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https://reneweconomy.com.au/ausgrid-hopes-new-solar-pilot-can-help-break-the-boundaries-on-narrow-network-limits/>
"Australia’s largest electricity network operator, Ausgrid, is testing an idea
that could challenge the rules for how energy networks operate — and in doing
so, it argues, speed up the clean energy transition.
Its new Community Power Network (CPN) pilot goes beyond the traditional ‘poles
and wires’ role of networks, and is designed to show how they might directly
help deliver cheaper bills, fairer access to solar, and faster decarbonisation.
If successful, the trial could mark a turning point: proving that regulated
networks, long confined to their own “swim lanes,” can also be allowed to be
engines of innovation and equity in the energy system.
The pilot, now out for public consultation, seeks to unlock the untapped
potential of commercial rooftop solar and redistribute its benefits to entire
communities — including renters, apartment dwellers, and households unable to
afford panels.
Ausgrid CEO Marc England told the
SwitchedOn Australia podcast the trial is
designed to reduce costs, increase equity, and cut emissions, and he believes
it could point the way to a new paradigm for Australia’s energy future.
“We have studies and data that suggests that if we could cover those warehouse
roofs with solar, we could reduce the cost of electricity for those living
close to those solar installs,” says England. “We could share it more equitably
across the community, and we can encourage decarbonising.”
The CPN pilot will be run in two locations: Mascot-Botany in Sydney and
Charmhaven on the Central Coast. The areas were chosen to test different
community profiles — Charmhaven being more residential, while Mascot-Botany
mixes social housing, renters, and large-scale warehouses.
In Mascot alone, Ausgrid has identified 112 megawatts (MW) of untapped rooftop
solar potential — enough to power 23,000 homes. With 68% of Mascot residents
living in apartments and 50% renting, the suburb is an ideal testbed for more
equitable access to solar.
The pilot is expected to deliver $22.9 million in energy cost savings over five
years, or around $150–$200 per household per year for the 32,000 customers in
both pilot areas."
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*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
