Connections reform initiative delivering much-needed change for clean energy investors

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and the Clean Energy Council have today published a new, updated version of the Connections Reform Roadmap (CRR), a key component of the Connections Reform Initiative (CRI).

The Connections Reform Roadmap provides a suite of initiatives to improve the grid connection process, including across access standards, information and modelling, and investment certainty, all of which will help to speed up the connection process, lower the cost of connection, improve hosting capacity and system strength, and allow for firmer connection process timeframes.

Connecting large-scale generation and storage to Australia’s grid in a timely and predictable way will be critical to unlocking a 100 per cent instantaneous renewable energy future.

Version two of the CRR illustrates the clear evolution of the CRI from the planning to the implementation phase now being undertaken, where there is a key focus on delivering impactful reforms.

Last week, the CRI facilitated the lodgement of a rule change with the Australian Energy Market Commission. The rule change proposed amendments to the registration stage of the connection process, aiming to reduce the uncertainty many generators face in the connection process and bring investment costs down.

The updated CRR includes the Connections Process Trials Program, which captures and tests ideas from across the industry on ways to improve the entire connections process. A range of trials are ongoing, with results expected in the immediate months ahead.

The CRR also covers the introduction of new reforms developed in response to the evolving needs of the industry, including, for example, a review of the 5.3.9 rule. It now embraces AEMO’s Connections Scorecard, which provides both data and a visualisation of the participation across the stages of the connections process and delivered timeframes.

AEMO Executive General Manager System Design, Merryn York, said: “The Connections Reform Initiative demonstrates the benefit of industry collaboration to navigating Australia’s energy transition.

“We’re pleased with the momentum outlined in the updated roadmap and look forward to delivering key initiatives in the coming months,” she said.

Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton, said that the CRI, which relies on the collaborative efforts of more than 50 organisations, is proving to play a transformative role as Australia’s clean energy transition accelerates.

“Australia has a huge, but not insurmountable, task ahead when it comes to the deployment of large-scale generation and storage. With grid connection and network access the top concern of clean energy investors going back to at least 2019, it’s clear that there’s work to be done, and I’m proud to see the progress that’s been made as part of the CRI since the first iteration of the Roadmap in 2021,” he said.

“When clean energy investors are confident that their projects will be connected to the grid in a timely manner, then the huge capital required for Australia to reach 82 per cent renewable energy in the National Electricity Market by 2030 will flow, leading to lower prices and improved power supply for consumers.”

ENDS