The Australian Energy Market Commission says introducing a new distribution planning framework and implementing improved data reporting will help reduce the curtailment of rooftop solar.
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is proposing to modernize its distribution network planning, which it says will help reduce the curtailment of rooftop solar.
A design rule released earlier this week proposes to replace the existing distribution annual planning report with a distribution network plan. The plan would be published every five years and cover a 20-year time frame, with distribution network service providers also required to provide annual summary updates.
The committee also plans to establish a new framework for reporting distribution network data. It says that as solar, batteries and rooftop electric vehicles transform distribution networks and in turn create both opportunities for consumers and challenges for the grid, planning must be supported by clearer, more accessible data on how and where these technologies are used.
Committee chair Anna Collyer said the reform will give decision makers across the energy system better information to act sooner.
“With detailed insight into where solar, batteries and electric vehicles are emerging, distributed grid service providers and investors can plan ahead through targeted upgrades or off-grid solutions,” Collyer said. “That means fewer restrictions, less curtailment of rooftop solar and ultimately more efficient investment decisions that end up on everyone’s energy bills.”
The draft rule also proposes to increase the visibility of the low-voltage network, which the commission says will help identify the best stops to install electric vehicle chargers and community batteries.
AEMC is now seeking feedback from stakeholders, with submissions due by June 4 before publishing a final determination and ruling later this year.
The planned reform comes as the rollout of rooftop solar in Australia accelerates, with recent analysis showing the Australian rooftop solar market rose 19% last month as consumers race to take advantage of battery subsidies.
A report from the Clean Energy Council shows that Australia’s rooftop solar fleet has reached capacity 28.3 GW late last year, with approximately 4.3 million installations nationwide. Solar panels on the roof contribution to Australia’s total electricity generation reached 14.2% in the second half of the year 2025, compared to 13.4% in the same period last year.
In January, AEMC cleared virtual power plants to compete directly with large-scale generators in the Australian energy market from 2027.
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