While Australia leads the world in rooftop solar uptake, 60 percent of us are missing out - especially people who rent, live in apartments or in social housing. 

This is unfair as the fastest and easiest way to cut energy bills is through rooftop solar. And even more savings can be made if this is married with a home battery. 

Ten million Australians live in homes that benefit from rooftop solar savings (of up to $1500 per household per year) but just 250,000 of those homes have batteries.

Australia is still sitting on incredible, untapped benefits!

• There are still 7 million homes without solar - including people who rent, live in apartments or in social housing
• There are 10.7 million without batteries (that is less than one in every 40 houses)
• More than 70 per cent of existing homes in Australia have a housing energy rating of three stars or lower – well below the current minimum standard of 7 stars (1) 

Solar Citizens is campaigning to change this with our Solar Savings for All campaign.

Whilst the first term of the Labor government pledged $800 million of energy upgrades for social housing and $1 billion for low interest loans for home electrification through the Household Energy Upgrades Fund, this term of government we need to see these schemes rolled out at scale.

We look forward to working with the new government to drive even more ambitious clean energy solutions - especially for those who are currently locked out of the benefits of rooftop solar including people who rent, live in apartments or in social housing. 

Solar Citizens calls on the Albanese government to:

• Establish a taskforce to enable solar for renters
• Extend federal pathways for clean energy upgrades and electrification of apartments
• Commit to and deliver rooftop solar on 30% of social housing properties nationally, in the short term. (1)

Sign our Solar Savings for All petition

Battery Storage Solutions

The Federal Government has listened to us and other advocates who strongly campaigned for a Federal Home Battery Rebate and during the election announced the Cheaper Home Batteries program, which offers households a 30% discount on new batteries from 1 July 2025. 

Watch this short video explaining how more home batteries will bring down energy prices for everyone.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) calculates that 8GW of energy, the equivalent of 1 million home batteries, are needed to firm the energy grid and keep power prices low.

Read how we helped win financial support for home batteries.

Find out more about Australia’s rooftop solar potential  

✔️ Our vision is for everyone to live in a home that is safe and affordable to heat, cool and cook in. Low income households would benefit the most from access to cheap, clean rooftop solar and battery storage.

✔️ Access to clean rooftop solar and batteries gives people power over where their energy comes from and how to cut their bills, instead of being at the mercy of price-gouging big energy companies.

✔️ We have joined with the Renew Australia for All movement, including social services, unions, environment organisations, faith groups, community groups and industry working together to deliver a fairer, better and more secure future for all Australians.

(1) Renew Australia for All - Households Missing Out on $3000 In Energy Bill Savings, January 29, 2025

(2) Solar Citizens 2025 Pre-election Policy Statement