Latest news with #JonBriskin
Sydney Morning Herald
19-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Home batteries for renters? A solution could be coming soon
This network of homes gives the energy provider access to a significant volume of electricity generated by solar panels as well as that stored in batteries. Energy companies, aided by advanced software, can use these networks as a single 'virtual' power plant to send bursts of electricity into the grid when needed, such as afternoon peak energy usage periods, when people return from work, when coal plants are faltering due to technical issues or when cloudy and windy weather is cutting output from large-scale solar and wind farms. A household battery delivers savings by charging on free solar power from rooftop panels during the day and discharging at night to power the house when demand on the electricity grid rises, driving up prices. An appropriate-sized battery could significantly cut or even remove the electricity bill of a typical household in Melbourne and Sydney, which pays $1500 to $2000 a year for electricity. Origin Energy general manager of retail Jon Briskin said an 'enormous amount' of home battery storage coming online could be looped into a VPP. 'We see it as a core part of a cleaner and cheaper energy system … and it should lower customers' energy costs,' Briskin said. Why would energy providers want to use this system? For the simple reason that it could be cheaper than the alternative: either building gas plants or large-scale batteries to power thousands of homes at once. Former renter Caroline Edwards and her partner, Graeme, wanted to install solar panels and a battery at their house to cut their bills and contribute to lowering emissions from the electricity grid, but they were reluctant to speak to their landlord about getting solar panels and batteries. 'We would also have been happy to contribute something to that investment. We had a great landlord, but we were hesitant to ask him because there was no immediate financial return for him,' said Caroline, who moved into her own property in November. 'We were also hesitant because if we were to put forward a proposal for our investment as part of that, we have no rental security.' Loading The Edwardses are also landlords of a rented property, and Caroline said it should be imperative for governments to encourage renters and landlords to invest in solar and batteries. 'Literally, any support that we can get to make this an easier process for us to move forward with would be very gratefully received.' Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the government was already helping renters and low-income households access cheaper clean energy through the government's $100 million Solar Banks program for rooftop solar to power rented apartments, as well as investing in energy-efficient upgrades to social housing, with insulation upgrades, home batteries and efficient appliances. Solar Citizens campaigner Charlie Rodrick said renters had been too long locked out of the clean energy transition.
The Age
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Home batteries for renters? A solution could be coming soon
This network of homes gives the energy provider access to a significant volume of electricity generated by solar panels as well as that stored in batteries. Energy companies, aided by advanced software, can use these networks as a single 'virtual' power plant to send bursts of electricity into the grid when needed, such as afternoon peak energy usage periods, when people return from work, when coal plants are faltering due to technical issues or when cloudy and windy weather is cutting output from large-scale solar and wind farms. A household battery delivers savings by charging on free solar power from rooftop panels during the day and discharging at night to power the house when demand on the electricity grid rises, driving up prices. An appropriate-sized battery could significantly cut or even remove the electricity bill of a typical household in Melbourne and Sydney, which pays $1500 to $2000 a year for electricity. Origin Energy general manager of retail Jon Briskin said an 'enormous amount' of home battery storage coming online could be looped into a VPP. 'We see it as a core part of a cleaner and cheaper energy system … and it should lower customers' energy costs,' Briskin said. Why would energy providers want to use this system? For the simple reason that it could be cheaper than the alternative: either building gas plants or large-scale batteries to power thousands of homes at once. Former renter Caroline Edwards and her partner, Graeme, wanted to install solar panels and a battery at their house to cut their bills and contribute to lowering emissions from the electricity grid, but they were reluctant to speak to their landlord about getting solar panels and batteries. 'We would also have been happy to contribute something to that investment. We had a great landlord, but we were hesitant to ask him because there was no immediate financial return for him,' said Caroline, who moved into her own property in November. 'We were also hesitant because if we were to put forward a proposal for our investment as part of that, we have no rental security.' Loading The Edwardses are also landlords of a rented property, and Caroline said it should be imperative for governments to encourage renters and landlords to invest in solar and batteries. 'Literally, any support that we can get to make this an easier process for us to move forward with would be very gratefully received.' Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the government was already helping renters and low-income households access cheaper clean energy through the government's $100 million Solar Banks program for rooftop solar to power rented apartments, as well as investing in energy-efficient upgrades to social housing, with insulation upgrades, home batteries and efficient appliances. Solar Citizens campaigner Charlie Rodrick said renters had been too long locked out of the clean energy transition.
Sydney Morning Herald
18-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia is on the cusp of a home battery boom
Australia is approaching an unprecedented boom in household battery uptake as installers report a post-election surge of home owners eager to seize new federal government rebates that will slash thousands of dollars off the upfront cost. In the run-up to the May 3 election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to set aside $2.3 billion to cover around 30 per cent of the purchase and installation cost for anyone buying a household battery system that can stash power generated from their rooftop solar panels. Electricity giant Origin Energy, which owns Australian quote-comparison service SolarQuotes, said enquiries about purchasing home batteries had rocketed since Labor's re-election locked in the subsidy program, which kicks in from July 1 and will not be limited by the purchaser's income. 'In the month to date, Origin and SolarQuotes saw a remarkable 250 per cent increase in home battery enquiries,' Origin executive general manager of retail Jon Briskin said. Australia is a world leader in per-person solar uptake, with more than 4 million homes – or one in three – now fitted with rooftop solar panels. However, just one in 40 also has a battery, which has led to a significant problem: all those solar panels are making far too much electricity in the middle of the day when the sun is brightest, and hardly any when people return home, turn on their lights and fire up appliances. SolarGain, a major solar and battery storage provider with 23 stores nationally, confirmed that enquiries about home batteries had doubled across its network. Enquiry volumes at specific outlets were up to 400 per cent higher than previous levels, it said. Home-owners were eager to produce and use their own electricity as much as possible as a way to lessen their reliance on the grid, and cut their exposure to higher prices and network outages, SolarGain Victorian business development manager Will Haydon said. 'People want to separate from the grid,' he said. 'Now they have an opportunity to store their excess power with a much quicker return on their investment.'
The Age
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Australia is on the cusp of a home battery boom
Australia is approaching an unprecedented boom in household battery uptake as installers report a post-election surge of home owners eager to seize new federal government rebates that will slash thousands of dollars off the upfront cost. In the run-up to the May 3 election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to set aside $2.3 billion to cover around 30 per cent of the purchase and installation cost for anyone buying a household battery system that can stash power generated from their rooftop solar panels. Electricity giant Origin Energy, which owns Australian quote-comparison service SolarQuotes, said enquiries about purchasing home batteries had rocketed since Labor's re-election locked in the subsidy program, which kicks in from July 1 and will not be limited by the purchaser's income. 'In the month to date, Origin and SolarQuotes saw a remarkable 250 per cent increase in home battery enquiries,' Origin executive general manager of retail Jon Briskin said. Australia is a world leader in per-person solar uptake, with more than 4 million homes – or one in three – now fitted with rooftop solar panels. However, just one in 40 also has a battery, which has led to a significant problem: all those solar panels are making far too much electricity in the middle of the day when the sun is brightest, and hardly any when people return home, turn on their lights and fire up appliances. SolarGain, a major solar and battery storage provider with 23 stores nationally, confirmed that enquiries about home batteries had doubled across its network. Enquiry volumes at specific outlets were up to 400 per cent higher than previous levels, it said. Home-owners were eager to produce and use their own electricity as much as possible as a way to lessen their reliance on the grid, and cut their exposure to higher prices and network outages, SolarGain Victorian business development manager Will Haydon said. 'People want to separate from the grid,' he said. 'Now they have an opportunity to store their excess power with a much quicker return on their investment.'
West Australian
12-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Aussies tipped to spend $80bn to save on power bills
Households are spending billions in upgrading to more sustainable and energy-efficient products, but it is an investment to lower their electricity bills over environmental concerns. A report released by REA Group with Origin found that half of Australians are looking to make their homes more sustainable, as they see it as a way of saving on their electricity bills. When homeowners were asked the reasons why they would switch to more energy-efficient appliances, 68 per cent said it was due to cost of living and the price of energy, outweighing the 55 per cent who cited environmental concerns. But saving money on their power bills will come at a huge cost over the short term, with the average household planning to spend $7,50 on energy-efficient improvements over the next five years, signalling a potential spend of more than $80bn nationwide. REA Group senior economist Eleanor Creagh said the rising cost of living had placed affordability at the forefront of household concerns, with homeowners and renters seeking solutions to reduce energy bills. 'Making the switch to all-electric appliances in the home could help save costs, reduce energy use and lower carbon emissions,' she said. 'Yet, upfront costs and knowledge gaps are significant barriers preventing many from adopting energy-efficient features.' Just shy of two in three respondents said property owners should be responsible for improving energy efficiency in established homes, while about half put some of the onus on either the federal or state government. The findings follow the quarterly consumer price index data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that showed quarterly growth in housing was driven by a spike in electricity prices, which were up 16.3 per cent. The rise was driven by increased electricity prices in Brisbane, where most households have used up the $1000 Queensland state government electricity rebate. resulting in higher out-of-pocket electricity costs. The report also found that only 34 per cent of respondents had a good understanding of the benefits of 'electrification', a term that those under the age of 35 knew least about. Origin retail executive general manager Jon Briskin said while saving money was a huge motivator for Australians, many didn't know where to start. 'Small changes to energy habits and upgrading to more efficient appliances within their budget is a good starting point for many households,' he said. Ms Creagh said Aussies with a greater understanding of energy-efficient appliances were more likely to convert their property to electricity compared with those with no knowledge. 'It's clear that people with a good understanding of energy efficiency are more likely to make upgrades to their home and alter their behaviour to reduce energy use. This indicates that wider education is crucial to improving energy efficiency across Australia,' she said.
