Plugging in to Queensland’s appetite for technology

Are you THAT person – the kind who doesn’t care how much it costs or whether it’s tried and tested, you just want to be the first to plug in the latest tech?

The early adopters are the guinea pigs who help the rest of us decide whether to take the plunge.

Sometimes the crowd rushes in without hesitation; more often we hold off until the technology proves its worth and reliability.??

Our Queensland Household Energy Survey has been tracking changing attitudes towards technology since 2009. ?

Compared to rooftop solar investment, customers have been much slower off the mark when it comes to purchasing battery energy storage systems for their homes, but the market is growing.

While industry data indicates less than 2% of Queensland homes have a battery, 36% of survey respondents with a solar PV system said they intended to purchase a battery energy storage system in the next 3-10 years. 15% said they’d buy a battery within three years.

Around one third of survey respondents are willing to spend a maximum of $10,000 on a home battery storage system and it’s no surprise that households with higher incomes (over $111,000 p/a) were most interested in making the investment. ??

While the main motivation to purchase a battery was the ability to store excess solar energy to reduce electricity use from the grid and power bills, disaster preparedness was another major factor for customers, regardless of where they live in Queensland. ?

In 2022, awareness of home batteries remains high at 82% while awareness of community batteries has risen to 34%. On both fronts, awareness was higher among homeowners than renters.

Batteries are set to play a key role in the energy transition - on the home front, in the community and on our electricity distribution network - to unlock the full potential of renewables. ?

One of the goals of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan is a smarter grid to support around 6 gigawatts of batteries in homes and businesses.

While more than 780,000 homes and businesses across Queensland have rooftop solar, battery energy storage systems remain the domain of early adopters. We are working with Queenslanders to help deliver the renewable energy future.

The Queensland Household Energy Survey is one way to gauge customers’ appetite for change and how quickly industry needs to evolve to support their needs.?

The 2023 survey is coming soon and the battery component will be one to watch. ??

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