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Clean Energy Council Submission to Wired for Change: Small Electrical Products and Solar PV Systems

The Clean Energy Council provided feedback to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)’s public proposal on regulatory approach to product stewardship for electrical/electronic-products (e-products), solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and small electrical and electronic equipment (SEEE). The CEC and its members are largely supportive of DCCEEW’s proposed model for establishing a recycling stewardship scheme with some amendments that are outlined below.

The CEC and its members support a scheme that is dedicated to solar PV waste, insofar as market failures exist. The submission focused on consumer energy resources in terms of its inclusion in a regulated product stewardship scheme. At the outset, we noted that the products included in solar PV waste scheme are fundamentally different in nature and composition, and therefore the scheme should incorporate a specific and distinct focus on the recycling needs and context of the different products. Recycling of solar PV panels represents a significant market failure and requires government intervention to assist in managing the solar PV panel waste. Other components of solar PV systems – such batteries – are currently being managed by industry and so the CEC recommended not including home energy storage batteries in the scheme.

Victoria’s Emergency Backstop mechanism

The Clean Energy Council (CEC) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change (DEECA) Consultation Paper, Victoria’s Emergency Backstop mechanism.

CEC feedback on Draft Queensland Electricity and Connection manual

The CEC recognises the importance of a robust and resilient network. We have supported work towards enabling dynamic operating envelopes for Consumer Energy Resource (CER), with particular focus on dynamic export limits that unlock generation capacity and reward consumers who own CER for making their energy more flexible and supporting the wider system. The CEC welcomes the approach (if not the mechanism) Energy Queensland and their subsidiaries (EQ) have taken to this end, resulting in larger potential photovoltaic (PV) solar system sizes for consumers.

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) Consultation Paper: Introducing a new class of LEI for renewables

We welcome the proposal of more specific training for inspectors operating in the renewable energy sector and a new class of LEI that represents this competency. Improved consistency of safe renewable energy (RE) systems increases consumer satisfaction and trust in the industry which is imperative to a smooth transition.

CEC Submission South Australia's H2 and RE Bill

Renewable Projects Quarterly Report Q1 2023

The Renewable Projects Quarterly Report details recent investment in renewable generation and storage projects in Australia and shows trends since 2017.

Review into Consumer Energy Resources Technical Standards (EMO0045)

The CEC is pleased that the Commission is undertaking a review of the technical standards for consumer energy resources (CER) and outlining recommendations (for the review of industry stakeholders) that aim at improving compliance of CER devices. Our response to the draft report is based on feedback from our members and are aimed at ensuring the proposed recommendations mitigate any unintended and negative consequences.

Submission in response to the Energy Security Board's Transmission Access Reform consultation paper

The Clean Energy Council welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission in response to the Energy Security Board's Transmission Access Reform consultation paper