WEMDE

The current WEM Balancing Market and Load Following Ancillary Service (LFAS) markets are being replaced by the new Real-Time Market (RTM) which will co-optimise Energy and Essential System Services (ESS). AEMO’s current Real-Time Dispatch Engine (RTDE) is not capable of co-optimisation and will be replaced to enable AEMO to operate the new RTM. This project will replace the RTDE with a modified version of the  dispatch engine used in the National Energy Market, which is also operated by AEMO. This system will be called the WEM Dispatch Engine (WEMDE) and will co-optimise energy with the ESS services in accordance with the RTM design.  

In addition to providing real-time dispatch capability, the WEM Dispatch Engine will also be critical in the implementation of the new ESS framework including:

• Allocation and dispatch of Regulation, Contingency and Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF) services,
• Determining pricing outcomes,  
• Producing forward-looking dispatch schedules up to one week ahead, and 
• Providing data for several downstream publication requirements (binding and near-binding constraints) and settlement outcomes (ESS activation, dispatch compliance, net offer shortfall).

Determination of the Dispatch Algorithm, the various constraints that it needs to cater for and the associated violation penalties, will be a key part of developing the WEMDE solution. 

WEMDE’s partner project, WEMDE User Interface (UI), will also deliver a new UI to allow AEMO’s Power System Operations (PSO) Controllers to manage Dispatch in the Control Room. The WEMDE UI will replace the Controllers’ existing UI and connect to the new WEM Dispatch Engine.