Australia's home batteries: Creating value for households could transform the grid

Professor Yolande Strengers was featured across ABC TV, ABC News Online and ABC Radio National discussing the role of virtual power plants (VPPs) in Australia's energy transition. She highlighted that while home batteries and rooftop solar have the potential to strengthen the electricity system, greater uptake of VPPs will depend on households seeing clear value, maintaining control over their energy, and trusting the arrangements.

Australia has more than 4 million rooftop solar systems and almost half a million home batteries, creating one of the world's largest distributed renewable energy resources.

Coordinating these resources through Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) could reduce pressure on the grid, avoid costly network upgrades and make better use of abundant renewable energy. But widespread participation will depend on households experiencing real value from these arrangements – while maintaining an appropriate level of control over their own energy.

Our Research Director Professor Yolande Strengers explains:

"For many people it's also about wanting greater independence and resilience in the energy system and wanting to take back control."

As Australia's energy system evolves, the challenge isn't simply to build consumer trust. It's to create the conditions in which households experience VPPs as valuable, fair and trustworthy – and can see clear benefits from participating in the energy system.

Read the ABC article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-06/virtual-power-plants-uptake-solar-renewable-energy-batteries/106998112

Watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh4zIVbEWcs