CHRIS BOWEN MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY

MEMBER FOR MCMAHON

SUSAN TEMPLEMAN MP

MEMBER FOR MACQUARIE

An Albanese Labor Government will supercharge the benefits of household solar by delivering a community battery for Blaxland East. 

Labor’s Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen MP, announced the initiative with Susan Templeman, Federal Member for Macquarie, today.  

While 980 households in Blaxland East and surrounds* have registered solar systems, not one of them has a registered battery. 

Individual household batteries are expensive, and most households can’t afford the upfront cost, meaning they are missing out on the extra savings from stored, affordable renewable energy.  

The commitment announced today will allow local households to feed solar power into the shared battery during the day and draw from it at night – cutting electricity bills and emissions, and reducing pressure on the grid. 

Labor’s Power to the People community battery plan invests $200 million to install 400 community batteries across the country.    

Local households who might be unable to install solar, like renters and people living in apartments, will also be able to draw from excess energy stored in the battery.  

It’s part of Labor’s Powering Australia Plan which cuts power bills, reduces emissions and creates jobs by boosting renewable energy.   

Labor’s Powering Australia Plan has been backed by Australian business and industry and will cut power bills for families by $275 a year by 2025 compared to today.    

Instead of ending the nine years of climate and energy chaos under the Liberals - Scott Morrison has been focussed on photo-ops and marketing tricks.  

Communities like the Blue Mountains deserve better than this tired and dysfunctional rabble, they deserve an Albanese Labor Government that will bring down power prices and work for a better future for all Australians.  

COMMENTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO SUSAN TEMPLEMAN MP: 

The cost of living has gone through the roof, and committing to installing these batteries in communities like the Blue Mountains, and Labor’s Powering Australia plan, will help local families lower their energy bills. 

These batteries help to reduce pressure on the grid, so that when the sun goes down households can use energy from the battery and avoid peak prices. 

By investing in renewables through commitments like community batteries and Rewiring the Nation, we can create thousands of good-paying jobs and growing industries, making power cheaper for homes and businesses.  

I will continue fighting for plans like Labor’s one for community batteries, so we can deliver cheaper, cleaner energy to local families.