Solar Power System Grid Connection Processes & Rules – 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 are a series of steps that must be completed involving 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, rules and inverter size limits in your state or territory – but also refer to the important general notes below.
- Brisbane and Queensland
- Sydney and New South Wales
- Canberra and the ACT
- Melbourne and Victoria
- Hobart and Tasmania
- Adelaide and South Australia
- Perth and Western Australia
- Darwin and the Northern Territory
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 Distribution 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. Clicking on the DNSP’s link will take you to a page showing the electricity distributor’s inverter limit rules and the solar grid connect process.
| State/Territory | Distributors | Region |
| ACT | Evoenergy | ACT |
| Essential Energy | ACT (limited area) | |
| NSW | Essential Energy | Regional NSW |
| Ausgrid | Northern and Eastern Sydney, the Central Coast, and the Hunter Valley. | |
| Endeavour Energy | South-west of Sydney | |
| NT | PowerWater | NT |
| 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 Peninsula | |
| WA | Western Power | South west WA (SWIS) |
| Horizon Power | Regional and remote WA, including NWIS and isolated networks |
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.
Quotes for solar systems include an upfront discount from Australia’s solar subsidy, commonly called the solar rebate. Most solar connected batteries will also receive an upfront discount from the federal battery rebate. These subsidies are based on Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), and their value is already included in quoted prices. If you don’t want an upfront discount, you can ask to get the STCs yourself, but it’s much simpler to let the installer keep them.