Ahead of tomorrow's $300 energy rebate, the Australian government has rolled out a $200 million scheme implementing 420 community batteries nationally, as part of its clean energy transition. The coalition wants to add nuclear power by 2035 to increase supply

Canberra

The Australian government is advancing its clean energy initiatives with the launch of more than 420 community batteries to store solar power. This $200 million program aims to capture excess solar energy for use by 100,000 households during peak times, offering both economic benefits and potentially lower bills for consumers. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to increase storage capacity sevenfold this decade and by 16 times by 2050 to reach net zero emissions.

Energy Minister noted the importance of having sufficient storage to back up solar and wind power. Labor remains optimistic about achieving these targets, citing an integrated system plan that provides a detailed and modelled analysis for the way forward. To alleviate the pressure of high power prices, the government has also introduced a $300 energy rebate for every household, as well as other financial measures aimed at helping Australians manage the cost of living.

However, the Coalition has criticized these efforts, calling them a "cost of living con job" and advocating for the inclusion of nuclear power in the energy mix by early 2035. The Coalition argues that a diverse range of technologies is necessary to meet future energy demands, though they acknowledge that the costs associated with nuclear power are still uncertain.



Federal government launches solar batteries nationwide

Charging ahead in the clean energy transition, How do we turn this on? We're going to need help. the Energy Minister opens a community battery to store solar power. Yay, we did it. See, the green light came on, it's on. It's one of more than 420 being rolled out nationwide as part of a $200 million program to hold excess solar energy for 100,000 households to use during peak times. The objectives of this program are to increase the hosting capacity of solar in the grid to provide an economic benefit to households and lower bills for consumers. It's a small step in a larger effort to increase storage capacity by more than seven times this decade and 16-fold by 2050 in order to reach net zero. There's a big task in front of us to make sure that we have the sufficient storage in place in order to back up solar and wind. Labor is confident it can be done. Yes, and the integrated system plan is a detailed, concrete, modelled analysis of what we need to do and we're getting on with that job. As Australians struggle under the pressure of high power prices, the government acknowledges extra support is still needed. That's why a $300 energy rebate for every household comes into effect on Monday alongside tens of billions in other measures. What we've done is make sure that we've calibrated our cost of living relief in a way that puts downward pressure on inflation. We support anything that's going to help Australian households to be better off, but this is a cost of living con job. The coalition wants to add nuclear power to the energy mix by early 2035 to increase supply. We've got to have the full range of technologies. But the cost is still unknown. Lucy Gray for 10 News First.

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