Western Australia is at the forefront of the transition to renewable energy and we are preparing our power system for increasing levels of rooftop solar and other renewables.
The State Government has introduced the ability to manage rooftop solar exports in emergency situations that arise with very high levels of renewables and could otherwise lead to widespread loss of power.
This new capability applies to new and upgraded systems from 14 February 2022. If your rooftop solar system was installed prior to 14 February 2022 it does not need to comply with requirements for Emergency Solar Management, unless you decide to upgrade.
During an emergency event, generation from managed rooftop solar systems will be turned down or turned off. Electricity supply to the household from the grid will not be affected.
The requirements for Emergency Solar Management:
- only apply to new and upgraded rooftop solar systems – If your rooftop solar system was installed prior to 14 February 2022 it does not need to comply with requirements unless you decide to upgrade;
- only be used in emergencies – expected to be needed infrequently and for short periods, and will prevent loss of power for consumers during these critical times;
- do not interrupt power supply to customers – only rooftop solar generation is reduced, and customers will continue to receive power from the grid;
- only impact households as a last resort – other options to protect the power system, including turning off large-scale generators, will be exhausted first; and
- allow more renewables overall – by managing risks during these infrequent emergency times, greater levels of rooftop solar installation will be possible.
There’s a longer-term plan underway to reduce the need for this emergency measure, including investment in storage, improving pricing signals, and allowing for customer devices to provide energy services for payment. Find out more about the Energy Transformation Strategy.
Synergy has information for consumers on Emergency Solar Management on their website at www.synergy.net.au/global/dpv-management
What is Emergency Solar Management?
Emergency Solar Management is the capability to remotely reduce the generation from small-scale distributed rooftop solar PV systems as a last resort measure, assisting the Australian Energy Market Operator to protect the power system during extreme low load events.
It will only be used as a last resort measure to protect the power system during emergencies. Without this backstop measure, the alternative includes disconnecting distribution feeders, which would cut power to entire suburbs.
The State Government is introducing a requirement for new and upgraded rooftop solar systems with an inverter capacity of 5kW or less to be capable of being remotely managed, so they can be called on during an Emergency Solar Management event.
How will Emergency Solar Management be used?
Emergency Solar Management will only be used as a last resort in emergency situations to avoid blackouts.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has a series of measures that will be exhausted in emergency situations before it will trigger Emergency Solar Management. This is illustrated in the diagram below.
Importantly, Emergency Solar Management is a last resort measure and will only be used when all other options have been exhausted. Emergency Solar Management prevents the need to disconnect feeders (which would turn off power to households) in order to keep the system secure during emergencies.
It is anticipated that Emergency Solar Management will only be used infrequently and for short periods of time. This is expected, at earliest, from late 2022, when the level of household solar is expected to reach critical levels.
Introducing Emergency Solar Management requirements prior to late 2022 ensures that a sufficient amount of rooftop solar is available to be managed during emergency events. If capability requirements were to be delayed, the only option to ensure the system remains stable would be to stop new solar installations altogether.
Similar capability was introduced in South Australia in September 2020. Since then, it has only been used once, for about one hour.
What will happen in an Emergency Solar Management event?
During an extreme low load event, AEMO will undertake a range of actions to manage the power system, including reducing large-scale generation (including both coal and gas), procuring additional energy services to ensure the system can be operated at a lower level of demand, and coordinating with Western Power on network configuration.
If these actions will not be sufficient to avoid the system entering an unsecure state, AEMO will direct Western Power to provide a response. At present, Western Power is able to manage certain large commercial rooftop solar and other generation systems, and so it will reduce generation from these systems first.
After these options have been exhausted, Synergy will be requested to remotely reduce generation from its customers’ rooftop solar systems. Synergy will ensure that the impact is shared equitably across customers.
Once emergency conditions have passed, Synergy will then remotely increase generation from the affected systems. Following an event, information will be provided to customers.
The figure below provides an outline of the steps before, during and after an example extreme low load event.
There may also be events that occur without prior warning - these could include faults causing the loss of a large industrial load, or a bushfire taking out a transmission line connecting a large amount of load to the grid. The sudden loss of a large load could require an emergency response from the power system without prior notice.
I'm planning to install rooftop solar - how will this affect me?
Show moreFrom 14 February 2022, all new and upgraded rooftop solar with an inverter capacity of 5kW or less (the typical size for household systems) will need to be capable of being remotely managed.
This means that if you are installing a new rooftop solar system or upgrading your existing rooftop solar system to an inverter capacity of 5kW or under, then your system must meet the requirements for management capability.
Your installer will provide you information on the options for meeting the requirements for your system. Further information, including a customer fact sheet, is available from Synergy.
In rare situations, meeting the requirements for Emergency Solar Management may be too costly or impractical to implement. In these situations, systems must be export limited to 1.5kW to be approved for connection the grid. Alternatively, you may choose to be export limited rather than meet requirements for Emergency Solar Management.
Systems that are export limited instead of meeting requirements for Emergency Solar Management will not be eligible to receive buyback payments under Synergy’s Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme.
Systems participating in Emergency Solar Management will be tested periodically for compliance. This will involve performing tests of remote disconnection and reconnection for all participating systems, when possible, at times of low solar production to minimise the impact on consumers.
I’m planning on installing a battery – how will this affect me?
Show moreBattery installations from 14 February 2022 will be required to meet the requirements for emergency solar management as outlined in Western Power’s Basic Embedded Generation Connection Technical Requirements.
Under the requirements, batteries must not discharge between 10am to 3pm; and must not charge between 6pm to 9pm.
If you are adding a battery to an existing rooftop solar system without changing it, then your rooftop solar system will not be required to meet the new emergency solar management requirements. However, the battery system must comply with Western Power’s Basic Embedded Generation Connection Technical Requirements, as above.
In any other battery installation situations, Emergency Solar Management requirements apply to the entire system.
I already have rooftop solar - how will this affect me?
Show moreIf your system was installed before 14 February 2022, Emergency Solar Management, unless you decide to upgrade the capacity of your system or install a battery.
What's happening with renewables in WA?
Show moreWestern Australians are embracing rooftop solar at unprecedented rates - every year, households install solar capacity equivalent to our largest coal generator. This is an incredible achievement.
- About one in three homes already have rooftop solar PV
- Rooftop solar PV is already providing as much as 64% of the energy we use during the middle of the day
- Renewables generated over 30.4% of all energy used in the State’s main grid in 2020-21 (up from 11.7% only five years ago). This is more than the 28.8% share of renewables in the National Electricity Market in the eastern states. In the December quarter 2021, renewables generated almost 40% of electricity in Western Australia, compared with 30% in the rest of Australia.
- Western Australia is on a path to reaching more than 70% renewable energy by 2040
Why do we need to manage rooftop solar?
Show moreVery high levels of solar generation can present risks to our power system at times of low load, which occur when generation from solar is high and electricity demand from customers is low.
These periods are typically during mild, sunny days in Autumn and Spring, on weekends and holiday periods when demand from businesses is relatively low and air-conditioning is unnecessary for most customers.
At these times, fewer large conventional generators are required to operate. However, these generators perform critical services in our power system, stabilising electrical frequency on the grid, helping the power system continue through disturbances (such as outages), and sudden changes in demand and supply. Without these services, our power system is vulnerable to widespread outages.
Managing rooftop solar will enable us to prevent this instability during times of low load. Management has always been performed on large generators, and these generators will still be managed first during an emergency, before households are affected.
The capability to manage solar exports during emergency conditions was recommended in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Renewable Energy Integration - SWIS Update report, released on 28 September 2021.
Why don’t we do something else, like subsidise or build new batteries?
Show moreBatteries can be helpful in reducing power system risks by storing energy during emergency low load events.
The Government is investing in batteries, including the Big Battery in Kwinana and 13 PowerBank community batteries. However, due to the high cost of battery storage, and the low cost of solar technology, the lowest cost way to increase renewables in our electricity supply is to continue to build renewable capacity and manage generation during times of system risk:
- Household batteries can only support the system if they are controllable. For example, most batteries are full by midday - this means they cannot help to assist in low load periods, which typically occur in the early afternoon. The technology and settings for orchestrating household batteries is still being developed.
- There is a two-year lead time for the development, procurement, and installation of utility-scale batteries, so storage would not solve the immediate need.
- Installing enough large batteries to remove the need for Emergency Solar Management would be very expensive - estimated at $4 billion to 2030, or about $500 per household, each year. In comparison, the cost to households to turn off solar for short periods is small. In South Australia, this measure has only been used once, and the cost was $1-2 per household.
Storage will be an important part of the transition to a renewable energy future and will reduce the need for emergency solar management in the long term.
What else are we doing?
Show moreManaging rooftop solar is part of a suite of measures helping to transform and decarbonise our power system.
It is expected to be called on less frequently as the transformation matures and can be replaced by other measures, such as:
Storing energy in batteries – as well as the recently announced Big Battery at Kwinana, we have installed 13 community batteries. We are also changing the electricity market rules to support batteries throughout the power system and there are a number of private sector proposals in the works.
Orchestrating household energy devices – household batteries can be called on to prevent emergency conditions if they have capacity when they required (i.e. they are not fully charged). Other household devices such as hot water systems (and EVs in the future) will also be used. Orchestration is being piloted through Project Symphony, the Western Australian Government’s flagship virtual power plant pilot.
Soaking up solar – Synergy is piloting a new tariff that encourages households to use more of their electricity when solar energy is plentiful by offering a low price during the day. The Government is also working with large energy users, such as the Water Corporation, to use more electricity during the day to address low load conditions. More consumer products to help soak up solar are planned to be released throughout 2022.
Electric Vehicles – We are preparing the grid for electric vehicles so we can take advantage of the opportunities they present in soaking up abundant renewable energy. This offers significant long-term potential, but with only 3,000 vehicles in Western Australia as of early-2022, there are not yet enough to soak up the excess solar.
Together, these actions will keep our power system secure under very high levels of renewables.
Why are larger systems not included?
Show moreEmergency Solar Management requirements apply to systems with inverter capacity of 5kW and less.
However, new systems larger than 5kW will be subject to export limits at all times. This will limit the impact these systems have on the grid during low load events.
Export limits will be set to 1.5kW or 5%. By comparison, systems meeting Emergency Solar Management requirements will be able to export up to 5kW (except under emergency conditions).
The new export limits will enable households to install larger systems for self-consumption through a new, streamlined connection process. Businesses with new solar systems will also be subject to the same export limitations.
In the longer-term, when aggregation of customer devices is rolled out across the grid, all households (including those with larger systems) will have the option of participating in virtual power plants (with flexible export limits).
What can I do to help the grid?
Show moreYou can help during times of low load in many ways.
Days of low load risk occur generally on weekends, and when the weather is sunny and mild.
On these days, all households, rooftop solar or not, can help make the most of plentiful solar generation by moving energy usage to around lunchtime. This could include:
- running appliances, such as the dishwasher and washing machine
- charging devices such as laptops and phones
- setting timers on hot water systems and pool pumps
- charging electric vehicles
- setting batteries to commence charging at midday
Future solar customers can also choose the size of their PV system to match their household need, so that they are not exporting excess amounts of energy to the grid.
Will there be additional costs for households?
Show moreThere are different ways to ensure your system meets the requirements for Emergency Solar Management.
You should discuss the options available to you with your installer to understand if there will be any additional costs in your specific circumstances (for most households with an internet connection there will be no additional costs involved).
For most customers, rooftop solar will not be generating during an Emergency Solar Management event, and they will need to purchase electricity from the grid to meet their needs. It is estimated that this would cost an average household less than $2 per emergency event. As an example, South Australia has experienced an emergency event only once in a 12-month period, with a power bill impact of $1-$2.
As Emergency Solar Management is a last resort measure, this $1-$2 impact would only apply where the alternative is larger power outages.
Depending on the functionality of your inverter, it may be possible to put in place solutions that allow for your rooftop solar system to be ‘turned down’ rather than off. In that case, you can continue to use energy generated from your solar during an Emergency Solar Management event.
Will this impact my feed-in tariffs or the return on my investment?
Show moreEmergency Solar Management requirements do not affect eligibility for the Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme, which means that impacted households will continue to benefit from State Government energy buyback policies
Since it is anticipated Emergency Solar Management will be required for only infrequent and short periods, the new requirement will have a negligible impact on power bills, buyback payments or return on investment.
How do I make the most of my solar?
Show moreFor the greatest return on your investment, and to support the energy grid in times of low load, consider shifting as much energy consumption as you can to times when your solar system is generating the most – including by setting any in-built timers on appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, and pool pumps.
Shifting consumption will mean that you avoid the cost to import the power you need, which saves you more money than a buyback credit provides. This difference is due to import costs needing to account for network capacity and connection fees, essential systems services and reserve capacity, and the higher cost to generate power during the evening peak period.
Will I be financially compensated if an Emergency Solar Management event occurs?
Show moreThere will be no compensation to solar owners for Emergency Solar Management events.
This is in line with rules that apply to larger generators, including large wind and solar farms during emergencies. Also, these same generators will be impacted prior to households during an Emergency Solar Management event.
Can I power my home from my battery during an Emergency Solar Management event?
Show moreYou may be able to use your battery to power your home during an Emergency Solar Management event, however not all systems are designed to be able to do this.
You should discuss this option with your installer.
I am moving into a house with rooftop solar - what do I need to do?
Show moreIf the system was installed under the new requirements, Synergy will contact you to ensure that the rooftop solar system at the property still meets the requirement for remote management. Synergy will explain any obligations you may have in maintaining the remote management capability of the rooftop solar system.
What if I need to replace part of my rooftop solar system under warranty?
Show moreProduct replacements undertaken under warranty will not trigger the requirement for the rooftop solar system to be remotely managed, providing the inverter remains the same capacity.
If a like-for-like replacement is not available, or the capacity of the inverter is increased, the system will need to comply with Emergency Solar Management capability.
Synergy can provide information on any specific circumstances.
What information will I get before and after Emergency Solar Management events?
Show moreSynergy will be communicating with customers to make sure that they are provided information as soon as possible after an event.
