Australian customers are set to have more control over their household energy through smart meters, with the Federal Government awarding Intellihub a $50 million Clean Energy Finance Corporation loan.
Smart meters allow families to save on their bills through better control of appliances such as solar panels, EV chargers, air conditioning and hot water systems.
Smart meters improve a household’s ability to use less energy, take advantage of flexible pricing, detect faults and outages faster and avoid manual checks and estimated bills.
The Federal Government said that better coordination of consumer energy has the potential to contribute 37GW of capacity or 66 per cent of the NEM’s energy storage in 2050, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Integrated System Plan (ISP).
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said, “The Federal Government is reducing energy bills for all Australians. This investment will unlock bill savings for Australian households.
“Smart meters are a key first step to putting solar panels on your roof and a battery at the back door.”
Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Jenny McAllister, said households and small businesses were partners in the energy transition, helping to drive down bills and emissions.
“Australian homes and businesses are choosing renewables because they know it’s cheaper, the Albanese Government is backing them with technology that makes it easier to control.
“New technology has let us count our steps, track bank transactions, and answer the doorbell from work. Smart meters mean we can control appliances and use energy when it’s most abundant and cheap.
“More smart meters mean more visibility, choice and control for small businesses and families when it comes to electricity consumption and bills.”
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