Alinta Energy has partnered to launch its first virtual power plant offering – offering a no-cost solar and battery plan to customers.
Australia can now access solar, battery and virtual power plant (VPP) technology with no upfront cost thanks to a new partnership between Alinta Energy and climate tech startup NRN (National Renewable Network).
The new product, Solar Together, uses NRN’s platform to supply and coordinate solar and battery systems for households across Australia. Alinta Energy then delivers a great value plan tailored to work with those systems, while NRN operates the VPP behind the scenes to maximise value for customers and the grid.
Solar Together offers a complete solar and battery system with no upfront cost, no financing, and no repayments, so that customers can enjoy lower daily supply charges and can choose to purchase the system at any time or take ownership after 12 years.
Alinta Energy GM Commercial Mass Market, Nicole Brolan, said this project is a great way to make solar and battery systems more accessible and affordable for Australian households.
“We’re excited to have partnered with NRN on this zero upfront cost VPP offer for our customers,” she said.
“Solar Together takes care of everything from installation to maintenance and system optimisation. Instead of relying on traditional solar feed-in tariffs, customers can enjoy a tailored electricity plan with low daily supply charges, simplifying energy management.”
A Solar Together pilot program ran in late 2024, involving 50 NSW customers. High performance and strong customer engagement validated the platform’s rollout readiness.
Following the success of the pilot, Solar Together is now rolling out across New South Wales and South Australia, with plans to expand into Victoria and Queensland in the coming months.
NRN founder and CEO, Alan Hunter, said the Solar together solar accessible without shifting cost burdens to consumers, and it gives retailers and installers the tools to grow together.
“Our platform gives energy retailers a stake in the future of distributed energy, with zero upfront investment and no asset liabilities.”
