Region Missing Out On Battery Rebate Benefits

With Regional Queenslanders calling for Home Battery to Grid Export Access, the Darling Downs Environment Council (DDEC) says Toowoomba is failing to make the most of its solar advantage, with new data revealing the region is lagging behind other parts of Queensland in taking up the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program.

Despite Toowoomba ranking in the state’s top four postcodes for rooftop solar capacity, it is absent from the list of Queensland’s top ten battery rebate postcodes detailed in a recent report released by Queensland Conservation Council. By contrast, suburbs like Beenleigh, Caloundra, Helensvale, and Coomera surged ahead in July, with more than 1,700 households across the state installing batteries in the program’s first month.

DDEC Coordinator Ahri Tallon said this gap highlights the need for stronger policy support to unlock Toowoomba’s clean energy potential: “Toowoomba is one of Queensland’s solar powerhouses, but households here aren’t seeing the full benefits because battery uptake remains so low. With the federal rebate now available, our region should be leading the charge – instead we’re falling behind.”

Battery storage allows households and businesses to store cheap solar power during the day and use it at night, cutting bills and reducing pressure on the grid. When linked together in Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), batteries can provide even greater benefits, acting like a community power station.

“We are thankful that Energy Minister and Treasurer David Janetzki recently announced a new battery project in Towooomba but right now, Ergon customers in regional Queensland with a battery can’t export their battery power to grid. This is disincentivising community uptake of the Federal battery rebate meaning that regional Queenslanders pay more for power,” Mr Tallon said. “We’re locked out of the extra savings and security that communities elsewhere are starting to enjoy. We’re calling on the Queensland Government to make fair and equitable battery to grid export available in regional areas as part of its upcoming 5-year Energy Roadmap.”

DDEC says creating opportunities for households and businesses to participate in VPPs would:
Lower power bills for families already under cost-of-living pressure;
Improve reliability and resilience of the grid, especially during heatwaves and storms;
Reward regional communities for their leadership in renewable energy.

“Queensland’s energy future cannot rely on major energy projects, it needs to also be powered by the choices households and businesses make every day. We need to prioritise producing and storing as much electricity as possible within the urban extent to make our energy system more affordable and more resilient while reducing the pressure on rural areas where major projects are located” Mr Tallon said. “Toowoomba has the solar. Now we need the storage with home battery to grid export access, and the policies to back it in.”

Ref: Find out more about the report here

Submitted By:
Ahri Tallon
Coordinator
Darling Downs Environment Council
info@ddec.org.au