Postcode data reveals Port Pirie, Adelaide’s northern suburbs lead the rush to get solar batteries

Residents of Port Pirie and Adelaide working class northern suburbs lead the rush for solar batteries, as State Government subsidy scheme cracks its first 1000 approvals.

Residents of Port Pirie and working-class suburbs in Adelaide’s north have been the fastest to grab State Government grants for home solar and battery systems, as the scheme cracks its first 1000 approvals.

The $200 million home battery scheme was a key plank in the power plan Premier Steven Marshall took to the election, and offers taxpayer grants of up to $6000 for batteries to be installed on homes as well as cheap loans for rooftop solar.

The Government says all households will benefit as more power is left in the grid, reducing prices and the risk of forced blackouts.

Postcode data released to The Advertiser shows that 24 applications have been approved for Port Pirie, making it the state’s battery hot spot.

The second-most enthusiastic postcode has been 5114, which has secured 22 approvals. That district includes the working-class, outer-suburban areas of Andrews Farm, Blakeview, Craigmore and Smithfield.

Residents in Adelaide’s well-heeled eastern suburbs, including Burnside, have also raced to get hold of the battery subsidies since they were launched in October.

Battery builder Sonnen – a German company with a base at the old Holden site in Elizabeth – was given a head start before competitors, including Tesla, were also allowed to sell subsidised units.

The Government aims to get batteries on 40,000 homes as part of a wider power plan it says will save average households $302 annually.

Energy and Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said there had been a spike in applications as extra battery options became available.

“More and more people are realising that the Marshall Government’s Home Battery Scheme is a good way to cut their electricity bills,” he said.

“It is fantastic to see such a strong response to a central plank of the Liberal Government’s plan to deliver more affordable, reliable and cleaner energy to South Australian households and businesses.” There are now eight battery brands eligible for the subsidy and more than 60 system providers to choose from.

Almost 80 per cent of customers who bought a battery through the scheme had solar panels before applying.

Batteries ranges in price from $2500 to $20,000.

More than 70 per cent of homes have bought larger battery systems, with capacity between 10 and 13 kilowatt hours.

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