Australia has once again voted for climate action. Labor’s return to government, with a stronger mandate and the Greens holding key Senate seats, signals public support for an accelerated shift to renewables, electrification, and a clean energy future. The message from voters is clear: keep going, move faster, and don’t lose focus.
That momentum creates real opportunity, not just for government, but for every business navigating the energy transition. Labor’s re-election ensures much-needed continuity on critical climate policy, from mandatory climate reporting and Rewiring the Nation to EV incentives and, promisingly, new measures like cheaper home batteries. But for businesses watching closely, policy continuity alone is not enough.
The National Energy Performance Strategy, while a welcome start, remains more blueprint than build-ready design. And despite energy making up one of the largest operational costs for Australian businesses, there’s still no national energy efficiency target to anchor and accelerate real progress.
At Wattwatchers, we believe this is the moment to go beyond slogans and get serious about the systems, infrastructure, and incentives that will enable businesses to cut emissions, stay competitive, and thrive in a net zero economy.
Policy Wins Are Welcome, But Gaps Remain
The good news? There are now more signals than ever that energy performance is being recognised as a key lever for Australia’s emissions reduction journey.
The Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) program, for instance, continues to prove its value, driving down energy use in commercial office buildings through transparency and benchmarking. While successful, its current scope is narrow. Most energy-intensive operations, including retail, logistics, and manufacturing sites, sit outside its reach.
Similarly, for businesses below the Safeguard Mechanism threshold, there are still few meaningful incentives to invest in efficiency improvements or emissions reductions. That means many mid-sized businesses, who collectively make up a large chunk of national energy use, are left without the policy clarity or support they need to act decisively.
Even more concerning is the deferral of the 2035 emissions target and the lack of detailed sectoral decarbonisation plans. These are key tools needed to provide confidence and certainty for industry investment.
The Grid Is Changing. Businesses Need to Keep Up.
As electrification gathers pace, the pressure on our national grid will only increase. From rooftop solar and EV fleets to electrified heating and cooling systems, businesses are navigating a rapidly evolving energy landscape, often without the data or systems needed to do so effectively.
Without smart policies and real time data to guide the transition, there’s a risk businesses will fall behind, locked into outdated infrastructure, rising energy costs, and missed opportunities for innovation. Wattwatchers CEO, Mark Dunn, is glad to see the continuation of key programs like mandatory climate reporting and Rewiring the Nation under Labor leadership, but believe the next steps are critical for businesses.
“We need to move quickly from policy outlines to practical support, especially when it comes to enabling businesses to track, manage, and reduce their energy use in real-time. That’s where real emissions reductions, and cost savings, will come from.”
With pressure mounting on the grid as more of us adopt solar and other renewables, businesses need tools that can help them shift load, identify inefficiencies, and optimise usage.
Energy Efficiency: The Sleeping Giant of Net Zero
The path to net zero isn’t just about adding renewables. It’s about using the energy we already generate far more efficiently. According to the IEA, energy efficiency improvements could deliver more than 40% of the emissions reductions needed globally by 2040.
In Australia, we’re barely scratching the surface. By setting a clear national energy efficiency target, the government can give industry the confidence to invest and unleash innovation in areas like advanced energy monitoring, smart electrification, and demand management.
Businesses that adopt these tools don’t just cut emissions, they gain a clearer picture of where and how energy is used, enabling smarter decision-making and long-term cost savings. At Wattwatchers, we’ve seen this firsthand.
Our energy management systems help businesses across Australia reduce energy waste, identify efficiency opportunities, and build resilience in the face of energy market volatility. The technology is already being rolled out across our nation, what’s needed now is the policy backing to scale it.
Where to From Here?
Australia has voted for faster climate action, but businesses can’t afford to wait for policy to catch up. Real progress on emissions and energy costs starts with visibility, insight, and action at the ground level.
Wattwatchers range of energy monitoring devices give businesses real-time data across multiple energy assets, helping commercial and industrial operators pinpoint inefficiencies, reduce emissions, and optimise performance. Paired with our intuitive energy management platform, MyEnergy Plus, businesses gain the tools to make smarter, data-driven decisions every day.
The future is electrified. Let’s make it efficient.
