Solar Citizens welcomes the NSW Coalition's stronger focus on rooftop solar, batteries and urban renewable energy, but warned against creating a false choice between large-scale regional renewable energy zones and urban zones focused on consumer energy .
Solar Citizens Senior Campaigner Alia Armistead said NSW households needed an energy system that generated more electricity where people live and work, while continuing to develop regional renewable energy resources.
"The real opportunity isn't choosing between Renewable Energy Zones and rooftop solar. NSW needs both."
"We're pleased to see recognition that warehouses, factories, and commercial buildings, have enormous untapped potential to generate and store electricity close to where it's used. That's a new frontier Solar Citizens urges must be progressed."
"Consumer energy resources are critical to the transition but cannot replace the need for regional wind and solar farms entirely. We still need well-planned Renewable Energy Zones and transmission to deliver a reliable electricity system."
"But we also need to dramatically scale up Urban Renewable Energy Zones so we're capturing the enormous untapped energy sitting on rooftops across our suburbs, towns and industrial areas."
Armistead said Australia should first maximise the use of the electricity network already built before asking consumers to fund billions of dollars in new infrastructure.
"Every kilometre of transmission line, every substation and every major network upgrade ultimately shows up on consumers' electricity bills."
"If we can avoid building unnecessary network assets by generating and sharing more power locally, we should. The cheapest infrastructure is the infrastructure you don't have to build."
“Governments should make better use of both existing transmission and local distribution networks by unlocking the full value of consumer energy resources.”
"The future isn't just rooftop solar. It's smart grids, home batteries, Virtual Power Plants, vehicle-to-grid technology, and electric cars, with electric buses and trucks also becoming part of the energy system."
"When these technologies work together as Urban Renewable Energy Zones, they reduce pressure on the grid, lower power bills, improve energy security and cut climate pollution."
Solar Citizens said Australia's cities and towns could become far more energy self-sufficient by fully utilising rooftops and enabling households and businesses to store and share clean electricity. A study by the Committee for Sydney last June calculated that Sydney could become 75% energy self-sufficient if all the large rooftops were activated. [1]
Solar Citizens is currently undertaking its own modelling project with Nexa Advisory to build a blueprint for consumer-centric Urban Renewable Energy Zones that activate the role of local councils to maximise consumer agency and benefits.
"Every rooftop we can fill with solar, every battery we install, and every electric vehicle connected intelligently to the grid helps build cleaner, cheaper and more resilient communities."
"The cities and towns of the future will increasingly generate, store and share their own energy. That's good for household budgets, good for energy security, good for cleaner air and essential for tackling climate change."
”Consumer energy should sit alongside regional renewable energy—not compete with it.
Solar Citizens called on all political parties to move beyond ideological battles and focus on practical solutions.
"Australians are tired of the culture wars over energy. The transition is unstoppable and has delivered huge benefits for households already. Solar Citizens’ 200,000 supporters who have invested their own money in consumer energy resources is evidence of this."
"People want cheaper bills, reliable power and cleaner air. They want practical solutions, not political arguments."
“Access to affordable clean energy should be treated as essential public infrastructure.
"Clean, affordable electricity should become as fundamental to modern life as access to clean drinking water. Every Australian should have the opportunity to benefit from generating, storing and sharing clean energy."
Solar Citizens said governments should prioritise:
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Expanding rooftop solar and batteries on homes, warehouses, factories and commercial buildings to share cheap clean energy with apartments and renters
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Unlocking rooftop solar and shared batteries for renters
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Supporting consumer protections for batteries to be part of virtual power plants.
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Accelerating smart grids, Virtual Power Plants and vehicle-to-grid technology.
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Better utilising existing transmission and distribution networks before investing in costly new infrastructure.
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Continuing investment in well-planned regional Renewable Energy Zones where they are needed.
"NSW shouldn't choose between regional Renewable Energy Zones and Urban Renewable Energy Zones. The smartest energy plan delivers both."
NOTES
[1] Sydney as a Renewable Energy Zone, Committee for Sydney, June 2025