About the Flexible Exports trial
This trial, funded by ARENA as part of their Advancing Renewables Program, developed a new approach to integrating rooftop solar with the grid by using smart inverters. New and upgrading solar customers connecting to overloaded parts of the network were offered the Flexible Exports connection option as an alternative to low fixed export limits. The Flexible Exports connection option means that more customers can benefit from investing in rooftop solar, with higher exports, less solar energy wasted, greater reliability of solar systems and a more stable electricity supply.
The trial was made possible by working with the solar industry, inverter manufacturers and technology providers from 2021-2023.
Building on the success of the trial, Flexible Exports was made a standard service offering for new and upgrading small embedded generation solar customers within eligible areas on 1 July 2023. Eligible customers can select from either the reduced permanent fixed export limit of 1.5kW per phase or the Flexible Exports option, where the export limit will vary up to 10kW per phase. Flexible Exports will gradually be rolled out to more areas, expecting the option to be available in most South Australian suburbs by mid-2024.
Lessons learnt from the Flexible Exports trial
We have recorded forums and developed public reports with what we have learned during the trial. More information can be accessed below:
- Trial announcement
- Flexible Exports insight forum video (watch on YouTube)
- Flexible Exports insights forum November 2022 video (watch on You Tube)
- Flexible Exports lessons learnt report 1 (PDF 831KB)
- Flexible Exports lessons learnt report 2 (PDF 905KB)
- Flexible Exports lessons learnt report 3 (PDF 1436MB)
- Flexible Exports lessons learnt report 4 (PDF 974KB)
If you have any more questions on research undertaken during the trial, or about what we have learned please do not hesitate to contact us.
Flexible Exports trial partners
Learn more about Flexible Exports
Flexible Exports is now available in some parts of South Australia. Learn more about the Flexible Exports offering: