CEFC backs new CommBank service to help customers with home energy upgrades

The CEFC has committed $20 million to the CommBank Home Energy Upgrades service through the Household Energy Upgrade Fund.™ Our finance will make it easier for more Australians to access low interest loans for solar, battery solutions and electric vehicle chargers to reduce household energy bills with CommBank’s Home Energy Upgrades service. The Home Energy Upgrades service includes a digital marketplace developed with Brighte, to help households overcome the two biggest barriers to energy upgrades: upfront cost and complexity.

This is an initiative that helps households access low interest loans to complement the Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program and support further financing needs for their home energy upgrades. We’re very pleased to be working with CommBank to help Australians access customised home energy advice, benefit from lower financing costs, and help reduce their energy bills.

Grace Tam

CEFC Head of Consumer Finance

CommBank media release:

CommBank launches new service to help customers with home energy upgrades

23 June 2025

Solar panels installed on a fully electrified home with an electric vehicle could save Australians $2,300 per year¹.

CommBank has responded to rising demand for home energy savings by launching an innovative Home Energy Upgrades service in the CommBank app and on Commbank.com.au. This should make it easier for Australians to navigate what’s on offer.

Recent research² by energy solutions leader Brighte found there are still barriers to investing in home energy upgrades, with half of Australians surveyed saying the upfront cost was too high and a third finding the process overwhelming.

To address this, CommBank has launched a new Home Energy Upgrades service that includes a digital marketplace developed with Brighte, to help households with the two biggest barriers to energy upgrades: upfront cost and complexity. The digital marketplace also features discounted finance offerings that are supported by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s (CEFC) Household Energy Upgrades Fund ^TM.

Together they allow customers to:

• Complete a personalised home energy assessment and identify how they can make their home more energy efficient
• Get quotes from accredited local solar and battery installers
• Access discounted financing
• Receive up to $1,500 in cash back, for eligible CommBank customers;
• Explore government rebates, such as the new Cheaper Home Batteries Program, and
• Manage the entire installation process in one place.

Commonwealth Bank Personal Lending lead Joel Larsen said: “We know the whole experience about exploring solar and battery can be confusing and expensive. We want to make it easier.

“The new Home Energy Upgrades service lets customers explore tailored solutions, from solar panel installations and battery storage through to electric vehicle chargers.

“Through the CommBank app customers can now estimate potential cost savings, identify options to reduce their energy consumption and apply for discounted finance. It’s all in one place.

“With new government assistance becoming available and more maturity in the sector, it’s a great time to look into what’s available. The Federal Government’s new Cheaper Home Batteries Program that starts on the first of July could see the cost of installing a battery drop by about a third.”

CEFC Head of Consumer Finance, Grace Tam said: “This is an initiative that helps households access low interest loans to complement the Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program and support further financing needs for their home energy upgrades.

“We’re very pleased to be working with CommBank to help Australians access customised home energy advice, benefit from lower financing costs, and help reduce their energy bills.”

Key features of the Home Energy Upgrades service: 

• Personalised Home Energy assessments: Evaluate your home’s current energy performance and receive customised recommendations for efficiency improvements and calculate potential savings on energy bills based on recommended upgrades.
• Exclusive CommBank offers including:  
  • A discounted unsecured fixed rate personal loan at 3.99% p.a. for CommBank home loan customers. This special interest rate is supported by finance from the CEFC Household Energy Upgrades FundTM. And non CBA home loan customers can also access a range of discounted home energy financing solutions.
  • Up to $1,500 cashback for funding an Unsecured Personal Loan for home energy upgrades through Brighte’s accredited installers.
• Simple digital experience: access through the CommBank app or website, providing a one stop solution for energy efficiency planning, accessing eligible government rebates and applying for finance.
• Supported by a trusted, local installer: Access Brighte’s extensive local network of retailers who adhere to the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC) and installers who are covered by Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA), ensuring high standards of consumer protection and technical safety.

The initiative is the latest in CommBank’s efforts to help Australians manage the rising cost of living while providing solutions on how to make their home more energy efficient. By providing access to new technologies supported by special finance offerings, CommBank aims to empower more customers to take advantage of home energy upgrades and potential long term power bill savings.

CEO of Brighte, Katherine McConnell said: “Home electrification is the future of Australian housing, and we're excited to partner with CommBank to help accelerate this transition. Brighte is the bridge to clean energy - connecting homeowners with the technology, finance, and national network of trusted CER retailers they need to power their homes sustainably.”

The Home Energy Upgrades service is available now via the CommBank website. For more information, visit Home Energy Upgrades – CommBank or download the latest version of the app.

Offers 

¹ Customers with an eligible CommBank home loan or investment loan (excluding the Viridian Line of Credit limits and the Equity Unlock for Seniors loan), who take out an Unsecured Fixed Rate Loan for eligible energy efficient purchases (excluding EV and Hybrid cars) will receive an interest rate of 3.99% p.a. (comparison rate 3.99% p.a.), save $250 on the establishment fee, save $15 a month on the loan service fee and have their Early Repayment Adjustment fee waived (comparison rate calculations are inclusive of this offer).

** Offer only available on CommBank Unsecured Fixed and Variable Personal Loans. To qualify, you must apply and fund a CommBank home energy loan for the purchase of a home energy upgrade package through one of Brighte’s vendors. 

To receive $1,500 cashback, you must be a CommBank Yello Gold or Diamond customer at the time you submit your application for finance. 

The cashback will be paid to your nominated CommBank Yello cashback account, or linked transaction account for repayments (if you are not a CommBank Yello customer) within 4 weeks of your loan being funded. Limit of 1 cashback applies per property. 

Ongoing eligibility conditions apply, see commbank.com.au/commbankyello for more information and the full terms and conditions. 

We reserve the right to close or vary this offer at any time. 

Brighte 

‘Brighte’ is Brighte Capital Pty Limited (ABN 74 609 165 906). Brighte hosts and manages the Brighte Marketplace. Brighte selects the vendors that may be presented on the platform and facilitates the interactions with vendors on the platform, including listing the products, quoting and installations services provided by the vendors. 

CommBank 

‘CommBank’ refers to Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. Australian credit licence 234945. The platform is for CommBank customers to help them with their home electrification needs. Home energy upgrade suggestions, products, vendor referrals and quotes on this platform and installation services are not conducted or provided by CommBank. 

CommBank is not authorised and does not make any assertions or recommendations about reduced consumption from non renewable energy sources through energy efficient product installations. Advice and further information should be sought from relevant certified industry professionals. 

The target market for these products will be found within the product’s Target Market Determination, available here. 

The Commonwealth Bank is not authorised and does not make any assertions about reduced consumption from non renewable energy sources through energy efficient purchases and installations. You should seek advice and further information from relevant certified industry professionals. 

¹ Data and analysis has been conducted by Rewiring Australia. Indicative cost savings based on average Australian household energy use, with a 9kw solar install. Solar pricing based on capacity factor of 17.15% over 30 years with 0.5% degradation. Includes grid costs (fixed and variable). 

² Brighte Home Electrification Report December 2024 by Pure Profile