New subscription service aims to electrify Australian homes

Smart has partnered with Intellihub to introduce a subscription service aimed at promoting home electrification among Australians by reducing upfront costs.

The service, launched by Australia's largest novated leasing provider, Smart, in collaboration with the smart meter provider Intellihub, aims to package solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicle (EV) leasing into one affordable subscription model. This initiative seeks to dismantle financial barriers associated with home electrification.

By offering this service, customers can avoid the significant initial expenses usually tied to these sustainable energy solutions. Instead, they pay a monthly fee while benefiting from the potential savings of reduced or eliminated power bills. This cost-effective approach is designed to make renewable energy more accessible to Australian households.

Wes Ballantine, Intellihub Group Chief Executive Officer, emphasised the potential impact of this partnership on power bill reduction for consumers. He stated, "Renewable energy is the future, and we're here to make it easy and affordable for homeowners ready to transition." He added that the collaboration simplifies the decision-making process by providing affordable home energy products and immediate energy savings.

Smart's Group Executive, Sid Jha, highlighted the removal of cost barriers that typically deter potential adopters of renewable energy and electric vehicles. "This offering means there are no huge cost barriers to entry for either the home electrification or the electric vehicle, and experts provide the installation," Mr Jha said.

The comprehensive service will include consumer energy resources (CER) products like solar panels, home battery systems, battery optimisation, electric vehicles, and charging units. Customers will also receive expert guidance on selecting the appropriate equipment to maximise energy production and savings, with the option to pay without upfront costs.

This subscription service will incorporate a home energy management app, enabling users to monitor and optimise their energy usage, thereby reducing dependence on grid electricity. This feature dovetails with broader trends as Australians increasingly install solar systems and purchase electric vehicles, evidenced by more than 3.15 GW of solar installations and over 70,000 EVs sold this year alone.

Sustainability projections indicate that by 2030, Australia could host 22.6 GW of solar capacity and 1.5 million EVs. Mr Jha commented on this future, stating, "This is the future of home energy, a microgrid where the homeowner is powering their house, appliances, and vehicle – and selling the excess back to the grid."

The service is initially launching in metropolitan Sydney, with plans to extend to other Australian households in 2025. Survey results from Intellihub reveal that almost half of Australian homes currently have solar panels, 74% find solar battery installation appealing, and the primary driver for adopting these technologies is the potential for saving on energy bills. However, the upfront cost remains a significant deterrent, which the new service seeks to mitigate.

Both Smart and Intellihub, leaders in their respective fields, are thus providing Australians with a simplified and cost-effective route to sustainable energy transition at home.