Deployment of rooftop photovoltaics (PV) is technically constrained by the availability of suitable roof space as well as by the ability of the distribution network to absorb exported generation.

Australia leads the world with rapid small-scale adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) encouraged by feed-in-tariffs (FiTs) and rebates. The common business model for small-scale solar PV is designed around individual installation ownership requiring an upfront capital cost from the dwelling owner and rooftop capacity. These conditions are prohibitive for low-income households and renters. The unequal household access to solar PV is occurring as the poorest households experience the most deleterious impact from a sustained period of substantive electricity price increases.

This paper explores the future of home storage uptake in the developing Battery Energy System (BES) market. A survey of over 500 households and interviews with 51 homeowners in Tasmania were used to ascertain motivations for installing BES’s. BES cost projection curves were used to model uptake under various scenarios.

The shift to low-emissions energy production has gained significant traction in Australia and around the world. Community Renewable Energy (CORE) projects are on the rise, reflecting the desire of communities to take control of their own energy goals, and embedded networks (ENs) are emerging as part of the CORE movement.