Low-emissions metals and other industries the federal government views as vital to Australia's net zero future have locked in funding in the federal budget.
A total of $3 billion has been earmarked to support green aluminium and iron endeavours in Tuesday's budget.
Households keen to soak up their excess rooftop solar power have been left disappointed, with no sign of subsidies or cheap loans for batteries.
Clean energy advocates have been campaigning for government handouts to bring down the steep up-front cost of household batteries, a measure they say will ease pressure on the electricity grid and do more to permanently lower power bills than temporary rebates.
Energy cost pressure has been a thorn in the federal government's side since it committed to cut bills by $275 at the last election.
There were few surprises when it committed to extending its power rebates for another year.
Eligible Australian households and small businesses can expect $75 off their bills per quarter until December 2025, at a cost of $1.8 billion over two years.
Sawsan Alfayadh from Renew Australia For All lamented that the nation needed more than a "temporary bandaid".
“Bill relief might help families for a quarter, but investing in clean energy solutions will break the cycle of high power bills for generations," she said in a statement.
Clean Energy Council chief Kane Thornton echoed that call.
“Four million Australians have rooftop solar, but only around 180,000 are doubling their savings with access to a home battery," he said.
"That means that 95.5 per cent of solar households, already saving $1500 on average on their power bills thanks to their panels, could be saving even more through home energy storage."
The Labor government's fourth and possibly last budget, given a federal election is due by May 17, confirmed funding for several measures nestled under its broader Future Made in Australia plan to revitalise the industrial base for a net zero future.
Tax incentives for critical minerals and hydrogen have already been locked in and Tuesday's budget confirmed $2 billion over 19 years from 2024/25 for aluminium smelters switching to clean energy.
About $1 billion over seven years has been earmarked for capital grants for low-emissions iron projects, including up to $500 million to transform the Whyalla Steelworks.
The federal government and the South Australian government had already committed to bailing out the troubled steelworks.
A $2 billion capital injection into the government's green bank, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, was also confirmed, a move expected to unlock $6 billion in extra private investment in renewables and low emissions technologies.
"This agenda is about recognising our future growth prospects lie at the intersection of our industrial, resources, skills and energy bases and our attractiveness as an investment destination," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said in his budget speech.
"So we can grasp the jobs and opportunities of the net zero transformation."
