2025 FAQs (unanswered questions from the webinar)
Will TasNetworks consider the social, environmental and financial costs of rare minerals, given the growing need for power?
The growing demand for rare earth minerals is being driven primarily by the global increase in electronic components, particularly the rapid expansion of large-scale data centres. To meet the energy needs of these facilities now and into the future, substantial new generation and storage infrastructure will be required, both of which also rely on rare earth minerals for key components such as batteries.
As the network operator, TasNetworks’ focus is on the safe and reliable transmission of energy across the network. The global demand for rare earth minerals is largely influenced by the consumption and production ends of the energy supply chain, which sit outside our direct control.
What support will you be providing to domestic feed-in from apartment-based solar PV?
In principle, an apartment or semi-detached dwelling can apply for an embedded generation connection through their solar installer, following the same process as a standalone house. They would need their own meter and NMI (National Metering Identifier), which is usually the case except in a small number of uncommon situations.
In practice, the main challenges relate to obtaining the necessary approvals from the body corporate and ensuring that a compliant system can be safely installed and connected to the meter. A qualified solar installer can advise customers on suitable system options and ensure compliance with Australian standards.
Regarding solar exports, TasNetworks does not set feed-in tariffs; these are determined by electricity retailers. We also do not receive revenue from residential solar exports, so from a distribution perspective we are unable to offer additional financial incentives. This helps maintain fair and equitable pricing for all customers who use the network.