Australia is leading the solar race worldwide thanks to widespread adoption of rooftop panels but the asset could present a serious challenge to the national grid in the short-term, a leading energy regulator has warned.Australian Energy Market Commissioner Tim Jordan issued the warning at CEDA’s Energy Security conference in Brisbane yesterday, while calling for regulation to ensure the clean energy source would remain an asset for consumers.His comments come amid a growing national debate over Australia’s energy future before this year’s federal election, and after the Climate Change Authority issued a report backing a transition to renewable energy.There are now more than 4 million rooftops with solar in Australia.Credit: Glenn HuntBut the renewable energy source, which produced and supplied power to the grid during daylight hours, was becoming a ballooning challenge for energy operators to manage, Jordan told the conference.“My worry – and I know it’s one you share – is about consumer energy resources,” he said. “At the scale these assets are growing to, they’re going to challenge our energy systems and things will probably have to change.”Regulatory changes, including the rollout of smart meters, would be needed to manage the energy influx, he said, and Queensland was well-placed to lead the country given it represented more than 1 million rooftop solar installations.If managed correctly and combined with battery storage investment, Jordan said rooftop solar could provide huge benefits to consumers into the future.Latest postsLatest postsThe Gold Coast City Council’s ambitious plan to construct a new 12,000-seat indoor arena faces significant uncertainty as the likelihood of state government support diminishes.The estimated cost of the arena stands at nearly half a billion dollars, prompting the council to seek external investors for the project.However, the current economic climate and competing priorities, such as state debt and projects linked to the 2032 Olympics, are casting doubt on the government’s willingness to provide partial funding.But the Gold Coast City Council is standing by the case for the arena.“Clearly the ratepayers can’t fund it in its entirety, but what a fantastic thing it would be to have an 18,000-seat stadium in the heart of our city,” Deputy Mayor Donna Gates said.The proposed arena, envisioned as an indoor entertainment space primarily for concerts and sports events, would be situated across from the Broadwater Parklands at Carey Park in Southport.Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he will slash $24 billion from public service spending to pay for his $9 billion injection into Medicare, doubling down on plans to cull tens of thousands of public servants so he can match Labor’s health spending while still promising smaller government.The Coalition has refused to say the precise number of jobs it will cut if elected, but Dutton on Monday confirmed that he would find the money for free GP visits by targeting the 36,000 workers Labor has added to the public service since elected.LoadingWhile arguing the Albanese government has pumped up public servant numbers as a favour to unions, Dutton has not explained which departments would be targeted. Getting rid of 36,000 public servants would equate to almost a fifth of the public service. Australia is leading the solar race worldwide thanks to widespread adoption of rooftop panels but the asset could present a serious challenge to the national grid in the short-term, a leading energy regulator has warned.Australian Energy Market Commissioner Tim Jordan issued the warning at CEDA’s Energy Security conference in Brisbane yesterday, while calling for regulation to ensure the clean energy source would remain an asset for consumers.His comments come amid a growing national debate over Australia’s energy future before this year’s federal election, and after the Climate Change Authority issued a report backing a transition to renewable energy.There are now more than 4 million rooftops with solar in Australia.Credit: Glenn HuntBut the renewable energy source, which produced and supplied power to the grid during daylight hours, was becoming a ballooning challenge for energy operators to manage, Jordan told the conference.“My worry – and I know it’s one you share – is about consumer energy resources,” he said. “At the scale these assets are growing to, they’re going to challenge our energy systems and things will probably have to change.”Regulatory changes, including the rollout of smart meters, would be needed to manage the energy influx, he said, and Queensland was well-placed to lead the country given it represented more than 1 million rooftop solar installations.If managed correctly and combined with battery storage investment, Jordan said rooftop solar could provide huge benefits to consumers into the future. Advertisement After some in the north of the state spent an anxious past 24 hours keeping tabs on the path of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, here in Brisbane we’re expecting much tamer weather.Today the forecast is for a mostly sunny day, with a top temperature of 30 degrees, which at this stage is how the rest of the week is likely to pan out.Here’s the outlook:Here’s what’s making news further afield:Anthony Albanese has faced a public grilling, fronting an at-times hostile TV audience on ABC’s Q+A, as he battles dismal polling.Doctors are warning Australians to temper their expectations of free GP visits as they fear patients will be disappointed when most city clinics keep charging gap fees, despite both Labor and the Coalition pledging $8.5 billion to boost bulk-billing.An exclusive survey shows there is one Trump policy most Australians want, and “drill, baby, drill” is also quite popular.Roberta Flack in 1971.Credit: RedfernsRoberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s, has died.French President Emmanuel Macron became the first European leader to visit Donald Trump in Washington and, in an awkward moment on camera, corrected the US president on his claims about Europe’s support for Ukraine.Australian musician Delta Goodrem has been forced to withdraw as the headline entertainment act at rugby league’s season opener in Las Vegas this weekend.Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times’ news blog. Today the city can expect a partly cloudy day and a top temperature of 31 degrees.In local news you need to know:As the first draft of the 100-day Brisbane 2032 Olympic infrastructure review was delivered, a 3.5-kilometre “linear park” has been proposed to connect Woolloongabba, the Mater precinct, South Bank and Kurilpa.Concept plans for the “Corril Connector” linear park between Woolloongabba and Kurilpa.Credit: Aspect StudiosAlex Leapai Senior spent six months in prison before pursuing world glory. Now, his son Alex Junior has left the NRL behind in a bid to do what his father could not.The first project with an improved Green Star energy efficiency rating system is expected to be completed in 2027 in Brisbane, and the new ratings tool is being launched today.On Monday, a jury was shown the concrete pit under a Brisbane warehouse where the body of a man was allegedly wrapped in plastic, weighed down and hidden, as well as a photo of his almost unrecognisable remains, as part of a murder trial.Stilts restaurant.Credit: Markus RavikAnd Stilts, the second Kangaroo Point Bridge venue, has opened. Expect plenty of steak, live lobster, bugs and oysters from the tank, and of course, those one-of-a-kind views.