❓ The question concerns restrictions on rooftop solar PV feed-in tariffs in regional WA communities, particularly Esperance, and the government's response to these limitations. The answer identifies affected communities and outlines government initiatives to improve access to renewable energy.
AnsweredQoN 5984Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to regional communities on both the Horizon network and the Western Power network, and ask: (a) Can the Minister name those communities which are now restricted in the level of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) that can be approved as part of feed-in tariff arrangements; (b) What actions are government taking to ensure all community members have access to rooftop solar PV and feed-in tariff arrangements; (c) Can the Minister outline arrangements in the Esperance network, in respect to any caps on rooftop solar PV as a result of network constraints and/or supply contracts; (d) In respect to the Esperance network, has Horizon now entered into a new supply contract: (i) If so, is this contract a take or pay contract; and (e) If this is a take or pay contract, does this have an impact on Horizon's decision in respect to allowing new residential customers to secure feed-in tariff arrangements for rooftop solar PV?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 March 2020
Responded by
Minister for Energy
Response time
7 days
(a) As of 19 February 2020, the following communities have reached their hosting capacity limits for solar PV installations: Broome, Cue, Denham, Exmouth, Gascoyne Junction, Marble Bar, Mt Magnet, Nullagine, Onslow, Sandstone, Yalgoo and Yungngora.
Customers in these towns are not prevented from installing solar PV, they will however need to comply with additional requirements such as installing batteries to provide for extended ramp rate smoothing.
(b) The State’s electricity system is currently undergoing a transition to higher levels of renewable and distributed energy, and the Government is responding through its Energy Transformation Strategy. A key aspect of the Strategy is the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Roadmap, an action oriented plan that will identify the policy, regulatory, customer protection and technical requirements to support high levels of DER whilst ensuring safe, secure and affordable energy.
Western Power is also making several changes to the way it operates the State’s main electricity grid to accommodate increasing levels of rooftop solar PV. These include:
In regional and remote areas, Horizon Power is widening community access to renewable energy and storage and working to deliver the most viable distributed energy resource management solutions (DERMS). Horizon Power’s goal is to make solar PV more accessible to its customers, with trial projects underway to facilitate high penetration of renewables, including the terms DERMS Project in Onslow and the Microgrid Project in Carnarvon.
(c) Hosting capacity remains available for Esperance.
(d) Horizon Power recently announced a Power Purchase Agreement with Contract Power Australia for the supply of electricity to Esperance commencing in 2022.
(i) This information is commercial in confidence.
(e) Not applicable.
Customers in these towns are not prevented from installing solar PV, they will however need to comply with additional requirements such as installing batteries to provide for extended ramp rate smoothing.
(b) The State’s electricity system is currently undergoing a transition to higher levels of renewable and distributed energy, and the Government is responding through its Energy Transformation Strategy. A key aspect of the Strategy is the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Roadmap, an action oriented plan that will identify the policy, regulatory, customer protection and technical requirements to support high levels of DER whilst ensuring safe, secure and affordable energy.
Western Power is also making several changes to the way it operates the State’s main electricity grid to accommodate increasing levels of rooftop solar PV. These include:
In regional and remote areas, Horizon Power is widening community access to renewable energy and storage and working to deliver the most viable distributed energy resource management solutions (DERMS). Horizon Power’s goal is to make solar PV more accessible to its customers, with trial projects underway to facilitate high penetration of renewables, including the terms DERMS Project in Onslow and the Microgrid Project in Carnarvon.
(c) Hosting capacity remains available for Esperance.
(d) Horizon Power recently announced a Power Purchase Agreement with Contract Power Australia for the supply of electricity to Esperance commencing in 2022.
(i) This information is commercial in confidence.
(e) Not applicable.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.