Electrification: the new power play for business
A new pilot project is set to reshape how communities and businesses access renewable energy – unlocking up to $28.3 million in benefits over three years. Ausgrid’s Community Power Network trial aims to redistribute excess solar energy via local batteries, extending the advantages of rooftop solar to renters, apartment dwellers and commercial operators alike.
By tapping into under-utilised rooftop space and storing surplus solar power, the initiative offers a smarter, more inclusive energy model – one that supports local investment, improves grid efficiency and creates new revenue opportunities for Australian businesses.
The initiative, which is expected to benefit up to 32,000 customers, gives renters and apartment dwellers the opportunity to access rooftop solar. Commercial and industrial businesses will benefit installing solar panels and selling surplus energy back into the grid.
In Mascot, there is an estimated 112 megawatts of untapped rooftop solar potential, with about 68 per cent of residents living in apartments and 50 per cent renting, making it an ideal location for testing equitable solar access models. iStock
As the largest electricity distributor on Australia’s east coast, Ausgrid delivers power across Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley via a vast network of substations, powerlines and underground cables.
Long-term, the vision is to share learnings from this initiative so that distribution networks and communities can harness unused solar energy produced by commercial and industrial buildings around the country. The aim is to create a system where the benefits of solar energy are shared with local communities, particularly for those who cannot access solar power directly.