Home battery installation takes off in the wake of federal government discount program

Australia has recorded a rapid surge in home battery uptake with 40,000 discounted home batteries installed in just forty days under the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries rebate program.

Speaking from Canberra, Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen called the rollout “remarkable,” announcing that the installations represent about 714 megawatt-hours (MWh) of capacity, enough to power 35,700 households for a day (714,000 ÷ 7,300 kWh/year).

The uptake has been especially strong in outer suburban and regional areas, including among households that had not previously installed solar, those upgrading older battery systems, and those installing both solar and battery systems at once. Bowen emphasised that the adoption is not only among homeowners, but also small businesses and community groups — from surf lifesaving clubs to local retailers and other businesses.

John Grimes, CEO of the Smart Energy Council, praised the rebate program for its industry collaboration and timely adjustments, calling it “a textbook example of how public policy should be done.”

According to modelling released last week in partnership with the Australian Conservation Foundation, the program is expected to contribute to a further 10% reduction in electricity sector emissions by 2035.

Globally, Australia comes in at an impressive 8th in the global ranking of countries generating 25TWh of electricity from solar and wind. China, the US, Brazil, India, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands lead the global rankings according to Sustainability by Numbers.

---

References & Further Reading:

• Timlamacraft. (2025, August 22). Battery boom powering a greener, cleaner grid - Smart Energy Council. Smart Energy Council. https://smartenergy.org.au/battery-boom-powering-a-greener-cleaner-grid/

• Ritchie, H. (2025, September 9). Which countries are scaling solar and wind the fastest? Sustainability by numbers. https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/solar-wind-speed-rollout

• Vorrath, S. (2025, August). “Remarkable rollout:” Home battery installs sail past 40,000 in just 40 days. One Step off the Grid. https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/remarkable-rollout-home-battery-installs-sail-past-40000-in-just-40-days/

• Cheaper Home Batteries Program. (2025, July). Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/programs/cheaper-home-batteries