First National Energy Performance Strategy ready to take pressure off energy bills

The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy

Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy

The Albanese Government has today released the National Energy Performance Strategy, to drive a high energy performance economy and help consumers take control of their energy use and save on bills.

The strategy outlines action across five key focus areas: economy; households; communities, businesses and industry; energy system; and technology and innovation, and is focused on empowering Australians to improve energy performance and ensure more consumers have access to energy saving upgrades.

This includes greater access to tools that deliver transparency about the performance of homes, workplaces and appliances and reforms that will reduce barriers to making upgrades.

The Strategy backs in the government’s strong record on tackling energy costs, including investment in new home energy ratings tools, lifting minimum standards for new builds, investing in social housing upgrades, grants for small business and local government, and $1 billion for low-cost loans to households.

Improving energy performance will make businesses more competitive and homes more comfortable and affordable, all while lowering emissions.

The Strategy has highlighted:

• Between 2011, under changes made by the last Labor Government, to 2022, minimum standards and transparency on energy efficiency saved Australians between $12-18 billion in energy costs
• Flexible demand – including both large-scale demand and controllable EV charging and batteries – would generate up to $18 billion in cost savings for consumers through lower capital and wholesale prices in the NEM by 2040.
• Around 20% of global emissions reduction by 2030 will be achieved by electrification.

When consumers choose to make energy performance upgrades, they save energy and save on bills.

This can include upgrading energy efficient appliances, homes and buildings; maximising off-peak times to reduce energy costs; and harnessing renewable energy technologies like solar, batteries or electric vehicles.

Action on the demand side of the energy system delivers cost savings to consumers and reduces emissions, while offering more control than ever before to businesses and families about how and when they use energy.

The Government will also collate and publish more data to better track energy performance across the economy, better integrate demand-side opportunities into system planning, and establish an advisory group to better coordinate collaboration across business and governments.

Quotes attributable to Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen:

“Energy performance is about energy savings and bill savings.

We want more Australians to have the choice to save on energy and save on bills, and this strategy, along with our large investments’ energy saving upgrades for households and businesses across the country, does just that.

“Australia has a clear-cut plan to drive action on the demand-side of the energy market to support the economy-wide energy transformation and help put downward pressure on energy bills.

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Jenny McAllister:

“This strategy is about helping Australian consumers take control of how and when they use energy. It is about making every watt count, to help consumers reduce bills and reach net zero.

“Whether through improved energy efficiency, demand flexibility, or electrification this strategy helps households and businesses to deliver the cheapest, cleanest, and healthiest outcomes from their energy.

“Households are partners in our renewable energy transformation. We want solar on rooftops, batteries in garages to work hand in hand with the rest of the energy market.”

The strategy drew on 135 submissions from businesses, industry, consumer groups and experts, roundtables, and consultation with state and territory governments.

The National Energy Performance Strategy can be found here.