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Turning a Regional Utility into an Active Energy Market Participant

“This wasn’t about delivering a single project. It was about building an energy modelA mathematical model describing the energy use profile before implementation of a project (baseline phase) and after an implementation of a project (operating phase) occurs. that could support our operations long-term, reducing emissions while giving us more control over cost and risk.” 



Graeme Dick

Manager Strategic Infrastructure Projects

GWMWater

Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water needed more than a conventional renewable energy project. It required a whole-of-portfolio strategy to reduce emissions, strengthen resilience, and gain greater control over energy costs. Northmore Gordon helped shape an integrated clean energy approach combining generation, storage, load optimisation and wholesale market participation.

The Challenge

GWMWater provides water and wastewater services to 72,000 customers across north-western Victoria, operating 343 facilities. The organisation faced a complex decarbonisation challenge:

• A distributed portfolio with diverse demand profiles

• Critical service obligations requiring reliable operations

• Exposure to volatile electricity pricing

• The risk that conventional solutions would shift cost exposure rather than reduce it

Standard approaches, standalone solar or passive procurement, could not address this complexity.

GWMWater needed a strategy that could:

• Align engineering, operations and market participation

• Offset 100% of electricity consumption annually

• Achieve net zero Scope 2 emissions

• Deliver a commercially robust, board-ready model

Our Approach

Northmore Gordon supported the development of a portfolio-wide clean energy strategy based on treating energy as an integrated system.

At its centre is the Nhill Renewable Energy Facility (6.5 MW solar, 6.5 MWh battery), supported by:

• ~2.3 MW behind-the-meter solar PVSolar Photovoltaic

• ~1.2 MWh site-based battery storage

• Load shifting and shedding capability

A key outcome was enabling wholesale market participation rather than a traditional retail structure, unlocking value through self-generation, storage arbitrage, reduced price exposure, and ancillary services.

Load shifting was integrated through GWMWater’s SCADA system, allowing operations to align with renewable availability and lower-cost periods while maintaining water security. The result was a redesigned energy operating model.

Key Technical and Advisory Outcomes

Northmore Gordon supported the feasibility assessment for the business case of this solution, enabling GWMWater to:

• Integrate renewable assets across the portfolio

• Shift solar energy using battery storage

• Optimise loads through shifting and shedding

• Participate in wholesale electricity markets

• Improve resilience and reduce long-term cost exposure

• Build a scalable framework for future integration

The Results

The strategy delivers a step change in environmental and commercial performance:

• Positions GWMWater to achieve 100% renewable electricity

• Enables net zero Scope 2 emissions

• ~$1.3 million in annual savings on ~$17 million investment

• ~13-year payback with ~$4 million NPV over 25 years

• Enables price arbitrage and reduces exposure to volatility

• Creates potential revenue from ancillary services

Beyond this, GWMWater shifts from a passive electricity buyer to an active market participant, with the ability to generate, store, shift and optimise energy across its network.

Why It Matters

This project shows what is possible when decarbonisation is treated as both an engineering and commercial strategy.

For GWMWater, the outcome is a stronger operating model linking technical design, market intelligence and control systems to measurable value. It demonstrates that regional utilities can reduce emissions while maintaining financial discipline.

For Northmore Gordon, it reinforces an approach that goes beyond feasibility reporting, delivering practical, board-ready strategies grounded in technical depth and commercial realism.

Do more with less energy cost and carbon exposure.

Northmore Gordon helps utilities and large energy users turn decarbonisation into a practical operating strategy.

Industry

Water & Wastewater

Location

North-western Victoria

Grant Raja

Senior Business Development Manager

Contact Grant ›

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