Like solar, most of the first home battery subsidies went to the wealthy. We need a fairer approach

Description

Australia is in the grip of a record-breaking battery rush.

Last week Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced that more than 380,000 home batteries have been installed since July last year. That’s over 100,000 more than the total installed between 2020 and mid-2025. The reason for the rush: government subsidies, which cut the upfront cost by about 30%.

While the federal government has described the Cheaper Home Batteries program as an “unprecedented success”, it has also been criticised for unfairly allowing wealthier households to reap the benefits.

Our working paper, released this week but not yet peer reviewed, shows a disproportionate increase in the installation of batteries and rooftop solar in wealthier postcodes.