Will Western Australia Get Home Battery Rebates?

rsingh87 on 12/03/2024 - 13:30
Last edited 12/03/2024 - 13:30

Looks like QLD got some really nice rebates for their home batteries, but what are the odds Western Australia will see this in the next few years?

WA labor seems to be pushing community batteries here which from my research due to their tech/admin complexity do not really seem to save money correct me if I am wrong?

I know there is a $750 rebate for the powerwall but that is a joke.

It seems like the majority of the people will prefer this as you look at the major uptake of solar panels and it sounds like it would be cheaper to give people batteries rather than upgrade electrical infrastructure, so why is this taking so long?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Drakesy on 12/03/2024 - 13:52

    WA Labor is awash with money, unlike other states…

    Your guess is as good as mine.

  • Gdsamp on 12/03/2024 - 15:40

    Reply hazy, try again

  • deme on 12/03/2024 - 15:46
    +3

    which from my research due to their tech/admin complexity

    Citation needed, this sounds made up

  • w0mbat on 12/03/2024 - 17:56
    -1

    It's more about de-centalising the grid rather than upgrading, as the grid is designed to supply from Collie. (think hub and spoke design) Whist they are putting in big battery there, it's not the fix just a buffer as the coal station can't ramp quickly (takes hours)
    The better solution is have the storage where the generation is, in this case your home.
    Fill (top) it (batteries) up during the day and then use it in the evening peak to smooth out the generation/demand mismatch
    With a decent hybrid inverter you can add blocks of batteries as you need in 2Kw modules if you didn't want to go the route of a Powerwall
    Batteries will be coming down in price for the next few years, but the Powerwall will lag behind that as it's the autobidder software that is the moneymaker, but the regulators are not ready for that yet here.

    Why is it taking so long? Follow the money. Western Power is a Gov monopoly and they don't want the competition. If you self generate your own power how do they make more $$
    This is why by law you have to be connected to the grid if it's available then they charge $1.10 a day to be connected and this is going to go up.
    My thoughts anyway

    • rsingh87 on 13/03/2024 - 15:39

      yeah that all makes sense and I understand the govt makes money from it, but I just thought they would feel the pressure if other states do it and it may decrease the pressure on the grid giving a cost saving there. Also the idea to give a bigger rebate to lower income earners seems like a clever idea.

  • w0mbat on 14/03/2024 - 15:29

    I get what you are saying

    Other states are all interconnected. WA is the largest (KM squared) stand alone grid anywhere and it's design is 60 years old.
    There is no pressure from the other states as we are independent and isolated.
    The gov give $$ credits when they feel they have to towards the power bill.

    The issue the grid has is the amount of peek solar which means the base load supply has to drop during the day and then ramp in the afternoon.
    So soaking up the excess solar with batteries is the best move. But the gov don't want to subsidise batteries as they are paying you to buy less electrons.

    The issue with lower income earners getting a bigger rebate is what % of them own a property? the renters can't get a battery as they are not the owners and the owners have no incentive to do it as they are higher income and there is no benefit to them (currently)

    I would love to see some kind of rebate for up to 20Kw/H of battery for homes and businesses with higher rebates for AU made batteries whether reflow or LFP.

    Also, (tin foil hat time) the gov don't want you to have a lower cost of living, they want you spending and not saving.
    If they really cared inflation would not be 'controlled' by interest rates that only effect the % with loans, and are then passed on to those who can least afford it.

    • rsingh87 on 18/03/2024 - 11:37

      Yeah those are some good points especially about the lower income earners being renters, I still think the govt will have to cave in eventually and give some sort of rebate better than what we have now. However, one saving grace we may have been sodium ion batteries are going to flood the home solar market in the next few years which maybe 30%-40% cheaper.

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