The way electricity is generated has changed dramatically during past years. Traditionally, most electricity used to be generated from brown or black coal-fired power stations, as well as gas. Today, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar play a leading role, as well as electricity generated from rooftop solar panels that can be stored in batteries.
It is estimate that from 2025 there will be times when there is enough renewable energy in the system to meet 100 per cent of electricity demand. This rapid transition to renewable energy sources means that we need to ensure that all forms of generation work together and that the entire system remains safe, stable, and available for customers.
The renewable energy pathway
In August 2022, the Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers established a partnership to support the smooth transformation of Australia’s energy sector to net zero emissions by 2050.
Called the National Energy Transformation Partnership, it is a commitment for government to work together to decarbonise. However, the partnership recognises that each State has its own ambitious and policies to reach net zero.
For example, the Victorian Government’s Climate Change strategy has set a Renewable Energy Target for 50 per cent of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. They have also committed to reduce emissions in the state by 75-80 per cent (below 2005 levels) by 2035, and to reach net zero by 2045.
As part of this push to reach net zero by 2045, another important strategy has been set. The Zero Emissions Vehicle Roadmap aims to have half of all light vehicle sales to produce zero emissions by 2030. This means that the electricity system will have even more demand placed on it from charging these vehicles.
Challenges and opportunities
This is an exciting time for us as our role in the future of the electricity will be more important than ever. However, electricity networks were built to be powered by large coal and gas plants (one-way electricity flow) and not millions of households and businesses who have excess electricity that can be fed back into the grid (two-way electricity flow).
We need to ensure all forms of customer energy resources (CER) – such as solar, batteries, smart appliances, electric vehicles, and future innovations – can work together efficiently and flexibly in a way that benefits all customers. We also need to maintain network stability and security.
We also want as many people as possible to benefit from the changing electricity system, whether they own their own electricity resources or only use electricity supplied our poles and wires.
This means:
- creating the network capacity needed for large and small customers to share, store, and trade their power locally
- making it easy for customers to electrify their household or businesses
- helping customers change their relationships with power (by shifting electricity demand on our network in a smart and cost-effective way)
- sharing data to help other parties to manage new systems and services.
Customer and stakeholder engagement
During the broad and wide engagement phase, our customers confirmed they have an expectation that we maintain electricity supplies in a safe, affordable, and reliable way as the energy system transitions.
They also want us to:
- support the uptake of more electric vehicles and charging points across our network
- increase communication about how we are helping the energy transition to occur.
To learn more about this theme, browse the documents section on this page.
To see how we are currently engaging with customer and stakeholders on this theme, visit the Focused Conversations page.
Explore the other themes
Back to top
Back to Regulatory Reset main page
The way electricity is generated has changed dramatically during past years. Traditionally, most electricity used to be generated from brown or black coal-fired power stations, as well as gas. Today, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar play a leading role, as well as electricity generated from rooftop solar panels that can be stored in batteries.
It is estimate that from 2025 there will be times when there is enough renewable energy in the system to meet 100 per cent of electricity demand. This rapid transition to renewable energy sources means that we need to ensure that all forms of generation work together and that the entire system remains safe, stable, and available for customers.
The renewable energy pathway
In August 2022, the Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers established a partnership to support the smooth transformation of Australia’s energy sector to net zero emissions by 2050.
Called the National Energy Transformation Partnership, it is a commitment for government to work together to decarbonise. However, the partnership recognises that each State has its own ambitious and policies to reach net zero.
For example, the Victorian Government’s Climate Change strategy has set a Renewable Energy Target for 50 per cent of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. They have also committed to reduce emissions in the state by 75-80 per cent (below 2005 levels) by 2035, and to reach net zero by 2045.
As part of this push to reach net zero by 2045, another important strategy has been set. The Zero Emissions Vehicle Roadmap aims to have half of all light vehicle sales to produce zero emissions by 2030. This means that the electricity system will have even more demand placed on it from charging these vehicles.
Challenges and opportunities
This is an exciting time for us as our role in the future of the electricity will be more important than ever. However, electricity networks were built to be powered by large coal and gas plants (one-way electricity flow) and not millions of households and businesses who have excess electricity that can be fed back into the grid (two-way electricity flow).
We need to ensure all forms of customer energy resources (CER) – such as solar, batteries, smart appliances, electric vehicles, and future innovations – can work together efficiently and flexibly in a way that benefits all customers. We also need to maintain network stability and security.
We also want as many people as possible to benefit from the changing electricity system, whether they own their own electricity resources or only use electricity supplied our poles and wires.
This means:
- creating the network capacity needed for large and small customers to share, store, and trade their power locally
- making it easy for customers to electrify their household or businesses
- helping customers change their relationships with power (by shifting electricity demand on our network in a smart and cost-effective way)
- sharing data to help other parties to manage new systems and services.
Customer and stakeholder engagement
During the broad and wide engagement phase, our customers confirmed they have an expectation that we maintain electricity supplies in a safe, affordable, and reliable way as the energy system transitions.
They also want us to:
- support the uptake of more electric vehicles and charging points across our network
- increase communication about how we are helping the energy transition to occur.
To learn more about this theme, browse the documents section on this page.
To see how we are currently engaging with customer and stakeholders on this theme, visit the Focused Conversations page.
Explore the other themes
Back to top
Back to Regulatory Reset main page
