Bill Shorten will announce subsidy for a battery charged by solar cells

Thousands of Queensland homeowners who use solar panels will be eligible to receive $2000 for changing the way they use the power under a Labor plan to support renewable energy.

HOMEOWNERS would get $2000 from a Shorten Government to install a battery charged by solar power in their home, under a policy to be announced by Opposition leader Bill Shorten today.

It is part of a suite of measures to be announced today as part of Labor’s energy policy it will take to the next election, which will also include keeping the National Energy Guarantee alive as an option.

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Mr Shorten will also use the speech at a Bloomberg New Energy Finance event in Sydney today to declare a Labor Government will directly underwrite investment in renewable energy, batteries and gas.

Under the $215 million battery plan, from 2020 up to 100,000 households will be able to access a $2000 rebate if they install a battery system to support their solar panels.

Households with an income of less than $180,000 a year will be eligible for the rebate.

Australian Opposition leader Bill Shorten will announce a rebate on the cost of solar powered batteries for homeowners. Picture: AAP/Lukas Coch

Mr Shorten said homes with solar power and batteries could save up to 60 per cent on their power bill.

“I want Australia to be a clean energy powerhouse and I want more houses powered by clean energy,” he said.

He will also offer to keep the Coalition’s now dumped National Energy Guarantee on the table.

“If I am elected as Prime Minister, I will sit down with the new Opposition Leader and the

crossbench, to talk about a way we can move forward with this framework,” Mr Shorten said.

“But let’s be clear: we will work with the Coalition – but we will not wait for them.”

He said a Labor Government would also be prepared to directly underwrite and invest in “cleaner, cheaper power”.

“We will prioritise renewables and support firming technologies like storage and gas,” he said.