Energy transitions, intermediaries and home battery storage in Australia

A transition to a cleaner energy future that embraces renewable energy technology such as home battery storage has never been so compelling. With high solar Photovoltaic (PV) penetration and expensive electricity rates, the likely adoption of battery storage technologies has positioned Australia to become the number one market for home battery storage in the world. To date however, there has been little research that explores the governance of such energy transitions in the Australian context. Against this backdrop, this research project explores the role of intermediary actors through a case study of home battery storage in Canberra- one of the first such projects in Australia which is rolling out energy storage to more than 5000 homes and businesses between 2016 - 2020. The research focuses on the role of key industry proponents in the scheme and identifies the existence of an intermediary landscape that comprises multiple layers - both visible and invisible. The project finds that the multifaceted role for these proponents has important implications for the role of the state and responsibility for enabling future energy transitions.