Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen (centre) said WA’s household solar uptake was world leading. Photo: Chris Bowen Facebook.
A joint state and federal initiative to provide rebates and loans for batteries for homes has been expanded with the addition of federal funding.
The extension to the $337 million WA Household Battery Rebate and the $2.3 billion Federal Government Cheaper Home Batteries program will see an estimated 100,000 households throughout WA benefit from interest-free loans of up to $10,000 to invest in household batteries to store renewable power, or rebates of up to $7500 on the price of a new battery.
Under the scheme, Synergy customers will be eligible to receive up to $5000, and Horizon Power customers up to $7500 as part of a joint effort to support more households to invest in batteries.
An estimated four in five households will also be eligible to receive no-interest loans to put towards the upfront cost of buying a household battery, with households with incomes of less than $210,000 per annum to be given access to loans of up to $10,000 from a total pool of $200 million.
Batteries installed through these programs will help play a vital role in securing WA’s energy future, with households to be paid feed-in tariffs to share their renewable power as part of virtual power plants (VPPs) where households can sell energy stored in their battery back to the market.
Applications for the rebates and no-interest loans are on track to open on 1 July. To find out more, go to WA Residential Battery Scheme.
Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said WA’s household solar uptake was world leading.
“Getting more batteries soaking up our sunshine will be good for bills and good for the grid,” he said.
“It means more West Aussies will have access to cheap, fast and safe solar energy in their homes and businesses night or day, when they need it.
“And now working with the Cook Labor Government we’re making sure a record number of homes, small businesses, schools and community facilities here in WA can slash their bills too,” he added.
“West Australians know that only Labor governments can be trusted with to deliver the energy security this state needs to keep on powering our homes and the nation.”
Premier Roger Cook said his government was committed to securing WA’s energy future and growing the renewables sector.
“Empowering households to play a role in decarbonising our state by selling their excess renewable energy back to the grid, while supporting the energy needs of the entire community, is a great example of how we can work together to secure our energy future,” he said.
“I’m thrilled to see the Albanese Labor Government work with my government to expand the WA Household Battery Rebate so it can now benefit around 100,000 households – ensuring it potentially reaches five times as many families than under the state-only scheme.
“This will do more than lower emissions,” he added. “It may also support local battery manufacturing, which is crucial to my vision for a future that’s made in WA.
“Not only that, it will provide households the opportunity to secure WA’s energy future and earn financial benefits for doing so.
“We know WA’s booming economy and growing population means we will need an affordable and secure supply of energy going forward – and the WA Household Battery Rebate will mean households play a central role in meeting that need.”
