To help you sort the truth from the tall tales, we dive into this exciting new energy space and put the biggest myths under the microscope.

What is a virtual power plant?

Heard the term but not 100% sure what it means? A VPP company runs a giant network of residential home batteries “virtually” linked together by their custom software or hardware, and the internet*.

By drawing on a portion of electricity from each battery, the network becomes a “virtual power plant” that’s capable of aggregating large amounts to sell to the grid. 

It does this by remotely directing your battery to charge during the day (when electricity is cheapest) through solar or top-ups from the grid. Then when grid demand is high (like in the evening) and wholesale prices rise, the VPP directs its batteries to send power into the grid to sell for maximum profits. 

Residents are paid benefits in exchange for access to their batteries, with VPP companies paying either an upfront bonus, high feed-in tariffs (FiTs), bill credits or a share of the wholesale electricity rate the grid pays at that time. 

*VPPs can also link electric vehicle (EV) chargers, hot water systems and air conditioners, but currently, most operators focus on batteries.

Myth 1: VPPs give you free electricity

Reality check: A few companies offer this at certain times, but definitely not all (most likely because batteries can charge for free with solar panels during the day, weather pending).

At the time of writing, VPPs like Globird and Covau Energy do offer free power from the grid from 10am–2pm daily. Others like Amber automatically charge your battery whenever wholesale prices fall to zero, which often happens around midday.

But other VPPs forgo free power windows, preferring to entice customers with other incentives instead, like upfront bonuses, high feed-in tariffs (FiTs) or bill credits. 

If you like the sound of free power, it’s worth noting the government’s new Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) comes into effect 1 July, 2026. 

Aimed at sharing the glut of solar electricity during the day, this new initiative stipulates that participating electricity retailers offer at least one plan with three hours of free power in eligible regions (currently NSW, SE Queensland and SA as they fall under the federal government’s Default Market Offer framework, whereas other areas do not). It’s available to solar and non-solar households, but you need to opt into the specific plan.

This doesn’t apply to all VPPs (as not all are technically retailers), but if a retailer also has a VPP service, they may offer this under their SSO requirements. 

Just analyse all of the rates on any new plan – you may get free power, but you might also be charged more at other times of day or with a larger daily usage fee.

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.

Myth 2: You can earn huge feed-in-tariffs (around $19/kilowatt-hour) during grid spikes

Reality check: Previously, yes, but they’re much rarer now. In the past you might have heard stories of people getting paid wildly high FiTs during extreme grid demand periods (like during a heatwave or cold snap). 

Some VPP operators like Amber and others let you earn the actual market price of electricity sold at that moment (or a hefty share of it). So when the grid spikes, prices can theoretically rise to $19 per kWh, the maximum wholesale market price. 

Such rates have become almost legend in solar circles, but sadly they’re becoming far less common. Why? Because more and more people have installed batteries thanks to the government rebate and more power is now being pumped into the grid, making demand spikes less extreme. 

As an example, Amber that NSW had just 17 price spike events paying $3/kWh or more from January 2025 to June 2025.

As exciting as they sound, it’s best not to count on these high FiTs when doing your maths and choosing a VPP. 

What do VPPs actually pay you?

This largely depends which VPP plan you choose. Given VPPs are relatively new, many offer a very disparate mix of incentives as they try to attract customers.

Benefits can include one or a combination of the following:

• upfront one-off incentives or discounts on batteries
• bill credits (monthly, quarterly or annually)
• premium feed-in tariff rates during certain time windows or grid spikes
• free charging periods
• wholesale market revenue sharing. 

Check out our VPP product pages to see what different plans pay in the Customer Benefits section.

Myth 3: VPPs take over your battery and drain it often

Reality check: This one is half-true, so let’s clarify. 

Yes, a VPP needs to share control of your battery. That’s because they operate by dynamically charging it when power is at its cheapest (during the day) and then exporting it at peak times to get the best prices (usually evenings). They need control to do this quickly and effectively in real time. 

But it doesn’t mean your battery is constantly drained, leaving you in the lurch. Instead, you can set your own battery reserve limits (usually around 10–30%) and preferences to ensure your own needs come first. 

You can also restrict VPP power exports to certain times of day (of course, this may limit your VPP earnings, but it’s your call).

Just be aware that certain VPP operator’s plans do require a certain level of availability. Check out our VPP product pages under Limitations to see what they are. 

Myth 4: Using a VPP can heavily impact battery life

Reality check: Yes, it can definitely accelerate its lifespan, although the impact may be less severe than you might think. 

Being on a VPP means your battery is charged and discharged more often than if you just used it for personal use. This can rapidly increase its number of daily cycles (a cycle equals one full charge and discharge sequence), which can add more wear and tear to your battery and possibly shorten its lifespan.

Many home batteries come with a product warranty that covers ten years or around 6000 cycles (whichever comes first). The latter equates to around 16 years of use at one cycle a day, but obviously a trigger-happy VPP can speed that up and shorten the battery’s warrantied lifespan. 

That said, many VPPs set limits on how often they can discharge your battery during high grid demand as well as setting an annual cap. For example, the Origin Loop VPP states “no more than 200kWh discharged in any 12-month period.”

Check out our VPP product pages under Limitations to see what they are. 

At the same time, if you’re getting good VPP rates, you might be happy to endure more wear and tear to earn bigger financial incentives and reduce your power bills significantly. As always, it’s a balancing act. 

Myth 5: You’re locked into a VPP for a long time

Reality check: Not true. We get it, sharing control of your battery can sound scary (especially after spending thousands on it), as is the idea that you’ll be locked into a VPP deal, even when it’s not working out for you and your bills.

But in reality, most VPPs offer relatively fair and flexible termination terms, requiring around 10–30 days’ notice. Again, check out our product pages for specifics and read the fine print before you join a VPP. 

Some VPPS may charge exit fees, but that’s usually only if they gave you an upfront bonus or discount on an installed battery when you signed up.

The content has been produced with funding support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). ĚÇĐÄVlog maintains full editorial independence, and the views expressed are those of ĚÇĐÄVlog. CEFC funding does not constitute an endorsement of any provider, product or service. Any links, tools or services enabling users to request quotes or connect with providers are operated independently by ĚÇĐÄVlog and are not endorsed or recommended by the CEFC.

Know the products to avoid before you shop. Get our free guide and buy smarter.

Sign up

Read our privacy policy

The post Virtual power plants: The 5 biggest myths and misunderstandings appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

The stampede has sparked an advertising blitz between solar providers, with plenty of new installers popping up to cash in on the rebate-fuelled frenzy. 

If you’ve started shopping for a battery, you’ve probably already been bombarded with excited online 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. 

Plus you’re only eligible to get the rebates once per home, so you want to get it right the first time.

To help you dodge the duds, we spoke to Finn Peacock, founder of SolarQuotes, Australia’s most-visited solar website. Since 2020, ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 sales tactics or ‘too good to be true’ deals 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 spruiking a wild range of questionable deals and claims to entice customers.

These offers 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 thousands of dollars worth of solar. The same goes for telemarketers cold-calling you. 

Both are paid on commission so they’re incentivised to push quick sales and one-size-fits-all packages 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 or empty it.  

Instead of going for the ‘bigger is better’ approach, Finn says it’s best to chat to reputable 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 2025, 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, especially if the brand is new to Australia and their products are untested in Australia’s weather conditions.

“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: 7 red flags to watch out for appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

Designed to capitalise on Australia’s daytime solar surplus, this new initiative stipulates that electricity retailers must now offer at least one residential plan that includes three hours of free power daily, capped at 24 kilowatt-hours (kWh).

It’s available to home owners and renters alike, and you don’t need your own solar panels or battery to opt in. 

There’s just one rather large catch at the moment…

The SSO only applies to some areas (for now)

Before we all get too excited, the SSO will only be available to residents that live in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland.

Why? Because they are the areas covered by the Federal Government’s Default Market Offer (DMO) framework, which is administered by the Australian Energy Regulator.

Other states and territories are not part of the DMO and have their own systems (for a myriad of complicated historical reasons) so are not included.

Thankfully, there are plans to expand the SSO nationally at a later date.

Why is the Solar Sharer Offer being introduced?

Australia is the world leader in rooftop solar generation, with the most installed solar capacity per capita and over four million photovoltaic (PV) systems now in operation. 

That’s great news for clean renewable energy use, but it’s also resulted in a glut of surplus electricity being fed back into the grid during the day.

Residents with home batteries can store it for later, but currently a lot of this excess power is being under-utilised, with wholesale prices dropping very low or even into negative.

By forcing retailers to give it away for free, the government aims to:

• make this glut available to everyone on an SSO plan
• encourage residents to shift their energy usage to these free windows, which will lower power bills
• reduce electricity demand on the grid at night, which will hopefully reduce peak prices over time
• ultimately share the benefits of the solar boom with more people (not just with those who can afford to install panels and batteries, which has been a criticism of the government rebates in the past). 

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 do you get free electricity?

To access the Solar Sharer Offer, you need to:

• live in NSW, South Australia or South East Queensland
• opt into a retailer’s SSO plan – it’s not automatic
• have a smart meter installed at home, as a SSO plan requires time-based billing – if you don’t have one, talk to your energy retailer.

When are the free power time periods?

Calculated on peak solar generation for each region, the 3-hour free windows are:

• 11am– 2pm for NSW and SE Queensland
• 12–3pm for South Australia 

Catches to watch out for

While free electricity sounds amazing, it’s important to keep the following in mind and evaluate whether an SSO electricity plan works for you and your home.

Remember, you’ll still be paying daily connection fees, electricity charges outside the free window (such as peak, shoulder or controlled load rates) and any green-offset fees.

Before you dive headlong into a SSO plan, it’s vital to compare its rate charges against your current plan as they could actually be higher.

Yes, you might enjoy three hours of power on the house, so to speak, but if you’re paying more for peak rates or daily connection fees, you could be worse off when your bill rolls in. 

That’s why it’s essential to do the maths first (as it is when considering any new plan).

Is a Solar Sharer Offer plan right for you?

Well, it depends – largely on the retail plan fees as discussed in the previous section, but also on how much you can practically shift your electricity consumption to these three-hour windows. 

If you can change your routine and run energy-hungry appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines, or charge your EV or e-bike, during the free-power window, you’ll definitely benefit. Using timers and/or smart appliance settings can also help – and save you – a lot.

For example, a dishwasher uses around one kWh per cycle, on average. Run it with free power and it’ll cost nothing, compared to a peak rate of, say, 35 cents per kWh at night (as an example). That might not seem like much a day, but over a year, you’ll save $127.75 by running a dishwasher load during the day. 

Of course, the big handbrake on time-shifting your energy use is if your work or other commitments mean you’re not home much during the day. Yes, appliance timers are handy, but it’s not the same as being home in person to fully optimise your energy use. 

As a result, Solar Sharer plans will probably best benefit people who are retired, or at home working or on caring duties. 

Know the products to avoid before you shop. Get our free guide and buy smarter.

Sign up

Read our privacy policy

The post 3 hours of free power? The new Solar Sharer Offer explained appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

But what exactly are VPPs, how do they work and how much extra money can you make from your solar-generated electricity? 

Our easy guide aims to explain this complex energy model in simple terms so your brain doesn’t overload. Plus we look at what you need to start, the essential things to consider and of course, how VPPs pay you. 

On this page:

• What is a virtual power plant?
• How do VPPs work?
• What you need to join a VPP
• What do VPPs pay you? 
• How much money can you make?
• VPP fees
• VPPs and battery control
• Government rebates

What is a virtual power plant?

A VPP might sound like some sort of sci-fi concept, but the reality is actually more straightforward than the futuristic name may suggest.

In basic terms, when you sign up to a VPP company, your battery is connected to a giant network of other residents’ home batteries*, which are all linked ‘virtually’ through smart software and the internet.

By drawing electricity from this decentralised network, the VPP operator becomes a ‘virtual power plant’ that’s capable of aggregating large amounts of power to sell to the grid. 

*VPPs can also link electric vehicles (EVs) and controllable household loads like hot water systems, but currently, most VPP operators focus on batteries. 

How do VPPs work?

1. You sign on with a virtual power plant and share control of your battery in exchange for financial incentives. These can include bill credits, high tariff rates or a cut of profits on electricity sold (depending on your VPP plan).
2. To maximise revenue, the company charges your battery during the day (when electricity is cheapest) through solar or top-ups from the grid.
3. As wholesale electricity prices rise during peak times (such as at night), the company sells it to the grid for a higher price – this practice is called energy arbitrage.
4. Occasionally, grid demand spikes (usually during heatwaves or cold snaps) will send wholesale prices soaring, which can result in higher payouts, depending on your VPP company and plan. 

In addition to financial rewards, VPPs also assist in grid stability and reduce reliance on traditional expensive power sources like coal and gas plants during peak times. By providing clean, renewable energy en masse, they also cut carbon emissions, so it’s a win-win. 

A VPP company may be a traditional energy retailer if they offer it (like AGL, Origin or EnergyAustralia) or a separate operator (such as Amber, Reposit and Globird, for example).

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.

What you need to join a VPP

Requirements depend on the individual company, but generally you’ll need the following.

VPP-compatible home battery and inverter/controller

Most batteries these days are generally VPP-compatible, especially given it’s a condition of getting the federal government battery rebate (you don’t have to join a VPP to qualify for the rebate, but the battery must be compatible).

VPPs use apps or software to link your battery to their network, although some also require a special hardware controller to be installed. 

ĚÇĐÄVlog tip: Some virtual power plant companies only support certain battery and inverter brands – usually ones they’ve already tested with their network. So it’s worth checking our VPP product pages in advance of signing up or buying a battery.

Solar panels

Solar panels are not technically required as VPPs draw electricity from home batteries, not direct from your panels. But given panels generate cheaper power, they usually go hand-in-hand. 

Smart meter 

This is usually installed or upgraded as part of getting a battery. It’s essential for tracking your electricity imports and exports, plus VPP and energy retailer billing. 

Reliable internet connection

VPP companies rely heavily on a good remote connection to monitor battery status, initiate charge and discharge commands, and send notifications to your battery and app. 

A patchy home internet connection could hamper your VPP efficiency. 

What do virtual power plants pay you? 

In exchange for access to your battery, VPP companies offer a range of financial incentives that can further reduce your power bills and help you pay off your battery faster.

Benefits can include one or a combination of the following:

• upfront one-off incentives or discounts on batteries
• bill credits (monthly, quarterly or annually)
• premium feed-in tariff rates during certain time windows
• special export rates during grid price spikes
• free charging periods during day
• wholesale market revenue sharing. 

The last one is an approach used by VPPs like Amber and Discover. Instead of offering fixed benefits, customers can earn the actual market value of the energy sold (or a share of it) at the time.

This high-reward approach means you can make more money during extreme grid spikes, but earnings can be unpredictable and vary a lot annually. 

Choosing a VPP plan

With so many VPP companies offering a dizzying array of different financial benefits, it can make it hard and headache-inducing to compare them all and pick the best one for you and your power bills. 

For example, is a big upfront payment the way to go, or does a monthly bill credit offer better value? And what about the different special feed-in tariffs when the grid’s running red-hot at night? 

In addition, your virtual power plant options may be limited depending on where you live and the battery brand you’ve installed, as companies can be very particular about the products they work with.  

To help you wrap your head around it, check out our VPP product comparison page to see companies’ different incentives, conditions and compatible brands. 

With the boom in batteries, many electricity retailers now pay substantial feed-in tariffs (FiT) during peak evening times. These are usually lower (in some cases, much lower) than what VPPs offer, but sticking with them can be an alternative if you’re hesitant about joining a VPP or want to retain full control of your battery.

How much money can you make with a VPP?

It’s the biggest question around VPPs, especially with the hype around high VPP payments and $20 kWh price spikes.

But unfortunately there’s no easy answer. That’s because your earning potential depends on a unique range of variables that include: 

• your battery size (and how much power you reserve for yourself)
• the state/territory you live in – this determines VPP options and local electricity prices 
• your own energy consumption at home
• fluctuating wholesale market electricity prices
• your chosen VPP, how often they export power and the rates they pay (e.g. credits, feed-in tariffs, revenue share)
• the other fees you pay your retailer (e.g. daily supply charges).

Either way, make sure you read all contract terms fully and do some serious number-crunching to find the best deal for your home and usage. 

A virtual power plant can net you higher returns for your surplus power than you could get on your own (such as through your retailer’s standard evening feed-in tariffs). 

Can you really get $20 kWh during grid spikes?

As exciting as it sounds, high export prices such as $20kWh are extremely rare. And with the government’s battery scheme now in full swing and so much more stored solar going into the grid at peak times, such lucrative windfalls are probably a thing of the past. 

While you can still get very competitive rates during grid spikes compared to retailers’ usual feed-in tariffs (depending on your plan), it’s wise not to count on them too much in your energy bill calculations.

VPP fees: What do they charge?

Most VPP operators don’t charge you a participation or member fee, as their model is built around selling your surplus power at peak times for a profit. 

However, some do charge an establishment fee, monthly management fees or a one-off equipment fee, such as for a custom controller installed on your battery.  

Additionally, some do charge exit fees, but that’s usually only when they’ve given you an upfront bonus or battery discount when you signed up.

Why does a VPP need to control your battery?

We get it, it’s a daunting concept. When you’ve just spent thousands of dollars to install a new battery, the last thing you might want to do is give control of it to another company – especially if one of your motivations was energy independence.

But yes, if you want to join a VPP, you need to share control of your battery. Why? Because VPPs operate by dynamically charging their battery network when electricity is at its cheapest and exporting it at peak times to get the best prices. They need control to do this effectively in real time. 

But you still own the battery, and you can usually set your own limits and preferences so you’re not left high and dry. These conditions usually include: 

• maintaining a minimum battery reserve (often 10–30%)
• prioritising your household’s energy needs
• restricting VPP participation and power exports to certain times of day. 

Of course, doing this will limit your potential VPP earnings, but it’s a balancing act between your needs and the company’s.

Does a VPP affect battery longevity?

Yes, it can. Being part of a virtual power plant means more battery charges and discharges, which can rapidly increase its number of daily cycles (a cycle equals one full charge and discharge sequence). This can add more wear and tear to your battery and possibly shorten its lifespan.

Many home batteries come with a product warranty that covers ten years or around 6000 cycles (whichever comes first). The latter equates to around 16 years of use at one cycle a day, but obviously a trigger-happy VPP can speed that up by a lot and shorten the battery’s lifespan. 

Some companies stipulate the maximum number of cycles they can initiate in a day or set a total discharge amount for the year, but it’s another thing to consider in your VPP maths.

Government rebates 

Some state governments currently offer extra incentives to join a VPP in an effort to boost uptake and solar sharing.

Visit the websites below and ensure you check out the conditions and eligibility criteria to see if you qualify. 

Western Australia:

NSW:

South Australia:  

This content has been produced with funding support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). ĚÇĐÄVlog maintains full editorial independence and the views expressed are those of ĚÇĐÄVlog.

CEFC funding does not constitute an endorsement of any provider, product or service. Any links, tools or services enabling users to request quotes or connect with providers are operated independently by ĚÇĐÄVlog and are not endorsed or recommended by the CEFC.

The post Virtual power plants: How they work and what they pay you appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

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

The uptake expended much of the Program’s initial $2.3 billion budget way ahead of schedule, but thankfully the government upped the budget to a hefty $7.2 billion across the next four years. 

To ensure the budget lasts through to its 2031 end date, the government recently implemented new changes to the rebate’s rates and conditions, which came in from 1 May 2026.

Find out how the rebate has changed 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

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 faster 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. This is the new rate schedule below, as sourced from our friends at SolarQuotes.

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

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

The rebate has now switched from its initial 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 bigger 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.

The STC Factor rate now depends 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 VPP company. 

When you join, your battery is linked to this network through smart software and the internet.

To maximise revenue, the company charges your battery during the day (when electricity is cheapest) through solar or top-ups from the grid. Then when wholesale electricity prices rise during peak times (such as at night), they sell it to the grid for a higher price.

In return, you get a financial benefit, which might be bill credits, higher tariff rates or a cut of profits on electricity sold (depending on your VPP plan). 

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).

For a deeper dive into VPPs, including their pros and cons, check out our handy guide for newcomers, or our comprehensive breakdown of different virtual power plants on offer.

The post Solar home battery rebate: The big changes you need to know about appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

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 ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 ĚÇĐÄVlog.

Household arrays produced 14.2% of the energy supplied to the electricity grid in 2025, almost double the amount of five years earlier.

The public interest in solar has rapidly picked up pace as various state and federal subsidies have been rolled out.

As of 19 May this year, 343,874 solar batteries had already been installed under the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which was launched in July 2025.

Households with solar save about $1500 a year on their energy costs, so it’s no surprise that more and more people are jumping on board.

“Australia’s rooftop solar uptake is a national triumph and now accounts for 28.3 GW of installed capacity, eclipsing that of the country’s entire fleet of coal-fired generators”, Clean Energy Council chief executive Jackie Trad said in February. 

“It not only leads our national renewables rollout but also leads the rest of the world on a per capita basis.” (A gigawatt, or GW, equals 1 billion watts.)

“[Australians] have long had an appetite for energy independence to drive down bills and as a result have been adopting solar and battery technology at record pace for the last several years,” Trad said, adding that recent government home battery programs “have strapped a rocket to this momentum”.

Half of households locked out

It’s exciting times, except for around half of households in Australia, who face big obstacles.

A recent report from Energy Consumer Australia (ECA) points out that 33% of Australians rent their homes and have little control over which power sources come with them.

A further 7% are owner-occupiers living in apartments, where strata rules can throw a spanner into any attempt to install a solar system.

Then there’s the 10% of Australians who have a household income below $50,000, making it a long shot to purchase solar equipment, even with government subsidies on offer.

“Our data shows that millions of households are being locked out of the solar and battery revolution,” says ECA executive manager for analysis and advocacy, Ashley Bradshaw.

As a stopgap measure, the advocacy group is calling on state and territory governments “to urgently introduce minimum energy performance standards for rental properties, so renters can reduce their energy bills and improve their comfort and wellbeing, even if they cannot access solar or batteries directly”.

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 does the Solar Sharer Offer fit in?

Starting in July this year, the federal government’s new Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) will be available to households in NSW, South Australia, and South East Queensland, where the Default Market Offer applies. (The DMO is a regulated price – or “safety net” – designed to protect energy customers who passively accept their retailer’s default plan.)

Households with or without solar power are eligible as long as they’re equipped with a smart meter, including households that rent.

Under the program, energy retailers with more than 1000 customers will be required to offer a minimum of three hours of free electricity in the middle of the day, when solar power generation reaches its height. SSO offers are optional and will be available from your retailer. Free power usage will be capped at 24kWh per day.

In NSW and South East Queensland, the SSO plans on offer will include free electricity from  11am to 2pm, and in South Australia from 12pm to 3pm.

The goal for regulators is for energy customers to help use up all the excess solar power generated during the daytime.

In a consultation paper submitted to the federal government in December last year, ECA called for the SSO to be supported by “careful design and implementation”.

“This will not be achieved if costs are simply shifted to other times or other parts of the bill,” ECA wrote.

ECA also called for price guarantees “to ensure consumers do not end up paying more if they move to the SSO”.

Between those who can’t easily access or afford solar and those who already have it lies a large segment of the population that is still thinking about it.

“There remains a massive, untapped appetite for small-scale energy in Australia,” Bradshaw says.

“Our data reveals that 15% of Australian homes do not face these major barriers and are currently researching solar, while another 23% say they are interested in getting a battery. These aren’t households locked out by apartment living or rental agreements, these are families ready to invest right now.”

The hesitation can be linked to a limited understanding of the costs and benefits. Bradshaw says households that have yet to embrace solar “should have tailored, trusted, and well-publicised advice and support to make better energy decisions, including the purchase of a battery”.

He cites the efforts of Victoria’s State Electricity Commission, which recently launched a free advice service, Easy Electric SEC, to help households dispense with gas and go all-electric, including through solar technologies.

“We think all Australians deserve such advice and we encourage all governments to fund similar services.”

But getting rid of gas isn’t any easier than taking up solar if you’re a renter of a living in an apartment, as ECA made clear in an earlier report.

The technical obstacles to Australia fulfilling its geographical destiny of being fueled by the sun are dropping away day by day.

But the bigger hurdles seem to be socioeconomic, and they may be the hardest ones to overcome.

Get the inside story on our investigations into consumer rip-offs and bad business practices.

Sign up

Read our privacy policy

The post Why are millions missing out on the solar revolution? appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

And with the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program offering generous discounts since last July, batteries are booming too, with more than 400,000 already installed.

There’s never been a better time to get solar – or to be more vigilant about which installer you choose. Because while there are plenty of solid accredited suppliers out there, the current solar gold rush has attracted a swath of new operators keen to cash in and spruik dodgy ads to lure customers.

Getting several quotes and choosing the right installer ensures you get a fair price, quality components and installation, and great after-sales support. Vitally, that means your system can generate as much free solar as possible and reduce your power bills for decades to come. 

Here’s our easy expert guide to getting it right, spotting suss deals, and your consumer rights should things go awry.

On this page:

• Check installers’ accreditation
• Ask questions and do your research
• Get multiple quotes
• Beware super cheap deals
• Understanding warranties and what they cover
• Know your consumer rights

1. Check installers’ accreditation

Getting solar is an expensive investment, but the good news is that the solar industry has more accreditation than ever to protect consumers and maintain standards. 

The trick is knowing what accreditation to ask for and where you can check it.

When you’re sourcing installation quotes, it’s likely you’ll be dealing with:

• the company’s sales representative
• the company’s system designer (who puts the panels, inverters and battery design together)
• the installer (who actually gets on the roof and puts the system in place)
• a qualified electrician, who must sign off on the system and provide a certificate of compliance.

In some cases, one person (for example, a local electrician who specialises in solar installations) can cover all four roles. It’s also not unusual for larger retailers to secure the sale and contract, and then subcontract out the installation.

Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA)

Installers must be accredited by the Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) to operate legally. 

You can search for installers by name or accreditation number on the to ensure they are currently accredited. 

New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC)

To further protect consumers, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) created the NETCC program in 2023 as a way for businesses to demonstrate responsible practices relating to sales and marketing, installation and warranty support.

Unlike SAA accreditation, it’s a voluntary industry code of conduct designed to give consumers extra peace of mind. NETCC-approved sellers commit to a high standard of quality in:

• advertising, marketing and sales
• quotations, contracts and payment options
• delivery, installation and activation of the system
• compliance with all relevant laws and standards
• user information
• customer service
• warranty and complaints.

Visit the to find approved sellers in your area.

Solar components accreditation

The Clean Energy Council (CEC) is the accreditation body for solar system components, and is funded by industry. They maintain including panels, inverters and batteries that meet Australian standards. 

It’s highly unlikely that a reputable 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 are CEC-approved.

Remember: No accreditation, no rebate

It’s a condition of the federal government’s solar panel rebate and home battery rebate that all components, the designer and your installer are all properly accredited as above. If they’re not, you will be ineligible for these rebates.

2. Ask questions and do your research 

Before committing to a company, here’s a handy list of key questions you should ask them.

It may seem arduous and awkward, but it’s a lot better than not asking and ending up with an expensive dud deal. Besides, reputable companies will happily help you with your queries. 

Here’s what you should check:

• Are they SAA-accredited? 
• Are they NETCC-approved, as above? 
• How long have they been installing solar for?
• Does the company have a local office and phone number?
• Can they visit your home to do the quote? This is essential to review your home’s system needs, roof condition, any hidden issues and safety measures required (i.e. fire barriers or bollards for home batteries).
• What solar component brands do they stock? It’s worth researching the brands separately.
• Will the work be done by their own staff, or do they subcontract the installation to other companies or independent contractors? Are they also accredited?
• Is any additional work required, like switchboard or meter upgrades? Older houses may need these in order to get solar.
• What after-sales support do they offer and for how long?
• When can they start the job and how long will it take? Some companies can have hefty waiting lists.
• Can they refer you to previous customers so that you can ask about their service pre- and post-installation? 

Research them online 

In addition to asking questions, it’s helpful to do some cyber-sleuthing on the company and the brands they install. Key things to look for include:

• Have they been reviewed on our partner ?
• What do independent online reviews say? Keep in mind, some may not be legit but it’s still worth checking.
• How old is the company’s ABN? Check the – if it’s only been registered since April 2025, when the battery rebate was first announced, that could be a red flag.  
• What do reviews say about their brands’ components? SolarQuotes has a comprehensive list of .

To give you a head start with quotes from vetted installers, we’ve created the ĚÇĐÄVlog Solar Estimator with our solar partners, SolarQuotes. They are Australia’s most visited solar website and have been in the business since 2009.  

The tool is free to use, and will help you estimate your solar needs for your home, including solar battery storage. Plus if you want, this free service can connect you with three vetted installers in your local area for high-quality, obligation-free 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. Get multiple quotes and check them carefully

As with any major investment, we recommend sourcing at least three quotes for your installation. Again this might sound time-consuming, but it’s certainly worth the effort.

Getting multiple quotes provides a wider range of products and prices to choose from, and gives you more ammo to negotiate a better deal if need be. 

Additionally, talking to various installers is also great for getting intel on different system set-ups, like the best spots to position batteries, inverters and cabling (which can get ugly pretty quick), plus any other troubleshooting.

What to look for in a solar quote

• A printed formal document featuring the company’s name and key details (don’t accept hand-written quotes or receipts).
• An itemised list of all costs, labour and parts, including GST.
• The proposed system design with all components (panels, inverter and battery) specified by quantity, brand, model number and warranty.
• Clarity on substitutions for components if unavailable (beware of last minute downgrading, or upselling to more expensive ones!).
• Any additional work required on the premises. 
• An estimated timetable for supplying and installing the system.
• Applicable government rebates (officially known as Small-scale Technology Certificates, or STCs) and their resulting discounts 
• The actual installer should be named on the quote – are they a sub-contractor or in-house? The latter is preferred.
• Details of post-sales service and maintenance schedule (read more about how to maintain your solar panel system. 
• Business terms such as payment method, deposits and payment timetables, and how long the quote will be valid for.
• Additional costs: the quote should spell out clearly what future work is or isn’t covered by the quote, e.g. maintenance, system updates and so on.

4. Beware super cheap deals and dodgy tactics

With demand for solar running red-hot right now, some companies are trying everything to get your attention and business. 

We expose these shonky tactics more fully in our article on the red flags to watch out for, but here’s a topline summary of the warning signs to look out for. Be wary of any company that:

• Uses pushy sales techniques such as cold-calling or going door-to-door, and insists you sign up on the spot.
• Spruiks offers saying “limited time only”, “your suburb is now eligible” or “government rebates are ending now” (they do decrease over time, but they won’t end for years).
• Advertises “free solar”, “no net cost” or “no-interest finance” offers.
• Makes exaggerated claims such as “no more energy bills” or unrealistic investment payback times.
• Provides a lazy quote for a one-size-fits-all system (it should be customised to your home).
• Offers deals well under the usual market rate – you’ll end up with a poor-quality system.
• Offers a free “eligibility check” – it’s just a lead generator to get your info.
• Baits you with good-quality components and then swaps them for cheaper ones.
• Tries to upsell you to more expensive components.
• Only sells little-known brands untested in Australian conditions â€“ these may be OK but do exercise caution.

5. Understand warranties and what they cover

When it comes to solar, there are three different types of warranty you need to know about: 

Product warranty

This is the typical type of product warranty that offers repair or replacement if there are any critical manufacturing faults with the panels, inverter or storage battery. 

These average 20–30 years for solar panels, 10 for batteries and 5–10 for inverters depending on the product. As always, a longer warranty is a good indication of the manufacturer’s confidence in their product.

Performance warranty

Commonly included with solar panels and batteries, a performance warranty is a guarantee that as long as the equipment is functioning and undamaged, it will still deliver a guaranteed minimum performance for a certain time period. 

Most solar panels have 25-year performance warranties, while battery manufacturers often offer 10 years.

Workmanship warranty

This covers the provider’s workmanship in installing the system, including mounting racks, wiring and connections.

See our solar panel buying guide for more information.

6. Know your consumer rights if things goes wrong

Hopefully your installation goes smoothly and this is something you never need to resort to, but if your solar does go sideways, it’s important you know that your rights and protections under the Australian Consumer Law.

Cooling-off periods

Signed a deal on your doorstep but now you’re regretting it? When you sign a contract that has arisen from an unsolicited sale, a 10-day cooling-off period applies in which you can exit the deal.

Some suppliers may offer a 10-day cooling-off period in their terms, regardless of whether it was an unsolicited sale or not. Be sure to check.

Your rights under Australian Consumer Law

The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) offers protection for you if there are any problems with your solar system, whether that’s with the service provided by the installer, or the components of the system.

Service

The provision and installation of the solar PV system is a service by the solar company, and as such, according to the ACL it must be:

• performed with proper care and skill
• fit for a particular purpose or achieve the result you expected
• delivered within a reasonable time, or by the end date in a contract.

If you have a complaint about the service provided, see our guide to resolving issues with bad service under the ACL.

Products

The components of the system (including the panels, panel support racks, inverter, and electrical components) are covered by the ACL, just like any other product or appliance that you buy. Under the ACL, the components must be:

• of acceptable quality
• fit for purpose.

If the product fails to meet either of these conditions, you should be able to claim a repair, refund or replacement, depending on the nature of the problem.

See our guide to your rights with a faulty product for more advice on how to use the ACL to address any complaints with the installer or manufacturer.

The post How to find the best solar installer for panels and batteries appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

Water heating typically makes up around 25% of a household’s energy bill, second only behind heating and cooling costs, so it makes sense to soak up free sunshine to bring your costs down.  

Whether you’re considering a solar thermal heater on your roof or a heat pump powered by your solar array, both systems are significantly cheaper to run than conventional electric or gas heaters and can reduce costs by 70–80%. That’s great for your bank account and for the planet.

Solar water heaters and heat pumps do come with hefty upfront costs though, so you’ll need to do some research and maths to ensure they’re suitable for your home and budget. 

To give you a head start, this guide shines the light on the different sun-powered heating options, their various pros and cons, rebates and more.

On this page:

• Thermal solar hot water
• Heat pump systems
• Conventional electric hot water and solar diverters
• Payback times for solar hot water
• Government rebates
• Installation and maintenance

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.

Solar heating types: Prices, pros and cons

Traditionally, ‘solar hot water’ referred to a roof-mounted thermal hot water system (see option 1), but these days people use it to describe other types of sun-powered setups, like using solar panels or a battery to power a heat pump unit or electric heater, so keep this in mind when shopping around.

Let’s dive into the different options now:

1. Thermal solar hot water

Not to be confused with solar panels that generate electricity (as they do look similar), these heater systems consist of a storage tank and roof-mounted thermal collectors, which absorb heat from the sun to warm circulated water. 

Collectors usually come in two forms:

Flat plates: Glass panel boxes absorb sunlight and heat a network of copper water pipes inside. 

Evacuated tubes: Vacuum-sealed glass tubes trap sunlight inside to heat the water (or a separate heat transfer fluid). They’re more insulated so they’re better suited to colder climates, but they are more expensive and fragile. 

These systems can mount the water storage tank on the roof or on the ground. The former is called a thermosiphon system, which bolts the tank and collectors on the roof, while a pumped split-system has collectors on the roof and the tank on the ground. 

The best option for you will depend on your water needs, the design of your home and of course, roof strength. 

The tank usually has an electric or gas booster element to keep the water hot on days with less sunshine. 

Price range: $4000–$8000 fully installed. Systems with a roof-mounted tank are usually cheaper than split systems, and electric-boosted systems are cheaper than gas-boosted ones.

Tank size for 4-person household: 300–360L (plus ~4sqm of solar collector area on roof)

Pros:

• Very energy efficient 
• Low running costs (virtually free if powering with solar energy) 
• Simple sturdy design means systems can last decades (if well maintained)

Cons:

• Quite expensive and time-consuming to install 
• Requires dedicated roof space, which may be limited if you have (or plan to install) solar panels 

2. Heat pump hot water system

Using the same heat pump principle as a fridge or air conditioner, this is a very efficient electric storage tank system that extracts heat from surrounding air and uses it to heat water.

Units are usually integrated (tank and compressor together) but can also be split (separate tank and compressor). They need to be installed in a well-ventilated area, usually outdoors, and the unit compressor can be noisy, like an outdoor air con unit.  

Heat pumps tend to work best in warm and temperate regions, but most are able to run effectively in cold weather, and some are specifically designed for cold climates. Most systems have a booster element for days of cold weather or high demand.

Most systems have an integrated timer, so that you can set it to run at optimal times, i.e. during the day when ambient air is warmest and your solar panels (if you have them) produce cheap electricity. 

Price range: $3000–$7000 fully installed. More expensive units are typically more efficient, quieter and can heat water faster.

Tank size for 4-person household: Approximately 270–315L tank. Tank sizes generally range from 125–400L.

Pros:

• Very energy efficient 
• Low running costs (virtually free if powering with solar energy) 
• Easier to install than thermal solar hot water systems

Cons:

• Cheaper units can be noisy so don’t install too close to your neighbours
• Fairly expensive (can be double the price of a standard electric system)

3. Conventional electric hot water and solar PV diverters 

If you’re after an option with smaller upfront costs, you might consider a conventional (resistive) electric heater and use your solar-generated power to run it. 

These older-school heaters are definitely not as efficient as a heat pump, but if you’re generating ample solar, that might not matter as much to you. Of course, doing so leaves less spare electricity for other uses, so it depends on your priorities and budget.

To optimise efficiency, you can set your electric heater to a timer so it only operates during the day when solar is generating (or if your retailer offers free day-time electricity as some have started to do).

Another option here is to use a solar diverter, which directs excess electricity generated from your photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to your hot water system. 

Usually this surplus power is exported to the grid, and you’re paid a feed-in tariff (FiT) for it. However, with FiTs rapidly dropping over time, it may be more cost-effective to use some of the excess power in your hot water system.

Note that this method assumes there’s enough excess solar power to run the hot water system as well as your household appliances. 

Price range: $2000–$3000 fully installed (plus $1000–$2000 for a diverter)

Tank size for 4-person household: 160L–250L (250–315L if choosing to use off-peak electricity).

Pros:

• Cheaper to buy and install
• Can run on off-peak electricity if you don’t have solar

Cons:

• Less energy-efficient so higher power bills (unless running on solar)

Payback times for solar hot water

Most households switching from a gas or electric tank system to a thermal solar or heat pump setup should find that their hot water costs drop by approximately 70–80%. 

But exact payback times can vary a lot, because they depend on your individual home, the system you’re replacing and (of course) the size and price of the new solar or heat pump hot water system. 

Your water usage too is obviously critical to the equation. The more hot water you use, the more you benefit from cheaper hot water, so payback time is reduced.

For example, if you’re a big household that takes lots of long showers or baths, your system could be paid off in as little as three years. However, if you’re a two-person household that takes brief showers, it could take 10+ years.

That said, here’s a rough guide if you’re changing over from electricity or gas.

Replacing an electric hot water system

Running an electric storage tank hot water system can make up a quarter of your electricity bill. 

If you replace an electric hot water system with a solar or heat pump hot water system, the new system’s cost savings will probably pay for itself in about five years or less (for a four-person home that uses a fair bit of hot water – payback may take longer for homes that use smaller amounts of hot water).

Replacing a gas hot water system

Changing from a gas system to a solar or heat pump hot water system usually takes longer to pay itself off, because gas is actually quite an efficient way to heat water. 

For small households with relatively low hot water consumption, a continuous flow (instantaneous) gas hot water system is often relatively cheap to install and run.

Of course there are other considerations around gas hot water systems; you might be aiming to get your home completely off gas for environmental and long-term cost reasons. 

Unfortunately it can be a bit more complicated to replace a gas system with an electric heat pump one. For example, new electrical circuits or connections may be needed as part of the installation. 

Likewise, an instantaneous gas hot water system might not be easily replaceable by an instantaneous electric or a heat pump system (an equivalent instant electric system might need three-phase power, and a heat pump system needs space for the tank and compressor). 

You can estimate the cost savings for replacing your gas hot water system by looking at your gas bills. A solar hot water system will probably reduce them by about 60% or more, depending on how much of the gas bill is due to hot water (if you have ducted gas heating in your home, for example, that may be a much bigger factor in your gas bill than the hot water). 

The payback time for gas hot water systems is generally 5–10 years.

Government rebates 

While federal discounts for solar panels and home batteries are well publicised, you might not know that you can also get them for solar or heat pump hot water systems. Note: technically speaking, these discounts aren’t rebates, but they are commonly called this by installers and the public. 

Some state and territory governments also offer their own incentives, which can be combined with the federal ones. Some have limited numbers though, so do your research.

Federal government incentives

These use the same government-regulated framework as the panels/battery scheme. 

Operating under the wider Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (you can see why people just call it a “rebate”), STCs offer a financial incentive with a dollar value you can ‘earn back’ as a discount.

The number of STCs you can get for your solar or heat pump system depends on a number of factors: your location, the specific model and its efficiency, and the projected energy savings. 

In most cases, the easiest way to use STCs is to sell them to the company supplying your new hot water system – they usually ‘pay’ you by discounting the system you’re buying. 

The discount is usually included in the quoted price, but make sure their quote is clear about that. You can also trade the STCs yourself, but it’s trickier and might not be worth the effort.

The market price for STCs is currently around $35–$40, so you can get around $600–$1000 back at the moment depending on the above factors.

Different suppliers may quote different amounts for STCs, which is another reason to get multiple quotes.

State government incentives

In addition to federal STCs, some state governments operate energy-efficiency incentive schemes that can make your hot water system cheaper. 

To find incentives and rebates for hot water systems, visit the . Select the state you live in and select ‘hot water’ as your area of interest. Or, just contact your state government.

Some manufacturers and suppliers also have rebate calculators on their websites.

Installation and maintenance

Installing a solar thermal hot water system can be more complex and time-consuming than a conventional electric or gas system, so if your old heater has just carked it, it’s probably not a viable option unless you’re OK with taking cold showers for weeks while your new system is installed.

A heat pump hot water system is easier to install, as it’s often situated and plumbed in just like other outdoor electric tank systems.

Solar hot water panels need a section of roof with good access to sunlight, preferably facing north for maximum exposure. With a thermosiphon system, the roof might need reinforcing as it has to bear the load of the water tank. And if the roof is difficult to access, the supplier might charge more for installation. 

Check with your local council about building regulations. Councils probably won’t object to you installing a solar hot water system or heat pump, but there may be restrictions. 

For example, noise regulations cover the noise from a heat pump hot water system. The installer should know the relevant regulations but it’s still worth checking with them – you don’t want to end up in a dispute with your neighbour over a noisy heat pump.

Maintenance

Solar and heat pump hot water systems should run without problems for years, and in most cases they should not need significantly more maintenance than a regular hot water system. An inspection every five years is worthwhile (just as it is for a regular hot water system). 

The cost for inspecting and maintaining a solar hot water system may be a little higher, as the tradesperson will need to get onto the roof to check and clean the solar collectors and connections. 

Just as with any hot water system, there are parts such as pressure valves and sacrificial anodes in the tanks that may need occasional replacement. A full service will likely cost $300–500 depending on parts and labour.

Getting quotes from installers

Suppliers usually need about 30 minutes to visit and assess your home. Retail suppliers are often connected with just one or two brands, but most brands have a wide range of products, so suppliers should be able to quote on a range of different types and models. 

As always, get quotes from at least three suppliers to ensure you get the best service. That might sound like a chore, but it’s worth it to get a range of prices and recommendations on the best way to install the system.

Questions the supplier should ask you:

• How many people live in the house? How much showering and hot clothes washing do you do each day, and what time of day do you do it?
• What sort of hot water system do you currently have?
• Is gas connected to the property?

Questions you should ask the supplier:

• Is installation included in the quote?
• How long will it take from placing the order to completion?
• How many STCs does the system qualify for? Is STC buyback included, and at what price for the STCs?
• Can they help you with other government rebates?
• Is it better to get an integrated heat pump or a split-system?
• How loud will it be and where can it be installed so as to not annoy neighbours?

The post Solar hot water: How to buy the best system for your home appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

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 ĚÇĐÄVlog 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

ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 ĚÇĐÄVlog 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 ĚÇĐÄVlog.