It didn’t take long for over-enthusiastic marketers and dodgy players to start distorting the nature of Labor’s proposed federal government battery rebate scheme in their advertising.
In early April, Federal Labor pledged to slash the cost of buying and installing home batteries under its $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program; generally hailed by the solar industry as a win-win for all.
The announcement was soon followed by instances of misleading advertising and posts on Facebook (and elsewhere) as solar companies started looking to fill order books. Some of this material is based on misunderstandings about the subsidy, some a result of marketing departments working without sufficient oversight – but no doubt some is intentionally misleading.
Whatever the reason, it’s not a good look.
Here are some of the claims we’ve seen that prospective home battery buyers should be aware of.
False: It’s Definitely Happening
The government rebate for home batteries kicks off on July 1 – if Labor wins the federal election. We spotted a post (ad) where a commenter pointed out this was omitted, and in a response the company acknowledged they should have mentioned it in their post – but still failed to update it to reflect that critically important point. Related to this sort of claim are ads giving the impression the rebate is available right now, which simply isn’t so.
An example of an advertisement that failed to specify that the rebate is dependent on the election result.
False (So Far): Coalition Supports The Rebate
Following on from claims the subsidy is a done deal, some have said the Coalition supports Labor’s scheme. But the Coalition haven’t publicly backed it. It’s now nearly three weeks since Labor formally unveiled the proposed program. There’s just over a week to go before election day and postal voting has already begun. If the Coalition are going to back this program or announce an incentive of their own to woo voters, time is running short.
Misleading: You Can Install A Battery Now
While Australians *can* install a solar battery now and be eligible, what’s been missing in various ads is it can’t be switched on before July 1 – but an accompanying new solar installation can be. Switching on the battery prior to July 1 would make that installation ineligible for the subsidy.
Misleading: Double Dipping On Rebates
Some promotional material states the national battery rebate can be claimed along with state battery incentives. While Labor is aiming to have the discount work alongside any existing state schemes, there are some potential complications.
Misleading: Rebate Levels
We’ve spotted ads giving a firm figure of $370 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) useable battery capacity as the rebate level. While $372 per kilowatt-hour of useable capacity is the theoretical maximum, that’s before administrative fees and charges. To get an *estimate* of how much you could save on a residential energy storage system, try our federal battery rebate calculator.
Misleading: Batteries On Offer
There have been instances of ads showing well-known solar battery brands – but clicking through reveals systems of questionable quality from other manufacturers.
While all home batteries installed under the subsidy program must be Clean Energy Council approved, not all are equal. A good quality battery system is crucial not only in terms of maximising energy bill savings, but for durability and safety. And bear in mind even good quality kit can be ruined by lousy installation – corner-cutting is a concern under any subsidy program.
Other Troublesome Bits
Some businesses are creating a sense of scarcity needlessly. Needlessly, because with millions of rooftop solar power systems installed across Australia, there is a huge amount of interest and pent-up demand for the subsidy already.
While there will be a rush, this proposed scheme will operate until the end of 2030 and there’s no cap on the number of subsidies; so claims of limited rebate availability are at best misguided. However, the level of financial support will gradually reduce each year on January 1.
There are also rather optimistic figures concerning battery payback times being bandied about. The subsidy will significantly cut down the amount of time it takes for a battery to pay for itself, but solar battery payback will vary greatly depending on the circumstances.
Finally, we’ve also seen misrepresentation of the Cheaper Home Batteries program as a state rebate rather than a national scheme ( for whatever reason).
SolarQuotes recently reached out to several solar battery installers with whiffy advertising, pointing out the issues. To their credit, all have either edited their posts/ads or pulled them altogether.
But it shouldn’t be this way – dodgy advertising erodes consumer trust. Even if pages linked to from these ads explain the incentive in greater detail, consumer expectations may be set too high initially. A disillusioned or confused potential home battery buyer might decide it’s just not worth the hassle of wading through the crap. Worse still, befuddled buyers looking to install solar panels as well may be scared off; robbing them of significant and ongoing savings on their electricity bills.
Installers aren’t the only ones promoting the rebate – Labor is of course campaigning heavily on the plan. Contrary to what this ad claims, the amount saved could be higher or lower depending on the battery.
Where To Find Accurate Info On The Battery Rebate
For accurate information on the subsidy and what you can (safely) do now to get ahead of the rush, see our federal government battery rebate explainer – we’re updating that page as new information is available or existing details clarified. Also sign up for the SolarQuotes newsletter for the latest news about the proposed incentive.
On a related note, find out the true cost of $999 solar + battery deals targeting Victorians that have also been popping up on Facebook recently. Also be wary of ads concerning WA’s battery subsidy and the NSW battery rebate – there’s a lot of misleading advertising going on there too.
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Shonks coming out of the woodwork – whoda thunked that would happen!
If Labor is in a position to form a minority government after the election, who knows what deals they will do with minor parties to get guarantee of supply. They have form in this area – so I wouldn’t be counting my eggs at this point in time. Who knows, the offer could get better if they have to deal with the Greens!
If you really want the subsidy, wait the couple of months to see how it shakes out.
In the interim i am waiting for the solarquotes “battery only” 3 quotes variant!
Labour would not officially publish the entire T&C for obvious reasons, therefore there is nothing for a regular consumer to validate claims against. Everyone is free to interpret the way it suits their interest and catch fish in the muddied waters of politics.
Any company sending out misleading ads and email like this Should be given a wide berth and not used. Only use reputable local installers.