Battery grants drive next renewable wave

“We know that the majority of Queenslanders who took up these programs are from vulnerable or low-income households, which makes these initiatives even more crucial. These programs allow low-to-middle income families to have more control over their energy usage, and allow for savings all year round. Collectively, Queenslanders who took up the offer will save more than $7 million off their power bills each year, due to the upgraded energy efficiency of appliances. The rebate is based on the number of STCs a system generates, which in turn depends on the battery’s usable energy capacity.
In a bid to cut household bills and better assist Queenslanders with cost of living, the increased funds for Battery Booster will see about a further 1,000 households benefit. The $26 million program is expected to help about 6,500 households and will target properties with existing tenancy agreements, ensuring benefits for renters. For most homes with a 5-6.6 kW solar system, a 14.4 kWh battery is usually enough to store energy for use in the evening and overnight. Lithium-ion batteries are widely recognised as the go-to choice for residential solar storage. They offer a solid mix of performance and reliability, typically lasting qld solar battery grant 10–15 years with proper care and maintaining over 85% usable capacity. In 2016, the year the first Powerwall launched, Nick Pfitzner installed a Tesla Powerwall at his home.

You’ll be directly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by consuming solar energy that would otherwise have been wasted or sold back cheaply, displacing the need for additional fossil-fuel electricity at night. Over the course of a year, a typical home battery can prevent a significant amount of CO₂ emissions by maximizing solar usage. If you’re living or doing business in Queensland and thinking about adding battery storage to your solar system, you’re in luck. The program includes around a 30% discount on eligible battery systems, making storing solar energy, reducing electricity bills, and relying less on the grid easier.
Let us help you harness the power of solar energy in the most efficient way possible. The estimated solar battery rebate is calculated at $352 per usable kilowatt-hour (kWh) of battery capacity, translating to approximately $7,000 off a popular 20 kWh battery system. This is because grid-connected systems have what's known as 'anti-islanding protection'.
Another proposal plans to test the use of batteries to increase resilience of NBN, Telstra and public transport critical infrastructure. When back-up power isn’t required, the batteries will operate as normal, trading in energy and FCAS markets and facilitating increased solar generation. Communities are also expected to experience higher reliability of their mobile phone, NBN and rail services. Another successful applicant in round one was GemLife, an organisation that offers “luxury resort living for the over-50s”. GemLife secured support for deploying 10 behind-the-meter batteries at a mix of 8 existing and greenfield over-50s communities across regional Queensland, NSW and Victoria. The percentage of projects approved in round one that aim to share community battery benefits in six different categories.

For the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, batteries that are installed will need to be VPP-compatible but are not required to join a VPP to be eligible. Feed-in tariffs above 20 cents/kWh are available in South Australia, but consider that many households pay over 40 cents/kWh. This price difference between retail kWh prices and feed-in tariffs creates an opportunity to save with batteries.
This technology is still in the developmental phase but holds the potential to revolutionize energy storage with its superior performance and safety features. Lead-acid batteries have been the stalwart of energy storage for decades, known for their reliability and lower initial investment. While they offer a lower energy density and a shorter lifespan than lithium-ion counterparts, lead-acid batteries provide a cost-effective solution for homeowners on a tight budget or with modest energy storage needs.

Must use a government-approved installer and complete a post-install safety check.While the program is paused, future rounds are likely as the state continues to back renewables. From 1 July 2025, the Australian Government will launch the Cheaper Home Batteries Program—and it’s big news for homeowners, small businesses, and community groups alike. In summary, while the $3700 Homeowner Rebate can greatly assist with the cost of necessary home renovations and improvements, it is restricted to specific categories. Once you have received your STCs, you will need to assign them to a registered agent who will manage the sale of your STCs.
The government of Queensland, Australia, will invest in 48MW/96MWh of  distributed battery storage and trial the use of flow batteries to integrate rooftop PV generation into local networks. “It’s important to understand that this policy will help reduce the power bills of everyone, not just those who can get solar and a battery. The scheme is not capped on dollar amounts but by battery size – limited to one system per premises – with five to 50-kilowatt-hour capacity eligible for support, and total capacity not exceeding 100 kilowatt hours.

“All Queenslanders will benefit from cheap, smart, zero emissions power and the Miles Government is again showing its determination to deliver that power." “The Budget also delivers the new nation-leading Boost to Buy home ownership scheme to reduce the deposit gap for aspiring Queensland home owners. This includes extending the boosted $30,000 First Home Owner Grant until 30 June 2026 for new builds, abolishing stamp duty on new homes for first-home buyers and the new Boost to Buy home ownership scheme. To make the most of your battery, adjust its power rate settings for efficiency. Understanding how your home uses energy will help you choose the right battery size. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology, a subset of lithium-ion, is known for improved safety and durability.
Once you've chosen a retailer and agreed to the quote, they will work with an installer to get your system installed. To be eligible under the scheme, the system must be installed by a qualified and accredited person. Make sure your retailer uses Solar Accreditation Australia accredited installers with the appropriate accreditation type for the system being installed.
“Working with industry to expand battery storage capacity is also critical to meeting our renewable energy targets. “Our plan includes $500 million for Queensland’s publicly owned energy businesses to invest in battery projects across the state that maximise local content for more large-scale and community batteries. Start generating your own power via solar energy and see a reduction in energy bills. We’re talking about 50% lesser than what it used to be in 2012, with $0 upfront cost even made possible in certain cases. Thereafter, solar energy is virtually free – done right, it cut electricity bills substantially. As a dedicated provider of Battery Energy Storage Systems, BESS Australia is at the forefront of helping Australians transition to clean, resilient energy solutions.