Renewable energy generator and retailer ENGIE is working with SA Power Networks on a 12-month Market Active Solar trial, looking at how to manage the periodic oversupply of rooftop solar energy.
ENGIE general manager for innovation Ryan Wavish said, “Our residential customers who have opted in to the trial offer allow us to adjust the amount of energy exported to the grid from their rooftop solar panels when there is too much supply, and prices are negative. Importantly, these customers are compensated for doing so.
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“It is a win-win situation. As an electricity retailer, this means ENGIE is not double paying for both customer solar feed in tariffs (FiTs) and also the cost of exporting power into a negative market when there is too much rooftop solar generation.
“At the same time, our customers are compensated more than they would’ve earned for exporting their excess solar power through solar feed-in tariffs.
“The trial is going really well, our customers are loving it and we’ve had more than 40 customers opt-in so far. We were originally set a limit of 50 participants this year, but due to the popularity of the trial offer ENGIE has recently been able to increase that limit to 100 households in South Australia.
There has been much discussion about the introduction of a “solar tax”—or households being charged for exporting their excess rooftop solar during periods of oversupply. But Wavish says ENGIE wants to ensure customers earn money from their solar curtailment.
“We are flipping this for customers. This Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funded trial is proof that an innovative retailer like ENGIE can instead help customers earn money from their solar curtailment. This also means another win-win between the customer and the network as market led curtailment relieves congestion on the local grid and reduces the need for costly upgrades,” he said.
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The Solar Advantage offer was created as part of the Market Active Solar trial led by SA Power Networks. This trial received funding from Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program.
The opportunity to join the Solar Advantage offer was initially limited to a maximum of 50 participants. But, due to strong early interest, the offer is now available for up to 100 participants. Customers must be in South Australia and be signed up to SA Power Network’s Flexible Exports connection option.
