The Justice and Equity Centre responded to the NSW Government’s consultation on the Emergency Backstop Mechanism and Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Installer Portal. These reforms are vital to ensuring rooftop solar and battery systems work safely and reliably as more households transition to clean energy.
The Emergency Backstop Mechanism will allow energy distributors to temporarily reduce solar exports during rare grid emergencies. This helps prevent blackouts and keeps the system stable. We support this measure—but only if it’s part of a broader plan to improve solar integration, protect consumer rights, and avoid unnecessary costs.
We also welcome the proposed CER Installer Portal, which will help ensure solar systems are installed correctly and meet safety standards. This is key to unlocking more solar and battery use across NSW and making sure all households benefit from the energy transition.
Our submission calls for stronger technical standards, better support for installers, and fairer treatment for consumers. We also urge the NSW Government to work with other states to create consistent national rules.
These changes will help build a cleaner, more equitable energy future for everyone in NSW.
