The complexity of an embedded network
An embedded network is a private electricity network within a commercial property, where a single connection to the grid is shared across multiple tenants. The property owner acts as an on-seller of electricity. This means they need to measure each tenant's consumption accurately, apply the correct tariff, account for shared solar generation, and issue compliant invoices — all while maintaining the metering infrastructure and managing disputes when a tenant questions their bill. At 21 tenants, this was already complex. With solar in the mix, the calculation requirements became significantly more involved.
Metering the network
The first step was establishing revenue-grade metering at every tenant distribution board. Conexie specified and oversaw the installation of individual sub-meters for each of the 21 tenants, plus a main meter at the grid connection point and a generation meter on the solar system. With all meters reporting to the Conexie platform at five-minute intervals, the data foundation was in place for both real-time monitoring and billing-period aggregation.
Fair solar allocation
Allocating solar generation fairly across 21 tenants required a methodology that was both mathematically defensible and simple enough to explain to tenants. Conexie implemented a proportional allocation approach: each tenant's share of the solar generation in any given interval was proportional to their share of total site consumption during that interval. This meant tenants who consumed more during sunny periods received a larger solar credit — reflecting the actual pattern of generation and consumption rather than a fixed percentage.
Automated invoicing through Xero
With metered consumption data and solar allocation calculations running automatically, Conexie connected the billing output to the client's Xero account. At the end of each billing period, draft invoices were generated for all 21 tenants automatically — including grid consumption charges, solar credits, and any applicable fixed charges. The client reviewed and approved the batch, then Xero handled delivery and payment tracking. The entire process, which had previously taken two days of manual work, was reduced to a 20-minute review.
Tenant visibility and dispute resolution
One of the unexpected benefits of the deployment was the reduction in billing disputes. Each tenant received access to a read-only portal showing their own consumption history, their solar allocation by period, and the underlying calculations behind each invoice line. When tenants could see exactly where their charges came from — down to the half-hour interval — the volume of billing queries dropped significantly. Transparency resolved most disputes before they were raised.