More households and businesses than ever are harnessing the power of the sun round the clock in New South Wales, with the State Government’s latest battery incentive seeing strong early adoption.
Since the incentive was launched in November 2024, more than 7800 batteries have been installed in homes and businesses across the state.
By using the incentive scheme, eligible homeowners and businesses get an upfront discount on the cost of battery installation through installers working with government-accredited suppliers.
The installation discount amount is related to the size of the battery, meaning larger batteries attract bigger discounts.
For a typical household battery with 13.5kWh of capacity, this is a discount of more than $2000 on average, with the discount available for both new and existing solar systems.
A typical household with an $1850 annual electricity bill can save around $1500 per year by installing solar and a battery.
The New South Wales Government said that more than half of the 7800 installations have taken place outside the Sydney Region, including 23 in the City of Broken Hill.
The scheme has reached more than 90 per cent of all local government areas in New South Wales, with more than 600 installers taking part across the state.
With more than one-third of homes in the state now equipped with rooftop solar systems, the ability to store this solar energy in batteries for later use offers significant benefits for household budgets and energy reliability.
Households will also be able to receive an extra discount and generate revenue by signing their new and existing batteries up to a virtual power plant. This will allow excess energy that households have stored in batteries to be sold back into the grid.
The household batteries incentive is part of the New South Wales Government’s Peak Demand Reduction Scheme, aimed at reducing peak electricity demand in the state, maintaining grid stability during periods of high electricity demand and reducing the grid’s reliance on fossil fuels.
New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns, said more than a third of New South Wales homes already have rooftop solar, and now the State Government is helping thousands of them connect a battery.
“We know there is a lot more work to do to reduce cost of living pressures but schemes like this are putting money back in people’s pockets in a way that is good for energy reliability and good for the environment.”
New South Wales Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe, said the state has set a cracking pace for battery adoption across the country.
“We only see this momentum picking up. These installations are providing cost of living relief through lower energy bills and are making a valuable contribution to a more sustainable and secure energy system.”
