Australia’s largest electricity network maps best spots for business to go big on rooftop solar

Detailed summary

The spatial energy planning trial aims to show which commercial buildings can cover their entire roof with solar, instead of just enough to meet their own needs.

Ausgrid, Australia’s largest electricity network operator, has released new spatial energy planning data for three locations across its network which it hopes will help businesses identify opportunities to maximise their rooftop solar potential.

Unveiled on Wednesday, Ausgrid’s NSW Spatial Collaboration Portal now hosts data covering areas that have been identified for Ausgrid’s Community Power Network trial, including Mascot-Botany, the Northern Central Coast, and the suburb of Caringbah.

The trial is intended to investigate ways to better incentivise commercial buildings to install a solar system that covers their entire roof, instead of just enough to meet their own electricity needs.

The key targets are the underused roofs of warehouses, shopping centres, schools, and other large buildings, which the trial will then connect to a network of community-scale batteries.

Ausgrid says its NSW Spatial Collaboration Portal, which displays pilot areas for the company’s Community Power Networks, includes information on spare capacity to connect solar and batteries, areas where network limitations may exist, and places where future projects may be suitable.

Tim Jarratt, Ausgrid group executive for external affairs and strategy, says the release of data for these three new locations is intended to test and refine the tools required to deliver this information at greater scale.

“Our Community Power Network trial is exploring how large commercial and industrial rooftops can be used to generate more solar energy, supported by community batteries, while sharing the financial benefits with households and businesses across local communities.

“As part of the trial, we’re making detailed information about the local electricity network publicly available to give businesses and energy providers a clearer picture of where new solar, battery and energy projects could work best.

“In Caringbah, the data will help the market to explore and test its own ideas.

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