An $11 million pilot program in the Illawarra, Australia, will showcase how social housing tenants can benefit from rooftop solar, home batteries, and virtual power plant technology to improve energy performance and reduce power bills. This initiative is part of the Social Housing Energy Performance Initiative, aiming to upgrade 100,000 social housing properties by mid-2031 with federal and state funding. Solar and battery installers, along with VPP operators, will provide feedback on the program's design and delivery, benefiting hundreds of households in the Illawarra REZ. The journalist reporting on this project has a background in energy, climate, and environmental issues, previously working for the federal Climate Change Authority.