SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER

Minister for Finance

Minister for Women

Minister for the Public Service

Minister for Government Services

Senator for the ACT

THE HON CHRIS BOWEN MP

Minister for Climate Change and Energy

Member for McMahon

THE HON DR ANDREW LEIGH MP

Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
Member for Fenner

ALICIA PAYNE MP
Member for Canberra

DAVID SMITH MP

Member for Bean

MEDIA RELEASE

LABOR’S CHEAPER HOME BATTERIES PROGRAM BEGINS

Wednesday, 2 July 2025

The Albanese Labor Government is helping households, small businesses and community groups bring down their energy bills with the roll out of the Cheaper Home Batteries program.

Labor’s Cheaper Home Batteries program will help bring down the cost of a typical battery discounted by around 30 per cent. This will save households with existing rooftop solar up to $1,100 off their power bill every year, and those installing a new solar and battery system could save up to $2,300 a year – up to 90 per cent of a typical family electricity bill.

One in three Australian households have rooftop solar – but only one in 40 have a battery.

The Albanese Labor Government is fixing that, by giving all Australians a proper leg up towards the cost of a battery - 30 per cent, or around $4,000 - off the cost of a typical home battery.

In the ACT, there have been nearly 60,000 rooftop solar installations, which have the capacity to produce close to 350 megawatts of cheap solar power. Now with Cheaper Home Batteries, more local households can store that cheap solar from the middle of the day for when they need it.

The support could drive over 1 million battery installations to 2030 across Australia.

The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) is delivering the program through the existing Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme that has safely and successfully delivered solar subsidies since 2011, making Australia a world leader when it comes to rooftop solar.

The subsidy is proportionate to the size of the battery installed – ensuring people are able to pick an affordable battery that is right for their needs. This works out to 30% off a typically sized home battery - around $4,000 off a 11.5 kilowatt hour battery, which usually costs around $14,000.

A smaller 5 kilowatt hour battery would often cost around half as much, and will now be discounted by around $1,800 under the scheme. 

The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is part of our plan to create a fairer, cleaner, and more reliable energy system for all Australians, with an additional $150 in direct bill relief for households and businesses also commencing from 1 July.

And we’re making sure no one gets left behind with our historic investments to improve 100,000 social housing properties with upgrades such as thermal shell improvements, efficient electric appliances, solar and batteries.

We’re also making solar more accessible to apartments and renters through our Solar Banks program – including Commonwealth investment of $100 million to reach 25,000 households in partnership with States and Territories. And community-led projects will help bring everyone on the journey – from suburb-wide electrification pilots through ARENA to programs like our Community Energy Upgrades Fund.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO SENATOR FOR THE ACT, KATY GALLAGHER:

“The Albanese Government’s plan to make batteries more affordable will ensure our city takes even greater advantage of our high uptake of rooftop solar, and is all part of our plan to deliver a cleaner, more energy efficient Canberra.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY, CHRIS BOWEN:

“Australia is a solar nation – with the highest rate of rooftop solar anywhere in the world. Household batteries are the next step in building on this success.

“This will be a game changer for energy bills - slashing up to 90 per cent off your energy bill from day one. And with those savings on bills people will be able to pay down the cost of their battery faster.

“Batteries are good for bills and good for the grid because it means getting more cheap, fast, safe solar energy available in our homes night or day, when and where it’s needed.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBER FOR FENNER, DR ANDREW LEIGH MP:

“More than 22,000 households in Fenner are already tapping into the power of the sun. Now we’re making it easier and cheaper for them to store that clean energy for when they need it most.

“By cutting the cost of home batteries by around 30 per cent, we’re helping Canberrans take greater control of their power bills, strengthen our local energy resilience, and boost the share of renewables in the ACT.

“This is alongside the $150 in direct energy bill relief for households and small businesses – practical support for the cost of living while we build a cleaner, fairer energy future.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBER FOR CANBERRA, ALICIA PAYNE:

“Canberrans are always looking for ways to make their energy consumption better for their wallets and the planet, and solar energy is one of most popular across Australia.

“These batteries will allow for more choices for Canberrans to take part in the transition to renewable energy.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBER FOR BEAN, DAVID SMITH:

“The Bean community have already demonstrated their appetite for renewables and rooftop solar with over 22,000 solar installations. Now they have an opportunity to bank even more savings through the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.

“Local Labor MPs have been advocating for a program to lower the cost of batteries. We took this to the election, and it received a ringing endorsement form the people of Bean.

“I welcome the start of this program and encourage households in Bean to take advantage of it.”