Meet one of Newcastle's Power Players
SwitchDin’s feature in Newcastle & The Hunter’s Energy Evolution video series
Embedded in a region where coal mining has been the key economic driver and the heart of a community’s livelihood, SwitchDin is a gem in the Hunter region who are making a difference in Australia’s clean energy transition.
Andrew Mears, CEO and Founder of SwitchDin was interviewed in the Newcastle and The Hunter’s Energy Evolution video series produced by Beyond Zero Emissions and Out of the Square. The series features companies in the region who are building innovation, skills and manufacturing prowess and reshaping the region’s future in cleantech manufacturing.
Energy technology platform born in Newcastle
In this video, Andrew explains how SwitchDin plays a vital role in the evolution of Australia’s electricity grid towards a smarter, distributed grid that is designed for the future.
While many innovative companies will be showcased in this video series, SwitchDin is the only company that is focused on software development with a network of other innovators such as battery manufacturers, electric heavy vehicles, solar panel technologies to thermal energy solutions.
As Andrew explains, in the race to a renewables-based grid, software is the key ingredient for success. That’s because a modern smart grid is based on a two-way flow of electricity from millions of households and businesses who not only consume electricity but also generate clean energy. And the only way to effectively co-ordinate all these diverse energy flows is with smart software.
How software is enabling a cleaner electricity grid
With the recent closure of the Liddell Power Station and a string of coal-fired power stations across Australia slated to be decommissioned, massive amounts of renewable energy and energy storage is needed to keep the electricity grid stable and to meet the needs of energy consumers. However, the downside of wind and solar is they are variable energy sources and sometimes too much renewable energy can destabilise the grid if there’s not enough demand to soak it up.
SwitchDin manages and orchestrates these diverse energy flows to maintain power system strength, voltage stability and grid reliability -- making it possible for greater levels of renewable energy to be connected to the grid.
“Renewables are great. But they bring variation into the energy market. And by smoothing out that variation, SwitchDin reduces the risk in the market and brings down energy costs.”
- Andrew Mears, CEO SwitchDin
With SwitchDin, networks can reduce and can help eliminate the risk of power blackouts. It also enables households, businesses and other enterprises to participate in the energy market by creating new value streams which improve the business case for their renewable energy assets.
Building an electricity network for the energy transition
SwitchDin’s software is already used by major electricity retailers and distribution networks to coordinate millions of rooftop solar systems, solar batteries, EV charging infrastructures to heat pumps.
With the energy evolution moving more rapidly, new types of customers are emerging with innovative business models based on the attractive value streams that are made possible with SwitchDin.
As an example, Andrew Mears points to a future where councils and enterprises can capitalise on their investment in solar, storage and electrification to become hubs of interaction and the economic drivers for the operation of our cities and businesses.
Why the Hunter region is primed for the energy transition
SwitchDin’s headquarters in Newcastle is not an accident. Being a Novocastrian, Andrew was born, raised, educated and established his early career in Newcastle.
He’s witnessed the days where the Hunter region was the motor for Australia’s mining and manufacturing economy. And now, with its amazing infrastructure, workforce and prime location for renewable energy generation, Andrew believes it’s the best place for his business and, indeed any business, that wants to play a key role in Australia’s energy evolution.
The fact that the NSW government has selected the Hunter region as one of its Renewable Energy Zones – and the federal government’s new Net Zero Authority will be located in the Hunter – goes to show that Andrew isn’t the only person who thinks the Hunter is the place to be.
Watch the Newcastle and Hunter Energy Evolution series here: