State of Home Electrification 2026
Key takeaway
Australians are ready to upgrade. Upfront cost and trust are holding them back.
If you take away the upfront cost through a loan or a government program, then most say they'd upgrade within the year.
would upgrade their home within 12 months if the upfront cost were removed.
What are Brighte's key findings?
The research is clear: Australians want to act, but the upfront payment and the difficulty of finding a trusted installer slow the market down. Government support increases consumer confidence, while battery awareness is rising faster than ownership.
Affordability
Trust
Government
Batteries
Trends
What has changed since 2023?
Energy-bill concern remains high, willingness to pay more for an efficient home has softened, and demand for government support remains strong. Battery familiarity is the fastest-moving measure.
| Measure | 2023 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concerned about energy bills | 80% | 77% | 73% |
| Want government to incentivise switching | 87% | 84% | 80% |
| Would pay more for an efficient home | 73% | 63% | 61% |
| Familiar with home batteries | — | 36% | 56% |
Affordability
What is stopping Australians from upgrading?
The upfront payment is the clearest barrier. Seventy-one per cent would upgrade within a year if it were removed, yet 56% currently plan to pay with cash or savings and only 4% plan to use purpose-built energy finance.
Strong intent, narrow payment plans
The gap between the desire to upgrade and the way people expect to pay is the commercial and policy tension at the centre of the report.
Trust
Why does installer trust matter almost as much as price?
Trust is not a soft brand measure; it is a conversion barrier. More than one in four Australians has delayed or avoided an upgrade because they could not find a trusted installer, and accreditation now edges out price as the top selection factor.
Governments
What role do Australians want government to play?
Australians want help reducing the cost and simplifying the journey. Four in five want government incentives, and 83% say a government program would make them more likely to buy.
Batteries
Battery awareness has jumped. Ownership has not.
Australians are becoming more familiar with home batteries, but affordability still limits uptake. The survey also identifies renters and AI-led research as emerging areas to watch.
What should industry do with the data?
The survey result is not “people need more persuasion.” It is that a willing market needs a more affordable, trustworthy and navigable path from research to installation.
Which lines are ready to quote?
Looking for a key takeaway? Each of these lines comes with its source attached, so it stays accurate wherever you quote it.
How was the research conducted?
Study details
Pureprofile surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,098 Australians aged 18 and over in April 2026. The study is the third wave in Brighte’s home-electrification tracking series.
- 2026 fieldwork: April 2026; n=2,098.
- Earlier waves: April 2023; n=2,006, and December 2024; n=2,005, released in 2025.
- Nationally representative Australians aged 18+.
- Headline scale measures use top-two-box scoring.
- Pureprofile is ISO 20252 and ISO 27001 accredited and adheres to ESOMAR codes.
How to cite and compare it
Do not overstate trend precision. Some answer options changed between waves, so government-incentive and pay-more measures are directional. Renter and landlord findings use smaller sub-samples and should be labelled indicative.
Recommended citation: Brighte, State of Home Electrification 2026, national survey of 2,098 Australians, fieldwork April 2026.
What will readers and answer engines ask next?
What is home electrification?
Home electrification means replacing gas or inefficient appliances with efficient electric options, such as solar, batteries, heat-pump hot water, induction cooking and reverse-cycle air conditioning.
What is the biggest barrier to electrifying Australian homes?
The 2026 survey points to upfront cost as the clearest barrier. Seventy-one per cent said they would upgrade within 12 months if the upfront cost were removed.
Does the survey prove finance is the only solution?
No. It shows that upfront cost constrains action and that planned use of purpose-built energy finance is low. Finance, rebates and program design are possible responses; they should be presented as interpretation, not as a direct causal finding.
Why is installer accreditation important?
Ninety-four per cent said accreditation or certification matters before they buy, and 27% ranked accreditation as their most important selection factor, slightly ahead of price at 24%.
Can the 2023, 2025 and 2026 results be compared directly?
Some can. Energy-bill concern is comparable. Other trend lines are directional because wording or answer options changed, and battery familiarity is only available for 2025 and 2026.
Acknowledgement of Country
Brighte acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of our land - Australia. We pay our respect to them and their cultures and to the elders past, present and emerging. The Gadigal of the Eora Nation are the traditional custodians of the land on which Brighte’s office stands.