A scorching autumn hot on the heels of a massive blackout event in south-eastern Australia is demonstrating the importance of residential batteries for backup power supply. Australia is on track to have sweltered through the third-warmest summer on record nationally, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). Western Australia racked up its hottest summer ever in 2023-24. And an El Niño effect resulted in storms and the third-highest summer rainfall. The arrival of autumn brought little relief to south-eastern Australia. Residents of Victoria and South Australia have suffered through a stre ..read more

Homeowners in Queensland have the chance to receive a rebate of either $3000 or $4000 on a home solar battery. Only around the first 8000 homeowners will receive the cash-back offer, so those who move fast will reap the rewards.  Household batteries are set to play a huge role in the Australian energy system of the future. The abundant solar power that is being produced in ever greater amounts on Australian rooftops will have the ability to be stored into the evening, when it is needed most. And batteries will help to stabilize the electricity network when there are fluctuations in solar ..read more

When an electricity industry veteran sends a powerful warning, we should all sit up and take notice. Well, that’s exactly what we’re waking up to today, with former AGL Managing Director and CEO Michael Fraser saying that Australia could see “a return to the 1970s”, when power outages were commonplace. Fraser has sent the warning in an interview with The Australian, published overnight. In it he spoke about how Australia is well behind where it needs to be to see coal exit the National Energy Market (NEM). He warned that there is insufficient replacement power being added. “You will get to a p ..read more

A dry and hot summer is looming, increasing the risk of bush fires and power outages. The forecast from Australian authorities paints a grim picture for many Australian households, but solar and home batteries are ready to support the grid, maintain services, and drive down the cost of keeping cool. Although the Australian Bureau of Meteorology hasn’t yet declared an El Niño, it released an alert pinning the chances at 70%. Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization declared an El Niño more than a month ago. Another data drop in the past weeks from the Bureau put the chance of higher tha ..read more

Australia’s most gas-dependent state has taken the plunge and banned natural gas in new homes. Victoria announced the move on Friday, claiming it will reduce cost-of-living pressure on Aussie homes and help the state reduce emissions. While some will see banning gas as a radical move, a look at which organisations are lining up in support of the policy is revealing. Even objections to the ban point to the crucial role rooftop PV and solar batteries will play in this inevitable, all-electric future. Victoria’s energy and resources minister Lily D’Ambrosio has set a cutoff date of January 1, 202 ..read more

Last week was a big one for those of us helping Australians buy and install rooftop PV, solar batteries, and smart energy systems in their homes after a relatively new event rolled into town. Sydney played host to Energy Next and it was evident from the visitor numbers, which were higher on the first day than over the whole event last year, that there was plenty of interest in the topics! Both industry bigwigs, and many home- and business-owners were present, showing just how keen people are to learn about not only all things solar, but also about the need for fully electrified homes. At Energ ..read more

The scale of the challenge in combatting climate change can seem insurmountable. At the same time, energy costs are spiralling – with the latest electricity price hike coming into effect for AGL and Origin Energy customers only a few days ago. But there are many reasons to remain positive. The soaring performance and cost competitiveness of today’s high efficiency solar panels and home batteries are a proven success stories. Alongside this technical progress, the smart money is flowing for solar, energy storage, and home electrification. And the latest major announcement hit pretty close ..read more

It’s not a surprise, but it likely cause “bill shock” to quite a few. Around 600,000 Australians are set to see an electricity price hike of between 21% – 24% from July 1. The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) announced the decision today. The AER sets the “default market offer” for Aussie households, which essentially dictates the electricity price of any utility customer on that default offer tariff. The price increase is largely in line with the draft ruling set in March, albeit even higher than the initial flagged increase of between 20% – 22%. AER Chair Clare Savage noted that the price h ..read more

Today marks an impressive watershed for Australia’s energy transition. The coal-fired furnaces at the Liddell Power Station in New South Wales will be switched off, for good. There are quite a few reasons for Liddell’s closure. But it has been highly controversial. The plant is more than 50 years old, and reports are that it has been running at well short of its 2 gigawatt (GW) of capacity for some years from its four 500 MW turbines. The development is undoubtedly a good thing for Australia’s carbon emissions and it is the continuation of a trend that will not be reversed. Despite its age ..read more

With a massive increase in power bills expected from July 1, solar and batteries are the only protection from massive electricity price hikes for Aussie homeowners and businesses. The Australian Energy Regulator (AER), which sets a “safety net” price guidance to utilities known as the Default Market Offer (DMO), has recommended price increases of up to 31%. In 2022, the AER had hinted that electricity prices could go up by 50%. Thankfully, the increase has been kept to more like one quarter or two thirds, but it’s still an unprecedented leap. The increase comes as a result of surging coal and ..read more