❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Energy regarding Synergy's restrictions on battery storage and electric vehicle systems in renewable energy agreements, seeking clarification on why consumers are prevented from exporting battery electricity to the grid and whether these restrictions will be amended. The Minister responds that the restrictions reflect the terms and conditions for eligibility under the AA3 access arrangement, approved by the Economic Regulation Authority, and that furt
AnsweredQoN 895Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SYNERGY —
BATTERY ELECTRICITY
895. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy:
I refer to a section of the terms and conditions for Synergy's
form ''Application for installing or upgrading a renewable energy system
and bi-directional metering'' for systems with an inverter capacity that
does not exceed 30 kilowatts and for systems between 30 kilowatts and one
megawatt, which states —
My facilities and equipment must
not incorporate:
i) a battery storage system;
ii) an electrical vehicle system;
or
iii) both i) and ii)
(1) Given the
Minister for Energy's recent statements regarding the future of solar
generation at the Energy WA conference, why was this clause, which precludes
solar households from installing household batteries, added into these Synergy
agreements?
(2) If the
answer to (1) is that it merely precludes consumers from exporting battery
electricity back into the grid, as reported by Daniel Mercer in The Weekend West on 29 August 2015, why
are consumers not allowed to export battery electricity into the grid?
(3) Would the
minister agree that the current language of these agreements indicates that the
inclusion of battery or electric vehicle technology in these systems would
breach the terms and conditions of this agreement and may lead to the customer's
disconnection?
(4) If yes to
(3), will the minister agree to instruct Synergy to amend this language in all
its relevant agreements, past and future, so customers are able to install
batteries and purchase electric vehicles with no fear of disconnection?
(5) If no to (3), why not?
(6) If yes to (3), and no to (4), why not?
BATTERY ELECTRICITY
895. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy:
I refer to a section of the terms and conditions for Synergy's
form ''Application for installing or upgrading a renewable energy system
and bi-directional metering'' for systems with an inverter capacity that
does not exceed 30 kilowatts and for systems between 30 kilowatts and one
megawatt, which states —
My facilities and equipment must
not incorporate:
i) a battery storage system;
ii) an electrical vehicle system;
or
iii) both i) and ii)
(1) Given the
Minister for Energy's recent statements regarding the future of solar
generation at the Energy WA conference, why was this clause, which precludes
solar households from installing household batteries, added into these Synergy
agreements?
(2) If the
answer to (1) is that it merely precludes consumers from exporting battery
electricity back into the grid, as reported by Daniel Mercer in The Weekend West on 29 August 2015, why
are consumers not allowed to export battery electricity into the grid?
(3) Would the
minister agree that the current language of these agreements indicates that the
inclusion of battery or electric vehicle technology in these systems would
breach the terms and conditions of this agreement and may lead to the customer's
disconnection?
(4) If yes to
(3), will the minister agree to instruct Synergy to amend this language in all
its relevant agreements, past and future, so customers are able to install
batteries and purchase electric vehicles with no fear of disconnection?
(5) If no to (3), why not?
(6) If yes to (3), and no to (4), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question.
(1) The terms
and conditions outlined by Synergy reflect the terms and conditions for
eligibility under the AA3 access arrangement, approved by the independent
Economic Regulation Authority.
(2) At the
time of determining the AA3, the ERA determined that the impact on the network
of exporting electricity onto the grid from electric vehicles and battery
storage was largely unknown and agreed that further work was needed to
understand and resolve issues.
(3) No.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) The
language of the agreements reflects the terms and conditions for eligibility,
approved by the ERA.
(6) Not applicable.
(1) The terms
and conditions outlined by Synergy reflect the terms and conditions for
eligibility under the AA3 access arrangement, approved by the independent
Economic Regulation Authority.
(2) At the
time of determining the AA3, the ERA determined that the impact on the network
of exporting electricity onto the grid from electric vehicles and battery
storage was largely unknown and agreed that further work was needed to
understand and resolve issues.
(3) No.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) The
language of the agreements reflects the terms and conditions for eligibility,
approved by the ERA.
(6) Not applicable.
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