Do gas generators need to stay operating regardless of whether there's...

While this statement is an oversimplification of the process, it is true that at certain times of day and during certain periods of the year, not all the solar power being generated can be used by the grid. The Alice Springs electricity system is heavily reliant upon gas generation – not only for power, but also to provide essential system services (ESS) such as voltage control, frequency, and inertia. These services can be provided by technical solutions like batteries, but at this stage this is a prohibitively expensive means of addressing the problem in its entirety. The aim of the Future Grid Solar Connect Virtual Power Plant (VPP) trial is to investigate how new smart solutions such as VPPs can help manage and use the renewable energy being delivered into the grid while also providing network services.