AUSTRALIAN STATE TO ROLL OUT REBATE SCHEME FOR HOME BATTERIES

The government of the Australian state of Queensland has indicated that it will support the rollout of household battery energy storage systems with a new AUD 24 million ($15.75 million) residential battery rebate program in 2024.

The Queensland government has announced changes to legislation that will allow for the creation of the Battery Booster Rebate Scheme that will pay up to AUD 4,000 to homeowners who want to install batteries alongside new or existing rooftop solar systems with a capacity of 5 kW or more.

The explanatory notes that accompany the new regulation estimates that the up-front cost of a battery system in Queensland is more than AUD 9,000, which can be considered “uneconomic for most consumers.”

“While solar costs have come down considerably over the past decade, access to capital to purchase a solar battery remains a barrier for lower-income households,” the regulation reads. “The purpose of assistance under the scheme is to give individual owners of residential premises a rebate to offset the cost of having an approved battery system suitably installed at the premises.”