South Australians are continuing to embrace a cleaner, smarter energy future making the most of the Federal Government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program (CHBP) to further cement SA's reputation as a renewable energy powerhouse.

Launched in July 2025, the CHBP program has supercharged home battery adoption by offering upfront cost reductions of up to 30%. This initiative has made home batteries more accessible, fostering significant growth in energy storage across the country.

South Australia’s battery boom

Since the scheme’s launch in July 2025, South Australians have accounted for an impressive 13.14% of all home Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) installations nationwide under the program, outpacing our share of the population at 6.9%.  

Here are some key stats from South Australia in the first 6 months of the program*:  

• 15,877 new residential BESS sites installed and commissioned 
• 126,326 kVA additional export capacity in BESS commissioned 
• 358 MWh of storage capacity commissioned in SA homes 
• The average storage capacity of BESS installed on the scheme is 22kWh, up from 14kWh for the prior 6 months. 
• An average of 79 Installs per day (including all weekdays and weekends) which equates to: 
  • 641 kVA added BESS capacity per day 
  • 1.8 MWh storage capacity added per day 

*Statistics from 1 July 2025 – 13 Jan 2026. 

72,000+ homes in the state now have residential batteries, which is just over 11% of homes. This brings the combined storage capacity to1.15 GWh, which is more than double the size of South Australia’s largest utility battery (Blyth, 477MWh) .  

This high level of adoption builds on South Australia’s world-leading rooftop solar penetration, where more than 47% of homes already generate energy from rooftop solar.

Picture: A general view of homes in Adelaide, many of them have solar panels and home batteries.

The importance of batteries in the energy ecosystem 

Batteries are essential for managing the variable renewable energy that dominates South Australia’s grid. They allow households to store surplus solar energy during the day to use in the evening when the sun isn’t shining and electricity demand typically peaks. At the same time, they can help stabilise the grid by balancing energy flows across the network.  

At SA Power Networks, we are:  

• Ensuring the safe and efficient integration of solar and batteries into the grid.  
• Using and developing advanced tools to carefully manage the two-way flow of electricity created by these technologies.  
• Supporting the long-term growth of distributed energy resources in ways that benefit all South Australians. 

Our evolving energy system 

By adopting consumer energy resources like batteries, customers are driving fundamental changes to the energy system. To manage this transformation, SA Power Networks is evolving its role from a traditional Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP) to a forward-thinking Distribution System Operator (DSO). 

This shift will allow us to operate a smarter, more dynamic energy network that enables households to share the clean energy they generate, while keeping the system safe and efficient for everyone. By unlocking the potential of these technologies, we can avoid costly infrastructure upgrades and create a more affordable electricity future for all South Australians. 

Learn more about the DSO challenge