Rooftop Solar Curtailment Tool

Institute for Sustainable Futures, Final prototype March 2024

Disclaimer: This webpage contains modelled beta testing data regarding the relationship between solar uptake and customer curtailment in Endeavour Energy’s network. It has not yet been cross-checked for accuracy and is provided to stakeholders for testing and shaping the design of the visualisation tool. Please do not share the page outside the testing group.


Understanding Curtailment

Impact on the grid

Explore the demand in a greenfield residential area with very high solar penetration in northwest Sydney. Can you observe where reverse power flows began to occur?

Likelihood of experiencing significant reverse flows:

The curtailment trend

Curtailment is currently limited, at less than 1.5% of average solar generation. However, network businesses are forecasting curtailment to increase substantially out to 2040 if no action is taken.

Forecast consumer differences: Endeavour Energy

If left unmanaged, some customers will be more affected than others. Generally, the further a solar-equipped home is from the local substation, the more it will experience voltage issues and associated curtailment. As such, fairness becomes an important factor in how networks manage curtailment. Should every customer have the same level of access to connect and export solar to the grid?

Addressing curtailment

A range of investments can be made to manage curtailment, and enable continued uptake of rooftop solar uptake by residents and businesses. However, this must be carefully considered, as the cost of such measures is spread across all energy customers, including those without solar. Explore the impact of adding each new strategy for network businesses to manage curtailment (see info icon for more info):

Opportunities for Customers

Customers and the distributed energy industry can play a crucial role in shifting demand to soak up excess solar production and avoid curtailment. Explore how many electric resistance or (more efficient) heat pump hot water systems it would take to soak up the forecast 2040 curtailment, if shifted to recharge in the middle of the day. Or how many strategically located EV charging sessions could eliminate otherwise wasted free solar...