15 ways to reduce your electricity bill in Western Australia
Practical tips to lower your WA power bills. From free quick wins to smart investments, see how Perth homeowners cut electricity costs by 30-70%.
WA electricity prices climb every year. Your bill doesn't have to follow. These 15 changes, from free habit shifts to bigger investments, can cut your costs by 30% or more. Pick a few and start. The savings ranges below are indicative and depend on your home and habits.
Quick wins (free or low cost)
1. Switch to LED lighting
Still running halogen downlights? They're quiet energy vampires.
| Light type | Power | Annual cost (per bulb) |
|---|---|---|
| Halogen | 50W | $29 |
| LED | 7W | $4 |
| Saving | $25/bulb/year |
Twenty downlights swapped to LED is around $500 a year in lighting alone.
Cost: $5–15 per LED bulb Payback: 2–3 months
2. Adjust your thermostat
Air conditioning is often the biggest single user in a WA home, so small tweaks go a long way:
- Summer: cool to 24°C instead of 21°C
- Winter: heat to 18–20°C instead of 23°C
- Each degree is worth roughly 5–10% on your heating and cooling
Cost: free Saving: $100–300 per year
3. Use fans before air con
A ceiling fan uses about a thirtieth of the power of air conditioning:
- run fans to feel 3–4°C cooler
- save the air con for the genuinely hot days
- use both together when you need to
Cost: free, if you already have fans Saving: $200–400 per year
4. Wash clothes in cold water
Heating the water is about 80% of a washing machine's energy use:
- modern detergents do the job in cold water
- clothes tend to last longer in a cold wash
- the savings land month after month
Cost: free Saving: $50–100 per year
5. Fix standby power vampires
Appliances left on standby can quietly eat 10% of your bill.
Worst offenders:
- gaming consoles: 15W on standby
- pay TV boxes: 20W+ even when "off"
- computer monitors: 5W
- phone chargers: 0.5W each, and they add up
Fix: power boards with switches, and turn things off at the wall.
Cost: $20–50 for power boards Saving: $50–150 per year
Medium investments ($100–$1,000)
6. Install a smart thermostat
Smart thermostats learn your routine and trim the waste around it:
- schedule: heat or cool only when someone's home
- geofencing: switch off when you leave
- learning: adapt to how you actually live
- remote control: adjust from your phone
Popular options: Sensibo, tado°, Nest-compatible systems.
Cost: $200–400 Saving: $150–300 per year Payback: 1–2 years
7. Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances
When something dies and needs replacing, check the energy star rating first:
| Stars | Efficiency level |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | below average |
| 3–4 | good |
| 5–6 | excellent |
| 7+ | best available |
Replace these first:
- old refrigerators (running 24/7)
- air conditioners (high power draw)
- washing machines, if they use hot water
Cost: varies by appliance Saving: 20–50% on that appliance's running cost
8. Seal your home
Air leaks make your heating and cooling work harder than they should.
Check:
- door seals and weatherstripping
- window frames and seals
- gaps around pipes and cables
- exhaust fans and vents
Cost: $50–200 for DIY sealing Saving: $100–200 per year
9. Install window films or blinds
WA's summer sun pours heat in through glass.
- window film: blocks up to 80% of heat
- cellular blinds: strong insulation
- external blinds: the most effective, and the priciest
Cost: $200–500 for DIY film, $1,000+ for blinds Saving: $150–300 per year
10. Switch to a better electricity plan
Plenty of WA households are on the wrong plan for how they actually use power.
Compare these Synergy options:
- Home Plan: the standard flat rate
- Midday Saver: cheap power in the solar hours (best for solar households)
- EV Add-On: low overnight charging (best for EV owners)
Our bill analysis tool will point you to the right one.
Cost: free to switch Saving: $100–400 per year
Major investments ($1,000+)
11. Install solar panels
The single biggest lever on your electricity costs:
- entry-level system: 6.6kW
- cost after rebates: $5,200–7,200
- annual saving: $1,200–2,000
- payback: 3–5 years
After payback, you're generating power for next to nothing for 20 years and more.
Cost: $5,200–7,200 (after STCs rebate) Saving: $1,200–2,000 per year Payback: 3–5 years
12. Add battery storage
A battery makes the most of the solar you already generate:
- use your own daytime power at night
- lean on the grid less
- keep the lights on through an outage
Cost: $8,000–15,000 Saving: $500–1,000 per year Payback: 8–15 years
13. Upgrade to a heat pump hot water system
Old electric storage heaters are expensive to run. A heat pump does the same job on about a third of the energy.
| System type | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Electric storage | $500–800 |
| Heat pump | $150–250 |
| Solar hot water | $100–150 |
Cost: $3,000–5,000 installed Saving: $350–550 per year Payback: 6–10 years
14. Install ceiling insulation
A poorly insulated home means you're paying to heat and cool the outdoors.
- R-value: higher means better insulation
- good target for WA: R4.0 or higher in the ceiling
- install: worth getting done professionally
Cost: $1,500–3,500 Saving: $200–400 per year Payback: 5–10 years
15. Get a home energy audit
A professional audit finds your biggest savings for you:
- thermal imaging to spot air leaks
- an appliance-by-appliance assessment
- recommendations made for your home
- a prioritised plan to work through
Cost: $200–500 Value: typically uncovers $500+ in annual savings
Your savings action plan
Start today (free)
- nudge the thermostat by two degrees
- switch off standby appliances at the wall
- move to cold-water washing
- compare your electricity plan
This month ($100–500)
- swap halogen lights for LEDs
- seal doors and windows
- fit power boards with switches
This year ($1,000–10,000)
- install solar panels
- replace the thirstiest appliances
- weigh up battery storage
Calculate your potential savings
Every home is different, so get a number that's yours:
- Analyse your current bill: upload it for instant insights
- Calculate solar savings: see what solar could do for you
- Compare products: get quotes from installers in the WattMate network
Pick the easiest win from each section and start there.
Last updated: March 2026. Savings estimates are indicative and depend on individual circumstances. Always get professional advice for major investments.
Ready to act? Start your energy walkthrough →: a guided step-by-step plan to cut your WA electricity bill, tailored to your home.
Money-relevant figures in this article are checked against primary sources. Here’s how we check our facts.
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