Battery awareness is rapidly growing in the sunshine state according to the Queensland Household Energy Survey.
The latest survey reveals 36 per cent of regional households and 40 per cent of South-East Queensland households that have installed solar panels also intend to install solar battery systems within in the next three years. In 2013, those figures were only 15 and 11 per cent respectively.
62 per cent of regional and 56 percent of south east Queensland respondents are now aware of battery storage, compared to just 38 and 31 percent in 2013.
There’s certainly a lot more choice than in 2013. Back then, installing storage meant using conventional deep cycle batteries. These systems were were fiddly, required a large amount of space and a significant degree of knowledge and time to maintain.
The new generation of battery systems such as Tesla Powerwall 2, sonnenBatterie Eco and Enphase AC Battery store more energy in a smaller space and are far easier to use; with next to zero maintenance and user-friendly monitoring options. Today’s solar and battery systems are becoming the centrepiece of smart homes.
It’s no surprise Queenslanders are switching on to the potential of residential energy storage.
“Queensland has the highest solar uptake in Australia and many solar customers are now looking to maximise the benefits of an increased mix of renewable energy by installing batteries,” said Energy Minister Mark Bailey.
“Energy supply in Queensland is undergoing a transformational change in the way it is generated, transported, and used, and battery storage will play a big part in this transformation.”
According to Energy Matters, a 5.3 kW solar power system with a 12 kWh battery installed in Brisbane can provide a financial benefit of up to $2,077 a year; depending on site specifics and energy consumption habits.
The interest in batteries doesn’t mean everyone will be ditching the grid – it will continue to play a very important role for households with energy storage. The survey results will help better inform Energy Queensland and Powerlink in their development of network planning and energy management programs.
Energy Queensland, the result of a merger between Ergon Energy and Energex, is Australia’s largest electricity distribution business; with more than $24 billion in assets. It provides connection and supply of electricity to 2.1 million customers across the state and sells electricity to 740,000 retail customers in regional Queensland.
Electric vehicles are also sparking interest in the sunshine state, with half of people in the market for a new car willing to consider an electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid.
“The adoption of EVs is likely to increase in mid-2018 following the release of new models addressing the two main barriers to uptake – that they are too expensive to purchase and their range is not long enough,” said Minister Bailey.
