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The Cheaper Home Batteries program has defied expectations. Over 160,000 households have installed batteries in just over a year, with the 50-75 kWh segment alone growing 71% in November. This success created a challenge. At the current rate, the original $2.3 billion budget would be exhausted by mid-2026, four years before the program was meant to finish. From May 2026, the government is expanding funding to $7.2 billion and introducing a tiered rebate structure. Batteries up to 14 kWh will keep the full roughly 30% discount. Larger systems will receive reduced support per kilowatt-hour, though systems up to 100 kWh remain eligible. The aim is to support 2 million households through 2030 rather than running out of funding early. What's interesting is that the rebate is only part of what makes batteries financially viable. The ongoing returns depend on how your battery is used: whether you're accessing wholesale pricing or fixed tariffs, whether it's optimised for your household or your retailer's needs, and whether it's charging and discharging at the right times. The program's runaway success shows what happens when Australian households get the right incentives. The adjustments mean more people can access those incentives over the program's full lifespan. We've broken down what the rebate changes means and outlined the new tiered structure over on the blog: https://lnkd.in/gmMZGfhu

NSW electricity prices hit extremes yesterday, swinging from $20/kWh to negative $1/kWh within an hour. That's roughly a $21/kWh spread, even larger than Tuesday's when we saw similar volatility. ⚡ Storm cells moved across central NSW around midday, bringing cloud cover that suddenly cut rooftop solar output. With temperatures above 30°C already driving air conditioning demand, prices spiked hard. When the storms cleared and solar generation came back online, prices dropped sharply into negative territory. For Amber customers with batteries, it was a significant earnings opportunity. Here are some results from customers during yesterday's price spike. Back-to-back days of this kind of volatility shows how dynamic Australia's electricity market has become as more renewable energy comes online and weather plays an increasingly important role in real-time supply and demand. Head over to the blog for our insights on what went down this week in NSW - link in the comments.

The Solar Sharer scheme marks a turning point: not just in policy, but in how Australia thinks about electricity pricing. For years, the energy sector has understood that wholesale prices fluctuate dramatically throughout the day. When solar floods the grid on a sunny afternoon, prices plummet. When everyone gets home and turns on their appliances at 6pm, prices spike. Yet most households have been shielded from this reality through flat-rate pricing that averages everything out. Solar Sharer acknowledges what we've known all along: time-varying pricing is beneficial. When households can see and respond to real electricity costs, they make smarter choices that align with grid needs and maximise renewable energy use. But recognition alone isn't enough. The real infrastructure that unlocks this future isn't just smart meters or time-of-use tariffs. It's batteries. They transform solar abundance from a scheduling challenge into stored value you can use whenever you need it. For Amber customers with batteries on SmartShift, this is already happening. They're already automating the exact behaviour Solar Sharer aims to encourage, and in many cases, earning money while doing it. Time-varying pricing is going mainstream. And the households with the technology to respond will benefit the most. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gqrjXHgC

This is huge. Renewables just overtook coal in Australia's National Electricity Market for the first time in history. September 2025 will be remembered as the month clean energy became the dominant source of electricity generation. A milestone we've been working towards since day one. At Amber, our mission is 100% renewables. Seeing this happen feels incredible - and it's proof that Australia's energy transition is real and accelerating. This shift is being driven by millions of households who put solar on their roofs and batteries in their homes. They're not waiting around - they're building the future grid right now. We've still got work to do to reach 100%. But this milestone shows what's possible when households lead the way. https://lnkd.in/gXAt4D2b

Here's something most battery buyers don't realise - not all solar batteries provide backup power during outages. With battery adoption accelerating thanks to the federal rebate, it's worth understanding what you're actually getting. Standard solar systems shut down when the grid goes off – it's a safety feature for utility workers. Your panels and battery stop working too, even on a sunny day. Backup power requires specific equipment: - Hybrid or multimode inverter that operates independently from the grid - Backup-capable battery \(not all can provide backup\) - Proper installation with backup circuits Many Australians are installing batteries without understanding this distinction. They're investing in energy independence but getting a system that won't work during the one scenario where backup power matters most. Adding backup capability to an existing system costs more than specifying it from the start. If backup power is important to you, discuss it with your installer before purchasing. The best system keeps the lights on during outages \(and earns you money from wholesale prices the rest of the time\). Read the full guide over on the blog: https://lnkd.in/gQ7U\_QHm

We're compatible with two-thirds of Australian batteries. We're not stopping there. Battery integrations are technically complex. Each manufacturer has different communication protocols. What seems straightforward can turn into months of engineering work when compatibility issues emerge. Add in coordinating across companies and time zones, and timelines stretch. But this matters because your $10,000+ battery shouldn't be stuck accepting fixed retail rates. It should earn wholesale prices like the big generators do. Right now, we're compatible with systems like Tesla, Sungrow, SigEnergy, and Enphase, with 14 more in various stages of development. We're prioritising based on customer demand - 21% of our waitlist wants FoxESS, 16% want Goodwe, 8% Growatt, and 6% want ESY systems. We're building towards a future where your battery, EV, hot water system, and pool pump all work together to earn you money from the wholesale market. The energy transition is happening, and Australian families should be earning from it. Read more about our integration roadmap over on the blog: https://lnkd.in/gb8pckcu