State Energy Performance Policy Scorecard – 2026
Energy performance is critical to Australia’s energy transition.
Managing our energy demand with energy efficiency, electrification and demand flexibility delivers benefits to households and makes the broader transition to renewable energy faster and cheaper.
States and territories have jurisdiction for energy policy so accordingly have a major role to play in delivering policies that support energy performance.
The Energy Efficiency Council’s inaugural State Energy Performance Policy Scorecard assesses the key residential energy performance policy settings of all states and territories.
| State | Overall rank |
Overall star rating |
Energy efficiency star rating |
Electrification star rating |
Demand flexibility star rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 1 | 7 ★ | 9 ★ | 7 ★ | 3 ★ |
| Victoria | 2 | 7 ★ | 6 ★ | 8 ★ | 5 ★ |
| New South Wales | 3 | 6 ★ | 6 ★ | 5 ★ | 6 ★ |
| South Australia | 4 | 4 ★ | 3 ★ | 3 ★ | 6 ★ |
| Western Australia | 5 | 3 ★ | 3 ★ | 3 ★ | 5 ★ |
| Tasmania | 6 | 2 ★ | 2 ★ | 2 ★ | 3 ★ |
| Queensland | 7 | 2 ★ | 1 ★ | 1 ★ | 3 ★ |
| Northern Territory | 8 | 1 ★ | 1 ★ | 1 ★ | 3 ★ |
KEY FINDINGS
- ACT is the national leader in energy performance policy, followed by Victoria and NSW.
- Victoria is doing the most to electrify households, with gas appliance phaseouts and an end to new gas connections.
- ACT has the most comprehensive policy framework for energy efficiency, including a wide range of incentives, consumer support, and regulations.
- NSW and South Australia are leading on demand flexibility, through measures including financial incentives or schemes to support demand flexibility. South Australia, Western Australia and NSW offer incentives to join virtual power plants (VPPs).
- Only ACT, Victoria, NSW and South Australia have significant financial incentive schemes or rebates for energy efficiency and electrification. Financial incentives and significant regulatory measures to support household energy performance are absent in Tasmania, Queensland and Northern Territory.
- Major opportunities are available to boost energy performance for households if states act on home energy ratings disclosure, minimum rental standards, incentive schemes, strategies and targets.
