Aotearoa. As these numbers grow, lines companies will need to plan and operate their networks differently. They will need new capabilities to ensure DER are managed in a smart and flexible way – including shared control of hot water. 

 

If we get this right, it will not only benefit consumers who own the DER, but all electricity consumers as they won't have to pay for the lines companies to build as much additional capacity into the network. 

   

The FNF is working on a project to improve understanding and alignment between EDBs on the capability, roles, functions and industry architecture to enable distributed flexibility. This will help to deliver maximum value to electricity consumers and ensure coordination across the electricity sector.     

   

The first stage was about defining the capability, roles, functions and common terminology. To inform this, the project did international research on emerging practices and engaged with EDBs to capture a national EDB view. It collaborated and tested this with the wider sector to seek input and alignment on capability, roles and functions and to ensure we produce outputs that add real value to the whole sector. This stage has been completed.  

  

The second stage of this project will be about evaluating the industry architecture and models for distribution system operation (DSO) to fulfil the roles and functions.  

 

In September 2024, we ran two webinars, one for EDBs and one for external stakeholders. You can see the presentation and the poll results from our external webinar. 

 

We highlighted this work in our submission to the Electricity Authority on the Future System Operator, and have encouraged the Authority to consider this work as they evolve their thinking. We look forward to ongoing engagement with the wider sector as we move into phase two of this project.  

  

Customer segmentation  

 

This project will help to underpin all wider FNF projects. It’s building a shared understanding and common language amongst EDBs about who our customers are (both connected consumers and non-consumer customers), their current and future needs, and the pain points in their customer journeys – which EDBs may be well-placed to address. This is a core foundational piece, and will ensure a customer-centric approach to FNF’s ongoing prioritisation and work programme.  

  

Connections journey mapping

 

The need for high-speed public EV charging stations, together with the growth of applications to connect distributed generation, is one of the reasons that this project is so important. The FNF ‘Connections Journey Mapping’ project is about aligning EDBs’ processes to improve the connections journey for customers.  

  

The project members are working closely with the Electricity Engineers’ Association and the Electricity Authority (who are also doing work in this space) to ensure that the projects align nicely so we can create real improvements in the customer connections journey. 

  

The team meets with representatives of charge point operators, large distributed generation customers and EDBs to fully understand their pain points and discuss potential solutions. It has come up with a long-list of 13 action points to improve the customer journey, from pre-application right through to delivery. The plan is to deliver the ‘quick win’ solutions first, and develop a delivery plan for the longer-term deliverables.    

 

The quick-wins that are being worked on first are: 

  • using standardised terminology, providing standardised information (online, including FAQs and videos) and contact guides for customers
  • asking the same questions and gathering the same information from customers at the point of application
  • standardised pre-application meetings.

 

Image of customer journey for a large connection

  

Flexibility opportunities project    

 

This initiative is exploring commercial mechanisms and enhancing an initial evaluation calculator for flexibility projects, developed by Wellington Electricity and Orion through their Resi-Flex project. The FNF project is identifying potential additional commercial mechanisms and developing a standardised assessment framework for EDBs to compare traditional (infrastructure) network solutions with non-network flexibility solutions.  

  

Development of aligned solutions - DER global scan

 

This project included members from EDBs and Transpower to support industry collaboration and solution development. It completed work focused on Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to assist New Zealand EDBs to understand the current state, facilitate collaboration across EDBs, and develop a view on future focus areas. It did a deep dive looking at lines companies here in Aotearoa to understand their views on DER, hot water load control, and EV load control. To compliment this, it worked on two outputs: 

  1. International EDB Survey: This was followed in February 2024, by a survey of UK and Australian EDBs to understand current practices regarding DER hosting capacity allocation, communication protocols, and control schemes. 
  2. Recommended Further Actions: The group summarised the national and international studies and produced seven recommended further actions for use by the FNF.

 

For any enquiries about this work please email fnf@electricity.org.nz.