CSIRO to Track Energy Use in 10,000 Australian Homes to Guide Net Zero Transition

The initiative aims to help address significant gaps in current energy data.

Solar panels are seen on a roof in Albany, Western Australia, on March 29, 2024. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

Australia’s leading science agency has launched a national research hub to study how people are using energy in their homes and workplaces, to inform the country’s shift toward net-zero emissions.

The newly established National Energy Analysis Centre, unveiled by the CSIRO on July 17, will collect data from thousands of households and businesses to build a detailed picture of how energy is produced and consumed across the country.

Modelled on the UK’s Living Lab initiative, the centre will collaborate with universities, energy retailers, and other organisations to improve forecasting of future demands on the national electricity grid.

“From rooftop solar to EVs and home batteries, we want to build a comprehensive picture of energy use today and into the future,” said Stephen Craig, the centre’s director.

A Nationwide Energy Snapshot

In its first year, the centre aims to enrol 1,000 participants, with a longer-term goal of reaching over 10,000 households and businesses nationwide.

Participants will contribute electricity meter data and environmental readings anonymously, such as indoor temperature and humidity, and may be invited to join in-depth research trials.

Craig said the initiative would help address significant gaps in Australia’s understanding of current energy data.

Despite billions in clean energy investment and ongoing policy reform, he noted that existing research has been fragmented and inconsistent.

“We’ve had one-off efforts like the Electrify 2515 project,” he said, referring to Saul Griffith’s community energy experiment.

“But we’ve lacked a consistent, ongoing capability to track and compare data across trials and time.”

The centre will analyse the impact of solar panels, electric vehicles, and residential batteries—technologies expected to play a growing role in easing pressure on the grid.

“With more of the energy system now in the hands of everyday Australians, we need detailed and up-to-date data to help avoid both under-building and overbuilding the grid,” Craig said.

Newcastle resident Heath Raftery, one of the early participants, said he joined the study to contribute to future energy policy decisions.

“I’m a renter, so there’s not a lot I can do in terms of infrastructure,” he said. “But I want renters—who make up a third of Australians—to have their needs considered.”

Craig added that more granular level data would support better policy decisions, system design, and forecasting tools.

“We’re aiming for a future where energy systems are built with real-world data at their core—data from the people who use them every day,” he said.

Bowen Pushes Renewables, Tehan Flags Budget Risks

The launch comes as Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen reaffirmed Labor’s pledge to lift renewables’ share in the electricity grid to 82 percent by 2030.

The government’s estimates suggest that renewables and hydro currently account for 58 percent of the mix, with battery storage expected to contribute another 10 percent.

According to the Clean Energy Regulator, renewables made up around 40 percent of generation in the national electricity market in 2024 and are projected to rise to between 44 and 46 percent this year.

Meanwhile, new Shadow Climate Change and Energy Minister Dan Tehan has signalled that the financial burden of reaching net zero by 2050 could influence the Coalition’s decision on whether to uphold or scrap the target.

Tehan is preparing to lead a contentious internal review of the policy.