Following the 2022-23 Federal Budget announcement in late October, the Treasury estimates a 56% increase in power prices for Australian households over the next two years¹. In the wake of a cost-of-living crisis², rising energy costs are set to be “the most problematic aspect of our inflation problem over the course of the next six or nine months”³.
With the spotlight on renewables as a key to the solution, the All-Energy Conference and Exhibition could not have been set on a more timely stage. Australia’s largest clean energy forum returned to Melbourne after a three-year pandemic hiatus to bring together end consumers, industry stakeholders from around the globe, and policymakers. Such is the situational urgency that conference attendance was up 30% from the 2019 event.
Core to the conversation was a call for more consumer representation in the form of a dedicated clean energy transition body and for regulators to be more acutely aware of the issues delaying or roadblocking rapid adoption of consumer energy resources (CER) for both homeowners and renters. CER includes solar PV, battery storage systems, full home energy management, and electric vehicles.
Power by people.
The event also provided an important platform to educate, unify, and promote home electrification as a critical aspect of the clean energy transition. One that is equally as important as the electrification of vehicles.
The “Intel inside” of an all-electric home is its energy management system – solar to generate electricity, a home battery to store excess solar-generated electricity for energy agility and security, and smart energy management software that puts you in control.
Team Enphase© was proud to support the All-Energy cause with a presence on the expo floor and multiple conference presentations. At our booth, we showcased the Enphase Energy System™, including the first official preview of the new IQ™ Battery Down Under.
The Enphase Energy System enables people to make, use, save, sell, and own their power. This includes our industry-leading app, which provides unprecedented data and control in the palm of your hand. For the first time in the evolution of our centuries-old grid, people can get paid for the clean energy they produce and share with their communities, helping to build a new energy future that harnesses the sun.
Electrification is inevitable.
On the second day of the conference, Wilf Johnston, Enphase Energy GM for ANZ and Pacific, spoke and engaged in a panel discussion on “Revolutionising the Electrification of Homes”. The session addressed the challenges and changes required to scale up the electrification of homes.
Practical actions topped the list, including abolishing penalty fees for disconnecting gas, phasing out regulations that mandate new home builds be gas-connected, and most importantly, the need for a uniform nationwide policy for managing distributed energy resources as we push forward to net zero. Currently, all Australian states have different grid-connection rules and requirements, which increases complexity and limits innovation for manufacturers, solar installers, and other stakeholders.
Catch more rays with Enphase.
It is more important than ever that consumers are well-informed and supported in their choices on the journey to energy independence.
The Enphase Installer Network (EIN) comprises solar installers that deliver some of the highest standards of solar technology, installation practices, and after-sales support. The EIN function following the first day of All-Energy brought together the EIN installers from all corners of Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific to celebrate helping homeowners catch more rays and get the most out of their home energy management systems.
With a growing network of Enphase installers, the new IQ Battery is expected to hit Australian shores in 2023, and with home electrification gaining momentum – the future looks a little brighter.
Reference
¹ Dire warning for households as energy bills tipped to rise by 50 per cent in two years
² ABS data shows what foods have skyrocketed and it’s terrifying
³ Labor’s power prices promise dead: energy costs to spike 56pc
