The NSW Government is developing a new Consumer Energy Strategy for release in 2024.
The Strategy will aim to help support NSW households through the transition to a net-zero emissions energy system. The Strategy will consider current incentives and opportunities related to energy efficiency, electrification, and consumer protections, as well as Consumer Energy Resources (CER) (such as solar, batteries, and EV chargers) for households.
The NSW Government is consulting with stakeholders on actions and issues to be considered in the Strategy.
For further information, including to register your interest in the consultation process, please contact the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) at: [email protected].
Background and related work
Electricity Supply and Reliability Check Up
The Strategy is being developed in response to the independent Electricity Supply and Reliability Check Up. This report made 54 recommendations to the NSW Government, including “that a NSW CER strategy be prioritised by the Department to better integrate CER into the supply mix by 2030. The Strategy should ensure common technical standards for CER and set targets for uptake of technologies such as smart meters and distributed batteries”.
In September 2023, the NSW Government released a response to the report and agreed to support this recommendation.
The report and the Government’s response can be found here.
National work on Consumer Energy Resources
At the November 2023 Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council (ECMC) Meeting, Ministers agreed to develop a National Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Roadmap – Powering Decarbonised Homes and Communities. This is intended to unlock consumer benefits for locally generated and stored power, deliver national reforms for efficient and effective CER integration, deliver on emissions and renewable energy commitments, and drive positive outcomes for all consumers, regardless of income, and the system as a whole. Ministers also agreed to consider implementing a national approach to technical regulatory settings for consumer energy resources in 2024.
The ECMC’s communiques can be found here.
The NSW Government supports this national work and will be actively involved in the development of the National CER Roadmap.
The NSW Consumer Energy Strategy will complement the national work. The NSW Strategy will include identification of priority issues for national reform and focus on areas of NSW policy and program responsibility.
Promoting innovation for NSW energy customers
DCCEEW previously published a consultation paper ‘Promoting innovation for NSW energy customers’ which explored regulatory and non-regulatory barriers limiting customers and industry from fully benefiting from the energy sector transformation. The stakeholder submissions and policy analysis from this program continue to inform the development of the NSW Consumer Energy Strategy.
- Promoting innovation for NSW energy customers consultation paper
- Non-confidential submissions on the consultation paper ‘Promoting innovation for NSW energy customers’
Following release of this consultation paper, the NSW Government in February 2024 requested through the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council that AEMO remove controlled load profiles (CLPs) and sample meter requirements in NSW. AEMO will undertake a rules consultation process to consider the changes.
The NSW Government’s position paper on CLP and sample meters can be found here.