Apartment dwellers need a better deal on PV and batteries
Over half a million Australian households are part of an embedded network, where several tenants get their power via a single metre. They're common in large apartment blocks, and caravan parks.
Theoretically this should allow householders to obtain reduced electricity bills from bulk purchases, or enable buildings to share solar, batteries, and EV chargers - a model that could support the clean energy transition.
Law Quarter director Connor James says they could deliver “cheaper, cleaner energy” and play a vital role as Australia builds more high-density housing.
But in practice, many embedded network operators fail to pass on the savings that come from bulk purchasing energy, and tenants in these systems often pay more than standard electricity customers.
Experts blame profit-driven operators and long-term contracts that lock in deals that favour management companies at the expense of residents.
Macquarie University’s Professor Cathy Sherry says tenants in embedded networks can't leave embedded networks or choose their own retailer.
Regulatory reform of these networks has lagged, despite a 2017 Australian Energy Market Commission review recommending stronger consumer protections that were never adopted.
Some states are acting: Victoria has banned new embedded networks, if they don't include renewables, and NSW plans to cap tenant charges.
There are successful community-led embedded networks, like Narara Eco Village, where residents have installed solar and batteries to cut costs.
And both James and Sherry argue reform must empower consumers - with community ownership, technical support, and stronger government backing - to make embedded networks a true asset in Australia’s renewable future.