Solar Citizens welcomes the expansion of the Federal Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program, which will see support grow to $7.2 billion over four years and enable more than two million Australian households to install home batteries by 2030.
The expanded program builds on strong early uptake, with more than 155,000 households and small businesses already installing batteries in less than six months — most in suburban and regional Australia — helping families cut power bills, reduce peak demand, and take control of their energy use.
Solar Citizens said the program demonstrates what is possible when governments back consumer-led energy solutions, with rooftop solar and batteries now playing a critical role in lowering energy prices across the grid.
Solar Citizens CEO Heidi Lee Douglas said the expansion is a significant step forward for households facing cost-of-living pressures.
“Home batteries are fast becoming a popular household appliance that helps families slash bills and stabilise the electricity grid,” Ms Douglas said.
“This expansion shows that when governments invest in people-powered energy, Australians respond in droves. Batteries mean cheaper power at night, fewer price spikes, and a cleaner, more resilient energy system for everyone.”
Solar Citizens also welcomed the Government’s move to introduce a tiered support system from May 2026, designed to encourage right-sized battery installations while keeping the scheme sustainable over time.
Solar Citizens noted evidence from the Australian Energy Market Commission showing that increased battery uptake can reduce system-wide electricity bills by around 3 per cent annually, benefiting all energy users — including those without solar or batteries. [1]
“Batteries aren’t just good for the households that install them — they’re good for everyone,” Ms Douglas said.
“They smooth evening demand, cut expensive peak pricing, and make better use of the solar energy Australians already generate in abundance.”
However, Ms Douglas cautioned that equity and access must remain a priority for future energy policy announcements.
“We are calling for a federal policy to enable solar for renters, to ensure the 30% of Australians who are renters are not left behind in the cost of living savings from home solar” she said.
“Right now we are running an anonymous interactive online conversation using Pol.is to engage everyday Australians in developing the right policy mechanisms for Solar for Renters.
“We are using a global platform for digital democracy that lets participants agree, disagree, and add their voice to a conversation about how to deliver solar for renters. As responses come in, AI maps out areas of common ground and difference — showing the consensus in real time. “
Solar Citizens said today’s announcement reinforces Australia’s position as a global leader in consumer-led clean energy, and urged all parties to commit to policies like Solar for Renters that will help double rooftop solar backed by storage by 2035.
[1] Residential Electricity Price Trends 2025, Australian Energy Market Commission, 4/12/25
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About Solar Citizens
Solar Citizens is an independent, community-based organisation that champions a democratic, people-powered energy system that cuts bills, reduces emissions, and makes Australia a global leader in the clean-energy transition. Our website is https://www.solarcitizens.org.
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