Hunter households tip $3m into joint council solar and battery push

newy.com.au – Almost $3 million has been invested in rooftop solar and home batteries by residents in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland since a joint council Solar Neighbourhoods program launched in mid-September.

The collaboration between City of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie City Council and Maitland City Council is designed to make it easier and more affordable for households to install renewable energy technology, at a time when federal rebates are changing and energy costs remain a concern for many families.

More than 550 people have registered their interest in the Solar Neighbourhoods initiative, with more than 110 residents already purchasing solar panels, batteries, or both, through the bulk-buy style offer. City of Newcastle’s Climate Change and Sustainability Program Lead Lexi Crouch said council staff had been “energised” by the community response.

“We designed this program to remove barriers that have held back solar and home battery uptake in the region,” Crouch said.

While the initiative focuses on neighbourhood-scale take-up of solar, Crouch said demand for home storage had outstripped expectations. “While the program is called Solar Neighbourhoods, we’ve found the majority of customers are buying a home battery, either to complement their existing solar panels or as part of a package,” she said.

Crouch linked the interest in batteries to a broader national trend, noting more than 100,000 home batteries have been installed across Australia since July, when the Federal Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries scheme was introduced. She said the councils intend to run Solar Neighbourhoods again next year, but encouraged residents to act now, with this year’s program open until 30 November and current prices tied to existing government rebates.

Lake Macquarie City Council Sustainability Engagement Coordinator Zoe Johnson said the program was local government “leading the way on sustainability” and was developed in response to direct community feedback.

“Residents from the three council areas told us they want solar and batteries for their homes, but they were overwhelmed by the choice, upfront cost and complexity of buying solar and battery systems,” Johnson said.

Through a joint tender and due diligence process, the councils selected program partner 1KOMMA5° Australia to supply a range of solar and battery systems, installed by local Hunter tradespeople. Johnson said this was intended to give residents confidence in product quality while simplifying the decision-making process.

Maitland City Council’s Coordinator Sustainability Strategy and Education, Ben Maddox, said the initiative was helping households take “meaningful climate action” through practical, community-led solutions.

“We’re making sure affordable options to pay the system off over time are available in addition to paying upfront, as well as an exclusive program discount and government rebates of $1,250,” Maddox said. “Households installing a new solar and battery system can save up to 90 percent on a typical family electricity bill, so we’re committed to providing an easy, accessible pathway to solar and home batteries for our community.”

Swansea resident Luke York, who is adding a battery to his existing solar system through the program, said he had been pleasantly surprised by the affordability. “We’ve paid off our solar panels so this battery will further support our household energy usage,” York said. “I was so surprised and pleased with the cost of the battery as part of the program and hopefully it ensures we won’t need to take any energy from the grid once it’s up and running.”

York said he “highly recommended” the council-led program to other households considering solar or batteries.

1KOMMA5° Australia chief executive Luke Stronach said the partnership demonstrated how public and private sectors could work together to support Australia’s renewable energy transition. “Between the support for renewables across all levels of government and significant community uptake, it’s clear the moment to take a step towards energy independence is now,” he said.

Residents in the three council areas can still register for Solar Neighbourhoods and sign a quote via the program website before 30 November 2025 to access this year’s offer.