The Albanese Government has pledged $2.3 billion to assist homeowners buy batteries to store solar power and lower their energy costs. This has been a rather contentious issue, with the upcoming election on 3 May 2025.

Labor currently runs evenly alongside Liberal opposition led by Peter Dutton, who was campaigned on a plan to reduce power bills by forcing LNG gas producers to divert some exports to domestic consumption.

The Federal Government claims that their proposal would save households about $4,000 or 30% on the installed cost of a typical energy-storage battery.

“The battery will be installed at home and store power from solar panels for the household to use when needed,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says.

One in three Australian households now has solar panels but only one in 40 has a battery.

National leader David Littleproud told ABC that the measure would only be beneficial to a small number of people and do little to help renters and pensioners with their power bills.

The opposition plan sees gas exporters on Australia’s east coast forced to direct 10% to 20% more product to the domestic market. The conservative wants Australia to adopt nuclear power in the long term.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) supports the Federal Government’s initiative, with HIA chief executive Simon Croft saying it is an important initiative to support homeowners cut power bills and boost uptake of home battery installations.

“Australia has been world leaders in the uptake of solar panels on our homes, but they are only part of the energy puzzle in providing ‘energy generation’ component, and household batteries provide the essential ‘energy storage’ side to power the home,” he says.

Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie is also pleased with the Albanese program, saying it’s “Australia’s time to shine!”

“Australians have been crying out for cost-of-living relief, and this policy would permanently lower people’s power bills,” she says.

“Australians are looking for solutions that cut power bills and cut climate pollution. We have already been voting with our rooftops, and polling shows that one in two Aussies also want to install home batteries too. Labor’s pledge will make batteries more accessible to more people right away. It’s a win-win.”

Climate councillor and energy expert Greg Bourne is pleased with the initiative but is sceptical about the amount of time it will need to be effective.

“Labor’s battery plan can get clean power into the hands of more Australians in a few months. However, the Federal Coalition’s energy scheme will all take years, if not decades to be released, while unleashing billions more tonnes of dangerous climate pollution,” he says.

“We currently install 25,000 solar systems a month, so imagine if we start doing the same with household batteries too. Australia is already a world champion in solar, so let’s get on with adding millions of batteries, too, and a new trophy to our cabinet.”