Not surprisingly, the rebate has been running red-hot, with the government reporting in March that 250,000 home batteries have already been installed across Australia since July.

This solar stampede has already chewed up much of the Program’s initial $2.3 billion budget way ahead of schedule. 

The good news is the government has since increased the budget to a whopping $7.2 billion across the next four years. 

The bad news is the individual battery rebate will now be smaller – but as it’s designed to benefit more people, it is probably fairer all around.

To ensure the budget lasts through to the intended 2031 end date, the government is implementing new changes to the rebate’s rates and conditions, effective from 1 May 2026.

Find out what’s changing and how it might impact your battery plans below.

On this page:

• New battery rebate changes
• Rebate eligibility criteria
• Battery costs after the rebate
• How long does a battery take to pay itself off?
• Electricity savings and payback periods with rebate
• Additional state and territory battery schemes
• How virtual power plants can reduce your bills

Battery rebate changes from 1 May

We’ll get into the technical nuts and bolts of the changes below, but the top line is the revised rebate will now:

1. decrease every six months as opposed to yearly (to reflect falling battery prices over time)
2. change its ‘per kWh’ discount on batteries from a flat rate to a tiered system based on the size of the battery installed.

Change #1: Rebate rates decrease over time

As part of these new changes, the rebate’s value (measured in Small-scale Technology Certificates, aka STCs, which are the same ‘credits’ applied to solar panels) will now decrease every six months rather than annually, and at a higher rate than previously planned. 

When the rebate launched last July, it paid $372 per kWh for a battery installation, and then $366 in January to April earlier this year. From May, this is the new rate schedule below.

Note: Expect to lose 10% of your rate to admin fees.

• May–Dec 2026: $272 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2027:  $228 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2027: $208 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2028: $184 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2028: $164 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2029: $144 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2029: $124 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2030: $104 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2030: $84 per kWh

Figures supplied by our friends at SolarQuotes. If you want to see the exact specific STC Factor rates, view them in the following section.

Change #2: Rebate now depends on battery size

From 1 May, the rebate will switch from a flat ‘per kWh’ discount to a tiered rate system according to battery size. The government says this will maintain a discount of around 25% across small, medium and large batteries. 

Under the previous rules, some residents super-sized their battery systems because a 40–50kWh system could earn a discount of 40–50%. Industry critics argued this drained rebate funds quicker and incentivised people to get systems bigger than they actually needed or could ever charge properly.

From May, the STC Factor rate will depend on the battery capacity installed:

• Small: 0–14kWh capacity: STC Factor applied at 100%.
• Medium: 14–28kWh capacity: STC Factor applied at 60%.
• Large: 28–50kWh capacity: STC Factor applied at 15%.

Video: The federal battery rebate explained

Battery rebate eligibility criteria

Currently to be eligible for the rebate, the battery must:

• be installed after 1 July 2025
• have a nominal capacity of 5–100kWh, but the rebate only applies to the first 50kWh of usable capacity
• be installed alongside new or existing rooftop solar
• be on the Clean Energy Council (CEC)
• be fitted by an installer accredited by
• be capable of joining a virtual power plant (VPP) if it’s an on-grid system (though actual participation is optional)
• be claimed once per property – however, if you own multiple properties, you can get separate discounts for each.

Note: The federal government’s separate solar panel rebate only applies to the panels in the installed system, not the battery. However, you can apply for both discounts together, plus applicable state or territory incentives, to really supercharge your savings.

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

Battery costs after the rebate

Costs vary significantly for solar home batteries, but generally, the bigger the battery capacity, the more you can expect to pay.

Since the launch of the federal rebate, the ‘average’ size of batteries being installed has increased dramatically, with a battery exceeding 20kWh quickly becoming the new norm.

Here are approximate battery costs (after the current federal rebate) for common sizes, including basic installation. Prices are based on information from our solar partners, SolarQuotes.

• 10kWh storage: $7000–$11,000 installed
• 15kWh storage: $11,000–$15,000 installed.
• 20kWh storage: $14,000–$19,000 installed
• 30kWh storage: $18,000–$22,000 installed
• 50kWh storage: $24,000–$30,000 installed

Keep in mind, a more complex installation can increase costs considerably, given that architectural and technical factors can increase the time, work and components a job requires. See our guide to finding a good solar installer.

How long does a battery take to pay itself off?

It’s a tricky question and one that depends on multiple factors including your solar/battery set-up, energy consumption and, most vitally, electricity costs and additional rebates in your state or territory, which can vary a lot.

For a long time, home batteries didn’t make complete economic sense. They were relatively expensive and the payback time was often longer than the battery’s warranty period, which is typically 10 years.

But with the new federal rebate promising a discount of more than 25%, the maths is looking a lot more attractive, depending on the aforementioned factors.

Electricity savings and payback periods with rebate

Calculating your own possible payback period can be mind-boggling, but have shared this helpful general guide comparing electricity savings and simple payback periods (with the rebate) by state and territory.

You’ll notice payback times vary a lot depending on where you live. That’s due to your state and territory’s electricity prices, feed-in tariffs and weather.

For example, Adelaide’s payback period is the shortest because they have high electricity prices, while Hobart’s is the longest, thanks to relatively cheap electricity and high solar feed-in tariffs.

Additional state and territory battery schemes

As well as the federal initiative, here are the current battery-focused rebates or loan schemes available by state and territory. These can be combined with the federal rebate for greater savings.

ACT: Sustainable Household Scheme

Canberra locals can access a low-interest loan (currently 3%) from $2000 to $15,000 for home energy improvements, including household batteries, electric heating and cooling systems, hot water heat pumps, EVs and more.

Over the scheme’s lifespan, you can install one product or several products from the list of eligible products – together, these can be valued at up to $15,000. Zero-interest loans are available to eligible concession card holders under the Home Energy Support Program. 

NSW: Virtual power plant (VPP) Incentive

From 1 July 2025, the NSW government has increased the incentive to up to $1500 to encourage more households and small businesses to install a battery and connect to a virtual power plant. The incentive varies by the size of the battery and can be combined with the federal battery rebate. 

Northern Territory: Home and Business Battery Scheme (closed)

NT homeowners, businesses and nonprofit organisations can apply for a grant to buy and install batteries and inverters. Grants can be used to buy solar panels too, but must be paired with a battery.

Eligible applicants can access a grant of $450 per kilowatt hour of usable battery system capacity, up to a maximum grant of $6000. Homeowners that own a business can apply for both their home and business.

Note that the funding cap for this scheme has been reached and it is closed for new grants. Stay tuned for updates in case this changes.

South Australia: Home Battery Scheme (closed)

Offering up to $6000 off a battery, South Australia’s HBS was one of the earliest and most successful battery programs, but sadly ceased in 2022. Instead, the state government has focused on its emPowering SA program, which employs 18 much-larger community batteries to lower residents’ electricity bills.

Queensland and Tasmania: None

Tasmania and Queensland don’t currently have their own dedicated battery rebate schemes. However, households can still claim the new federal rebate and benefit from VPP programs offered through energy retailers like Reposit, Amber and others.

Victoria: Solar Homes Program

This program is currently not taking applications, but keep an eye on it to see if more become available in future. Previously, it offered interest-free loans to purchase home batteries.

If you’re considering installing solar panels, rebates of up to $1400 plus interest-free loans for the same amount are still available. 

Western Australia: Residential Battery Scheme

This incentive allows residents to get a rebate and no-interest loan to purchase and install a home battery. 

On a 10kWh battery, applicants are eligible for a combined rebate of $5000 for Synergy customers and $7500 for Horizon Power customers. This is in addition to the federal rebate. 

No-interest loans of up to $10,000 are also available to households with a combined annual income of less than $210,000. Loan repayment periods will be up to 10 years. 

To receive a battery rebate and/or no-interest loan through the scheme, eligibility requirements apply, including participation in a virtual power plant.

How virtual power plants can reduce your bills

A virtual power plant (VPP) is a network of solar and battery systems owned by homes and small businesses, centrally controlled by a computer system run by the VPP operator company. 

By joining a VPP program, you agree to make the stored energy in your home battery available to the VPP operator, who can then use it to supply the grid in times of high demand.

In return, you’re paid an ongoing subsidy, which might come in the form of reduced energy bills, a rebate towards buying the battery, or even free solar and battery installation. 

In a wider sense, VPPs also reduce demand on the grid, which makes the state’s energy supply more stable and less prone to outages, and it reduces the price of electricity for everyone (it’s also better for the environment).

Keep in mind, though, that joining a VPP program won’t always guarantee that your battery pays for itself, and that not all battery types can connect to one. 

Additionally, it can mean that your own battery runs low at night time when you need it the most, due to the VPP having taken some of the stored energy earlier that day.

There are various VPP programs in most states that can help reduce the cost of a battery. SolarQuotes maintains a list of .

The post Solar home battery rebate: The big changes coming 1 May appeared first on ����Vlog.

When you’re installing thousands of dollars’ worth of solar panels, you naturally want the best for your budget.

After all, how much electricity they generate will have a huge impact on your power bill savings and carbon footprint for decades to come. 

It’s easy (and human nature) to assume that the more expensive the panels are, the more superior, well-built and reliable they’ll be. But as our testing proves time and time again across hundreds of different appliances and products, higher price tags don’t automatically guarantee better performance. 

That’s why actual lab-based, real-world testing is so vital. Our latest review of popular panels definitely proved the point (see the solar panels to avoid here), with some cheaper 440-watt units clearly showing up more expensive panels.

​​For ����Vlog members only, we’ll reveal the top-rated budget solar panels (under $140 per panel) below, plus we share our expert tips for getting started with solar for your home.

If you want to just see the results, you can jump straight to the best budget solar panels now.

Panel pricing and sizing your system

How much do solar panels cost?

Unlike many other products, solar panels have actually come down in price over the past decade, thanks to economies of scale in manufacturing, a competitive market and improvements in panel technology.

In our latest test, panel models range in price from $120 to $280 and in claimed output from 430W to 475W. Note that panel prices are a guide only; the price you’ll pay per panel will be part of the overall installation package and may vary.

So how much does a whole solar panel array cost? According to our partners at SolarQuotes, these are the current estimated ranges for installation of a good quality solar panel system:

• 5 kilowatt: $4500–$8000
• 6.6 kilowatt: $5500–$9000
• 10 kilowatt: $8000–$13,000

The most popular size for new systems is 6.6kW, but bigger systems (9 to 10kW or more) are becoming more popular. The above prices include the federal government STC rebate and could be further reduced by state or territory rebates or schemes, if they’re currently available.

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

Determining your system size

We take a deeper dive into this in our buying guide, but it will depend on your power needs, available roof area and your budget.

It’s important to understand your current electricity consumption, so you’ll need to look at how much you use and when you use it throughout the day (analysing previous bills is a great first step). A good installer will also help you through this process.

As a guide, a typical Australian home uses 15–20kWh per day, but consumption can vary, depending on:

• how many people live there
• your location (are you frequently running air con or heaters?)
• if you use gas instead of electricity for cooking or hot water daytime and nighttime routines (are you home mostly or out?)
• additional needs like EV-charging, a pool, or air conditioning. 

Any excess electricity generated can be exported back to the grid to earn feed-in tariff credits, or charge a home storage battery to use at night.

If you’re considering the latter, you’ll want to upsize your solar panel system to ensure there’s enough solar incoming to run your home while also charging the battery.

How we test panels to find the best

����Vlog has been reviewing solar panels for over a decade. We partner with , a world-class solar photovoltaics test laboratory in Canberra who have specialised equipment and expertise. 

PV Lab evaluates each panel’s power output under standard lab conditions, and conducts rigorous stress tests to see how they’ll cope on a rooftop in heat and rain.

We test three sample panels of each featured model, with all samples subjected to a range of identical assessments (learn more about how we test here).

These include: 

• Power output test (comprises 85% of ����Vlog Expert Rating)
• Visual inspection (5%)
• Electroluminescence testing (5%)
• Wet leakage test (5%)

Best budget panels from our test

In our product review, we’ve assessed 20 different panels from popular brands including Trina, SunPower, Jinko, Aiko, Canadian Solar, REC, Risen, DAS and more. 

These are the best performing budget models priced under $140 per panel. Not only are they great value, they also outperformed many more expensive panels costing over $200.

The post Best budget solar panels from our test appeared first on ����Vlog.

When you’re throwing down thousands of dollars for a new solar system, you want to be sure your chosen panels deliver the electricity they promise. 

If they don’t, you’ll be missing out on valuable sunshine day in, day out, for the panels’ 20–30 year lifespan. 

That means less power generated for your home to use or to sell back to the grid, as well as higher power bills and longer payback times for your system. 

And if you do buy inferior panels, it’s unlikely you’ll ever know. Because once installed, it’s easy to blame under-performing solar generation on poor weather, shading or other external variables – plus, you probably don’t have much to compare it to if you’ve never have solar before.  

And given you can only get the federal government’s solar panel rebate once per home, it’s a decision you want to get right from the get-go. 

That’s why ����Vlog has been reviewing panels for over a decade. To do so, we partner with , an accredited world-class photovoltaics test laboratory in Canberra with specialised equipment and expertise. 

PV Lab evaluates each panel’s power output under standard lab conditions, and conducts rigorous stress tests to see how they’ll cope on a rooftop in heat and rain.

New to solar panels? Check out our buying guide to learn about price ranges, how to size your system and government rebates.

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

How we test solar panels

To be comprehensive, our experts test three different sample panels of each model, with all subjected to a range of rigorous assessments. These include:

Power output test (85%)

This measures each model’s panel power output under standard test conditions: 25°C, sea level air mass and irradiance (power density) of 1000Watts (W) per square metre. 

PV Lab tests three different panels of each model, and then calculate the average of the results for their performance for power output. This helps detect any variations between samples.

This test makes up 85% of our final ����Vlog Expert Rating for each model.

It’s worth noting that solar panels in the real world will usually deliver a lower power yield than what’s measured in stable, standardised lab conditions. On your roof, they are exposed to higher temperatures, cloud cover and changing sun angles across the day and across seasons. 

Visual inspection (5%)

This test looks for any obvious faults, such as damage to the panel or electrical connections, which can happen in the factory or in transit. A few small imperfections are often found, but these don’t usually affect performance.

Any defect that’s detectable to the naked eye could indicate a risk to the reliability of the panel and it may be more likely to fail sooner than its warranty indicates. This test comprises 5% of the ����Vlog Expert Rating.

Electroluminescence testing (5%)

This takes the inspection to a more advanced level, and uses infrared photography to identify any microcracks or other flaws in the panel that are invisible to the naked eye. 

A fail here means the lab found something serious in that check. It usually won’t mean lower efficiency or power output initially, but this weak point could make the panel more likely to fail after a few years on the roof after being exposed to continual micro expansion and contraction in the heat and rain. This test comprises 5% of the ����Vlog Expert Rating.

Wet leakage (5%)

This testing involves submerging the panel in water and measuring electrical resistance across the panel. This tests how well the panel will resist moisture penetration from rain, dew, fog and other wet weather. This test comprises 5% of the ����Vlog Expert Rating.

Solar panel test results

In our latest round of testing, we’ve assessed 20 different panels from popular brands including Trina, SunPower, Jinko, Aiko, Canadian Solar, REC, Risen, DAS and more. 

Models range in price from $120 to $280 and in claimed output from 430W to 475W.

Don’t judge a brand by one model

If we’ve learnt one thing from decades of testing different products, it’s that quality can vary across a brand’s range and the performance you get can be very different for each individual model. That’s why testing is so vital. 

Likewise, higher prices are never an instant guarantee of quality – our test saw cheaper panels outperform more expensive ones. In fact, the priciest panel in our test actually rated the lowest! 

Our full test results are available exclusively to our members. To see the full solar panel test results, consider becoming a today.

The solar panels to avoid

While our experts found plenty of impressive panels at varying price points, they also saw others that seriously failed to shine. To avoid ending up with lacklustre panels, avoid these models that rated lowest in our power output test.

1. REC 460AA Pure-RX

• Panel price: $280
• Claimed power output: 460W
• Tested power output: 426W
• Output difference: -7.3%

This panel scored the solar wooden spoon in our tests. Why? Because its claimed output is 460W but it only delivered 426W in our test, which means it’s short-changing you a hefty 7.3%.

That difference might not sound like much initially, but it’s a fair chunk of electricity to miss out on every day for the next few decades. With peak-time electricity prices on the rise, no doubt your home and power bill could use that extra 7.3%. 

Its poor performance stings even more given this panel is the most expensive one in our test, giving you another big reason to avoid it. Our experts found panels with a bigger capacity that are cheaper and rated much higher.

In better news, it scored 100% for its visual, electroluminescence and wet leakage tests.

2. Winaico WST-450NGX-D3

• Panel price: $198
• Claimed power output: 450W
• Tested power output: 427W
• Output difference: -5.12%

Sadly, you won’t be winning too much with this Winaico model. This 450W panel undercut its claimed power output, providing a disappointing 427W instead. That’s a discount of just over 5% that you never wanted. 

Alarmingly, this model scored only 33% in the lab’s electroluminescence assessment (which uses infrared to identify any microcracks) with just one of its three sample panels passing the inspection with no faults.

3. Seraphim SN N-Topcon SRP-440-BTD-BG

• Panel price: $200
• Claimed power output: 440W
• Tested power output: 418W
• Output difference: -5%

With the third lowest score for output difference, this panel’s definitely not the brightest spark either. It promised 440W of output, but our test revealed it managed just 418W, squeezing you out of 5% along the way.

Like the Winaico, this panel also displayed some worrying faults – but these ones were actually visible to the naked eye. It scored 67% in our visual inspection with just two sample panels out of three passing the test. It was the only product in our test not to get 100% in this assessment. 

But when our experts took an even closer look using infrared photography in our electroluminescence test, the news got worse. The model rated just 33% after two panels out of three failed the assessment.

The post Solar panels to avoid appeared first on ����Vlog.

Once upon a time, electricity retailers would pay a pretty penny for the surplus power sent from your solar panels to the grid. 

In the late 2000s, some state governments offered tariffs as high as 40 to 60 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in a bid to boost solar uptake. 

Fast forward to the present and those incentives have definitely paid off. Australia now leads the world for solar adoption, with 4.2 million solar photovoltaic (PV) systems now installed across the country, according to the CSIRO (as of June 2025).

Of course, that’s great news for consumer energy independence and cutting power bills and climate pollution. But along the way, feed-in tariffs have tumbled to an average of around five cents per kWh, or even zero depending on your retail plan. 

With many solar owners still counting on a decent FiT to reduce bills, the crash has left many asking why it’s fallen so far, and what they should do now with their surplus solar power. 

We take a look at why FiTs have flatlined, the current rates still available, the emergence of new export charges, and how to best use your excess energy in future.

On this page:

• The rise and fall of FiTs over the years
• Why have FiTs dropped so much?
• Current FiT rates
• New factors: Variable rates and caps, free power and export charges
• Are FiTs still worth it?
• What to do with your surplus power

The rise and fall of FiTs over the years

Richard Foxworthy is an industry expert and the CEO of Bill Hero, a savings service that compares utility bills for customers across Australia. Since 2014, his company has analysed thousands of electricity retail plans, including the FiTs they offer.

He says there have been three main phases of FiT pricing.

1. The FiTs ‘premium’ phase: 2008–2016 

State governments offered huge FiTs (44c–60c/kWh) to kickstart the industry. Most of these ‘premium’ schemes have now ended or will end soon (for example, Queensland and South Australia in 2028).

2. The ‘fair value’ era: 2017–2020

As government subsidies ended, many state energy regulators set ‘minimum’ FiTs, with these rates decreasing yearly. They typically hovered around 10–12c/kWh.

South Australia and Victoria stopped setting minimum FiTs in 2017 and 2025 respectively,  while NSW never did (it does have voluntary benchmarks). Only Tasmania, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and regional Queensland still regulate FiTs. 

3. The ‘solar surplus’ era: 2021–present:

The combination of high solar uptake and cheaper, more-efficient panels has rapidly increased daytime energy production, which has crashed wholesale electricity prices.

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

Why have FiTs dropped so much?

“It’s ultimately supply and demand – the more solar kWh that get generated as more systems are installed, the lower the wholesale electricity spot price will go during those solar production hours,” says Foxworthy. 

“With the spot price so radically reduced compared to what it used to be, many electricity retailers can’t offer higher feed-in tariffs because literally at that time, the energy is not really worth much in the marketplace.”

If retailers do offer higher feed-in tariff rates, it’s part of their marketing strategy to attract and retain customers. But higher-FiT plans can have shortcomings (see the next section).

Current FiT rates: How much are retailers paying?

It’s a tricky question, given FiTs vary widely due to a range of factors. These include your electricity retailer, your location, the electricity plan you’re on and when you signed on. 

The good news is that while spot prices might hit zero during the day, many retailers still offer small FiTs to remain competitive in the market and attract customers. 

The graph below shows average FiTs by state and territory over the past three years. 

As you can see, rates hover around five cents per kWh, with some variance across locations, although Bill Hero’s Richard Foxworthy expects that to continue to drop in the near future.

Average FiT by state and year, based on Bill Hero data

Note: WA and NT are not included as they are independent networks and not part of the National Electricity Market (NEM), which Bill Hero services.

Don’t pick a plan based solely on FiT

Some plans still spruik above-average rates, but Foxworthy warns this shouldn’t be your only criteria when choosing a plan. 

“There are plans out there offering higher FiTs, which sound great, but they’re very likely to have a correspondingly unattractive daily usage rate. You need to consider the entire plan holistically.”

At the same time, he says solar owners shouldn’t instantly dismiss plans that offer zero FiT.

“We know from direct experience that there’s plenty of situations where a zero FiT plan can still represent the best value for a consumer, because you’ve got to also consider the consumption charges that come with it. Once again, there’s a trade-off that’s baked into every one of these plans.”

New factors: Variable rates and caps, free power and export charges

In response to the solar surge, many retailers have dramatically changed their plans and FiT payouts. Some now offer free electricity during the day, while others pay variable FiTs depending on times, and/or they cap FiTs to certain kWh limits per day. 

No doubt these new dynamics will make choosing the right electricity plan even more complicated (as if they weren’t complex enough). 

Variable FiTs and limits

Instead of flat rate FiTs, some retailers now pay variable rates based on the time of the day. These time-of-use (TOU) rates usually pay lowest during 10am to 3pm, slightly better in the early morning and late afternoon, and much higher after 4pm when the grid is hungriest.

Other plans taper FiTs to a certain kWh limit each day. For example, Alinta’s Solar Balance plan currently pays customers 10 cents per kWh for the first 10kWh exported daily and five cents for anything over that. 

‘Free electricity’ windows now available

With the over-supply of solar power, several retailers are now offering customers free electricity during certain time periods during the day (note: supply charges still apply and their peak rates can be more expensive). 

It’s a practice we’ll definitely see more of when the federal government’s new comes into play on 1 July. 

In a bid to lower power bills for everyone and ease peak demand in the evening, the scheme requires retailers to offer all residential customers at least three hours of free electricity during the day.

Initially the scheme will be available in states covered by the Australian Energy Regulator’s Default Market Offer (DMO) price cap, which is NSW, South Australia and South-East Queensland. Customers must opt in via their plan and have a smart meter installed.

Electricity export charges, aka the ‘sun tax’

In a sign of how quickly the market’s shifting, some customers may ultimately be penalised for exporting too much solar power. 

Last year, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) permitted electricity distributors (the companies that own the infrastructure and provide power to retailers) to implement two-way pricing tariffs and charge a small fee per kWh if exports exceed a certain threshold during set times (usually 10am to 3pm). 

For example, NSW electricity distributor Ausgrid now lets customers export 200kWh a month between 10am to 3pm for free, but over that, it will charge retailers 1.23 cents per kWh exported. Between peak grid times of 4pm and 9pm, Ausgrid pays a FiT of 3.85 cents.

Whether these charges will be passed on to customers directly will depend on each retailer and their plans – some retailers might absorb them, but just reduce the FiTs they pay out.

This so-called ‘sun tax’ has angered many solar owners, but retailers argue it’s required to maintain grid stability and encourage customers to use their own generated electricity, or store it in a battery to use for later.

Are FiTs still worth it?

Sadly, the sun is setting on daytime FiTs, with the long-term forecast looking grim and rates expected to slide further. 

“The fundamental reality is that solar FiTs are rapidly trending towards $0, and therefore no longer represents a major financial reason for a solar investment alone,” says Foxworthy.

“Before long, solar export will attract network access fees for most solar households, so as well as earning very low FiTs, households can expect to be charged for the privilege of exporting their solar kWh.”

With that in mind, unless you’re on an older legacy plan still offering great FiTs, it’s probably wise to review your power bill and consider other ways to optimise those extra kWhs.

What to do with your surplus solar

So with daytime FiTs fading, where does that leave solar owners and their excess electricity? And what are the best options to use it going forward?

Rather than sending solar to the grid for pennies, or being charged to do so, Foxworthy says home owners should aim to “maximise self-consumption of solar generation and minimise the need for high-priced kWh imports at other times of day”.

There’s two key ways to do this:

1. Shift your power use to peak solar hours

This requires changing up your routine to run appliances like dishwashers or washing machines, or charging your EV or e-bike, either side of midday rather than at night (using your appliances’ timers can be quite helpful for this).

For example, a dishwasher uses around one kWh per cycle on average. Run it through the day and it’ll cost nothing with solar, but use it at night and it’ll chew up peak grid rates – let’s say it’s 35 cents per kWh, for this example. It might not seem like much, but using solar for one wash a day will save you $127.75 yearly.

Of course, time-shifting sounds great but it is difficult if work or other commitments mean you’re not home much. Plus at night, you’ll always need to use some power for cooking, lights, heaters and other appliances. That’s where a home battery comes in handy.

2. Store power in a battery

Historically, home batteries have been very expensive, but that’s changed considerably with the federal government’s solar battery rebate now offering a discount of around 30% off the installation price.

Still, they don’t come cheap – even with the rebate, a 10kWh battery installed costs between $7,000-$11,000 – so you’ll need to do some maths to ensure it’s right for your budget and home power usage. See our battery buying guide for more on prices and payback periods.

If you do install one,  you can bank all that juicy sunshine during the day (and even charge it during the aforementioned ‘free power’ windows) and use as you please. 

“A battery allows you to capture and store the excess kWh that otherwise would be exported at very low FiT rates,” says Foxworthy. 

“You can use that electricity later to avoid buying expensive peak-time grid power that will cost 35 cents or more. The financial opportunity for the battery is in the spread between the high price you avoid paying and the low FiT price that you forgo earning.”

If you still have excess power left over, you can also export it to the grid when FiTs are much higher, or funnel it to a virtual power plant for extra credit.

The post Solar feed-in tariffs: Why they’re falling, current rates and what to do next appeared first on ����Vlog.

According to a new carbon credit exchange platform called Aetium, the answer is yes.

Aetium is set up to issue carbon credits to people who have EVs or solar technology and offer them for sale to businesses or individuals who want to offset their carbon emissions. The scheme is also open to people who have forests on their property, defined as more than 50 trees.

The company claims that buyers of the carbon credits are making contributions that reduce net carbon dioxide (�䰿₂) emissions, thereby reducing the buyers’ carbon footprints.

Aetium is a new entry in the world of voluntary carbon credit schemes as opposed to mandatory, government-regulated ones. Its aim, like that of other grassroots schemes, is to turn households into issuers of carbon credits.

But the advocacy group Climate Integrity has taken issue with the company’s claims of being able to contribute to the effort of reducing �䰿₂ in the atmosphere.

The not-for-profit says Aetium’s claims lack supporting evidence and are not validated by any third-party certifier of voluntary carbon offsets or independent standards regime. They are also not certified by any government-operated crediting scheme, the not-for-profit says. In short, the business isn’t regulated by anyone.

Working with lawyers from the Environmental Defenders Office (an Australian NGO), Climate Integrity recently filed a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about Aetium, flagging potentially misleading and deceptive conduct.

The not-for-profit has also filed a complaint with Ad Standards, charging that Aetium’s claims may be in breach of the Environmental Claims Code.

�䰿₂ removal or business as usual?

In order for a carbon credits scheme to prove its credits represent genuine �䰿₂ reductions, Climate Integrity says it needs to pass the “additionality” test. This measures whether emissions reductions can be linked directly to the scheme or would have happened without the scheme in place.

The requirement to achieve additionality has been endorsed by virtually all carbon crediting regimes around the world as well as by climate scientists, Climate Integrity says. 

“An additionality test is a critical integrity safeguard in all major carbon credit standards. It assesses whether a project genuinely creates additional emissions reductions, beyond business as usual and which would not have occurred in the absence of the incentive,” says executive director Claire Snyder.

“Aetium’s credits fail to meet an additionality test because consumers signing up to the scheme would have bought and used their EVs or solar panels whether Aetium existed or not.”

The credits issued therefore don’t satisfy the principle of additionality and do not represent genuine reductions in carbon emissions, Climate Integrity says.

It also makes the case that Aetium’s methodologies are based on the contentious concept of “avoided emissions”, whereby emission reductions are calculated by comparing the activity in question (in this case driving an EV, having solar panels, or owning a forest) against hypothetical emissions-intensive alternatives.  

For Climate Integrity, the hypotheticals lack a firm grounding in the real world. “Avoided emissions offsets cannot cancel out emissions, and claims of their environmental benefits are likely to mislead consumers,” the group says. 

Aetium has signed up to the Australian Carbon Industry , but when Climate Integrity contacted the organisation, it was told that it doesn’t assess whether carbon credits are legitimate or not.

“Aetium’s claim that it aligns with the industry code of conduct is another example of the integrity crisis in Australia’s carbon market,” Snyder says. 

Aetium: ‘Voluntary actions must be recognised’

Aetium managing director Christopher Ride tells ����Vlog that the company is a new type of carbon credit platform that shouldn’t be compared to more traditional models. He suggests that Climate Integrity is damning a carbon credit scheme it doesn’t understand.

The company acknowledges that it’s not endorsed by the widely accepted certification or standards schemes, but says such bodies weren’t designed to oversee small-scale voluntary operations such as Aetium.

“Innovation often opens necessary debate, particularly in carbon markets, where concepts such as additionality and their interpretations continue to evolve,” Ride says. “Our view is clear – for Australia to reach Net Zero, voluntary community actions, like solar or EVs, must be recognised and rewarded, not ignored.” (Net Zero means the human race taking out as much �䰿₂ – or greenhouse gasses – from the atmosphere as we put in.)

The company says that around 4000 people in Australia are currently using the platform but stresses that it has yet to collect fees, sell credits or retire carbon units. (Usually units are retired when one unit of �䰿₂, normally a tonne, is confirmed to have been removed from or prevented from entering the atmosphere though the project that issued the credit.)

Ride says there is no regulatory framework at the moment that captures the “necessary evolution” that Aetium represents. The current additionality rules do not allow smaller, voluntary projects to be formally recognised, the company says.

Aetium argues that the lack of government certification doesn’t mean it and other voluntary carbon credit schemes aren’t contributing to a reduction of �䰿₂ emissions, as long as the accounting of reductions is transparent and defensible.

“We are a technology-first company measuring positive impact, actively working with regulators to identify the appropriate path forward,” Ride says.

He maintains that the company’s methodologies are robust.

“From an ESG reporting perspective, Aetium’s aggregated reporting of current and future actions is designed to the highest level of accuracy, transparency, and consistency. Moving beyond simple estimates, it takes into account up to twice as many variables and parameters than current methods.” (ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance and is used to assess a company’s sustainability profile.)

Carbon credit market in disarray

Voluntary schemes may have their place, but the whole idea of carbon credits – that overall �䰿₂ emissions will be reduced when companies that produce a lot of �䰿₂ pay money to projects focused on reducing it – appears to be on shaky ground at this point.

In a recent , Climate Integrity head of corporate accountability Michael Mazengarb argues that multiple academic studies have shown that claims of emission reductions through carbon credit schemes have either been untrue or “grossly exaggerated”.

He cites one study that found that around 90% of carbon credits issued under some schemes could not be linked to actual emissions reductions.

A 2023 article by public policy think tank The Australia Institute said depending on carbon credits to offset emissions “is mathematically impossible and a recipe for climate disaster”.

In 2024, ����Vlog reported on Climate Integrity’s case against Qantas Airlines’ carbon neutral claims. The charge was that such claims in its marketing materials were highly suspect due to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels. Whatever mitigation efforts it claimed to be doing couldn’t possibly offset this.

In a response to our queries at the time, Qantas acknowledged that the science behind its marketing messages was a work in progress.

“The integrity flaws are well documented, and become doubly problematic when offsets are used to pardon other emissions-intensive activities,”  Mazengarb wrote in Review Economy, referring to carbon credit schemes in general.

‘False solutions’

Last year, EnergyAustralia discontinued its Go Neutral carbon offset scheme after the environmental advocacy group Parents for Climate took the company to court, alleging greenwashing.

“While EnergyAustralia participated in the Climate Active certified carbon offset program in good faith, today EnergyAustralia accepts that there is legitimate public concern about the efficacy of these programs,” the company’s chief customer officer, Kate Gibson, said at the time, adding that carbon offsets “should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise”.

An October 2025 article written by a group of carbon credit experts (including several from Australian universities) and published in the journal Nature argues that the use of carbon offsets, particularly those whose credibility is suspect, “undermines decarbonisation by enabling companies and countries to claim that emissions have been reduced when they have not. This results in more emissions, delays the phase-out of fossil fuels and diverts scarce resources to false solutions”.

In the big picture, there may be valid views on both sides about whether voluntary carbon credit schemes such as Aetium are helping to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions. But for organisations such as Climate Integrity and Parents for Climate, the real focus should be on the world’s major �䰿₂ emitters finding ways to pollute less, or not at all.

Allowing them to keep pumping out carbon dioxide and contributing to global warming while claiming that they’re offsetting this through questionable schemes – whether voluntary or mandatory – doesn’t seem to be moving the needle in the right direction.

The post Are carbon credit schemes like Aetium actually helping the environment? appeared first on ����Vlog.

It can also be confusing with its head-spinning combo of prices, solar components, configurations, rebates, complex maths and tech jargon. 

Hiring a good installer will definitely help but there’s still plenty of missteps you can make on your way to energy independence. To give you a head start, our ����Vlog solar expert Chris Barnes reveals the common blunders people make so you don’t get burnt. 

1. Not understanding your electricity usage  

Let’s face it: reading power bills the first time can be confusing enough, let alone going back to study them and ascertain your annual power needs and patterns.

But before you start shopping for solar, it’s vital to know your home’s electricity usage first. 

On average, a typical Australian home uses 16–20 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day but it depends greatly on number of occupants, location and climate (e.g. how much sun do you get? Are you using heaters/air cons?), and what else you’re running (i.e. EVs, air con, hot water systems).

Analysing your usage for the past year will help you learn:

• your average daily usage
• when you use the most electricity (Peak or off peak? Summer or winter? At night? On the weekend when everyone’s home?)
• future needs (Are you starting a family, getting an EV, or replacing gas appliances with electric?)
• your solar goals (do you want solar to minimise your bills or cut them completely?) 

“By looking at your bills, you’ll get a good idea of the size of the solar system you’ll need to meet your requirements,” says ����Vlog expert Chris Barnes.

“A good installer should help you with this before they quote, but understanding your own usage always gives you a great head start.”

It’s also important to understand the solar panel rebate and battery rebate, their eligibility criteria and if there are any additional state or territory rebates available to you.

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

2. Only getting a quote from one installer

We get it, chasing quotes can be time-consuming so it’s tempting to just get one from the company your mate used or to go for that ‘great deal’ on social media (see point three). Plus, organising numerous home inspections for quotes is a chore and turning down unsuccessful installers can be awkward. 

But despite all that, it’s still essential to collect multiple quotes for many reasons. 

“We recommend always shopping around and getting at least three solid quotes,” says ����Vlog solar expert Chris Barnes.

“Not only can prices vary dramatically, but installers can offer very different system configurations, brands and levels of service so it’s good to assess your options. The best ones will take time to tailor a system specifically to your home and budget.”

To share a personal anecdote, a few years back I got quotes for new solar panels. One company just emailed me back a photo of my house’s roof taken from Google Earth with little ‘solar panel’ boxes drawn on to estimate the amount needed.

The second installer visited my home, got up on the roof to inspect it, brought a drone to do a flyover and sat down with me to talk through the proposed system and answer all my novice questions.

The quoted prices were similar, but the service and attention to detail were miles apart. Needless to say, we went with the second company.

3. Falling for a dud deal

Start browsing for solar online and you’ll soon be bombarded with targeted ads promising you everything under the sun. These tempting deals take many forms, including:

• Spruiking time-sensitive offers (‘this month only!’) 
• Offering ‘free solar’ or ‘$0 upfront cost’, which usually means agreeing to give away your generated electricity to someone else and buying it back from them
• Claiming your suburb is now eligible for huge savings (not really, panel and battery rebates are available to everyone Australia-wide)
• Claiming rebates are ending soon (they’re not, although they do decrease incrementally and some state rebates will eventually disappear)
• Referencing official-sounding rebates or schemes that don’t actually exist (do your research)
• Offering a free eligibility check which is just a lead generator for them

Also, be very wary if you’re approached by door-to-door salespeople and telemarketers using pushy sales tactics to make quick commissions.

Not only are these deals often not competitive or specifically tailored to your home, being ambushed like this gives you little time to read over the deal’s often complicated terms and conditions. That’s something you can’t afford to skip.

4. Prioritising price over everything

This is related to the previous tip but also different. Going cheap might work for a new kettle or toaster, but when you’re investing in something as costly, complex and long-term as solar, it’s important to choose quality over price.

“Solar is expensive but the cost pales in comparison to the value of your home so it pays to find a good installer who will look after both,” says Chris. 

“The margins on solar aren’t big so if a company is offering you an outrageously cheap deal, they’re likely cutting corners elsewhere. This could include inferior components, shoddy or unsafe installation, or poor warranty support later.”

If you are tempted by a cheap offer, at least safeguard yourself by getting two more quotes to compare the different packages (as suggested in point one). 

Also remember you can only get the solar panel and battery rebates once per premises, so you really need to get it right the first time because the second time is going to cost a lot more. 

5. Choosing undersized or mismatched components

If you’re investing in solar, you want a solution that’s optimised for your specific power needs. 

A sloppy installer or a generic ‘one size fits all’ type package is unlikely to deliver that. If your battery system set-up is undersized, the solar panels will struggle to charge your battery through the day so you’ll still need to draw peak-priced power from the grid at night. 

The size of the inverter can also be a bit of a trap. Many online deals currently spruik huge batteries with 40–50kWh capacity but only include a 5kW inverter, which will struggle to charge and discharge such a big battery.

“A good installer will look at your usage patterns and design a system that meets your energy expectations all year round and anticipates your future usage too,” says Chris.

6. Skipping installer accreditation checks

The good news is that the solar industry has more accreditation than ever to protect consumers. But that won’t help if you don’t do the necessary checks before engaging an installer.

Companies must be accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) and you can verify them by searching the .

Reputable companies may also be ‘approved sellers’ under the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC). Unlike accreditation, this is not compulsory but is a good indicator of service. 

The risks of using an unaccredited or subcontracted installer include:

• Voiding solar component warranties
• Voiding eligibility for government rebates for solar panels or a home battery 
• Voiding any home insurance claims 
• Dangerous safety issues including shoddy installation and risk of electrical fires 

If the installer seems new, you should also check their . If they’ve only been registered since April 2025, when the government battery rebate was first announced, then that’s a red flag and you should tread carefully.

For solar components, the Clean Energy Council (CEC) maintains a  that meet Australian standards. 

It’s highly unlikely that a good installer would be using unapproved components, but if in doubt, you should check that the components for the system quoted are clearly specified by make, size and model, and include a CEC-approved battery.

7. Counting on solar feed-in tariffs to reduce your bill

Solar energy feed-in tariffs (FiTs) are credits your electricity retailer pays you for the surplus power you export from your panels to the grid.

When FiTs were first introduced in the late 2000s, they paid as high as 60 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in some states as governments offered high premiums to incentivise solar uptake.

Sadly, the sun has set on those good times and now, with the grid saturated with solar exports, daytime FiTs have fallen to an average of around five cents, with some plans even offering zero.

Additionally, some plans now cap FiTs to a certain amount of kWh per day, or will pay you less per kWh if you exceed a certain threshold.

“If you’re considering whether a battery is viable for your home, it’s probably best not to count on daytime FiTs in your equation, as they continue to slide toward zero,” says Chris.

“Rather than exporting any surplus to the grid for very low rates, you’re much better off using that electricity yourself by shifting your appliance use to the day time where possible, or funnelling it into a home battery to use at night and avoid paying peak grid prices.”

Of course, night-time feed-in tariffs – where you export excess power from your battery to the grid during peak times – can be highly beneficial and fetch rates around 20–40 cents per kWh. That’s something to consider when choosing a new retail plan or joining a virtual power plant.

The post 7 solar mistakes to avoid when buying batteries and panels appeared first on ����Vlog.

The stampede has sparked a promotional blitz between solar providers, with plenty of new installers popping up to cash in on the frenzy. 

If you’re browsing for a battery, you’ve probably already seen excited ads spruiking the ‘best ever deal!’ for ‘super cheap solar!’ or even ‘free solar!’. 

Given batteries are expensive and time-consuming to research, such deals can seem mighty tempting, but be careful. Choosing a cheap offer could land you in all sorts of strife, from inefficient or failing systems to shoddy installation to poor after-sales support. 

To help you dodge the duds, we spoke to Finn Peacock, founder of SolarQuotes, Australia’s most-visited solar website. Since 2020, ����Vlog has partnered with SolarQuotes, which collates high-quality quotes for you from vetted installers.

Finn’s been in the solar business since 2009 so he’s seen plenty of suss deals and shady operators in his time. We asked him about the warning signs to watch out for so you don’t get burnt with a bum deal.

1. Ads spruiking dubious deals and misleading claims

With competition hotting up, some solar companies are trying everything they can to get your attention and battery rebate business. 

Start shopping online and you’ll soon be bombarded with targeted ads pushing all sorts of deals and claims. Their tactics can take many forms, including:

• promoting time-sensitive offers (“this week/month only!”) 
• claiming your suburb is now eligible for huge savings (not really, panel and battery rebates are available to everyone Australia-wide)
• claiming rebates are ending soon (they’re not, although they do decrease incrementally every six months and some state rebates will eventually disappear)
• referencing official-sounding rebates or schemes that don’t actually exist (always Google them separately to check)
• offering you a free “eligibility check”, which is just a clever way of getting your contact details
• using AI-generated images or video testimonial.

If you are enticed by an offer, do your own independent research on the company and their products and check for any other red flags listed below. 

2. Salespeople on your doorstep

Red flags don’t get much bigger than doorknockers ambushing you at home trying to sell you solar worth thousands of dollars. The same goes for telemarketers cold-calling you. 

Both are paid on commission so they’re incentivised to push quick sales and certain packages and products that might not actually suit your home or your power needs.

“I’ve literally never known someone to get a competitive deal from a doorknocker spruiking solar or batteries,” says Finn. 

“Any successful doorknocker is well versed in the art of persuasion, so they are likely to convince you to buy something without the due diligence required.”

If you do get door-knocked, ignore any high-pressure tactics and never sign up on the spot.

“The easiest way to handle them is to tell them to leave. Then get three quotes from well-reviewed locals or companies that your friends had a good experience with. Never ever sign up for a doorknocker’s offer without getting other quotes.”

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

3. Beware ‘free solar’, ‘no net cost’ or ‘no-interest finance’ offers

Such deals might sound enticing given how pricey batteries can be, but Finn warns against any offers that seem too good to be true.

“Someone has to get paid. ‘Free solar’ means giving your electricity to someone else and then buying it back from them. ‘No net cost’ is a tricky way of saying your savings will be greater than your repayments, but you can’t claim this if you don’t know the consumer’s usage!”

“‘No-interest finance’ means that they’ve taken the interest cost and whacked it onto the price of the system, unless it’s a subsidised loan from a government scheme.”

4. Mismatched components

Many installers try to entice customers by selling huge batteries with 40–50kWh capacity for very cheap prices. It sounds great, but too often they’re paired with a small 5kW inverter, which will struggle to charge such a big battery and empty it.  

Instead of going for the ‘bigger is better’ approach, Finn says it’s best to chat to installers about customising a system that suits both your energy needs and budget. 

“Your installer should look at your current and future energy load profile and size the inverter to suit accordingly. The one-size-fits-all approach is rubbish,” says Finn.

5. Unknown brands and products

Since the rebate, there’s been an influx of new battery products as installers compete for business and try to keep up with demand.

And it’s not just new or smaller installers using relatively obscure components. In September, Aldi announced its new Aldi Solar service would sell systems using Altius batteries, solar panels and hybrid inverters, which are virtually unknown in Australia.

An unheard-of brand or product isn’t an automatic deal-breaker ​​– they must be on the Clean Energy Council (CEC) to be eligible for the rebate – but Finn does advise extra caution and research. 

“The newer the brand is to Australia, the higher the risk of it not being around for the long haul and the less evidence you have that its quality and support are up to scratch,” says Finn. 

“To counter the risk of a new product, use an older, established install company. If you use a brand new company with brand new brands, you have double jeopardy!”

6. The installer’s ABN is suspiciously new

When you buy solar, you want installers that are professional and knowledgeable with a proven track record. There are plenty of them out there, but there’s also a slew of newly-created companies chasing the rebate windfall. 

Finn says to be careful of newcomers and to . If it has only been registered since April 2025, when the government rebate was first announced, then that’s a red flag and you should tread carefully.

7. Swapping out components for cheaper ones

It’s a shady tactic as old as time: advertise a brand or product then – surprise! – it’s no longer available so you get offered another type instead.

To avoid a battery bait-and-switch, you should always read the fine print (no matter how long it is) before you sign on. 

“Installers sometimes have a clause that says they can swap components for ‘similar’, which is a huge red flag,” says Finn.

“If a company genuinely can’t get hold of the hardware they’ve quoted, they should talk to you and create a new quote for new hardware, which you can then accept or decline.”

The post Bad solar battery deals: The red flags to watch out for appeared first on ����Vlog.

The couple already had solar panels on the roof of their home in Victoria’s Gippsland region, but they had no battery and the panels weren’t bringing down the energy bills as much as they had hoped. 

A salesperson from Invincible Energy promised them that with the federal government’s solar battery rebate, as well as installing new solar panels with the Victorian rebate and a no-interest loan, the couple could soon be completely off the grid. 

“The idea of no power bills, it seemed too good to be true,” Emily says. 

While the deal sounded good, the couple quickly ran into a world of headaches with the company. 

Invincible Energy’s cavalier approach to sales and solar installations have been documented, including in a ����Vlog article in August 2025, and have led the company to being banned by the Victorian government’s Solar Victoria rebate scheme and suspended from working with at least one major loan provider. 

Emily’s case is just the latest in a string of allegations of misconduct tied to Invincible Energy, which appears to be now operating hand in hand with another solar company under a new name. 

Emily’s solar headaches

Emily and her husband received solar panels that were a different brand to what they ordered. They also never received the government rebates the company said they could get.

Months on, they have been left with a $15,000 loan for a solar system that is not performing as promised. 

“I feel like we were just super vulnerable, having a new baby, and they just really took advantage of that and steamrolled us,” Emily says.

The documents for Emily’s $15,000 loan, which came from buy now, pay later style loan provider Plenti, said her solar panels were installed by a company called Horus Energy.

It was the first time she had heard of the company. 

Horus-Invincible connections

When the Victorian government’s Solar Victoria rebate scheme moved to cancel the accreditation of Invincible Energy in May 2025 due to “serious breaches of the program requirements”, they detected that the director of the company was also the director at another solar retailer operating in the state. 

This was Horus Energy, which had its participation in the government’s program suspended in June 2025. 

“Public records confirm Invincible Energy and Horus Energy shared a common Director at the time of Invincible Energy’s breaches to customer protections. When this Director moved to another company and poor behaviour continued under Horus Energy, we took immediate action,” a spokesperson from Solar Victoria tells ����Vlog. 

“Both companies have now been permanently removed from the program, and the Directors responsible have been disqualified from any future involvement in the Solar Homes Program. This sends a clear message: we will act against anyone who undermines consumer protections.” 

A search of ASIC records shows the current directors of both companies share a residential address in Melbourne, and one of the major shareholders of Horus Energy also holds the same residential address as the former director of Invincible Energy. 

����Vlog sent questions to both Invincible Energy and Horus Energy about the links between the two companies and allegations of misconduct. Neither has responded. 

Commenting for a prior article, Invincible Energy denied any wrongdoing and said complaints were isolated cases. Most customers were satisfied with their installations, the company claimed.

“We remain committed to compliance, transparency, and customer care,” the company said in August 2025.

Plenti cancels accreditation 

The loan provider that Emily was referred to, Plenti, says that Horus Energy was accredited to refer customers to them in September 2024 following the “usual accreditation and due diligence process”. 

“As part of this due diligence we identified that there was a potential link between Horus Energy and Invincible Energy, and this was noted in our internal systems,” a Plenti spokesperson says. 

But the delay between noticing the issue and taking action was long. Plenti says it wasn’t until July 2025 that the lender commenced an investigation into Horus Energy’s operations and referrals, including sales practices and dispute resolution processes. They went on to suspend Horus Energy’s accreditation on 14 August 2025 and later removed the company permanently. 

Plenti is currently the third most complained about credit provider of its category, according to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

Rebates unavailable

Like Invincible Energy, it seems Horus is not being upfront with potential customers. 

We called Horus Energy in December 2025 posing as a customer and asked the salesperson if Victorian rebates were available. The salesperson said that they were. 

Solar Victoria told ����Vlog there was little they could do to stop companies from misleading customers once a retailer had been booted from the program. 

“Solar Victoria is only able to enforce program-related issues. When retailers are removed from the Solar Homes Program, Solar Victoria does not have the means to address further misconduct outside of a cease-and-desist letter if they continue to make claims about our program,” a spokesperson says. “We work closely with Consumer Affairs Victoria and the ACCC to report any misconduct.” 

Stronger consumer protections needed

The Consumer Action Law Centre in Melbourne has dealt with cases involving customers of both Invincible Energy and Horus Energy. Lawyer Katie Valenta says consumer protections aren’t keeping up, especially for vulnerable consumers making a big purchase like solar. 

“It seems like overall the approach by these retailers is to rush consumers through the transaction and the installation, so they don’t have time to think about the transaction and what other options might be,” she says. 

“It is very alarming to hear that Invincible Energy appears to be moving their operations over to a new name company. Customers often don’t have a lot of information going into a transaction, so when they are forewarned about a certain operator that can be an important thing,” she adds.

The post Banned solar installer up to the same tricks under a new name appeared first on ����Vlog.

The federal government’s current battery rebate, which cuts the price of installation by around 30%, definitely makes the idea of installing a battery more appealing, but the complex question of whether it suits your home, power usage and budget can still cause your brain to blow a fuse or two.

Six reasons to consider buying a battery now

To weigh up the big price tag versus the benefits, the pros versus cons, we spoke to industry experts about the key factors at play – from free electricity hours to falling feed-in tariffs and more – and why now might be the best time to jump on the battery bandwagon.

1. The government rebate has reduced battery prices

Launched in July 2025, the federal government’s rebate – officially known as the Cheaper Home Batteries Program – has substantially cut the cost of installing a battery in your home or small business.

The rebate is based on the battery’s usable capacity up to 50 kilowatt hours (kWh) and currently offers a maximum discount of $336 per kWh. Once you subtract admin charges, that’s around $300 per kWh.

So, on a typical 10kWh battery, you’ll score a handy $3000 upfront reduction, which is more than 30% off the usual price. Go even bigger with a 40–50kWh battery system and with economies of scale, the discount gets closer to 40–50%. 

“I’d be surprised if there’s ever going to be a rebate that’s this generous ever again,” says Finn Peacock, founder of SolarQuotes, Australia’s most-visited solar website. Since 2020, ����Vlog has partnered with SolarQuotes, a service that provides high-quality quotes for you from vetted installers.

“Obviously battery retail prices will come down every year, just like solar panels have, but the value for money on a good battery system right now [with the rebate] is phenomenal.”

To learn more about the rebate and estimated battery payback periods by state, check out our guide.

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

2. The rebate decreases every six months 

Not surprisingly, the rebate’s been running red-hot since launch, with the government reporting that over 160,000 home batteries have been installed across Australia since July. 

To cope with demand, the government announced in December 2025 that the program’s initial estimated budget of $2.3 billion would increase to $7.2 billion across the next four years. 

But to make it last, the government has introduced new rebate rates and conditions, effective from 1 May 2026.

The changes will see the rebate’s value (measured in Small-scale Technology Certificates, aka STCs, which are the same ‘credits’ applied to solar panels) now decrease every six months rather than annually, and at a higher rate than initially planned. 

According to our friends at SolarQuotes who’ve done the maths, the estimated ‘per kWh’ rebate rate will now be:

• Jan–April 2026:  $336 per kWh
• May–Dec 2026: $272 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2027:  $228 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2027: $208 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2028: $184 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2028: $164 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2029: $144 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2029: $124 per kWh
• Jan–Jun 2030: $104 per kWh
• Jul–Dec 2030: $84 per kWh

From 1 May, the rebate amount will also depend on the battery size you choose, switching from a flat discount per kWh to a tiered rate system. The new rebate rates are: 

• Small battery: 0–14 kWh capacity: Rate applied at 100%. 
• Medium: 14–28 kWh capacity: Rate applied at 60%. 
• Large: 28–50 kWh capacity: Rate applied at 15%.

As you can see, there’s plenty of reasons (aka dollars) to get a battery now or at least start talking to installers about quotes.

3. Solar panel feed-in tariffs (FiT) are dropping fast

In the past, many people didn’t consider home batteries because firstly, they were very expensive, and secondly, electricity retailers still paid decent feed-in tariffs per kWh for any surplus solar power exported back to the grid.

Five years ago, FiTs averaged around 10–15 cents per kWh, depending on your location and plan. 

Not anymore. These days, with so many more people installing solar, FiTs have dropped dramatically. 

“[On average], FiT rates have collapsed to 3–5 cents/kWh, with some plans now offering zero cents for daytime exports,” says Richard Foxworthy, CEO of Bill Hero, a savings service that compares utility bills across Australia.

With FiTs flatlining, keeping that surplus power in a home battery suddenly looks a lot more attractive.

“A battery allows you to capture and store the excess kWh that otherwise would be exported at very low FiT rates,” says Richard. 

“You can then use that electricity later to avoid buying expensive peak-time grid power which will cost 35 cents or more. The financial opportunity for the battery is in the spread between the high price you avoid paying and the low FiT price that you forgo earning.”

4. Some electricity retailers now offer free day-time power

With electricity generation high and demand low during the day, several retailers are now giving customers free electricity during certain time periods around midday (note: supply charges still apply). 

This means you can juice up a home battery for free during this window (in addition to storing your own solar power through the day) and use it later that night.

Free power might sound amazing, but Finn warns it does come with some serious provisos. 

“The trade-off for the free electricity is that they usually charge you with a higher daily usage fee and certainly a higher evening peak rate,” says Finn.

“If you have a big battery, that’s okay as you can easily cruise through [night time without needing power from the grid]. But if you’ve got, say, a 10–15kWh battery, you may find that you’re emptying your battery fairly regularly and then paying those higher grid prices.” 

Expect to see more of these free electricity windows soon when the government’s new Solar Sharer Scheme comes into play on 1 July. In a bid to lower power bills and ease peak demand in the evening, the scheme requires retailers to offer all residential customers at least three hours of free electricity during the day.

Initially, the scheme will be available in states covered by the Australian Energy Regulator’s Default Market Offer (DMO) price cap, so NSW, South Australia and South-East Queensland. Customers must opt in via their plan and have a smart meter installed.

5. Installers are busy with backlogs already

With the rebate inspiring unprecedented demand, wait times for reputable solar installers can be quite lengthy, so if you’re keen, it’s best to join the queue sooner rather than later. 

“A six-week to three-month backlog is not unusual at the moment,” says Finn. 

“I would get a quote sooner rather than later and then expect it to get installed within like… three months would be reasonable. Get in the queue. You can do your research while you wait and then choose the system you want.”

At the same time, he says it’s vital not to rush into things without doing your homework.

“If you’re treating it as super urgent and you do it in a hurry, you’re much more likely to make a bad decision and be tempted by the slick marketing and low prices. Don’t make price your only criteria.”

6. Summer = prime time for solar

This one’s so obvious, we almost didn’t include it but solar needs sun to run and summer’s got plenty of it. If you can install a battery soon, you’ll get a head start in reducing your bills and paying it off.

Storing up some of that ample sunshine will also spare you from paying peak grid prices for power-hungry summer appliances, like air conditioning and pool/spa pumps, as well as the usual culprits like fridges, freezers, ovens and electric hot water systems.

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But if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the solar tech talk, you’re not alone.

Energy independence can slash your bills and help cut your carbon footprint, but it can be complex and confusing too. Just researching it can give you a headache and that’s before you’ve learnt the difference between a kilowatt and kilowatt-hour.  

A good solar installer will always explain the process to you, but going in armed with even an entry-level understanding will definitely help you get a better deal and ask the right questions.

It’ll also help you avoid the dud deals and shady offers you’re bound to come across in your quest for the best. To give you a headstart, here’s our guide to the key questions you need to ask (and the all-important answers).

1. Is your home suitable for solar?

A solar system will generally work anywhere in Australia, but it will definitely work better in some locations and under certain conditions. You’ll need to consider:

Location

How much sun do you get where you live? Southern regions like Hobart receive less sunlight than northern areas like Darwin.

Roof

How big is it? This will determine how many panels you can install. Which direction does your roof face? North-facing panels catch the most sunlight, but even south-facing panels can still produce about 80% of their rated power.

Shade

To maximise your solar gains, ideally there should be no trees, power lines or other structures shading your roof. 

Council

Check if any approvals are required from your council (i.e if your home is heritage-listed or you need to remove trees during installation). 

“A solar installer should inspect your home and premises thoroughly to assess these criteria for you and identify any issues that might impact the system installation,” says ����Vlog solar expert Chris Barnes.

Solar is most commonly installed by house owners. If you’re renting or have bought an apartment, it can be more difficult to get as you’ll need to co-ordinate it with your landlord or strata respectively, but it can still happen. 

Why we've partnered with SolarQuotes

We've partnered with SolarQuotes to help you find and buy the right solar, battery, heat pump and EV charger. While we make money if you use SolarQuotes to find an installer, this doesn't influence our ratings. 100% of the money we make goes directly back into our nonprofit mission.

2. What equipment do you need?

If you’re going to start shopping solar deals, it’s important to know the various components of a solar system and what they do. 

Solar panels

Solar panels convert light energy into electricity in a process called the photovoltaic (PV) effect. The panels’ electricity-generating capacity is measured in kilowatts (kW) while the amount of electricity it makes over time is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

The energy generated can be used then and there in your home (i.e. running your fridge or washing machine). If there’s surplus, it can either go into the electricity grid in exchange for a small credit from your supplier (this is called the feed-in tariff, or FiT), or be stored in a home battery to be used at night or in bad weather. 

How many solar panels you need depends on your home’s energy use. A typical home uses 16–20kWh per day, which equates to a 5kW solar panel array, but most people now opt for a 6.6kW system or bigger, as panels are relatively cheap and powerful, and any excess electricity helps pay off the system through the FiT. 

If you’re considering a battery or buying an electric vehicle soon, it makes sense to get a bigger solar panel system now so you have enough power to keep them charged. It’s usually easier and cheaper to install a bigger solar panel system up front than try to add to it later on.

Our solar panel reviews reveal that the tested panels generally perform according to their claimed power capacity, so you can feel confident in most of the panels we’ve tested. The main differences are price and warranty.

“Panel price alone isn’t an indicator that one panel will be better than another,” says Chris. “More expensive panels may work better in the long term, but with cheaper panels you might be able to put more on.”

Home battery

Typically housed in a non-descript casing, home batteries are usually installed in your garage, or outside your house in a weatherproof enclosure. 

They can come as a fixed, one-piece unit or as a modular system with stackable storage cells, which you can add to as needed. Battery capacity is also measured in kWh.

If you’re interested in batteries, our battery buying guide has all the information you’ll need on the best ways to make one work for you.

Inverter

Both solar panels and batteries require a device called an inverter, which converts direct current (DC) power from the panels into alternating current (AC) power which your home uses. They can have separate inverters or a ‘hybrid’ inverter, which will manage both. 

The inverter’s size is rated in kilowatts (kW) and is the maximum amount of DC power that the inverter can draw from the battery, or send to it (i.e. charge it) at any one time. 

For example, if you have a 20kWh battery and a 5kW inverter, it can only supply 5kW of power at that moment (above that and you’ll start drawing power from the grid). Think of it like the battery is a water tank and the inverter is a tap connection – you can only draw or add as much water as the tap allows.

“The inverter is a complex piece of electrical gear. In the first ten years or so of your system’s life, if anything fails, it’s probably going to be the inverter,” says Chris. “Most inverters will last the distance, but it’s important to know what you’re getting, and especially to know how good the inverter’s warranty is.”

See our solar inverter buying guide to help you decide what’s best for your home.

3. How much does a solar system cost?

Reducing power bills and freeing yourself from the grid sounds great, but there is a significant upfront cost to a solar system even after the rebates. 

Thankfully, the cost of solar components has come down a bit over the past several years. Installing a solar panel array, battery and inverters will still cost you thousands of dollars, but the products you’ll get for that money today are more powerful than those available a few years ago. 

According to our friends at SolarQuotes, these are the current price ranges for the installation of solar panels, batteries and inverters. 

They include both the federal government rebate for solar panels (officially known as the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme) and the battery rebate (the Cheaper Home Batteries Program). 

Solar Panels:

5 kW: $4500–$8000

6.6 kW: $5500–$9000

10 kW: $8000–$13,000

13.3 kW: $10,000–$15,000

15 kW: $13,000–$18,000

20 kW: $17,000–$22,000

Battery + Inverter: 

15 kWh: $11,000–$15,000 installed

30 kWh: $16,000–$22,000 installed

50 kWh: $24,000–$30,000 installed

Solar panels + Battery + Inverter: 

15kW solar + 30kWh battery: $22,000–$30,000 installed

20kW solar + 40kWh battery: $25,000–$32,000 installed

Expect to pay the higher end of the range if you’re going for top quality components or if your home has unusual installation requirements. 

Keep in mind, a trickier installation will bump up costs considerably, given architectural and technical factors can increase the time, work and components a job requires.

4. Is solar worth getting?

It definitely can be, but it does depend on multiple factors. These include your system specifications, personal energy consumption, your location, and the individual electricity costs in your state or territory, which can vary wildly.

Installing solar panels can be well worth the upfront cost. They’ve dropped in price over time and can make a decent dent in your electricity bills immediately (especially if you start using your appliances more during the day). 

Likewise, batteries can seriously cut your electricity costs as you bid goodbye to the grid’s peak time pricing, but they are expensive and can take a longer time to pay themselves off than panels.

“Households paying hundreds of dollars per quarter for electricity will definitely benefit from looking into solar panels. So will households with low electricity consumption, though their payback time might be a bit longer,” says Chris.

“Up until recently, home batteries weren’t cost-effective because their payback time was often longer than the battery’s warranty period, which is typically ten years. But with the new rebate, that equation is looking more positive, depending on your usage, home and the current electricity rates you’re paying.”

For a deeper dive into payback periods, check out our solar panels’ buying guide or battery buying guide respectively. 

5. How do I find a good solar installer?

“Finding a good installer is a really important part of the process – it shouldn’t be underestimated,” says Chris.

“Solar systems are a complicated bit of technology and most people don’t understand how they work, so you need to make sure you can trust your installer.”

Dodgy installers are a particular concern when government subsidies are on offer. And remember, you can only get the solar rebates once per premises, so you really want to get your system right the first time.

In almost all circumstances, it’s illegal to install your own solar panel system (unless you’re an accredited electrician/solar installer, of course). 

Correctly designing the system takes skill and training, and the electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician. You won’t be eligible for rebates if you’re not an accredited solar installer and your installation may not be covered by insurance. 

To find a good installer, look for:

• an accredited designer, installer and components
• companies that have been in business more than five years ( to see when it was registered)
• companies with sales and technical support based in Australia
• companies that will visit your home and tailor a system specifically for your home and needs.

Beware door-to-door salespeople and telemarketers

We strongly advise against buying solar from salespeople knocking on your door or cold-calling telemarketers. They are usually paid on commission and can use high-pressure tactics (i.e. ‘today only!’ sales) to make quick sales or sell you products not optimised to your home or energy needs. 

Instead, talk to friends and family who’ve had solar installed to see if they can recommend a company; look up reviews of the installers online and take your time to get quotes from a few reputable installers to give yourself some options.

You can also try ����Vlog’s Solar Estimator to connect with our solar partner, SolarQuotes, who will provide you with high-quality quotes from vetted installers in your area.

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