Wagga Wagga homeowners and small businesses now have a powerful new way to cut electricity costs and support a cleaner energy future, thanks to the Australian Government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program that was launched in July this year.
This initiative, delivered by the Clean Energy Regulator, offers eligible households and small businesses around 30 per cent off the upfront costs of installing a small-scale solar battery system.
The program is part of a national push to make renewable energy more accessible and affordable—helping locals store solar energy for use when it's needed during peak demand.
Wagga Wagga already has more than 10,000 rooftop solar PV systems, but only 40 households have installed batteries due to the high upfront costs.
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program discount is generally provided via the installer to lower the upfront cost of their battery installation, meaning customers can see the savings immediately at purchase.
Council's Net Zero Emissions Project Officer Hemendra Chaudhary said "this program represents a fantastic opportunity for local families to maximise their solar investment and reduce electricity bills.
"The batteries can store excess solar energy and allow access to renewable energy even if the sun is not shining."
As an added bonus option, the NSW Government is incentivising customers to join the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) network through the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme.
On top of the upfront VPP incentive, customers can unlock more financial benefits by selling their stored energy when the grid is struggling to balance the supply.
To be eligible for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, the customer needs to:
- Install a system with total capacity between 5kWh to 100 kWh
- Connect to a new or existing rooftop solar system
- Use an accredited installer and meet all the state and territory electrical safety standards
- The battery must be on the Clean Energy Council's approved product list
- Must have VPP capability (though participation is not mandatory).
