Australia’s energy transition is accelerating, and households are at the centre of it. Rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles, and electrified homes are reshaping how electricity is generated, stored, and consumed. A new consumer energy report from VisNet, part of EA Technology, highlights an interesting paradox. Many consumers believe they could reduce their electricity usage, yet most still expect their energy demand to increase in the coming years.
The VisNet Consumer Energy Report: VisAbility of Consumer Energy Trends for Smarter, Sustainable, Resilient Networks, examines electricity habits across Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The research provides insights into how consumers use energy today, how electrification is changing demand, and what this means for electricity networks in the future.
The findings suggest electricity demand will grow sharply this decade, while consumers increasingly adopt renewable energy technologies and take greater control of their energy use.
Electricity demand is expected to rise this decade
Electrification is a key driver of the transition to cleaner energy. As households move away from gas appliances and petrol vehicles, electricity becomes the primary energy source for everyday activities.
The VisNet Consumer Energy Report suggests this shift will significantly increase electricity demand.
Key projections highlighted in the research include:
- Household electricity loads in Australia could rise around 35 per cent by 2030
- Homes with electric vehicles could see evening peak demand increase by up to 60 per cent
- 70 per cent of consumers already have medium or high electricity usage
- Around two-thirds of consumers believe they could shift electricity use to off-peak times
These projections reflect a broader transformation of the modern home. Electric vehicles, heat pumps, air conditioning, batteries, and smart appliances are becoming more common.
Mark Sprawson, Chief Commercial Officer at EA Technology, explains how this transformation is reshaping the energy system.
“Electricity distribution has now expanded beyond cables and substations. It is about intelligence, adaptability, and responsiveness. Owners and operators of electricity networks need actionable intelligence in real time.”
For electricity networks, this means planning for greater demand while managing increasingly complex energy flows.
Australians are becoming energy producers
One of the most significant shifts identified in the VisNet Consumer Energy Report is the rise of the energy “prosumer”. A prosumer is a household that both consumes and produces electricity.
Rooftop solar is the most visible example of this change. Australia leads the world in residential solar adoption, and the report confirms Australians have the highest solar uptake among the countries surveyed.
Energy technology adoption is accelerating across households:
- 37 per cent of Australian households have rooftop solar
- 73 per cent of solar owners use energy from their systems daily
- 12 per cent of consumers already own an electric vehicle or electric bike
- 45 per cent plan to purchase an EV within five years
- More than 60 per cent of homes own at least one high-energy appliance
These technologies are transforming how electricity flows through the grid. Traditional networks were designed for one direction of electricity flow, from power stations to homes.
Today, millions of solar systems export electricity back into the grid during the day. As battery adoption increases, households will store and manage more of their own energy as well. This shift creates new opportunities for cleaner energy, but it also introduces new challenges for network operators.
Electric vehicles and appliances are driving new demand
Electric vehicles are expected to play a major role in future electricity demand.
Charging an EV can add a substantial load to a household’s electricity usage, particularly during peak evening periods. However, the research suggests many consumers already charge vehicles overnight, which helps reduce pressure on the grid.
Beyond EVs, several household technologies are increasing electricity demand.
Air conditioning remains one of the most common high-energy appliances in Australia. The report found that around 78 per cent of Australian households use air conditioning, reflecting the country’s climate and growing demand for cooling.
Other energy-intensive technologies are also becoming more common. Heat pumps, home batteries, and electric transport charging systems are increasingly part of modern homes.
The report also highlights changing consumer preferences when buying property. Many respondents say homes with battery storage, renewable energy systems, and modern electric appliances are more attractive. These preferences suggest electrified homes will become increasingly common in Australia over the next decade.
Peak electricity demand remains a key challenge
While electricity is used throughout the day, demand often spikes in the evening when households return home. The research found that nearly half of consumers use the most electricity between 5 pm and 8 pm. This is when people cook dinner, turn on heating or cooling systems, charge devices, and use entertainment appliances.
Electric vehicles and electric heating systems can further increase this evening peak.
Managing these peaks is one of the biggest challenges facing electricity networks. Building enough infrastructure to meet peak demand can be expensive and inefficient. Instead, many network operators are exploring ways to shift electricity use outside peak periods.
Consumers appear open to this idea. The report found many households believe certain appliances could easily be moved to off-peak times, including washing machines, dishwashers, and device charging.
Lower electricity bills remain the most powerful incentive. However, rewards from energy providers, peak alerts, and smart home technologies could also help encourage households to shift their energy usage.
Rising electricity prices remain a major concern
Despite the growing adoption of renewable energy technologies, electricity affordability remains a major concern for households.
Consumer concerns identified in the VisNet Consumer Energy Report include:
- 68 per cent are worried about rising electricity prices
- 54 per cent say they try to be as energy efficient as possible
- 23 per cent rely more on electric heating or cooling
- 15 per cent use more electricity due to working from home
- 12 per cent have added more energy-intensive appliances
These trends reflect the reality of electrification. Even when households aim to reduce energy consumption, new technologies often increase electricity demand. At the same time, many households see renewable energy technologies as a way to gain greater control over their energy costs.
Solar systems, batteries, and smart home technologies allow households to reduce grid reliance and better manage electricity use.
Younger consumers are leading energy behaviour change
The VisNet Consumer Energy Report also highlights clear generational differences in energy attitudes.
Younger consumers are significantly more confident in their ability to reduce electricity usage. Many are also more willing to shift energy consumption to off-peak periods if it reduces costs or benefits the environment.
Younger households are also more likely to adopt smart home technologies that automate energy usage. These systems can schedule appliances to run during cheaper electricity periods or align energy use with solar production.
Older consumers often respond strongly to pricing signals but may have less flexibility to change energy systems within their homes.
Understanding these behavioural differences will become increasingly important as energy providers develop programs to manage electricity demand.
Smarter electricity networks will be essential
The VisNet report makes it clear that the future electricity system will look very different from the past.
Electric vehicles, rooftop solar, batteries, and smart appliances are fundamentally changing how electricity flows through the grid. These technologies create more variability in demand, introduce two-way electricity flows, and increase the complexity of network management.
To manage this complexity, electricity networks will require greater visibility and smarter planning tools.
Ana Duran, Product Manager at VisNet, explains the challenge facing electricity operators.
“Managing peak loads intelligently, without overinvesting in infrastructure, is the key challenge ahead for electricity operators.”
Advanced monitoring, predictive modelling, and behavioural insights will allow operators to better understand how electricity is used at the local level. This information can help identify where demand will grow, where network upgrades are needed, and how to encourage smarter energy use.
VisNet Consumer Energy Report: The future of energy is more consumer-driven
The VisNet Consumer Energy Report highlights a clear shift in the role of households within the energy system.
Electricity demand is expected to increase as homes electrify and adopt new technologies. At the same time, consumers are becoming more active participants in the energy system through solar generation, battery storage, and smarter energy management.
For Australians, this transition brings both opportunities and challenges. Clean energy technologies can lower emissions, reduce electricity bills, and improve energy independence.
However, they also require electricity networks to evolve quickly to keep pace with rising demand. Smarter grids, better data, and closer collaboration between consumers, technology providers, and network operators will be essential.
The energy transition is already underway, and the way Australians generate, store, and use electricity will continue to transform in the years ahead.
