In short:
Australia's energy ministers have agreed to explore pathways for "safe deployment" of plug-in solar across the country.
asserted
ministers → agree → country
Lifting a ban on plug-in solar and batteries would unlock access to the technology for millions of apartment dwellers and renters for the first time.
What's next?
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What → lift → time
Campaigners for the legalisation of plug-in solar are calling on the government to provide a timeline by December detailing when the ban could be lifted.
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ban → plug → December
Australia could soon follow in the footsteps of Germany and the United Kingdom as it prepares to lift a ban on plug-in solar and batteries, unlocking access to the technology for millions of apartment dwellers and renters for the first time.
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it → follow → time
The move was discussed during a meeting of the country's energy ministers, where they agreed to explore pathways to support the "safe deployment" of plug-in solar across the country.
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they → discuss → country
The systems, which are also commonly referred to as 'balcony solar', were legalised in the United Kingdom last month and New Zealand has flagged plans to do the same within 12 months.
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Zealand → refer → months
Germany is a world-leader in plug-in solar, with an estimated one in 10 households having a system installed.
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system → plug → solar
It can technically be sold in Australia but not legally plugged in and used.
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It → sell → Australia
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said a third of Australians have solar on their roof, making the technology "more popular than the backyard pool".
"Now we're taking the next step, by looking at how even more Australians can take advantage of free, abundant sunshine to cut their energy bills — even if they don't have a roof.
"
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they → say → roof
All state and territory ministers are on board and will work with the Commonwealth to look at how plug-in solar and batteries can work in Australia to give apartment dwellers more control over their energy bills."
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solar → work → bills
Heidi Lee Douglas is the CEO of Solar Citizens, a community organisation that's been campaigning for plug-in solar to be legalised, and welcomed that Australia was now a step closer to that reality.
"
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Australia → campaign → reality
This commitment to make plug-in solar and plug-in batteries legal in Australia is great news for more than a third of Australians who rent or live in apartments, and also for low-income households so they can access some of the bill-busting benefits that cheap clean solar home owners enjoy," she said.
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she → make → that
"We want to see a firm timeline and deadline by December at the next energy ministers meeting for when plug-in solar and batteries will be available for use in every state and territory.
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solar → want → state
Australians are looking for every opportunity to bring down their power bills.
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Australians → look → bills
Plug-in solar systems and batteries can be plugged into regular power points and do not require installation by an electrician.
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systems → plug → electrician
The power generated by the panels is fed into the home network via an inverter and a standard plug and helps offset electricity used by appliances.
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power → generate → appliances
Overseas, they are commonly attached to apartment balconies or installed in backyards and produce between 600-800 watts of power, typically at a cost of up to $1,300.
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they → attach → 1,300
They are a popular choice for people who live in an apartment and cannot mount rooftop solar as well as renters, many of whom have never considered the possibility of accessing renewable energy.
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many → live → energy
More than 30 per cent of Australians are renting, which equates to almost 3 million households.
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which → rent → households
Maiya Irving-Mackinnon is a renter from the Sydney suburb of Marrickville who estimates her electricity bills have increased by about 15 per cent, or $200, over the past 12 months.
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bills → estimate → months
"Solar has never really been something that we can consider as a renter because we can't install anything on the roof or on a ground floor apartment," she said.
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she → consider → apartment
"I would really like to have the option to install solar panels and for that to be subsidised but it's not really something that's been available for a renter before.
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that → like → renter
"During the day, if we were able to run our electronics at a reduced cost, if not for free, then I think that would make a really big difference to our energy bill."
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that → run → bill
Experts have suggested the payback period for plug-in solar systems ranges from four to ten years.
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period → suggest → years
Ms Lee Douglas expects some households will save up to $1,000 a year on electricity bills.
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households → expect → bills
"The average plug-in solar panel will allow you to save about $300-$400 a year, and plug-in batteries will easily double that," she said.
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she → plug → that
Importantly, renters would be able to take the panels and batteries with them when they moved.
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they → take → them
Barriers to overcome
The federal government will now work with the states and territories to "identify measures that enable the safe use" of plug-in solar and report back on next steps by the end of the year.
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that → overcome → year
The federal government is yet to indicate whether it is considering offering subsidies or rebates for the technology.
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it → indicate → technology
Solar Citizens is calling on plug-in solar and batteries to become legal in Australia by July next year.
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solar → call → July
But there are still barriers to overcome ahead of then, including ensuring safety standards are up to scratch for when products begin to enter the market.
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products → be → market
Executive director of the German Plug-In Solar Association Craig Morris said Australia could look to the safety standards that Germany has developed as a starting point.
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Germany → say → point
"The risk of too many companies coming in and some of them not being serious has gone down," he said.
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he → come → them
"If you go back just five years, I think we had a number of companies that you didn't really know too much about them and maybe they were just trying a quick buck.
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they → go → buck
"But I think in the meantime, the big boys have taken over and pushed out some of the smaller firms.
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boys → think → firms
"
Bringing landlords and body corporates on board to allow plug-in solar to be hung on balconies or stationed in backyards is another challenge that would need to be addressed in Australia before the technology is legalised and rolled out.
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technology → bring → Australia
In Germany, tenants need to get permission to install plug-in solar but landlords need a good reason, such as planned facade renovations, to reject the request.
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landlords → need → request
Mr Morris said ultimately, adoption of plug-in batteries would be crucial in allowing the full benefits of plug-in solar to be fully realised.
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benefits → say → solar
"What we're ultimately offering, which is plug-in solar with batteries, or maybe even plug-in batteries without solar, offering flexibility from households," he said.
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he → offer → households
"The batteries would charge and discharge not in order to optimise our consumption of the solar power we generate, but to optimise operation of the local grid.
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we → charge → grid
…and 1 more, not listed.