Who are we

Generation Shared – A consultancy supporting friendly urban shared energy systems. Full stack from sensors, to software, interface design, serious game design, and household energy practice change.
A local network of experts.

Cost: Even if electricity in Australia becomes “too cheap to meter” – as it is presently for three hours a day – it’s not unlimited (or unmetered) and energy still needs to be shared. Sharing it will keep it cheap, and keep the networks underneath it efficient and lower cost.
Behaviour: Guiding occupants on how to use energy can add 1.5 energy stars (Green Building Council of Australia) to a 3 star NABERS building. Helping home occupants to make simple changes can add two energy stars (Sustainability Victoria) to a two star NatHERS rated home. These opportunities are only fully pursued at the minority of sites.
Energy: Up to 70% of home solar energy is fed in to the grid. Home batteries can reduce this to 40% but like water tanks they can be full half the year and empty the other half without management.
Network: There are now huge spikes in “demand” because a cloud front moves across homes with solar and battery. It is desirable that energy is dynamically produced and consumed in the “neighborhood” to manage this grid risk.

Problems

Cost: Even if electricity in Australia becomes “too cheap to meter” – as it is presently for three hours a day – it’s not unlimited (or unmetered) and energy still needs to be shared. Sharing it will keep it cheap, and keep the networks underneath it efficient and lower cost.
Behaviour: Guiding occupants on how to use energy can add 1.5 energy stars (Green Building Council of Australia) to a 3 star NABERS building. Helping home occupants to make simple changes can add two energy stars (Sustainability Victoria) to a two star NatHERS rated home. These opportunities are only fully pursued at the minority of sites.
Energy: Up to 70% of home solar energy is fed in to the grid. Home batteries can reduce this to 40% but like water tanks they can be full half the year and empty the other half without management.
Network: There are now huge spikes in “demand” because a cloud front moves across homes with solar and battery. It is desirable that energy is dynamically produced and consumed in the “neighborhood” to manage this grid risk.

Instead of excess rooftop solar being fed in or even traded (“VPP”) up to the main grid, it should be shared locally, automatically, within a neighborhood or precinct.
Messages for people about energy do not have to be prices or even the same messages intended for machines.
Retailers and network providers can improve trust and engagement with consumers. Consumers like their water utility and in Melbourne, almost entirely complied with T155 without enforcement. This level of trust and engagement can be obtained (again) for energy.
Solar owners ask: where does my excess electricity actually go? Whom does it help? What’s it worth?

Generation Shared has built and tested a serious game called PowerShare (ResearchGate). This is a home energy display with a cloud application to collect data. This has been tested to successfully shift demand (as in move energy use to a solar time of day) by 15-30% with no actual remuneration.
Generation Shared has contributed to Village Power’s project (VillagePower.com.au) to measure Community Energy.
Generation Shared began its life consulting to Merri Green (Merrigreen.com.au), ENHAR engineers (Enhar.com.au) and others on shared energy systems.

Generation Shared has built and tested a serious game called PowerShare (ResearchGate). This is a home energy display with a cloud application to collect data. This has been tested to successfully shift demand (as in move energy use to a solar time of day) by 15-30% with no actual remuneration.
Generation Shared has contributed to Village Power’s project to measure Community Energy.
Generation Shared began its life consulting to Merri Green, ENHAR engineers and others on shared energy systems.