Note: Solar Choice has no incentive to promote one VPP program over another. This review is designed to help Australian homeowners understand EnergyAustralia’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) offer in clear, unbiased terms.
VPP Overview
EnergyAustralia, one of Australia’s largest electricity retailers, has run VPP programs under the PowerResponse banner and, more recently, through its Battery Ease pathway. While the PowerResponse VPP is no longer accepting new customers, households can still join EnergyAustralia’s VPP via Battery Ease, which provides regular bill credits for eligible customers.
- Company: EnergyAustralia (retailer)
- Partners: Works with approved battery manufacturers (e.g., Tesla, Alpha-ESS, Redback, LG Chem with SolarEdge inverter).
- Commencement: Demand response and VPP-style programs have been active for several years.
- Participants: Numbers not disclosed.
- Availability: Residential customers in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and ACT, subject to eligibility and EnergyAustralia retail supply.
For background, see Solar Choice’s VPP Guide.
Financial Benefits Offered
- Battery Ease credits: Up to $180 per year in bill credits (paid monthly to your EnergyAustralia account).
- Standard feed-in tariff: Exports during events still earn your plan’s usual FiT.
- Grid charging costs: If EnergyAustralia pre-charges your battery before an event, you pay for this electricity at your standard usage rate.
Example with a 15 kWh battery
- Annual credits: $180 (fixed).
- During events, if 5 kWh is exported at a 6c/kWh FiT, that’s $0.30 extra per event. Across multiple events this adds up, but total annual export earnings will be modest compared with the fixed credit.
Additional support may be available through state schemes, such as the NSW VPP Rebate, which can stack with the new federal battery rebate.
Electricity Tariffs / Rates
EnergyAustralia does not offer a special VPP-only tariff. Participants stay on their existing EnergyAustralia plan:
- Your usage charges, supply charges, and FiT remain unchanged.
- You receive VPP credits on top.
- Any pre-charging of your battery is billed at your plan’s normal usage rate.
For plan comparisons, see Solar Choice electricity comparison.
Battery & System Requirements
- Compatible batteries: Tesla Powerwall 2, Alpha-ESS, Redback Smart Hybrid, LG Chem (with SolarEdge inverter).
- Minimum requirements: Must have a smart meter and an active EnergyAustralia account.
- Connectivity: Stable internet connection required (Wi-Fi/NBN/4G).
- Geography: Available in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, ACT.
Contract Length & Exit Terms
- Program length: Typically 12 months (confirmed in your welcome email).
- Exit: You can opt out by contacting EnergyAustralia.
- Changing retailer: If you switch away from EnergyAustralia, you automatically exit the program.
- No lock-in contract: No cancellation fee applies, though you lose access to bill credits if you leave.
Technical Operations
- Event frequency: Up to 80 hours per year.
- Battery control: EnergyAustralia may charge, discharge, or hold your battery’s energy during events.
- Minimum reserve: At least 20% of your battery is always kept for your household use.
- Maximum discharge rate: 5 kW, subject to your inverter and network limits.
- Home-first consumption: Your home uses stored solar first; only excess is made available to the grid.
- Notifications: No advance alerts are provided. EnergyAustralia shares event details after the fact.
- Blackouts/Connectivity: EA cannot operate your battery during outages or if internet is unavailable.
Customer Experience
- App access: Your manufacturer’s battery app remains available; EnergyAustralia does not override it.
- Transparency: You receive details of events and credits, but live monitoring is limited.
- Support: Managed via EnergyAustralia customer service channels.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Predictable bill credits (up to $180/year).
- Wide compatibility with major battery brands.
- Clear technical guardrails: 20% reserve, 80 event hours/year.
Cons
- Must remain an EnergyAustralia customer; switching ends participation.
- Grid charging costs are billed at your standard rate.
- No advance alerts before VPP events.
Who Is It Best For?
This VPP is suited to homeowners who want simple, predictable credits rather than chasing volatile wholesale market prices. It works best for those already with, or happy to switch to, EnergyAustralia retail supply. Households focused on maximising every dollar of export may prefer other VPPs.
For comparisons, see Solar Choice’s VPP Comparison.
Looking for more information?
- Plico Energy VPP: An Independent Review (2025) - 16 September, 2025
- EnergyAustralia Battery Ease / PowerResponse VPP: An Independent Review - 16 September, 2025
- GloBird ZeroHero VPP: An Independent Review - 16 September, 2025
