The Miles Government has today announced it will dedicate a further $6 million to a key clean energy program that will see hundreds more Queensland households slash their power bills.

The Battery Booster program, announced earlier this year, will now be increased from $10 million to $16 million, following the popular uptake by Queensland households.

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.

Eligible households with a new or existing solar PV system of at least 5 kilowatts capacity may receive a rebate of between $3,000 and $4,000 to purchase an approved solar battery system of 6 kilowatt hours (kWh) or more.

The rebates, which are means tested, will see households on an annual taxable income of less than $66,667 benefit the most, with $4,000 cash back.

Households with a combined annual household taxable income of $180,000 or less will be eligible for $3,000 cash back.

To date, more than 1,400 Queensland households have been granted conditional approval for the Battery Booster program, with more than 52% of recipients being from low income households.

The program’s extension is just one of many ways the Miles Government is putting ongoing downward pressure on household bills.

The now finalised Climate Smart Energy Savers program has seen more than 72,700 Queensland households receive cash back on new energy efficient and climate smart technologies.

The program was doubled from $22 million to $44 million due to its popularity last year, and offered between $300-$1,000 cash back on a range of appliances with energy-efficiency ratings of 4-stars or better.

Low income-households benefitted the most, with 54% of the total rebate fund issued back in the pocket of to low-income households.

Families who received the rebate not only saved on the initial purchase of the appliance, but are expected to save about $103 each year, thanks to reduced running costs of new energy efficient appliances.

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 four-month program saw a total of 22,232 energy-saving refrigerators, 9,002 air-conditioners, 24,020 washing machines, 4,877 dryers, 10,996 dishwashers and 1,604 solar and heat pump hot water systems entering homes right across Queensland.

Queenslanders who replaced an appliance through the program not only saved money, but also reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by about 0.27 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent a year, contributing to Queensland’s goal of 75% emissions reduction by 2035.

The program follows significant cost-of-living measures put in place by the Miles Government, including electricity bill rebates of $550 for all eligible households and up to $1072 for eligible seniors and concession card holders.

Quotes attributable to Energy Minister Mick de Brenni:
“We’re determined to assist Queenslanders with living costs in both the short and long term, and these programs aim to do both.

“Whether it’s saving on running costs of white goods, or storing free-energy from the sun, we are determined to come up with cost-saving measures that benefit Queenslanders.

“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.

“These programs are not only assisting to put ongoing downward pressure on electricity prices for households, but they’re also helping Queensland reach its emissions reduction target of 75% below 2005 levels by 2035.

Quotes attributable to Smart Energy Council Acting Chief Executive, Wayne Smith:
"Helping people to save money, while saving the climate, is what a smart energy future looks like.

“All Queenslanders will benefit from cheap, smart, zero emissions power and the Miles Government is again showing its determination to deliver that power."

"No one should be left behind as we make the energy transition and the Battery Booster program is making sure lower income earners are able to access solar and solar batteries."

The following statement can be attributed to Queensland Council of Social Service CEO Aimee McVeigh:
“The Queensland Council of Social Service, as a member of the Power Together Alliance, has welcomed news more Queenslanders are set to benefit from the extension of the government’s battery rebate scheme.

“Many Queenslanders are really struggling as a result of soaring living costs, and targeted financial support is something we’ve been strongly advocating for.

“The biggest barrier to consumers accessing energy efficient appliances is how much they cost.

“These latest rebates will help to not only to reduce energy bills, but also to reduce the state’s CO2 emissions.

“We thank Minister Mick de Brenni and the Queensland Government for its continued focus on cost of living.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Conservation Council Senior Campaigner, Stephanie Gray:
“Increasing the energy efficiency of Queensland homes is a simple way to slash power bills, bring down emissions and reduce stress on the grid at peak times.”

“We know from Climate Council research that Queenslanders could save more than $800 per year just from swapping out gas hot water for a solar hot water system.

"Government initiatives that promote the uptake of clean technology and upgrades in homes are clever solutions that tackle high cost of living and climate change at the same time."

Quotes attributable to household battery owner, and Battery Booster rebate recipient, David Chan: 
“We’ve just installed a new solar system and for the solar system itself, we received a rebate of about $4,000, and for the battery we got a rebate of $3,000.

“We expect that through most of the year, depending on our energy usage, our power bill will be $0 dollars.

“We made the choice because we wanted to lower our bills, and be a bit more energy efficient too.”

More information

Battery Booster:

Safety and compliance is a priority for the program, and all battery system installations under the program may be subject to an inspection by the Department of Energy and Climate’s appointed inspectors.

To qualify, homeowners must use an approved installer and an approved battery system.

For more on the Battery Booster Program, including the list of approved installers and batteries, go to: https://www.epw.qld.gov.au/about/initiatives/battery-booster-program

Climate Smart Energy Savers:

Notes:

• tCO₂-e = tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
• Actual results will vary depending on household usage, location, and appliance.
• Appliance data is based on energyrating.gov.au calculator for specific appliance types.
• Hot water data is based on energyrating.gov.au calculator data and Queensland FY2023–24 Tariff11 rate.
• Emissions data based on average kilowatt hour (kWh) savings and 0.00088 tCO₂-e/kWh.