The way Australian Standards are accessed and developed may be on the cusp of meaningful change — and for the renewable energy sector, this could have real implications for compliance, efficiency, workforce capability, and growth.
In mid-2025, leading figures from industry and Standards Australia met at Parliament House in Canberra to address one of the most persistent challenges facing many sectors: accessibility to Australian Standards. This conversation brought together construction and infrastructure leaders who highlighted that standards, while essential for safety and quality, are often fragmented, costly, and inconsistent to access – creating barriers in everyday practice.
Standards are not just documents on a shelf — they are referenced by law, underpin key regulatory frameworks like the National Construction Code (NCC), and directly shape how electrical, solar and battery storage work is delivered in the field. When financial or logistical obstacles prevent easy access, it can slow compliance, complicate installations, and reduce productivity.
A Focus on Accessibility and Participation
In response, Standards Australia has committed to collaborative efforts with government and industry to explore how access can be improved and how standards development can be more responsive to real-world needs.
Notably, in August 2025 the organisation launched an end-to-end review of its standards development process. The aim of this consultation is to explore how standards can be developed more efficiently and inclusively — including how industry can participate meaningfully and how emerging tools might help.
The consultation engagement includes:
- Workshops and written submissions
- Interviews and feedback sessions
- Consideration of digital tools and even artificial intelligence to support drafting, quality assurance, and responsiveness
These aren’t just technical tweaks; they signal a willingness to modernise standards development so it better reflects the way industry works and innovates in 2025 and beyond.
Why This Matters for Solar & Storage Professionals
For installers, designers, engineers, and project teams, the implications are tangible:
- Easier access could mean quicker reference, fewer guesswork moments, and fewer costly compliance errors.
- Greater participation ensures the voices of practitioners — those who work with standards every day — are heard during updates and reviews.
- Better tools and digital access could make standards more navigable in practice, especially as systems become more complex and interconnected.
Standards are not static documents. They shape how infrastructure is designed, built, certified, and maintained — including electrical installations, energy storage systems, and hybrid power networks that are increasingly common in commercial and industrial projects.
Beyond Access: Broader Industry Support
The push to open up standards access isn’t happening in isolation.
Industry groups like the Housing Industry Association (HIA) and others have joined calls for broader access to standards, arguing that removing cost barriers and improving usability will reduce red tape and benefit small businesses and tradespeople.
This reflects a wider pattern across sectors: when foundational documents like standards are easier to access and understand, compliance improves, productivity rises, and the workforce — especially smaller firms and sole practitioners — is better supported.
A Step Forward With Industry Involvement Still Key
While no specific model (such as fully free access to all standards) has been announced yet, the current direction of travel is clear: industry input, accessibility, and modernised standards development are priorities.
For the solar and storage sector — where systems are technical, regulations evolve quickly, and compliance can make or break a project schedule — these conversations matter. The stronger the voice from the field during consultations, the more likely outcomes will reflect on-the-ground needs and realities.
Standards work best when they are shaped with industry, not imposed on it.
Further reading
Standards Australia’s access and development consultation details and newsroom updates
https://www.standards.org.au/news/consultation-end-to-end-standards-development-process
Construction industry’s push for barrier-free access and national models
https://www.standards.org.au/news/industry-leaders-and-standards-australia-unite-to-unlock-productivity-benefits-for-the-construction-sector