Labor has promised to subsidise home batteries by 30%, cutting the cost of battery storage system by approximately $4,000 per household up front.
The news was welcomed by the Clean Energy Council, which has been lobbying government for a home battery subsidy scheme.
Clean Energy Council general manager distributed energy Con Hristodoulidis said, “[This] commitment by Federal Labor to provide a 30% discount on the upfront cost of purchasing a home battery, through its Cheaper Home Battery Program, is a significant and welcome cost of living measure that will supercharge energy savings for the four million Aussies with rooftop solar on their homes.
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“The Clean Energy Council has been at the forefront of advocating for a national battery scheme over the last two years as a pathway to cheaper energy—it’s been the missing piece of the energy transition puzzle when it comes to further reducing energy bills for Aussie households.
“The upfront cost of purchasing a battery averages around $14,000 and has been a barrier to entry for many homeowners who want to generate even further savings on their energy bills. Our data shows less than five per cent of households with rooftop solar currently have invested in battery storage to-date.
“The more batteries we have in the system, the more power we can store and use for those peak times when energy is more expensive, and taking pressure off the distribution network leads to lower power bills for everyone. Our analysis shows this network saving can be as high as $190 million for all energy users.
“A national battery scheme will ensure more households will be empowered to turbocharge their energy independence and save on their bills.”
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Opposition leader Peter Dutton has criticised Labor’s proposal, claiming the subsidies would only benefit the rich.
“For $10,000 for a battery—maybe that’s the cost after this subsidy—I think you’re talking about higher-income families being in a position to pay for that,” Dutton said.
“I just don’t know that the next-door neighbour, who can’t afford to pay for that battery, is going to subsidise the battery for me or for you on higher incomes.”
