Definitions
3 Definitions
In these Regulations:
accredited body means a body accredited under the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand to give product certification or component certification of solar water heaters.
Act means the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000.
AS, AS/NZS or Australian Standard followed by a number (for example, AS/NZS 3000:2007) means a standard of that number issued by Standards Australia Limited and, if a date is included, of that date.
auxiliary loss has the meaning given in regulation 3B.
battery, in relation to a battery connected (solar PV) small generation unit, includes a single battery or a group of batteries connected to operate as a single battery.
battery connected (solar PV) small generation unit: see regulation 3C.
bioenergy means the energy derived from the biomass components of an energy source mentioned in any of paragraphs (i) to (s) of the definition of eligible renewable energy source in subsection 17(1) of the Act.
biomass means organic matter other than fossilised biomass.
Examples of fossilised biomass: Coal, lignite.
business day means a day that is not:
a Saturday or a Sunday; or
a public holiday or a bank holiday in the Australian Capital Territory.
Clean Energy Council means Clean Energy Council Limited, ACN 127 102 443.
cogeneration means a power generation process that provides electricity and process heat as outputs.
commercial meter means a meter that is used to record the consumption of electricity for the purposes of a financial transaction between unrelated parties in relation to the consumption of electricity.
component certification, of a solar water heater, means certification by an accredited body in relation to specified components of the solar water heater.
digital identity of an individual means a distinct electronic representation of the individual that enables the individual to be sufficiently distinguished when interacting online with services.
document verification service means the service known as the Australian Government Document Verification Service, or that service continuing in existence with a different name.
identity evidence, for a person: see subregulation 20Q(1).
identity service provider means an accredited participant in the system known as the Australian Government Digital Identity System, or that system continuing in existence with a different name, that provides a service that generates, manages, maintains or verifies information relating to the identity of an individual.
interconnected hydro‑electric system means a hydro‑electric system in which water can be directed from a common storage down different watercourses so that water can be diverted from 1 power station to another, altering the amount of electricity that can be generated by each power station.
Jobs and Competitiveness Program means the Jobs and Competitiveness Program that was in force under the Clean Energy Act 2011 immediately before the repeal of that Act by item 1 of Schedule 1 to the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Act 2014.
mid‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device means a solar (photovoltaic) device, where:
the device is installed on or after 1 October 2026; and
at the time of installation of the device, the total kW rating of the following is more than 100 kW but no more than 1,000 kW:
the device;
any related solar (photovoltaic) devices;
any related power stations.
A solar (photovoltaic) device with a kW rating of 1,000 kW is installed on 13 January 2027. No related solar (photovoltaic) devices are already installed, and there are no related power stations. So the 1,000 kW device is a mid‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device.
A solar (photovoltaic) device with a kW rating of 60 kW is installed on 1 November 2026. A related solar (photovoltaic) device with a kW rating of 30 kW was installed in 2024. A related power station with a kW rating of 700 kW was accredited in 2025. Therefore, the total kW rating for the purposes of paragraph (b) of this definition is 790 kW. So the 60 kW device is a mid‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device.
A solar (photovoltaic) device with a kW rating of 400 kW is installed on 10 October 2026. A related power station with a kW rating of 700 kW was accredited in 2022. Therefore, the total kW rating for the purposes of paragraph (b) of this definition is 1,100 kW. As 1,100 kW is more than 1,000 kW, the 400 kW device is not a mid‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device.
national electricity market means the interconnected electricity grids in the participating jurisdictions in the National Electricity Rules.
National Electricity (NT) Rules has the same meaning as in the National Electricity (Northern Territory) (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2015 (NT), as in force from time to time.
native forest means a local indigenous plant community:
the dominant species of which are trees; and
containing throughout its growth the complement of native species and habitats normally associated with that forest type or having the potential to develop those characteristics; and
including a forest with those characteristics that has been regenerated with human assistance following disturbance; and
excluding a plantation of native species or previously logged native forest that has been regenerated with non‑endemic native species.
NEM standard metering means the standard of metering mentioned in the National Electricity Rules.
network control ancillary services, for a power station, has the same meaning as in the National Electricity Rules.
nominal capacity, in relation to a battery for a battery connected (solar PV) small generation unit, means the amount of energy (measured in kWh) specified as the nominal capacity for the battery in the list of approved batteries (as existing from time to time) that is published by the person to whom regulation 20AE applies.
The list of approved batteries could in 2025 be viewed on the Clean Energy Council’s website (https://cleanenergycouncil.org.au).
NTESMO has the same meaning as in the National Electricity (NT) Rules.
See item 99A of Schedule 2 to the National Electricity (Northern Territory) (National Uniform Legislation) (Modification) Regulations 2016 (NT), as in force from time to time.
plantation means an intensively managed stand of trees of native or exotic species, created by the regular placement of seedlings or seed.
product certification, of a solar water heater, means certification by an accredited body in relation to the design and manufacture of the solar water heater.
quarter means a period of 3 months commencing on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October of a year.
regional forest agreement means a Regional Forest Agreement within the meaning of the Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002.
registered for GST means registered under the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999.
Register of solar water heaters means the Register of solar water heaters kept by the Regulator under regulation 19C.
related power station: see subregulation (4).
related solar (photovoltaic) device: see subregulation (3).
required to be registered for GST means required to be registered under the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999.
small‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device means a solar (photovoltaic) device, where:
the device has a kW rating of no more than 100 kW; and
if the device was installed before 1 October 2026—the device generates no more than 250 MWh of electricity each year; and
in any case—at the time of installation of the device, the total kW rating of the following is no more than 100 kW:
the device;
any related solar (photovoltaic) devices.
A solar (photovoltaic) device with a kW rating of 40 kW is installed on 12 December 2026. A related solar (photovoltaic) device with a kW rating of 50 kW was installed in 2025. Therefore, the total kW rating for the purposes of paragraph (c) of this definition is 90 kW. So the 40 kW device is a small‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device.
solar (photovoltaic) device means a device whose energy source is solar (photovoltaic).
territorial sea has the meaning given by section 3 of the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.
thinnings means the selective removal of trees and branches from a forest during the growing stage and at harvest.
true‑up report means a true‑up report that is required to be given to the Regulator under section 5 of the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) (Jobs and Competitiveness Program) Rules 2014.
useable capacity, in relation to a battery for a battery connected (solar PV) small generation unit, means the amount of energy (measured in kWh) specified as the useable capacity for the battery in the list of approved batteries (as existing from time to time) that is published by the person to whom regulation 20AE applies.
The list of approved batteries could in 2025 be viewed on the Clean Energy Council’s website (https://cleanenergycouncil.org.au).
For the definition of small generation unit in subsection 5(1) of the Act:
a device whose energy source is hydro is a small generation unit if:
it has a kW rating of no more than 6.4 kW; and
it generates no more than 25 MWh of electricity each year; and
a device whose energy source is wind is a small generation unit if:
it has a kW rating of no more than 10 kW; and
it generates no more than 25 MWh of electricity each year; and
a small‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device is a small generation unit; and
a mid‑scale solar (photovoltaic) device is a small generation unit.
Solar (photovoltaic) devices are related solar (photovoltaic) devices if:
the devices are connected to a grid at one or more connection points and not installed behind a commercial meter subsidiary to any of the connection points; or
both:
the devices are connected to a grid at one or more connection points and installed behind a single commercial meter subsidiary to one or more of the connection points; and
there is no connection subsidiary to the commercial meter that allows electricity to flow between the commercial meter and any other commercial meter or to another connection point; or
both:
the devices are connected to a grid at one or more connection points and installed behind more than one commercial meter subsidiary to one or more of the connection points; and
a connection subsidiary to the commercial meters allows electricity to flow between the commercial meters but not between any other commercial meter or to any other connection point; or
at least 3 of the following apply:
the devices are located at a single site or multiple adjoining sites in the same area;
the devices are installed for the primary purpose of generating electricity for export to a grid;
electrical infrastructure (other than metering equipment) is needed to connect the devices to a grid;
more than 50% of the total kW rating of all devices is from ground mounted systems.
An accredited power station is a related power station of a solar (photovoltaic) device if:
the application for accreditation as an accredited power station listed solar as an eligible energy source from which power is intended to be generated; and
the power station and device are located at a single site or multiple adjoining sites in the same area.
This Act’s bill:Explanatory statement
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