The ALP's home battery subsidy announced today will support a faster transition to clean energy and help lower power bills for all. We also need greater investment in thermal efficiency, electric appliances and solar for those struggling the most.
"Supporting ongoing investment in renewable energy and energy storage, like home batteries, is critical to addressing the climate crisis and lowering power bills, rather than polluting and expensive gas and nuclear" said ACOSS Acting CEO Edwina MacDonald.
"Home batteries will reduce peak energy demand in the evening, which will bring down wholesale electricity prices and network costs resulting in cheaper energy bills for everyone.
"However, if parties are serious about providing targeted energy bill relief to people with the least, there must also be further investment in measures like thermal efficiency, electric appliances and solar for low-income housing and renters.
"The reality is the home battery subsidy will be taken up by people who own a home and already have solar and lower energy bills. It's the people on the lowest incomes and renters that continue to miss out."
ACOSS's recent Heat in Homes Survey Report showed people are getting sick and going without essentials because their homes were energy inefficient and they couldn't afford their energy bills. Renters, First Nations people, people with disability and people on low-incomes were worst affected.
ACOSS is calling for all parties to build on the $800 million already committed by federal ALP, and fully fund energy upgrades for all 437,700 social housing properties, prioritising First Nations housing. We must also fund measures to ensure people in private rentals and low-income homeowners can access home energy upgrades.*
"We need a $50 billion investment over the next decade that prioritises people and communities experiencing disadvantage to help more people cut their energy bills, protect them from the ravages of heatwaves, and speed up the energy transition," said Ms MacDonald.
ACOSS welcomes the ALP's proposal to fully fund their home battery subsidy directly rather than recover the costs through electricity bills, which is currently the case for other clean energy measures supported under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).
*See ACOSS Home Energy Upgrade Brief for solutions and federal electorate maps for benefits of Home Energy Upgrades for low-income housing by federal electorate.
