Cheaper home batteries will help cut household energy bills

Australian Unions have welcomed the Albanese Government's Cheaper Home Batteries program as a significant cost of living relief measure to help working households lower their energy bills.

The $2.3 billion program will take 30% off the price of batteries for households, small businesses and community facilities.

The initiative will help the 1 in 3 Australian households with roof-top solar, by making it cheaper to buy a battery to store extra energy when solar is plentiful to use in peak periods, putting downward pressure on power prices for everyone.

Under this new policy, a family buying a typical battery to support an existing solar system would save around $4,000 upfront and up to $1,100 a year off their energy bills.

Today's announcement builds on significant Albanese Government investments to help all households install rooftop solar and electrify, and energy upgrade programs for 100,000 social and community homes, renters and 25,000 apartments.

Quotes attributable to ACTU President, Michele O'Neil:

"Voters have a clear choice this election. Peter Dutton is offering seven nuclear power plants in 20 years that provide just 4% of our power needs, will push up power bills by $665 and cost $600 billion.

"Or there's today's announcement from the Prime Minister: combined with rooftop solar, the Cheaper Batteries Program will effectively provide a mini power plant in 1 million homes and small businesses across the country starting in a couple of months, will slash power bills almost immediately, and cost less than 0.4% of Dutton's nuclear fantasy."

"This new pledge builds on significant existing programs which makes low-cost finance and subsidies available to Australians to upgrade their homes with battery-ready solar panels. It will also complement new energy upgrade programs for renters, apartment dwellers, and social and community housing.

"Together, these measures will mean cheaper energy bills, not just for homes with batteries, but for the entire grid. Batteries take pressure off during peak times, lowering prices for everyone. This will make a real difference both for workers and their families and Australia's renewable energy future."