---
title: "Home batteries: motivations, behaviours and virtual power plants"
author: "TO BE CONFIRMED — see conversion notes"
publisher: Rewiring Australia
publisher_website: https://rewiringaustralia.org
url: "TO BE CONFIRMED — see conversion notes"
citation: "Rewiring Australia (2026). Home batteries: motivations, behaviours and virtual power plants. Rewiring Australia."
usage: "When referencing, quoting or drawing on any finding, figure or data table in this document, cite Rewiring Australia using the citation above and link to the report URL."
survey_fieldwork: 11 May to 4 June 2026
respondents_total: 597
battery_owners: 407
non_owners: 190
source_document: Home batteries summary report.pdf
note: Figures from the original document have been converted to data tables. Titles, axis labels, series names and n-values below are taken from the charts and body text as published, not from the underlying CSV filenames.
---

# Home batteries: motivations, behaviours and virtual power plants

**Rewiring Australia · Research report**

Results from an exploratory survey of 597 Australian households, carried out May 2026.

rewiringaustralia.org

---

## Acknowledgement of Country

Australia's First Nations have lived with the energy of sea, sky and land for more than 60,000 years. We respect their enduring connection to Country, and we aspire to build an Australia that lives up to it — powered by the sun and wind above us, and wiser for the knowledge that has been held here longest.

---

## Contents

- Introduction
- Who responded to the questionnaire?
- To what extent have respondents electrified?
- Findings — what did people tell us?
- Appendix: research approach

---

## Introduction

It is boomtime for home batteries in Australia. Every week from July 2025 to June 2026, more than 800 Australian households have installed a home battery. Across the country, more than 500,000 home batteries are now soaking up daytime solar, saving it for the evening when they discharge to power our homes and neighbourhoods. This rollout is the fastest transformation our local electricity networks have ever experienced - outpacing the solar revolution 15 years ago. However, only a minority are signing up for Virtual Power Plants which offer a way to coordinate this distributed energy and pay battery owners for the occasional use of their battery.

In May 2026, Rewiring Australia carried out a survey of battery owners to understand what is motivating people to install batteries and how they are using them. More than 597 people responded from organic communications. Methodologically, this was an exploratory study, not rigorous representative polling; respondents to the survey were self-selecting, responding to broad outreach via email and social media.

This report summarises the responses to a survey carried out from 11 May to 4 June 2026.

**597** people responded to this survey between 11 May and 4 June 2026.

**500,000+** home batteries are now installed across Australia, soaking up daytime solar.

---

## Sample: Who responded to the questionnaire?

We had 597 people respond to the questionnaire from seven states and territories.

**Figure 1. Respondents by state and territory**

*Map of Australia labelled with the number of respondents in each state and territory. n = 597 respondents with a known state. Counts, not percentages; percentages added here from the source data.*

| State / territory | Respondents (n) | % of respondents |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 237 | 39.7 |
| VIC | 158 | 26.5 |
| QLD | 83 | 13.9 |
| WA | 63 | 10.6 |
| SA | 32 | 5.4 |
| ACT | 12 | 2.0 |
| TAS | 12 | 2.0 |
| NT | 0 | 0.0 |

---

### Sample: Homes, ownership, age and income

Respondents mostly live in freestanding houses (89%) which they own (98%). They span all age brackets and income levels but are concentrated among the older and more affluent brackets. This is not entirely surprising given that homeowners with disposable income are more likely to be able to invest in batteries or other energy appliances.

**Figure 2. Home type, home ownership, age bracket and household income**

*Four-panel chart. Values are % of respondents. n = 597 respondents. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here.*

| Group | Category | n | % of respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home type | Freestanding | 529 | 88.6 |
| Home type | Townhouse | 51 | 8.5 |
| Home type | Apartment | 17 | 2.8 |
| Home ownership | Own outright | 382 | 64.0 |
| Home ownership | Own with a mortgage | 200 | 33.5 |
| Home ownership | Renting | 10 | 1.7 |
| Home ownership | Other | 0 | 0.0 |
| Age bracket | Under 24 | 1 | 0.2 |
| Age bracket | 25-39 | 42 | 7.0 |
| Age bracket | 40-54 | 147 | 24.6 |
| Age bracket | 55-64 | 150 | 25.1 |
| Age bracket | 65-74 | 179 | 30.0 |
| Age bracket | 75 or over | 78 | 13.1 |
| Household income | Rather not say | 21 | 3.5 |
| Household income | Up to $60,000 | 125 | 20.9 |
| Household income | $60,001-$100,000 | 120 | 20.1 |
| Household income | $100,001-$145,000 | 98 | 16.4 |
| Household income | $145,001-$200,000 | 102 | 17.1 |
| Household income | More than $200,000 | 131 | 21.9 |

---

### Sample: Who has a battery

Most respondents had installed a home battery and around a third had not.

**407** respondents had a home battery installed

**190** were not yet battery owners

**597** total respondents, across seven states and territories

**Figure 3. Battery ownership among respondents**

*Values are % of respondents. n = 597 respondents.*

| Owner status | n | % of respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Battery owner | 407 | 68.2 |
| Not yet a battery owner | 190 | 31.8 |

---

## Sample: To what extent have respondents electrified?

Respondents were at different stages of electrification. On the whole, those who had installed a battery were more likely to have more efficient, electric appliances for core functions like heating, hot water and cooking.

**Figure 4. Household technology ownership: battery owners vs not-yet-owners**

*Values are % of respondents within each group. Battery owners n = 407; not-yet-owners n = 190. Multiple responses permitted, so percentages do not sum to 100. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here.*

| Technology | Battery owner — % | Not yet a battery owner — % |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioner | 90.4 | 82.6 |
| Rooftop solar | 99.0 | 71.1 |
| Electric hot water | 75.4 | 60.0 |
| Electric induction cooktop | 73.2 | 55.8 |
| Electric vehicle | 63.9 | 36.3 |
| E bike | 28.3 | 21.1 |

---

## Findings — what did people tell us?

### Those without a battery

Overwhelmingly, respondents who had not installed a battery were interested in getting one.

Among those who are interested in a battery, nearly half (48%) are in the process of doing so. For the rest, the upfront cost (43%) and concern about value (41%) is holding people back.

> **[FLAG FOR AUTHOR]** The percentages in the paragraph above (48%, 43%, 41%) do not match the values in Figure 6, which reports the top-ranked reason only (35%, 18%, 19%). See conversion notes.

**Figure 5. Interest in getting a home battery**

*Values are % of respondents. n = 190 respondents without a battery. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here.*

| Interest | n | % of non-owners |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, interested | 143 | 75.3 |
| Maybe | 40 | 21.1 |
| No | 4 | 2.1 |
| Not any more | 3 | 1.6 |

**Figure 6. What's holding back interested non-owners**

*Values are % of respondents. n = 143 respondents interested; top-ranked reason only. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here.*

| Reason | n | % of interested non-owners |
|---|---|---|
| We are in the process/doing it soon | 50 | 35.0 |
| I am not sure if it's worth it for us | 27 | 18.9 |
| It's too expensive right now | 26 | 18.2 |
| I don't have solar | 10 | 7.0 |
| I don't know where to start | 9 | 6.3 |
| I can't find an installer I like | 8 | 5.6 |
| I'm a renter | 8 | 5.6 |
| I can't install one (e.g. in an apartment) | 5 | 3.5 |

---

### Findings: Why are others disinterested in getting a battery?

A quarter of those without a battery were not interested in a battery at the moment because they were not sure of the value of a battery to them or it was too expensive.

**Figure 7. Why some respondents are not interested in a battery**

*Values are % of respondents. n = 47 respondents not currently interested; top-ranked reason only. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here.*

| Reason | n | % of not-interested non-owners |
|---|---|---|
| I am not sure if it's worth it for us | 27 | 57.4 |
| It's too expensive right now | 10 | 21.3 |
| I don't know where to start | 3 | 6.4 |
| I don't have solar | 3 | 6.4 |
| We are in the process/doing it soon | 1 | 2.1 |
| I'm a renter | 1 | 2.1 |
| I can't install one (e.g. in an apartment) | 1 | 2.1 |
| I can't find an installer I like | 1 | 2.1 |

---

### Findings: Battery owners want lower bills

The main reasons for getting a battery were to reduce energy bills, fight climate change and to use more home-made solar power.

**Figure 8. Why are people buying batteries? Higher = more important**

*Mean popularity index; higher = more important. n = 407 battery owners. Popularity index: rank 1 = 7, rank 7 = 1. Chart labels are rounded to one decimal place; the additional columns below are from the source data and are not shown on the chart.*

| Motivation | Mean popularity index | n who ranked it | % ranking it 1st | % ranking it top 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower energy bills | 5.92 | 394 | 35.8 | 90.1 |
| Fight climate change | 5.80 | 384 | 37.5 | 85.7 |
| Use more of my own solar | 5.57 | 385 | 21.8 | 82.6 |
| Avoid blackouts | 4.25 | 335 | 8.7 | 40.9 |
| Make money selling energy | 3.09 | 247 | 2.0 | 11.7 |
| Stick it to energy companies | 2.93 | 235 | 1.3 | 11.5 |
| I like to get the latest toys | 1.85 | 204 | 0.5 | 5.4 |

---

### Findings: Most owners are satisfied with their battery

Almost every battery owner was satisfied with their battery. Only in Victoria and New South Wales was anyone dissatisfied: a total of four out of 407 battery owners, less than one percent.

> **[FLAG FOR AUTHOR]** The source data records five dissatisfied respondents, not four (NSW: 1 very dissatisfied + 3 dissatisfied; VIC: 1 dissatisfied). See conversion notes.

Based on this small survey (n=597), this is a positive sign that industry appears broadly to be meeting consumers' needs and that low unsatisfactory installations are a minority. At the same time, it is important to note that some respondents also reported disappointment with installers along their battery installation journey.

> "Once the installer has your deposit, they are very hard to communicate with!"
>
> — Respondent from NSW

> "The site visit [...] was inadequate [...]. Due to this the installers, electricians propped the battery up on two bricks I had lying around."
>
> — Respondent from NSW

**Figure 9. Overall battery satisfaction by state**

*Values are % within state. Battery owners only; states are shown with their own n. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. Blank cells mean no respondents selected that option in that state.*

| Satisfaction | ACT (n=11) — n | ACT — % | NSW (n=168) — n | NSW — % | QLD (n=56) — n | QLD — % | SA (n=23) — n | SA — % | VIC (n=103) — n | VIC — % | WA (n=39) — n | WA — % | TAS (n=7) — n | TAS — % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very satisfied | 7 | 63.6 | 101 | 60.1 | 39 | 69.6 | 8 | 34.8 | 72 | 69.9 | 32 | 82.1 | 2 | 28.6 |
| Satisfied | 4 | 36.4 | 56 | 33.3 | 16 | 28.6 | 15 | 65.2 | 22 | 21.4 | 6 | 15.4 | 4 | 57.1 |
| Neutral | 0 | 0.0 | 7 | 4.2 | 1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 8 | 7.8 | 1 | 2.6 | 1 | 14.3 |
| Dissatisfied | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Very dissatisfied | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |

---

### Findings: Confidence with battery settings

We asked if people were satisfied that they knew how to use and could change the settings on their battery. Three quarters (74%) of respondents told us that they were satisfied or very satisfied that they could use and change their settings. Around one in six (17%) felt neutral and 9% were dissatisfied that they could use or change the settings on the battery.

> **Worth noting**
>
> It is concerning that for a home battery, a significant investment, more than a quarter of owners are neutral or dissatisfied that they can control and adjust the settings. Precisely why this is requires further research, but it may be because they find the app hard to use, that they are not clear which app to use for which purpose or that the installer simply did not show them how to use it.

**Figure 10. Owners' satisfaction with their battery and that they can change settings**

*Values are % of battery owners. n = 407 battery owners. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. Bolded rows are derived by the report author and are not plotted on the chart.*

| Level | Overall satisfaction — n | Overall satisfaction — % | Settings satisfaction — n | Settings satisfaction — % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very satisfied | 261 | 64.1 | 172 | 42.3 |
| Satisfied | 123 | 30.2 | 129 | 31.7 |
| Neutral | 18 | 4.4 | 68 | 16.7 |
| Dissatisfied | 4 | 1.0 | 26 | 6.4 |
| Very dissatisfied | 1 | 0.2 | 12 | 2.9 |
| **Satisfied or very satisfied (derived)** | **384** | **94.3** | **301** | **74.0** |
| **Dissatisfied or very dissatisfied (derived)** | **5** | **1.2** | **38** | **9.3** |

---

### Findings: Around half of battery owners had changed electricity tariff

Half of battery owners told us they have changed their electricity plan since getting a battery. Those who had changed electricity plan had mostly switched to a more dynamic tariff, either a wholesale tariff or a time-of-use tariff (such as an EV tariff or solar sharer).

Most people told us this was motivated by a desire to save money:

> "The aim is to have zero electricity charges."
>
> — Respondent from New South Wales

> "Minimise electricity bill; maximise income by exporting when selling price is high."
>
> — Respondent from South Australia

> "We selected a tariff that provides free power from 11am-2pm."
>
> — Respondent from Victoria

**Figure 11. Did owners change their electricity plan, and to what tariff?**

*Values are % of battery owners. n = 407 battery owners. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. Bolded rows are derived and are not plotted on the chart.*

| Response | Group | n | % of battery owners |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | Did not change / unsure | 187 | 45.9 |
| Not sure | Did not change / unsure | 4 | 1.0 |
| Wholesale/real-time rate (e.g. Amber) | Changed plan — tariff type | 101 | 24.8 |
| Time of use (different prices at different times) | Changed plan — tariff type | 90 | 22.1 |
| Flat tariff (flat c/kWh all day) | Changed plan — tariff type | 17 | 4.2 |
| No answer/not sure | Changed plan — tariff type | 8 | 2.0 |
| **Changed plan (all tariff types, derived)** | | **216** | **53.1** |
| **Did not change or unsure (derived)** | | **191** | **46.9** |

---

### Findings: One in three had joined a virtual power plant

One in three battery owners in our survey had joined a Virtual Power Plant (or VPP). Most were keen to get the most out of their battery, lower their bills and fight climate change.

**Figure 12. Reasons for signing up to a VPP**

*Values are % of VPP-signed-up owners. n = 123 VPP-signed-up owners. Multiple responses permitted, so percentages do not sum to 100. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. The final row is labelled on the chart as "To qualify for a state nsw wa sa rebate"; the survey wording was "To qualify for a state (NSW/WA/SA) rebate".*

| Reason | n | % of VPP-signed-up owners |
|---|---|---|
| To get the most out of my battery | 86 | 69.9 |
| To lower my energy bills | 74 | 60.2 |
| To fight climate change | 69 | 56.1 |
| To support my local grid | 50 | 40.7 |
| To qualify for a state (NSW/WA/SA) rebate | 28 | 22.8 |

---

### Findings: How respondents feel about VPPs

Among those who had not joined a VPP, the most common negative feelings about them was that 'you lose control of your battery in a VPP' and that they could not be trusted. On the positive side, respondents felt that VPPs could support their local grid and it could improve their payback.

**Figure 13. How do those not in a VPP feel about VPPs?**

*Values are % of respondents. n = 284 battery owners not signed up to a VPP. Respondents could select up to 3 options, so percentages do not sum to 100. Sentiment (positive/negative) is the chart's own colour coding.*

| Feeling | Sentiment | n | % of non-joiners |
|---|---|---|---|
| You lose control of your battery in a VPP | Negative | 140 | 49.3 |
| By joining a VPP I can help support my community/local grid | Positive | 115 | 40.5 |
| I don't trust VPPs | Negative | 96 | 33.8 |
| They improve my battery payback | Positive | 74 | 26.1 |
| I don't understand them | Negative | 65 | 22.9 |
| They are not worth it | Negative | 50 | 17.6 |
| They can make my energy more reliable | Positive | 34 | 12.0 |

---

### Findings: VPP participation by state

The level of VPP participation varied between states with lower VPP participation in Victoria, the ACT and Queensland. In comparison, participation was relatively high among respondents in South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia. The existence of state government incentives to join a VPP in those three states seems a likely cause. In Western Australia, most of those on a VPP were motivated by the incentive (72%) and to support their grid (72%) and around half (46%) of SA VPP participants sought the incentive. However, in New South Wales accessing an incentive was the least common motivation expressed by participants.

**Figure 14. VPP signup by state**

*Values are % within state. Battery owners only; states are shown with their own n. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. Blank cells mean no respondents gave that answer in that state.*

| State | Yes — n | Yes — % | No — n | No — % | Not sure — n | Not sure — % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT (n=11) | 2 | 18.2 | 9 | 81.8 | 0 | 0.0 |
| NSW (n=168) | 67 | 39.9 | 91 | 54.2 | 10 | 6.0 |
| QLD (n=56) | 14 | 25.0 | 39 | 69.6 | 3 | 5.4 |
| SA (n=23) | 11 | 47.8 | 11 | 47.8 | 1 | 4.3 |
| VIC (n=103) | 11 | 10.7 | 87 | 84.5 | 5 | 4.9 |
| WA (n=39) | 18 | 46.2 | 20 | 51.3 | 1 | 2.6 |
| TAS (n=7) | 0 | 0.0 | 7 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 |

**Figure 15. Reasons for signing up to a VPP, by state**

*Values are % within state, among VPP-signed-up owners in that state. Multiple responses permitted, so percentages do not sum to 100. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. Small state samples (ACT n=2, SA n=11, VIC n=11, QLD n=14, WA n=18) should be read with caution. The final row is labelled on the chart as "To qualify for a state nsw wa sa rebate"; the survey wording was "To qualify for a state (NSW/WA/SA) rebate".*

| Reason | ACT (n=2) — n | ACT — % | NSW (n=67) — n | NSW — % | QLD (n=14) — n | QLD — % | SA (n=11) — n | SA — % | VIC (n=11) — n | VIC — % | WA (n=18) — n | WA — % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To get the most out of my battery | 2 | 100.0 | 51 | 76.1 | 10 | 71.4 | 8 | 72.7 | 9 | 81.8 | 6 | 33.3 |
| To fight climate change | 1 | 50.0 | 39 | 58.2 | 9 | 64.3 | 5 | 45.5 | 6 | 54.5 | 9 | 50.0 |
| To lower my energy bills | 1 | 50.0 | 48 | 71.6 | 12 | 85.7 | 8 | 72.7 | 4 | 36.4 | 1 | 5.6 |
| To support my local grid | 2 | 100.0 | 21 | 31.3 | 5 | 35.7 | 4 | 36.4 | 5 | 45.5 | 13 | 72.2 |
| To qualify for a state (NSW/WA/SA) rebate | 0 | 0.0 | 10 | 14.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 5 | 45.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 13 | 72.2 |

---

### Findings: Amber's Smart Shift is currently the most popular VPP

Respondents who have joined a VPP are mostly on Amber's Smart Shift (except in WA where it is not available). This VPP uses household preferences and a personalised algorithm to run your battery to minimise your bill based on dynamic wholesale electricity pricing (which varies every five minutes).

All VPPs other than Amber had low numbers of participants among our respondents (≤ 10) resulting in samples from which we cannot draw meaningful conclusions. To address this, in the following analysis we have grouped all other VPPs ('conventional VPPs') together to compare with wholesale VPPs (Amber). This approach allows comparison of a wholesale-optimisation VPP on the one hand, with conventional VPPs which only occasionally dispatch your battery on the other.

**Figure 16. Uptake of VPPs by provider**

*Raw counts, not percentages. n = 123 VPP-signed-up owners (sum of named providers plus "I'm not sure"). Providers offered in the questionnaire but selected by no respondent are not shown on the chart.*

| VPP provider | Number of VPP-signed-up owners |
|---|---|
| Amber | 74 |
| Synergy | 10 |
| Globird | 9 |
| Plico | 6 |
| I'm not sure | 4 |
| AGL | 4 |
| Shinehub | 3 |
| Reposit | 2 |
| Origin | 2 |
| Engie | 2 |
| Tesla | 1 |
| Powow | 1 |

**Figure 17. Which VPP have owners signed up for, by state**

*Values are % within state, among VPP-signed-up owners in that state. "Wholesale VPP" is Amber; "Conventional VPP" groups all other providers. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. TAS is absent because no TAS respondent had joined a VPP.*

| State | Wholesale VPP — n | Wholesale VPP — % | Conventional VPP — n | Conventional VPP — % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT (n=2) | 1 | 50.0 | 1 | 50.0 |
| NSW (n=67) | 49 | 73.1 | 18 | 26.9 |
| QLD (n=14) | 7 | 50.0 | 7 | 50.0 |
| SA (n=11) | 9 | 81.8 | 2 | 18.2 |
| VIC (n=11) | 8 | 72.7 | 3 | 27.3 |
| WA (n=18) | 0 | 0.0 | 18 | 100.0 |

---

### Findings: Satisfaction with VPPs

On the whole very few respondents were dissatisfied with their VPP. However, there was a noticeably higher proportion of those on conventional VPPs who felt neutral compared to satisfied.

**Figure 18. VPP satisfaction: Wholesale VPP vs conventional VPP**

*Values are % of respondents within each group. n = 123 VPP-signed-up owners (Wholesale VPP n = 74; Conventional VPP n = 49). Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. Bolded rows are derived and are not plotted on the chart.*

| Satisfaction | Wholesale VPP (n=74) — n | Wholesale VPP — % | Conventional VPP (n=49) — n | Conventional VPP — % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very satisfied | 15 | 20.3 | 12 | 24.5 |
| Satisfied | 41 | 55.4 | 10 | 20.4 |
| Neutral | 11 | 14.9 | 23 | 46.9 |
| Dissatisfied | 4 | 5.4 | 2 | 4.1 |
| Very dissatisfied | 3 | 4.1 | 2 | 4.1 |
| **Satisfied or very satisfied (derived)** | **56** | **75.7** | **22** | **44.9** |
| **Dissatisfied or very dissatisfied (derived)** | **7** | **9.5** | **4** | **8.2** |

---

### Findings: Battery owners say they are now more careful with energy use

Respondents were asked if they were more or less careful about when during the day they used electric appliances since buying a battery. Overall, respondents reported being more careful now than before they had the battery.

**Figure 19. Appliance behaviour change since installing a battery**

*Values are % of battery owners. n = 407 battery owners. Rows are in the chart's ordinal order, from least to most careful. Chart labels are rounded to whole percentages; unrounded values are given here. Bolded rows are derived and are not plotted on the chart.*

| Behaviour change | n | % of battery owners |
|---|---|---|
| Much less careful | 20 | 4.9 |
| Less careful | 68 | 16.7 |
| About the same | 118 | 29.0 |
| More careful | 156 | 38.3 |
| Much more careful | 45 | 11.1 |
| **More or much more careful (derived)** | **201** | **49.4** |
| **Less or much less careful (derived)** | **88** | **21.6** |

---

## Appendix: research approach

In May 2026, Rewiring Australia carried out a survey of battery owners to understand what is motivating people to install batteries and how they are using them. The objective of the survey was to understand people's experience of purchasing and living with a battery and their attitude towards VPPs.

597 people responded between 11 May and 4 June 2026. Methodologically, this was an exploratory study, not rigorous representative polling. The sample was self-selecting based on those who responded to broad outreach via email and social media.

Respondents mostly live in freestanding houses (89%) which they own (98%). They span all age brackets and income levels but are concentrated among the older and more affluent brackets. This is not entirely surprising given that homeowners with disposable income are more likely to be able to invest in batteries or other energy appliances.

### How the survey was introduced to respondents

We're gathering real experiences from Australian households to help improve future rebates and support.

**What you'll do:** answer a few quick questions; share your experience (or why you haven't installed one).

**Why it matters:** your input helps shape better incentives and make home batteries more affordable for everyone. It will take just 4 minutes.

**Privacy & consent:** your responses will be de-identified for research. You can stop at any time.

**About Rewiring Australia:** we're a non-profit helping Australian households switch to clean electric energy.

---

## Appendix: Survey and questions

Questions as put to respondents. Answer options are listed after each question; free-text questions are marked as such.

### All respondents

**Which of these do you have at home?**
Home battery · Rooftop solar · Electric hot water · Air conditioner · Electric/induction cooktop · Electric vehicle · E-bike · None of the above

**What is your postcode?**
Free text

**What is your household income?**
Up to $60,000 · $60,001-$100,000 · $100,001-$145,000 · 145,001-$200,000 · More than $200,000 · I'd rather not say

**What sort of home do you live in?**
Freestanding · Townhouse (share at least 1 wall) · Apartment

**What is your age bracket?**
Under 24 · 25-39 · 40-54 · 55-64 · 65-74 · 75 or over

**Do you own your own home?**
Own outright · With a mortgage · Renting

### Respondents without a battery

**Are you interested in getting a home battery?**
Yes · No · Not any more · Maybe

**[If not Yes to 26] Why so?**
We are in the process/doing it soon · It's too expensive right now · I don't have solar · I don't know where to start · I am not sure if it's worth it for us · I can't find an installer I like · I can't install one (e.g. in an apartment) · I'm a renter

**[If Yes to 26] What's holding you back?**
We are in the process/doing it soon · It's too expensive right now · I don't have solar · I don't know where to start · I am not sure if it's worth it for us · I can't find an installer I like · I can't install one (e.g. in an apartment) · I'm a renter

### Respondents with a battery

**What size is your home battery?**
5-8 kWh · 9-13 kWh · 14-20 kWh · 21-28 kWh · 29-50+ kWh · I'm not sure

**Please click or drag the reasons below to rank your motivations for installing a battery, where 1 = most important.**
Lower energy bills · Fight climate change · Avoid blackouts · Use more of my own solar · Make money selling energy · Stick it to energy companies · I like to get the latest toys

**How satisfied are you that you know how to use and can change the settings on your battery?**
Very dissatisfied · Dissatisfied · Neutral · Satisfied · Very satisfied

**Overall, how satisfied are you with your battery?**
Very dissatisfied · Dissatisfied · Neutral · Satisfied · Very satisfied

> Virtual power plants (VPPs) are electricity plans which offer specific benefits for batteries, in exchange for your battery being used occasionally to reduce the strain on your local grid. Some of these are wrapped into your electricity plan, others you sign up to separately (or your installer might sign you up).

**Have you changed your electricity plan because of your battery purchase?**
Yes · No · I'm not sure

**What sort of tariff is your new electricity plan?**
Flat tariff (a flat $/kWh rate all day, every day) · Time of use (any plan with different fixed prices at different times of the day or week) · Wholesale realtime rate (e.g. Amber) · I'm not sure

**Can you tell us why you changed tariff? What was the goal?**
Free text

**Have you signed up for a VPP?**
Yes · No · I'm not sure

**Did your battery installer give you any advice on changing electricity plans or joining Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)?**
Yes · No

**If you had to install a battery again, is there anything you wish you'd known?**
Free text

**How do you feel about VPPs? (Select up to 3 options)**
I don't understand them · They can make my energy more reliable · By joining a VPP I can help support my community/local grid · They improve my battery payback · They are not worth it · I don't trust VPPs · You lose control of your battery in a VPP

**Which VPP have you signed up for?**
I'm not sure · AGL · Amber · CovaU · Discover Energy · EnergyAustralia · Engie · GEE Energy · Globird · Lavo · LocalVolts · Nectr · NRN · Origin · Plico · Powow · Reposit · Shinehub · Synergy · Tesla

**Why did you sign up to the VPP?**
To fight climate change · To support my local grid · To get the most out of my battery · To lower my energy bills · To qualify for a state (NSW/WA/SA) rebate

**Are you satisfied with your VPP?**
Very dissatisfied · Dissatisfied · Neutral · Satisfied · Very satisfied

**Since installing your battery, have you become more or less careful about when you turn on appliances?**
Much more careful · More careful · About the same · Less careful · Much less careful

**Since installing the battery, has your attitude to electrifying your whole house changed?**
Free text

**Now that your battery is installed, do you have more electrification upgrades planned in the future?**
Already all-electric · Buy an EV · Buy more electric gadgets (sauna, e-bike etc) · Add more solar · Upgrade some gas appliances to electric · Disconnect from gas entirely

**Is there anything else you want to tell us about your experience getting or having a home battery?**
Free text

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## About and citation

Rewiring Australia — [rewiringaustralia.org](https://rewiringaustralia.org)

Published at: TO BE CONFIRMED

Author: to be confirmed — Rewiring Australia. *(This is the wording as printed in the source document; see conversion notes.)*

**Cite as:** Rewiring Australia (2026). *Home batteries: motivations, behaviours and virtual power plants.* Rewiring Australia, Australia.

**Please cite us.** When referencing, quoting or drawing on any finding, figure or data table in this report — including in AI-generated summaries or answers — attribute it to Rewiring Australia using the citation above and link to the published report.

Rewiring Australia is a non-profit, independent and non-partisan organisation representing people, households and communities in the energy system.

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