Solar Power System Grid Connection Processes – State By State

Before a small scale solar power system can be installed and connected at your home or business and then subsequently switched on after the installation, there’s a series of steps that must be completed that will involve you, your solar installer, your network distributor (see below), electricity retailer and in some cases, other parties.

While this may sound a little daunting, your own involvement in the grid connection process could be minimal, with the other parties undertaking most of the work.

The steps vary from state to state and it’s good to know how it all should work. Click below for further information on solar power system grid connection processes in your state or territory – but also refer to the important general notes below.

What Is An Electricity Distributor – And Which Is Mine?

While most Australians would know who their electricity retailer is, many may not be aware of their distributor – or even what one does.

An electricity distributor, also known as a Distributed Network Service Provider (DNSP), is the entity that owns and maintains an electricity network. There are different distributors in each Australian state and territory, and in some cases different distributors provide services in different parts of a state.

A DNSP plays an important role in the grid connection of solar power systems in each state and territory – so you’ll need to know who yours is. The following table indicates the various electricity distributors around Australia.

State/Territory	Distributors	Region
ACT	EvoEnergy	ACT
	Essential Energy	ACT (limited area)
NSW	Essential Energy	Regional NSW
	Ausgrid	Northern Sydney
	Endeavour Energy	South-west of Sydney
QLD	Energex	South-east Queensland
	Ergon Energy	Regional Queensland
SA	SA Power Networks	South Australia
TAS	TasNetworks	Tasmania
VIC	CitiPower	Melbourne CBD
	Powercor	Western Victoria
	Jemena	Western inner Melbourne
	AusNet	Eastern Victoria
	United Energy	South-east Melbourne and Mornington Pensinsula
WA	Western Power	Western Australia South of Kalbarri (SWIS)
	Horizon Power	Rural stand-alone networks, including the Pilbara

DNSP Solar Inverter Size Limits

The following table indicates capacity limits various Distributed Network Service Providers have for solar inverters generally and whether battery inverters contribute to these limits. Information is current as at October 2019.

Distributor	Rules	Source
Australian Capital Territory
EvoEnergy	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. Battery inverters do count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
Essential Energy	Single phase: 5 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 15 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. Rural areas: 3 kW inverter/export limit per phase. Battery inverters do count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
New South Wales
Essential Energy	Single phase: 5 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 15 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. Rural areas: 3 kW inverter/export limit per phase. Battery inverters do count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
Ausgrid	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 10 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 30 kW export limit. Ausgrid “may” allow battery inverters to exceed overall inverter limit.	Here
Endeavour Energy	Single phase: 5 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 30 kW export limit. Battery inverters do not count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
Queensland
Energex	Single phase: 5 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 15 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. An installer we trust has advised that Energex regularly approves 10 kW inverter limit per phase, so long as export is 5 kW. Battery inverters do count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
Ergon Energy	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. Battery inverters do count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
South Australia
SAPN	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. Battery inverters do count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
Tasmania
TasNetworks	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 10 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 30 kW export limit. Battery inverters do not count towards phase inverter limit. However, batteries are only approved automatically if they are zero export. If export is requested – requires manual assessment.	Here
Victoria
CitiPower/ PowerCor	Single phase: 5 kW inverter limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit. Export limit: Case-by-case approval TBD if battery inverters count towards inverter limit.	Here
Jemena	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. Battery inverters do count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
AusNet	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. TBD if battery inverters count towards inverter limit.	Here
United Energy	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 10 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 30 kW export limit. Battery inverters do not count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
Western Australia
Western Power	Single phase: 5 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 30 kW export limit. Western Power have advised that 30 kW three-phase limit is rarely granted, and 8-22 kW is the usual range granted. Battery inverters do not count towards phase inverter limit.	Here
Horizon Power	Single phase: 10 kW inverter limit, 5 kW export limit. Three phase: 30 kW inverter limit, 15 kW export limit. Horizon have advised that rural connections usually have much stricter requirements. Battery inverters do not count towards phase inverter limit.	Here

General Notes On The Grid Connection Process

The grid connection process is often a paperwork-heavy one, with multiple parties involved. One of the most common complaints we hear is in relation to installers filling in paperwork incorrectly, or documents being “lost” by the retailer or distributor. A glitch in the paperwork process can cost valuable time, not to mention the frustration it can create.

While in some states, the customer doesn’t have much of a hands-on role in completing paperwork required for the grid-connection of a solar power system, the customer should keep his/her finger on the pulse of the process. If things are taking longer than they should – enquire rather than just assume that everything is okay and on track.

When you purchase your system, it will likely have been accompanied by an up-front discount – Australia’s solar subsidy; aka the solar rebate. This subsidy is based on Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). As part of the grid connection process, you will be required to sign over your STCs, but not until such time that the system installation is complete to the point where it is able to generate electricity, even if it is not connected to the meter.