Australia is leading the solar race worldwide thanks to widespread adoption of rooftop panels but the asset could present a serious challenge to the national grid in the short-term, a leading energy regulator has warned.
Australian Energy Market Commissioner Tim Jordan issued the warning at CEDA’s Energy Security conference in Brisbane yesterday, while calling for regulation to ensure the clean energy source would remain an asset for consumers.
His comments come amid a growing national debate over Australia’s energy future before this year’s federal election, and after the Climate Change Authority issued a report backing a transition to renewable energy.
There are now more than 4 million rooftops with solar in Australia.Credit: Glenn Hunt
But the renewable energy source, which produced and supplied power to the grid during daylight hours, was becoming a ballooning challenge for energy operators to manage, Jordan told the conference.
“My worry – and I know it’s one you share – is about consumer energy resources,” he said. “At the scale these assets are growing to, they’re going to challenge our energy systems and things will probably have to change.”
Regulatory changes, including the rollout of smart meters, would be needed to manage the energy influx, he said, and Queensland was well-placed to lead the country given it represented more than 1 million rooftop solar installations.
If managed correctly and combined with battery storage investment, Jordan said rooftop solar could provide huge benefits to consumers into the future.
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