Harbourside Cold Stores

Harbourside Cold Stores avoids energy price spikes with demand response

Harbourside Cold Stores avoids energy price spikes with demand response

Learn how this Queensland cold store leverages
smart energy strategy to save

Case study overview

Flow Power is helping Harbourside Cold Stores optimise its energy use with a flexible, wholesale linked contract and demand response strategy. 

Avoiding high price events helps cut operational costs and supports the local grid during periods of demand strain. 

Location
QLD
Goal
Reduce electricity costs
Industry
Cold storage and logistics
Service provided by Flow Power
Power Active & Energy Ready

Keeping cool and cutting costs

Founded in 1989, Harbourside Cold Stores provides refrigerated warehousing and logistics services to North Queensland. 

With 2 sites in Townsville and Cairns to power, Harbourside Cold Stores made the switch to Flow Power, looking to optimise efficiency for its energy intensive operations. 

From fixed rates to flexible pricing

Energy is one of the most significant operational costs for the cold storage sector, so finding the right contract is key. 

Harbourside Cold Stores previously engaged brokers and several other retailers in search of a suitable energy solution, eventually switching from fixed rates to a flexible contract with Flow Power.  

Choosing a Power Active contract with Flow Power rewards Harbourside Cold Stores for using cheaper, cleaner energy during daytime hours and avoiding high price spikes through demand response. 

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Harbourside Cold Stores

“We’re really happy with how Flow Power’s helped us. They’re proactive, knowledgeable, easy to deal with and they’ve been really helpful from the start.”

Robert Hall – General Manager, Harbourside Cold Stores 

How does Flow Power help Harbourside Cold Stores save?

Powering down

Participating in demand response during high price events has helped cut energy costs across the 2 sites. 
 
Harbourside Cold Stores’ Townsville facility is an older mechanical site which requires some manual intervention, but the Cairns site has been fitted with an automated backup generator to reduce operational interruptions when energy events occur. 

Price Efficiency Adjustment

By taking part in demand response across its 2 sites, Harbourside Cold Stores is improving its monthly Price Efficiency Adjustment (PEA). 

The PEA is designed to incentivise users to switch energy intensive operations to low-price energy periods on the wholesale market, which typically align with times when the fuel mix in the grid is more renewable. 

Dedicated account management

Having a dedicated energy specialist to support your business is essential for large energy users. We assign all C&I customers a dedicated account manager, in their state.

Whether it’s questions about billing, or expert assistance during an energy event, when you call Flow Power, you’re always connected to a real person. 

Optimising operations with Energy Ready

To maximise the benefits of its wholesale-linked contract, Harbourside Cold Stores opted in for Flow Power’s engineering advisory service, Energy Ready. 

Through this service, Harbourside Cold Stores learned how to participate in demand response, avoiding high price events and supporting the stability of the local network.  

“It’s about targeting your efforts where it’ll produce the most value,” Robert Hall says, “the Energy Ready team has been proactively helping us reduce our consumption at the right times.”  

Thanks to the demand response strategy, and the efforts of onsite staff, Harbourside Cold Stores has seen sizeable cost savings through high price avoidance with demand response. The graph below shows an example of successful demand response during a high price event in 2024. 

The energy retailer of choice for
Australian cold stores

Flow Power is proud to be a member of the Refrigerated Warehouse and Transport Association (RWTA), helping Australian cold stores optimise energy use and cut operational costs. 

“I’ve always been a big advocate for industry groups like RWTA, and businesses like ours have to work together,” says Robert Hall.  

“Whenever I speak to someone dealing with power issues, I always advocate for Flow Power, because they’re great to work with. The fact that Flow Power would help us actively reduce our bill was unexpected but very much appreciated.” 

See more cold storage solutions
Ready to make the switch?

Speak to Flow Power’s energy specialists today. 

We’re here to help. 

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Michell Wool cuts costs with intelligent energy asset automation

Michell Wool cuts costs with intelligent energy asset automation

Learn more about the smart savings for Australia’s wool specialists

Case study overview

Michell Wool is Australia’s oldest and largest exporter of Australian wool fibre. 

Flow Power designed an intelligent demand response strategy for its Australian manufacturing and processing operations, helping reduce exposure to high price energy events and minimise strain on the local grid.  

Goal
Avoid high price energy events
Location
Salisbury, SA
Industry
Manufacturing
Service provided by Flow Power
Demand response

Powering Michell Wool’s specialist operations

Michell Wool is a sixth-generation family company, processing and exporting wool for more than 150 years.  

Its specialist facilities in South Australia include a 2m carbonising line with 12 million kg of annual capacity, plus a 2m scouring line. 

Flow Power has been powering its processing facilities since 2018 through a Power Wholesale electricity contract. 

See more manufacturing energy solutions

Building intelligent demand response

As part of South Australia’s Demand Management Trials Program, Flow Power was selected to deliver cost-effective demand response solutions for South Australian businesses, using bespoke technology. The program aimed to address the fragility of South Australia’s grid system and protect it from outages, while rewarding customers for managing their own demand.  

Michell Wool is one of 40 South Australian businesses Flow Power worked with in the program to develop custom demand respond systems, with bespoke technology, hardware and training, allowing sites and machines to automatically respond to market events.  

By utilising critical site information and leveraging market prediction algorithms, Flow Power’s smart energy management hardware, kWatch, made these complex systems possible.  

Smart strategy to save

Businesses like Michell Wool, with flexible operations, are well-suited to implementing a demand response strategy. This strategy helps avoid high price energy events, while taking advantage of low and negative price periods in the wholesale market. 

In this instance, we considered the cost of continuing production during peak times or high-price events. For events where continuing operations would negatively impact profit margins, we power down production until wholesale prices stabilise. This can provide significant savings on overheads and increase product profitability with minimal operational impact. 

This strategy is cost-effective for customers, and also reduces local grid strain during high-price, peak demand periods. 

How does energy asset automation work?

Each system managed by Flow Power is tailored to its specific control needs. For Michell Wool, the system is calibrated to control the shutdown and power-up sequence of factory machinery. 

When a high-price event occurs, exceeding $1,000/MWh, kWatch sends market signals to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, either triggering a shutdown or asking the customer if they want to participate in the event.  

Once the event has finished and prices have stabilised, kWatch signals the SCADA system to power up again.  

Putting the smart system into practice

The graph to the left shows Michell Wool’s response to a high-price event in February 2023.

In this year, Michell Wool participated in approximately 20 hours of demand response, resulting in a 5% reduction on total annual electricity costs.

Learn more

The results

Cost savings

During the trial in August 2023, Michell Wool achieved a 41% reduction in energy costs for the month, relative to the high price period, with minimal operational interruption. 

Additionally, the success of the intelligent demand response system shortened the payback period on integration costs and system upgrades from the estimated 2.9 years to just 1.3 years. 

Supporting South Australia’s grid

Demand response promotes market stability and reduces strain on the local grid. It also helps prevent the need for local electricity infrastructure upgrades. 

Reduced carbon intensity

The energy mix available in the grid during periods of low-price and low demand is typically made up of a higher proportion of renewable sources.  

This means the energy used is often less carbon-intensive than energy used at peak periods, when thermal generation is at its highest to meet demand. 

 

Simplified operations

Intelligent demand response automates power redundancy and resilience into business operations and processes, helping reduce or completely remove the need for manual operation of assets. 

Award-winning solutions

The Flow Power team received the SIM-PAC Live 2024 ‘Electrification in Action Award‘ for their work in energy efficiency and electrification with Michell Wool. Learn more about our awards here.

Need a smart solution for your manufacturing business?

Speak to Flow Power’s business electricity specialists about the right solution for you. 

Get in touch today. 

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Smart energy technology helps Olam Orchards counter soaring electricity prices

Smart energy technology helps Olam Orchards counter soaring electricity prices

Flow Power is optimising energy efficiency for this global food producer

Case study overview

Global food grower and producer, ofi, is powering its Australian operations, Olam Orchards, with an innovative energy solution from Flow Power.

With orchards across VIC and NSW, plus sophisticated processing facilities, Olam Orchards required an efficient solution to effectively manage the rising electricity costs affecting Australian businesses in 2017.

Goal
Sustainability & long-term price certainty
Location
VIC & NSW
Industry
Agriculture
Power Purchase Agreement
Service provided by Flow Power
Power Purchase Agreement & Market Monitoring Service

Olam Orchards’ growing operations

Since 2009, Olam Orchards has owned and operated 15,000 hectares of almond orchards across 11 farms in the Sunraysia growing region of Victoria.

It mainly grows Nonpareil, Carmel and Price almonds, helping meet global demand for the nut year-round, coupled with California almond orchards overseas. Almonds are countercyclical crops that bloom in August for harvest in February.

The highly mechanised farms utilise the latest irrigation infrastructure and technology and produce maximum yields and superior quality almonds thanks to stringent agronomy practices. These processes account for 80% of Olam Orchards’ load profile.

Energy-intensive processing operations

Once the almonds are harvested, they are sent to processing facilities for sorting. Operations at these facilities include integrated hulling and shelling, packing operations, roasting, sorting and in-house pasteurisation and quality assurance.

Every step of the process is energy intensive, requiring sizeable amounts of power to run machinery. This means rising electricity costs have a significant effect on the business’s profitability, and finding ways to operate more efficiently is key to success.

Flow Power’s energy solution

Moving beyond fixed prices

Olam Orchards previously operated under a fixed-price electricity contract. While this approach provided consistent pricing, it didn’t allow the business to capitalise on the low-cost renewable energy that fills the grid during daytime hours – and this can offer significant cost benefits for large electricity users.

Finding flexible loads

After moving to a flexible pricing structure with wholesale market exposure, Olam Orchards began to schedule energy intensive operations, such as running river pumps for irrigation, to within these low-cost periods on the grid and avoided using energy where possible during price peaks.

Avoiding price spikes

In 2018, Olam Orchards signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Flow Power. By locking in a fixed price for virtual generation under the PPA, Olam aimed to counter rising 2017 Victorian wholesale prices, which spiked by around 85%.

Matching usage to renewable generation

 

Committing to a 10-year agreement helped secure price certainty and allowed Olam Orchards to match its usage to generational output from Ararat Wind Farm and Kiamal Solar Farm. The graph above shows Olam Orchards’ energy use and how it’s matched to renewable generation through the PPA on an annualised basis.

Powering down to save with smart technology

Flow Power unlocked wholesale market pricing for Olam Orchards and created a demand response strategy, leveraging flexible operations to respond to pricing signals from the market.

The graph on the left shows Olam Orchards’ response to an extreme price event in Victoria in early 2024. Extreme weather and widespread power outages caused the price to spike to around $16,000/KWh.

By powering down during this event, Olam Orchards avoided $510,000 of additional energy costs. While this is an extreme example, having the flexibility to reduce or avoid usage during peak periods daily can have a similar cumulative effect on long-term energy costs.

‘Partnering with Flow Power allows us to pursue sustainability at scale.’

Ben Fessey – General Manager Trading, Olam Orchards

Olam Orchards’ commitment to sustainability

Water

In 2020, ofi launched the “More Crop per Drop” trial, to better understand the behavior of almond trees under different conditions. Using innovative technologies to track everything from tree growth to soil health helps ofi to understand and reduce its water footprint, both globally and across its Australian operations, Olam Orchards.

Climate action

Energy procurement is a key part of Olam Orchards’ commitment to climate action, with a goal to offset 75% of total energy demand by purchasing renewable energy. By 2030, it aims to power 50% of mobile farm equipment with renewable energy.

Healthy ecosystems and biodiversity

ofi relies on over 2.5 billion pollinators in Australia and the US to make sure its almond orchards produce year after year. Balancing pest control, while fostering bee-friendly communities is a challenge. It balances this risk through the controlled or non-use of certain chemicals to deter unwanted pests, while maintaining a limited impact on
biodiversity, and championing bee friendly farming techniques.

Strong and thriving farming communities

Farming communities are at the heart of ofi operations, which is why it’s committed to making them prosperous places where people want to live and work. This is achieved by creating safe and decent jobs for people, providing internships and school programs to equip students with the skills and knowledge to start careers in agriculture, and supporting local charities and causes.

The future of energy for Olam Orchards

The PPA will come to an end in 2027, but discussion with Flow Power is already underway about what the future of energy could look like for the business. The energy market is rapidly evolving, and Olam Orchards understands the importance of being agile when it comes to its business electricity strategy.

Guided by the trends of the market, there is potential to replicate the generational output of the existing PPA by installing behind-the-meter microgrids onsite for the orchards. This involves several solar and battery arrays to help reduce the remaining grid exposure and would assist in a smooth transition to an electrified vehicle fleet.

Working towards a predominantly off-grid strategy would provide additional price certainty and energy independence, while working towards Olam Orchards’ 2030 sustainability goals.

Need a smart solution for your business?

Flow Power’s energy specialists can help your business stay ahead of the curve.

Contact us today to discuss your options.

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st mark's college case study

Helping St Mark’s College make educated energy decisions 

Helping St Mark’s College make educated energy decisions

Learn more about the tools and technology empowering St Mark’s College to use energy smarter

Case study overview:

South Australian residential university college, St Mark’s College, is using Flow Power’s unique plans and contract features to optimise its energy strategy. 

Industry
Education
Location
North Adelaide, SA
Goals
Improved energy and carbon efficiency
Power plan & products
Power Active, Active Option & Energy Ready

“Flow Power is a step up from other providers.”

Richard Foster, Property Manager

St Mark's College | For Your Best Future | Adelaide, South Australia

Moving beyond fixed price contracts

Before switching to Flow Power, St Mark’s College was locked into a fixed price electricity contract with another energy provider.

While this contract structure offered consistent pricing, it didn’t pass on any benefit from the cheaper energy available on the wholesale market during daytime hours and there was no guidance about how to optimise the energy used on-site.  

Like many other schools, colleges and universities, electricity contracting had become a ‘set and forget’ routine. The contract was signed once a year, and then remained out of mind until the next contract renewal period.

Making the switch to Flow Power

In May 2022, St Mark’s College made the switch to Flow Power, seeking additional value from its electricity contract. 

When asked about the experience switching to Flow Power, Richard Foster, Property Manager at St Mark’s College, described the experience as “a steep learning curve” made worthwhile thanks to Flow Power’s “value-added parts of the relationship.” 

View more electricity plans

Taking an active approach to energy

St Mark’s College signed a 3-year Power Active contract, opting-in for the Active Option and Energy Ready, to help optimise its energy strategy.  

From April to July of 2022, the NEM saw extreme price volatility, which is why St Mark’s College chose to lock in a long-term contract and add-on the Active Option. It allowed the College to lock in a base rate at the time of contracting, with the potential to reduce this rate if the market dropped.  

Finding load flexibility with Energy Ready

For additional energy efficiency benefits, St Mark’s College signed up for Flow Power’s in-house engineering and advisory service, Energy Ready.  

Schools and universities are typically a natural fit for Flow Power’s wholesale linked energy contracts, due to using the majority of their electricity load during daytime hours. However, as a residential campus, there is less ability to control load, so our Energy Ready team helped uncover flexible loads, and other energy efficiency improvements.  

South Australian Building Intelligent Demand Response Trial

St Mark’s College is also involved in the South Australian Building Intelligent Demand Response Trial (SABIDR). The program is helping prevent blackouts in South Australia and across the National Energy Market, while putting businesses back in control of energy costs.  

Did you know: Flow Power’s Demand Response team also recently won Energy Efficiency Council‘s Leading Energy Management Innovation Award for 2024 as part of the SABIDR trial? 

Learn more about our awards

The results

Solar ramp down

Thanks to Energy Ready analysis, the team identified the value of performing solar ramp down with the existing solar PV system on-site. This helped improve St Mark’s College’s monthly Price Efficiency Adjustment and helps reduce strain on the South Australian grid.

Tariff review

The Energy Ready team also identified a better tariff deal, helping the College save money with a simple switch. 

Data collection

Flow Power is continuing to assist with complex data collection to optimise energy strategy further. The campus has 10 different buildings spread across around 32 distribution boards which makes data collection more challenging. Once collected, this data will allow the team to continue optimising efficiency and begin feasibility studies for future behind–the–meter solutions. 

Sustainable teaching opportunities for students

Helping consumers engage with the energy they use is core to Flow Power’s approach. The hands-on guidance and education provided by our team has supported St Mark’s College and its students in working towards a more sustainable future.  

St Mark’s College has around 250 residential students on campus, including dedicated ‘environmental officers’ who are working towards improving carbon efficiency. Work is currently underway with 2XE and Flow Power to formalise a carbon action plan.

View more sustainable solutions for schools, colleges and universities

“St Mark’s student Environmental Officers are engaging regularly with their fellow collegians, promoting behaviours to implement positive long-term change.”

Ellie Akehurst, Student Environmental Officer – St Mark’s College

Powering ahead with plans for the future

Although St Mark’s College has secured an energy deal with Flow Power until 2025, plans are already in discussion for the future of energy at the College. 

Considerations include a PPA, to allow it to match its usage with 100% renewable energy, and potentially a behind-the-meter battery energy storage system, helping reduce reliance on grid energy and avoid peak demand periods in the evening.  

Flow Power is excited to continue working with St Mark’s College on further optimising its energy strategy, navigating the rapidly changing energy market and helping the next generation engage with smarter ways to use energy.

Ready for a smarter energy solution?

We’re here to help. 

Speak to Flow Power’s energy specialists today to find the right solution for your school, college or university.

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clarkefield zero carbon community aerial photo

Clarkefield Zero Carbon Community’s green energy ambitions

Clarkefield Zero Carbon Community’s green energy ambitions

A sustainable, socially aware development to deliver zero carbon living

Project overview

Melbourne-based property developer and manager, APD Projects, is planning to develop approximately 2,500 residential lots near Clarkefield, Victoria, setting the benchmark for sustainable living. 

The project aims to deliver zero carbon community living, with plans to develop homes, community facilities, zero emissions transport options, waste management solutions and many other amenities.

Goal
Zero net carbon community living
Location
Clarkefield, VIC
Industry
Property development
Service provided by Flow Power
Community sustainability solutions

Clarkefield’s sustainable energy ambitions

APD Projects has set strong sustainability targets for Clarkefield; a zero net carbon development, with plans to include all-electric homes and community facilities, high penetrations of rooftop solar PV, a community solar farm, community EV charging and centralised neighbourhood batteries. 

All homes will have a solar PV system installed and will additionally be fitted with energy efficient appliances and smart in-home energy management, to help maximise the value of the rooftop solar. 

Learn more about solar 

In the future, a shared 4.6 MW solar farm will be installed within the community.

The goal is to provide enough energy to power every home, with capacity for each home to run an EV for 15,000 km per year. 

How Flow Power helped

APD partnered with Flow Power to plan and assist in delivering this leading-edge community. 

Our Engineering team is using integrated technical and financial modelling to develop a solution that will provide a consistent low-cost of living for residents, along with a net zero carbon outcome.  

With the partial support of a Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (formerly DELWP) Neighbourhood Battery Initiative grant, the team has developed a robust energy strategy, including:

  • a range of technology and planning options 
  • life cycle financial and carbon models 
  • a regulatory and planning study 
  • partnerships with key stakeholders such as Jemena 
  • design guidelines
Learn more about our Energy Ready service
Solar panels on a green field
Flashing-Lightbulb

Clarkefield’s long term vision for sustainability

APD Projects aims to deliver Australia’s first carbon neutral township, taking full responsibility for emissions related to development infrastructure, while also creating a platform for zero carbon living. 

In addition to its ambitious energy targets, Clarkefield is investing in a diverse forestry asset to offset carbon, providing affordable housing as part of the Permanent Rental Affordability Development Solution (PRADS) model, and integrating water sensitive urban design.

Learn more about our community energy solutions

Our specialist energy engineers are here to help.

Get in touch today to learn more.

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Clements Gap Windfarm

Matthews Hospitality supports renewables for long-term price certainty

Matthews Hospitality supports renewables for long-term price certainty

Learn more about the long-term energy strategy utilising renewable energy, smart technology and a Power Purchase Agreement

Case study overview

Matthews Hospitality is saving money and supporting the renewable transition by using electricity smarter.

With 9 hotels across South Australia, it’s taking steps to protect the environment whilst leveraging smart renewable technology.

 

 

Location
South Australia
Goals
Long-term price certainty
Industry
Hospitality & tourism
Power plan
Power Purchase Agreement & Market Monitoring Service

“We’re really happy with the service and engineering advice provided by Flow Power. They have helped the Matthews Group adapt to a better way of buying and managing energy.”

– Scott Matthews, Non-Executive Director
Matthews Hospitality

Family owned, Matthews Hospitality operates 9 iconic venues in South Australia

This includes 4 in Adelaide, 1 in both Clare and Whyalla, and 3 in Mount Gambier, with 7 hotels powered by Flow Power.

Like many hospitality businesses, electricity is one of the largest operational expenses. Electricity bills can be notoriously volatile and impact profitability – so finding the right energy strategy is vital for success.

Explore our smart energy solutions for tourism & hospitality businesses

Saving with a smart energy strategy

Utilising existing assets

Utilising existing onsite solar PV systems and generators, Flow Power helped Matthews Hospitality implement a demand response energy strategy.

Demand response

The strategy is simple but effective; using more energy during the day when there is typically higher levels of cheaper renewable energy in the grid, and reducing energy consumption to avoid price spikes when there is a shortage.

Supporting the grid

This strategy has the added benefit of supporting the stability of South Australia’s energy grid, by helping balance the supply and demand for electricity.

Supporting the renewable transition within the community

Seeking to take meaningful action with its electricity contract, Matthews Hospitality joined Flow Power in 2020 with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) . Choosing a PPA helped it secure long term electricity price certainty and protect against market volatility.

To support renewable projects in South Australia, Matthews Hospitality purchased 100% offtake from Flow Power’s Coonalpyn Solar Farm and Clements Gap Wind Farm in Barunga Range. Through this Power Purchase Agreement, it established a virtual link between its electricity consumption and renewable generators.

Learn more about Power Purchase Agreements

Leveraging solar and smart technology to cut costs

Smart solar solutions

Utilising Matthews Hospitality’s existing solar PV assets, Flow Power was able to provide an integrated behind-the-meter solution to further improve financial outcomes and price certainty.

Find a solar solution for your business
Avoiding price spikes

In South Australia, when the typical peak morning and afternoon electricity demand is high, the market price increases. During significant market price increases, the hotel’s energy source is switched to backup generation via Flow Power’s demand management strategy.

This helps reduce strain on the electricity network, whilst providing Matthews Hospitality with a better financial outcome by avoiding high market prices.

Learn more about demand response
kWatch controller

To automate the switch to backup generators during high price electricity events, Flow Power installed the intelligent kWatch controller hardware at several Matthews Hospitality hotel sites.

This smart energy technology relays a signal to the backup generators when a designated high market price is reached. Since kWatch installation, Flow Power has successfully aided Matthews Hospitality with over 40 demand events across 4 of their hotels, saving thousands of dollars.

Explore more kWatch features
Unlocking negative prices

During negative price periods, Matthews Hospitality undertakes solar ramp down at their venues, instead drawing energy from the grid to make use of the abundance of cheaper, renewable energy.

By using this energy, instead of generating additional energy on-site, Matthews Hospitality is helping support grid stability and taking advantage of negative prices.

Learn more about negative price periods

“Flow Power helped us understand how we could leverage renewable technology to be more resilient against price volatility.”

– Scott Matthews, Non-Executive Director
Matthews Hospitality

How is Flow Power continuing to support Matthews Hospitality?

Using energy smarter isn’t always simple. That’s why Flow Power continues to support Matthews Hospitality with engineering advisory through Energy Ready. This service gives Matthews Hospitality access to live usage data and high price alerts so it can plan usage and take energy action.

Leveraging its consistent electricity usage patterns with expert energy insights and innovative technology, Flow Power is helping Matthews Hospitality achieve optimal energy outcomes and work towards ambitious sustainability targets.

The results

Cost savings

Flow Power has successfully aided Matthews Hospitality with over 40 demand events across 4 of its hotels, saving thousands of dollars.

Supporting South Australia’s electricity grid

Using more energy during periods of low demand helps reduce the strain exerted on our shared electricity grid, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient energy system.

Reduced carbon intensity

The energy available in the grid during periods of low demand is typically generated by a higher proportion of renewable sources. This means the energy is less carbon intensive on average than periods of high demand.

Community impact

Supporting renewable projects in your state with a PPA allows you to pay for a proportion of clean energy which is put into the grid. Once the capacity of that generator is sold out, demand increases to build another. Building clean energy projects creates local employment opportunities – often in rural Australian communities.

Ready to support renewables and save?

From hotels and pubs to restaurants, wineries and coffee shops, we can help you find a solution to suit your business’s unique needs.

Get in touch with an energy specialist today.

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Top Cut Foods | Flow Power

Top Cut Foods: taking an active approach to electricity costs

Top Cut Foods: taking an active approach to electricity costs

Learn about the energy strategy helping
Top Cut Foods optimise operations and cut costs

Case study overview

Flow Power’s innovative electricity plans, smart technology and engineering and advisory are helping Top Cut Foods optimise its energy use. 

With multiple sites across Australia to power, Top Cut Foods made the switch to Flow Power in search of a more cost-effective business electricity solution.  

Location
Sites throughout QLD, SA, VIC & NSW
Goals
Optimise energy use to reduce bills
Industry
Meat
Power Plan
Power Active & Active Option

Why Flow Power?

“You should be looking at Flow Power. They offer great customer service in addition to fantastic rates. You don’t get locked into rates if the market drops.” 

Charles Geraghty – CFO, Top Cut Foods on Flow Power’s Active Option

Top Cut Foods is Australia’s specialist butcher, established in 1981

It provides and delivers premium protein products across multiple brands in Australia and internationally.

Processing and storing meat is a 24-hour, 365 day a year operation, and like other industries operating machinery and cold storage facilities, it requires a sizable amount of power.  

With Flow Power’s help, Top Cut Foods now has a cost management strategy in place to optimise daily operations without reducing its output or compromising the quality of its products. Our expert team and smart technology have enabled Top Cut Foods to take advantage of low-price energy periods. 

Learn more about our smart energy solutions for cold storage facilities 

How Top Cut Foods cut costs with Power Active

Finding the right energy strategy

With average energy costs on the rise across the NEM, it’s becoming increasingly important to have energy efficiency strategies in place for your business. 

Explore your options with our Energy Ready service

Taking the Active Option

Top Cut Meats joined Flow Power in 2021 on a Power Active plan, securing a competitive base energy rate and opting–in for the Active Option.

This unique plan add-on allows customers to periodically move to a lower base rate if the electricity market prices drop.  

Optimising price efficiency

Additionally, this plan includes Flow Power’s unique Price Efficiency Adjustment (PEA), further rewarding customers that can shift most of their energy usage to periods of low demand on the wholesale market.

Learn more about wholesale electricity pricing

The results

With Flow Power’s advice, Top Cut Foods locked in a contract at an ideal time.

With a competitive base rate secured, and an energy strategy to reshape how and when it uses power, it has managed to avoid the higher price periods of the energy market. To date, this approach has identified an average of 33% energy cost savings for its four sites over the past 3 years.  

Savings of this magnitude have unlocked additional revenue, allowing Top Cut Foods to invest in future-proof energy infrastructure, like on-site solar.

Learn more about our solar solutions for businesses

Tools & tech supporting Top Cut Foods

The energy market is constantly evolving, and as a leading producer and distributor in the industry, it’s vital for Top Cut Foods to stay ahead of the curve. That’s why we continue to support Top Cut Foods with engineering and advisory through Energy Ready and monitor its live usage data using our kWatch controller. 

Leveraging its consistent load profile, with expert energy insights including tariff reviews, solar and smart monitoring technology, Flow Power is helping Top Cut Foods achieve optimal energy outcomes. 

“We trust Flow Power has our best interests at heart, the team provide our business with suggestions and energy advice when needed. I like the potential to move to a lower rate with the Active Option – no other energy companies offer that.”

Charles Geraghty – CFO, Top Cut Foods

Ready to power up your business?

We’re here to help.

To find out more about how Power Active and the Active Option could benefit your business, speak to an energy specialist now.

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Rochford Wines

Rochford Wines: bottling solar-powered Chardonnay

Rochford Wines: bottling solar-powered Chardonnay

Learn how this cellar-door turned solar, making savings worth raising a glass to

Case study overview

Located in the heart of the Yarra Valley, Rochford Wines has three vineyards, multiple restaurants, bars, and cellars onsite – an energy intensive operation.

Rochford Wines approached the Flow Power Solar team to help achieve its goal to power its site with clean, renewable energy. They needed a solar PV system that could adapt unobtrusively to different buildings across their expansive grounds.

Industry
Wine
Location
Yarra Valley, VIC
Service provided
Rooftop solar
Goal
Clean, renewable energy generation

Viticultural practices for maintaining balance in the vineyards, sustainability, and responsiveness to changing environmental conditions is at the heart of Rochford Wine’s winemaking philosophy.

What we delivered

Flow Power visited the winery on multiple occasions to assess what type of system would work.

The winery had multiple buildings with varied types of roofing, at different pitches and angles. We proposed a design that combined flat-to-roof solar panels with tilted modules, to ensure redundancy and maximum efficiency.

View more energy solutions for winemakers and growers

Learn more about Rochford Wine’s results

Solar system

Our solar experts designed and installed a 99 kW solar PV system for Rochford Wines.

Explore more solar solutions

The installation

The Flow Power’s on-site solar team handled the EPC, installing carefully chosen Schletter framing, Hanwha QCell modules and Fronius inverters throughout.

Making savings

Once operational, Rochford Wines reduced its electricity costs by around $22,000 per year.

Find out how you could save

Ready to make the solar switch for your business?

The Flow Power’s on-site solar team are here to help.

Our solar specialists will find the right solution for you; unlocking electricity savings and helping power your operation more sustainably.

Get in touch today to find out more.

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Gazzola Farms celery crops

Gazzola Farms: turning salad into savings 

Gazzola Farms: turning salad into savings

Cutting costs and carbon emissions for Gazzola Farms, by taking an active approach to energy

Case study overview

Since switching to a Power Active plan in 2021, Gazzola Farms has made significant cost and carbon savings for its sites. 

Gazzola Farms effectively reduced its base energy rate by taking advantage of dips in market prices with Flow Power’s Price Efficiency Adjustment and Active Option. 

 

Industry
Agriculture
Location
Somerville, VIC
Goals
Improve efficiency of energy-intensive operations
Power plan & products
Power Active & Active Option, Market Monitoring Service

“The Active Option gave me peace of mind because Flow Power was monitoring the fluctuations in the market.”

Paul Gazzola – Director, Gazzola Farms

Gazzola Farms has been supplying quality fresh produce to Australians for more than 90 years

A family-owned business in operation for four generations, the farm grows vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, celery and Asian greens – but keeping them on our table year-round requires a lot of resources.

That’s why Gazzola Farms made the switch to a flexible and sustainable energy solution, with Flow Power. 

View more sustainable electricity solutions for Australian agribusinesses

Making the most of flexible operations

Like many fruit and veg farmers, Gazzola Farms has timing flexibility when it comes to energy-intensive operations within the business. Flexible operations are a natural fit for Flow Power’s Power Active energy contract. 

Power Active rewards businesses for using more energy during cheap, or even negative price periods, thanks to its unique Price Efficiency Adjustment.  

After making the switch to Power Active, Gazzola Farms shifted irrigation to low price periods, capitalising on the clean, cheap energy available to the grid during the day. And as a result? It saw savings reflected in its power bills and reduced its overall emissions, by using more energy generated by renewables. 

By sticking with a standard peak and off-peak energy contract, businesses like Gazzola Farms could miss out on the cost and carbon reduction benefits of using energy, smarter.  

Learn more about our electricity plans

Taking an active approach to electricity costs

Gazzola Farms also opted-in for Power Active’s unique add-on feature, the Active Option.  

This contract feature has helped Gazzola Farms save each year of contracting, by reducing its base energy rate if the market prices decrease during the contracted period. Plus, it also protects it from paying a higher price if the market spikes. 

When energy prices soared during 2022, Gazzola Farms renewed its contract and mitigated its timing risk by opting-in for the Active Option. This led to more than 40% savings on its base rate when prices eventually decreased (excluding the cost of the Active Option).

Knowing when to contract can be a challenge for business owners, but Paul Gazzola, Director of Gazzola Farms said the Active Option gave him ‘peace of mind’ because we were ‘monitoring the fluctuations in the market’ for him.  

Read more about the Active Option

Monitoring the market to make a shift

Energy demand typically follows a similar pattern each day, but the market is notoriously volatile. This means businesses can’t simply rely on changing time of use to cut costs. They need a reliable way to monitor their usage and make changes in real-time, responding to fluctuating market prices.  

So, how does Gazzola Farms know when to power ahead, or when to power down?

Signing up for our Market Monitoring Service is key.  

Our team provides energy insights via the Market Monitoring Service, to keep Gazzola Farms in the loop with the latest updates from the wholesale market. These helpful notifications ensure the team doesn’t have to watch the market, because our experts do it for them.  

Learn more about our Market Monitoring Service

Results

Reduced carbon intensity

Gazzola Farms is reducing its overall emissions by shifting energy use to periods of increased renewable generation.

Lower energy bills

Significant savings have been achieved via the Price Efficiency Adjustment, with additional base-rate savings unlocked, thanks to the Active Option. 

Supporting the grid

Using energy during low demand periods isn’t just cost effective, it helps stabilise our shared grid.  

Additionally, Gazzola Farms has taken part in RERT during periods of extreme demand, helping reduce strain on the grid. 

Ready for an active approach to energy for your business?

Our team are ready to help your business use electricity smarter.

Speak to a Flow Power energy specialist today to discuss the best solution for you. 

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Securing ‘planet positive’ energy for Mirvac properties

Securing ‘planet positive’ energy for Mirvac properties

How this property developer is driving sustainable change with advisory from Flow Power’s energy experts

Case study overview

Property developer Mirvac is committed to finding sustainable solutions for the construction and management of its buildings, with a goal to be planet positive in carbon, waste and water by 2030.

Industry
Commercial property
Location
Melbourne, VIC
Service provided
Renewable energy procurement
Goal
5 star NABERS energy rating

Reshaping power for Australia’s property development industry

Mirvac is continuously looking at how it can reduce its impact on the planet and leave a positive legacy in its communities.

Flow Power advised Mirvac on options for the supply of renewable energy to a new CBD building acquisition, with the aim to reduce ongoing costs and achieve a 5-star NABERS energy rating.

How Flow Power supported Mirvac

Strategy

Many strategies were considered, including using off-site renewable generation to improve NABERS and Green Star ratings, Mirvac-owned generation assets on site and on non-adjacent industrial buildings, continued procurement through traditional retail contracts, and various types of PPA contracting.

Savings discovery

We concept-designed and costed a 2.4 MW rooftop PV system for a Mirvac warehouse and compared options for the off-take of the energy generated. This demonstrated to Mirvac that the most cost-effective savings come from behind-the-meter generation and consumption of energy.

Future forecasting

We reported the 12-year net present cost of electricity for each of these off-site procurement options and for four potential renewable targets ranging from 20% to 100%.

Speak to one of our electricity specialists to find out more

The results

The success of this project is demonstrated by the ongoing works to implement the project’s recommendations across the wider Mirvac property portfolio.

Additionally, Mirvac continues to work on a range of actions to reduce its footprint, including building all electric, exploring ways to source 100% renewable energy for its residential customers, and sourcing lower carbon materials.

Explore more energy engineering solutions
Considering renewable energy procurement for your business?

Flow Power can help your business manage energy costs, environmental targets, and carbon reporting expectations. Reach out to our energy specialists today to find a solution.

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