Australia’s transition to cleaner, cheaper household energy is gathering pace, with nearly 30,000 home batteries installed since the federal government’s rebate scheme came into effect on July 1.
The uptake has been welcomed by electrification advocates, who argue the next frontier lies in expanding the battery fleet through electric vehicles (EVs).
The scheme, which provides a 30 per cent subsidy on battery installations until 2030, has been hailed as a critical step in cutting power bills and accelerating the move to all-electric homes.
Research shows that pairing household batteries with rooftop solar and electric appliances can save families around $1,000 annually.
“We are not surprised by this level of uptake. Australians want cheaper power bills and more energy independence, and storing it yourself is one of the best ways to gain more savings, and more control,” Rewiring Australia CEO Francis Vierboom said.
“This subsidy will allow Australian families to save money on ever-increasing bills.
“At the same time, it’s helping those homes use clean energy around the clock, and getting us closer to zero emissions, especially as homes upgrade to all-electric and unsubscribe from gas,” he said.
While household storage is on the rise, Vierboom pointed to the even greater potential of EVs to deliver cost savings and power grid stability.
“Homes with solar panels, or homes switching to cheap ‘free energy at midday plans’, can replace their petrol bills forever with clean electricity, which is an even bigger annual saving,” he said.
“A typical petrol car costs $2,600 a year in fuel.
“Charge an EV at home with solar and that drops to about $170.”
Home batteries typically hold just enough energy to power a household through the night, but EVs, which use larger batteries, can store far greater reserves — enough to power some homes for more than a week.
“They don’t just replace petrol bills with free solar; electric vehicles can also become home batteries on wheels,” Vierboom said.
“We are already seeing people start to use their electric vehicles to function both as a home battery and a car, and sell energy back to the grid at peak times.”
The comments come as the federal government considers new policies that could slow EV uptake, including a road-user charge and the possible removal of the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption that has supported thousands of Australians in accessing EVs through their employers.
“Talking about road user taxes right now is premature. Now is not the time to pump the brakes on EVs,” Vierboom said.
“They’ll slash our national petrol bill and transform our energy system, storing over five times the energy of Snowy Hydro.
“The faster we add them to our roads, the more energy we can use from cheap, clean renewables, helping us reduce our reliance on oil imports, and retire Australia’s costly, ageing coal fleet sooner.”
“Electric vehicles have a higher upfront cost than petrol cars, but a lower operating cost and can feed power back into the home. We should be making it easier for people to drive a car that also powers their home.
“By supporting EV uptake, we can cut bills, store clean energy, and put fossil fuels in the rear-view mirror,” he added.
Australia’s battery boom appears to be only the beginning of a wider shift that could see cars, homes, and the electricity grid linked more closely than ever as the nation seeks cheaper power and lower emissions.
