Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen spruiks Labor’s battery election promise.
Federal Labor has vowed to slash the cost of purchasing and installing a new home battery by 30%, under a $2.3 billion plan that forms a key part of its re-election pitch.
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program offers support for “Virtual Power Plant (VPP) ready battery systems” installed alongside new or existing solar panels, capped at one battery per household.
Labor intends for the subsidy scheme to begin from July this year should the party win the federal election, with batteries between 5-50kWh in capacity eligible for support.
How Will Labor’s Home Batteries Program Work?
The program would be delivered under the longstanding Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), which already offers subsidies for rooftop solar.
Depending on uptake, the rate of subsidy can be adjusted annually, with the discount to progressively decline until 2030.
In addition to residential households, small businesses and community facilities would also be able to access the subsidy.
Labor claims the discount will work alongside any state schemes, although how exactly the proposed program will interact with battery subsidies such as those offered by the NSW and WA governments is not yet clear.
Solar battery incentives exist in some states/territories, but the absence of federal support means home batteries have remained out of reach for many Australians due to their current cost.
Pitching the plan as offering cost-of-living relief, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:
“We want to make sure Australians have access to cheaper, cleaner energy. This is good for power bills and good for the environment.”
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said:
“Households and businesses having batteries means we can keep solar energy on tap and keep energy bills down consistently.”
A special industry briefing was held by the Smart Energy Council with Bowen this morning. Here’s a very quick summary of what we learned:
- Batteries installed from now to July 1 will also be eligible (assuming Labor is returned to power), but cannot be switched on until July 1.
- While the subsidy will be available for eligible battery systems 5kWh – 50kWh capacity (useable), a system up to 100kWh can be installed.
- Per the SRES, systems must be Clean Energy Council approved and installers appropriately accredited.
- Batteries will need to be VPP-capable, but there’s no requirement for VPP participation.
- Labor is aiming to have off-grid installations covered as well.
- The subsidy will be *approximately* $372 per kilowatt-hour useable capacity (theoretical maximum), *minus* any admin fees and charges. And as with the SRES (national solar rebate), the subsidy will decrease over time.
- You can “double-dip” – meaning this will be in addition to state battery incentives. Bowen mentioned his understanding was a small tweak to New South Wales’ PDRS regulations will be required to get the NSW battery rebate as well.
- Owners of existing battery systems can install another/additional system and be eligible.
- The battery must be attached to a new/existing solar system. To extend it to those without solar systems would have required a change in legislation rather than just regulations.
- For owners of multiple properties, a system can be installed at each.
- The scheme will be uncapped in terms of the number of subsidies.
- The Government will buy the certificates created under the SRES. It says this means no upward pressure on power prices.
Again, bear in mind this scheme hinges on Labor being returned to power. And at the time of updating this article, the Coalition hadn’t really commented one way or another on the initiative; nor its own plans.
We’ll have more details, clarification and commentary on this subsidy as further information becomes available, so stay tuned.
What Savings Could The Program Deliver?
Labor claims the scheme could net savings of roughly $4,000 for a “typical” 11.5 kWh battery.
More than 4 million rooftop solar power systems have been installed in Australia to date and many owners are eager to add a home battery, particularly given feed-in tariffs aren’t as generous as they once were.
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program looks like it would make residential energy storage an achievable reality for many more Australian households. But just because you can do something, it doesn’t always mean you should.
If you want to find out how much you could save through the scheme, try our federal battery rebate calculator.
To get an idea of how much solar panels and a battery storage system could save your household and estimated simple payback time, try SolarQuotes’ solar and battery calculatorĀ (for owners of existing solar systems, our add battery calculator is the tool for you).
If you want to include Labor’s promised 30% discount, factor that into your preferred system’s cost as you make your calculations.
Getting a home battery can, very generally speaking, deliver realistic annual electricity bill savings of $730 – $1,680 with a battery offering 13.5 kWh capacity. The upper end of that estimate applies when the battery is part of a Virtual Power Plant program. Added to those savings are the benefits of greater energy security and less dependence on the grid – while still having it there if/when needed.
SolarQuotes fact-checker Ronald Brakels says that as the scheme stacks with the NSW and WA battery grants, he thinks “everyone with a rooftop suitable for solar in these states should get a battery unless their electricity consumption is unusually low.”
The Broader Benefits Of Home Batteries
Those still unable to install a battery for whatever reason, or not interested in doing so should still benefit from schemes incentivising their rollout.
Among the broader community benefits of home batteries:
- Enhancing grid stability.
- Decreasing grid demand during peak, helping to avoid or defer infrastructure upgrades.
- Putting downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices – particularly during peak when prices are at their highest.
- The ability to orchestrate home batteries participating in Virtual Power Plants to better support the grid and soak up excess solar energy in the middle of the day.
- Helping build Australia’s renewable storage capacity as coal power plants cough their last.
The results of SolarQuotes’ 2025 Installers Choice Awards for Best Home Batteries.
Choosing The Right Solar Battery
As with solar systems, we’re now spoiled for choice in Australia with residential energy storage options. But as with other components such as solar panels and inverters, some home batteries are better than others. Besides brand general quality and support issues, the right solution for one household may not be the best solution for another. And there’s always the challenge of cutting through vendor spin and avoiding aggressive sales tactics.
To learn everything you need to know to make an informed decision, see our up-to-date home battery guide. It includes a comparison table where you can view estimated pricing (before incentives) and specifications of residential energy storage solutions side-by-side.
For more on how much Labor’s proposed incentive could actually save off the price of a battery in practice, and some potential issues with the scheme, read our deep-dive explainer.
Additional reporting by SolarQuotes Editor Max Opray.
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I know details are probably still sketchy, but I wonder if the one battery per household limit includes those who already have a battery, and wanted a second under the program?
Hi Nick,
I sat thru a webinar with the minister at 9am Sunday… word is that any legacy battery will be ignored.
You can get incentives for up to 50kWh of new storage (and a total cap of 100kWh installed)
Right! Thanks. Be interested to see the VPP requirementsā¦
If this scheme goes ahead.. When you say you can double dip, does this mean in Victoria that someone can apply for the interest free loan for a battery on top of this new battery scheme?
Hi Tash,
The new scheme is part of the existing SYC incentive on solar, so yes it will run in parallel with any other state incentive like the PDRS in NSW, battery subsidy in WA & NT or other loan schemes.
Hi. I am about to have one installed. Am I still eligible?
Hi Tomas,
The incentive scheme will be backdated so you’re eligible, but your battery can’t be turned on until 1st July.
@Anthony, how does one go about doing this with Tesla Powerwall’s? If they are being installed now, should I ask the installer not to provision them using the Tesla app until July 1?
Could might are always the words they use, I have never meet anyone that has ever found those savings
Hi John,
Plug some details in here and you’ll find the savings are tailored to your own bill with your own data.
https://www.solarquotes.com.au/battery-storage/calculator/
“capped at one battery per household”
I wonder what this could mean.
1 battery “system”, 1 battery module [>5kwhs]?
By the way congratulations to SQ for revising the details of Sungrow battery in the table, to note the ACTUAL “usable storage capacity” despite Sungrow’s fraudulent data sheet and marketing, though the figure quoted is what can be used from the energy stored. The latter might well be what’s nominated. It’s just that it ALL can’t be used.
I wonder how other manufacturers attain 100% usable storage capacity or usable energy. I wouldn’t be surprised if these are overstated too.
I suppose the only other question is, how many people will likely need new inverters, and what will that cost?
Only those who want a DC coupled battery and don’t have a compatible hybrid inverter. I believe SolarEdge has an upgrade path for their older inverters when you buy a SolarEdge Home Battery and Backup Interface. Which begs the question, would the cost of the Backup Interface be included in the rebate calculation?
https://www.solaredge.com/aus/trade-up
Could yoy get a battery like a SigenStor from Sigenergy that also includes an Inverter and a DC Charger. You still get the approx $370 per KWH for the battery component.
Not sure if they are on the vic solar VPP capable list
Hi Stephen,
Most likely yes. All batteries have to have some sort of inverter attached.
I keep hearing the Govt rhetoric that batteries are coming down – they’re not. And now how many retailers and installers are going to jack their prices up in anticipation of the Gove being re-elected and this rebate being effective from July 2025.
3 years ago the 10kw battery installed was $16000.
My last quote 14 days ago was $16000.
Hi John,
Those numbers are a bit meaningless without the context as to why you’re over the $1000/kWh installed price benchmark.
Is yours a difficult installation?
What models are you using?
3 yrs ago a quote for a 9.3kWh battery and install was $9,590. I declined.
With the $5000 WA rebate looming, I reached out again. Last week a quote (same company) for a 13.3kWh battery (same brand, newer generation) and install was $8,990.
Guess it depends where you’re asking and what you’re asking for.
2 years ago I paid $2,000 per Sungrow module (3.3kwh) for 3 modules. Last month the best quote I could find was $1,850 per module for another 3 modules.
If you live in the EU, you can purchase a top of the line, fully EU approved 51.6v/16.5kwh unit from China for around AUD$2,200 delivered. It’s compatible with about 20 different inverters from all major manufacturers. It uses certified Grade A prismatic cells from EVE. The best in the world.
I would need to spend over $9,000 on Sungrow modules (which come from China) to get the same capacity as I could get for $2,200 from China directly.
Yet those big battery manufacturers just won’t bother going to the trouble of getting their batteries approved for Australia because the CEC makes it so incredibly difficult and expensive.
I’m hugely in favour of the battery scheme, but right now the majority of those funds will go to lining the pockets of a few companies that are absolutely ripping off Aussies because of the CEC.
CEC if for your protection. It will be a shame if your property burns down because you did not pay protection money š
Gate’s response to Lachlan is off the track – Australia doesn’t have any standards for these batteries, only for their installation. So I reckon they must rely on standards from elsewhere such as the EU. Many of the Chinese manufacturers are getting there batteries tested and certified in European, US, and South Korean laboratories and to the respective standards. It wouldn’t take CEC much to have requirements in place for approvals based on manufacturers/importers submitting such certifications to CEC rather than CEC pulling apart and testing themselves. CEC must be using one of those standards anyhow so WTF?
Well, they need something attractive to wriggle back in power.
Exactly what I’ve been thinking any sort of Govco battery rebate offer should look like.
Tied to a VPP, so there is some return on the rebate offered.
The devil will be in the detail . . .
How long tied to a VPP offer ?
Will an Amber type supplier be acceptable, or does it have to be a retailer ?
Will the offer be stable, or subject to diminishing benefits, like solar with ever lowering FITs and penalties for productive hours (Sun tax) ?
How much of your battery will Govco want to take in part of a VPP ?
If it allows at least full coverage of the home it’s fitted to, and they leave say 20% minimum to create the best longevity of the battery, all ok.
Will those details remain the same, or be subject to mandatory changes / emergency use by Govco or power authorities at their whim ?
Time will tell, we probably won’t get details until after an election.
…Exactly what Iāve been thinking any sort of Govco battery rebate offer should look like.
Tied to a VPP, so there is some return on the rebate offered…..
Why do people think that a battery must be in a VPP to deliver some form of community good? It doesn’t.
If you aren’t drawing from the grid because your drawing from an alternative battery source then the capacity in the grid both in terms of generation and carriage over poles and wires is available for others consumers. That upgrade that has to happen to now allow further suburban expansion etc down the road from you (assuming we can find building materials and tradesmen available to actually build these mythical houses) can be pushed back if 1/3 of the existing suburbs no longer draws from the generator or the poles and wires.
The only issue with a battery not in a VPP is that only the owner can call on it…. being in a VPP simply means that the owner might not be able to call on it cause his neighbour already has…
Yes, the grid benefits sans VPP are obvious, but if someone’s paying 30% of your battery, you’d sort of expect they will want to get something back.
I feel localised sharing of excess power is a great idea, reduce the grids overall needs and do something to really bring down real cost of power for all, mostly for others that can’t afford, or for other reasons get solar.
I just find it hard to fathom how retailers are going to feel about this.
They will lose a lot of retail power charges, maybe benefits for those that can get battery added to their solar will not be passed on to grid / others for savings in generation needs, maybe retailers will have to keep charging those with more than zero grid needs more and more, along with every household / business paying more and more ‘other’ charges.
As said, the devil will be in the final details, my guess is it will be a little carrot, but many might be better to go their own way, so to avoid being tied into such a ‘deal’.
Many thanks for this prompt update. I am almost in the market for a battery.
However, a bit confused by the details for input.
I am with PowerShop, all day usage.
Block period is monthly (ie: bill period)
My last bill shows 179kWh for $0.2893/kWh
( c/kWh for remaining, I think I do not have this)
Supply charge: is the for the service to my property?
My feed in tariff : $0.052/kWh
And, do not have any discount ( this maybe concession)?
If I amhaving difficulty with this input, maybe others, have also.
You may refresh the input with definitions, that could be helpful.
You service is timely and am interested to know my cost.
Regards, David
I’ve got a BYD/ Fronius setup for about 6 months and haven’t paid a cent since installing it. 10kw battery, @15k solar panels in southern Vic. Very happy, might add another module to the battery (2kw) just in case for winter
The normal houses uses 22kw a day.
I wonder how you gt so much sun in Victoria currently
A 15kW solar can produce more than 34kWh/day on average in Victoria, even in winter.
I don’t know about you, but I would change my behavior to match the cheapest priced power. We’ve only had a 3kW solar PV system for 12 years and haven’t had a significant bill in all that time.
It’s irrelevant really as to winter, when you have a battery you can charge when power is cheap of the grid when needed, and use in peak times.
What matters is how you can shift wherever you ae getting your power from, PV or the grid.
Our home uses 16kwh to 20kwh a day, almost year round.
We don’t have a battery (yet), just the 11.23kw system (15 months old).
Each day we cover all our power needs, even in full rain cloud sky, and still send 79% of our production to the grid.
Our consumption is around 50/50, so getting a battery will really work for us to get the bill gone for good *, and we get blackout protection as a bonus.
* At least until the rules get changed (again) to decrease benefits.
Pretty sure this next step will at least cover us for payback.
Excellent Les, I love seeing when people actually make the effort a look at their power usage and what they can do to help themselves.
I was just pointing out to John Holmes that his 22kWh was less than what could be generated with decent solar array at its worst time of year down south.
And as you said, a battery makes the time of year irrelevant if you can charge it cheaply from the grid.
I’m hoping for a Labor win so we can bring out solar/battery plans forward.
Hi Herv, I won’t go as far as to say I hope Labor gets in because of this battery offer, there is too much other matters to consider with them coming to power again.
Never fear though, it’s very likely with greens / teal preferences and support to Labor (with a LOT of conditions), Labor is a good chance to hold balance of combined power again.
Then the other side, if Liberal coalition get in, they will have a similar or perhaps better offer too.
No matter how / who we vote for, we will end up with one of the two uni parties in :/
Good on you for taking the solar route, it’s certainly a no brainer for anyone that can self consume, and solar / battery for those that can’t.
I feel now with FITs decreasing to almost nil / solar soak penalties coming, you’d be mad now not to over invest in solar and battery even if you can self consume a lot, we are just headed that way.
You are doing the right thing (like I did), make an effort to educate yourself as to some basics of solar / battery
Hehe In saying I hope Labor gets in was purely self interest in regards to the scheme. I could say the same thing for the LNP come up with something solid, wishful thinking I know š
We’ve actually got an teal running in our electorate now that Karen Andrews isnt running. It’s an LNP stronghold here, but its good to see a fresh face!
I have a Fronius Primo Inverter. Looking at BYD battery. What BYD model do you have?
I have a Primo too, but leaning towards a SigenStor battery and gateway instead (as it gives me the flexibility of adding DC EV charger in the future). Their docs say the Primo is compatible (along with several other non hybrid inverters) but you need to install an extra energy monitor so it knows how much energy is being generated. Wouldnāt it be great if there was a standard and the systems all communicated, but thatās another discussion.
I only wished this scheme did 30% of total cost as the only suitable battery location at my place is on the diagonally opposite corner to my meter box so Iām up for some long runs of cable. On the plus side, it is close to the carport for a DC charger.
We cannot get solar panels (we planted too many trees 30 years ago). Does the battery subsidy apply to batteries that draw from the grid during the day and then power the house in the evening?
Hi David,
As I understand it, this subsidy is brought about by adjusting the existing STC solar incentive scheme using a change in regulation, so there must be solar installed.
Batteries for those without a roof is a massive missed opportunity here, but without new legislation there’s no option available to do that.
Maybe you need to get 1 panel…
Been thinking about that, apartment living, couple of panels hung over the balcony, , ,
Is there information on whether this will be means tested like a lot of other subsidies?
Yes, there is. It’s not.
The best way to entice battery take up and help solve the duck curve would’ve been to up the fit say in-between 4 and 7 and no export limit in those hours a lot of us have power were not allowed to send !!
I’ve got a 10kw system but export limited to 5 so heaps of power to put in a battery if I was gunna send it back for a profit in-between 4 and 7 !!
Thus is applicable to Hybrid Inverter / Battery Combinations yes such as BYD’s new upcoming Battery Box TH?
I assume this will make all in one battery solutions much more appealing as essentially you are getting w massive discount on the inverter part you otherwise wouldn’t get it buying a system with separate components right?
Apert from the obvious, what are advantages with a disconnected hybrid inverter and battery setup as opposed to an all in one for a new system?
With the Govt. paying and no doubt choosing the cheapest offer how do I know I won’t end up with a LG type battery that might catch fire as shonky solar panel dealers sprung up soon after that scheme started.
While the bribe from Labor seems tempting, will Bowen and Co. dictate the cheapest nasty battery be installed? Or is the customer free to choose what they can afford? I am still concerned about have a battery time bomb installed under my house roof. Also to give licence to the power companies to manipulate through software/hardware the, ability to drain my battery because it’s cheaper to do so rather than buy expensive megawatts on the open market. becausae the grid is unstable due to no sun or no wind.
Too right it’s a bribe. Wait til everyone realises the Labor party is only full of incentives, rebates and subsidies because the money comes from the citizenry anyway. Inheritance taxes and death taxes are on the way with a Labor dictatorship.
Hi Richard,
We try to keep the comments factual & informative so I’ll mention STCs (the solar rebate) aren’t tax dollars.
The 200 largest polluters in the country are buying the environmental goodness of solar up front, making solar cheap for everyone.
It’s a quazi carbon tax and it’s been a roaring success, establishing the new industry we need as electrification picks up.
Labor is accused of running a “mediscare” campaign at every election, because the Tories have a known track record of abolishing, attacking, or just trying to americanise the health system.
Liberals removed death duties between 77 & 82 but the closest thing Labor has ever got to reintroducing them is a recommendation in the Henry tax review of community consultation on the subject.
Bearing in mind they implimented at most 3 of the 138 Henry tax recommendations, can you produce any evidence of impending death taxes?
Cheers
What a lot of non-solar angst.
The LNP is preparing their own home battery scheme right now.
Nick there is a lot of political party angst right now, well deserved, and I’m talking both majors, and greens / teals.
If Libs get a decent battery offer in, and I’m sure they HAVE to now, then that’s sort of doubling down on their nuclear push.
Like any of them, and these offers, the $ will come from all taxpayers, and the country is already struggling with govco spending on all levels.
I think the LNP had actually foreshadowed a battery incentive program before the ALP did.
This is an investment in energy infrastructure, it saves the country a lot of money in the long run. Double-bookkeeping budget politics is getting very tired, itās why nothing ever gets built.
My battery install is due later this month. How would this work? How do I make sure that I donāt turn the system ON until 1st July (or until after the election results) so I get this subsidy?
Hi RJ,
That’s likely at the moment, you’ll qualify but details are still being finalised.
If the FIT was $.05c during the day and ramped to $0.20 in the evening the battery uptake would be greater
For sure, and some states seem to be doing that sort of pricing from what I’ve seen, as well as varying ‘sun tax’ options for like a TOU on how that’s applied in some states from July 1st.
Hi Anthony,
Quick couple of points, can I choose a quality battery not from a “retailer”? Or simply I build my own and have that subsidised?
I worry through, that with increased demand, retailers will simply jack up battery prices – so the real benefit to us is still pretty low.
Any thoughts on both items would be helpful.
Hi Neil,
Batteries in Australia are pretty heavily regulated so you will need to buy something that’s approved.
I fear the CEC will be involved in the process so that will make it slow and expensive to introduce more models, but there’s already something like 37 different batteries available so competition will be good I suspect.
Labor claims the scheme could net savings of roughly $4,000 for a ātypicalā 11.5 kWh battery.
30% discount should give $4,000 savings for a “typical” 11.5 kWh battery. That means the total price of the battery is assumed to be $13,000. Hence, the customer should pay $9,000 for a ātypicalā 11.5 kWh battery.
Two yeas ago I got 30 kWh of noname Chinese batteries for $9,000 (to add to my 20 kWh of Chinese batteries that I bought 9 years ago for $11,000). All batteries work fine. Today that would be even cheaper. Three times more energy for the same money, and without voting for Labor.
Hi Tim,
Is voting for Labor a bad thing?
They’re the ones who brought us a useful renewable energy target; which made the SRES and the associated STC incentives such a roaring success that even the troglodytes and reactionaries couldn’t bring themselves to curb rooftop solar.
Abbott managed some significant vandalism with his attacks on the RET, carbon tax hysteria, (anti) wind commissioner and general climate war stance that washed through for years afterwards.
Secondly, I’m all for a bit of innovation by those who know what they’re doing, but home made batteries aren’t something you’ll likely get home insurance to agree with.
How is yours set up? Best approach I’ve seen is a separate kiosk to the house… the proverbial brick sh!thouse is a great option.
I guess dirty nickel is used to make most of the home batteries just like EV batteries.
I think everyone should watch 7 spotlight report before making a decision.
Hi Daryl,
We wouldn’t normally support a Ch7 beatup but it’s worth debunking.
These Indonesian Nickel mines and processing facilities have been around since the 1960s, they produce class 2 Nickel (Dirty Nickel) which is predominantly used in the manufacture of Stainless Steel. The low purity levels of dirty Nickel mean it’s totally unsuitable for use in Lithium Ion batteries.
Li-ion NMC/NCA batteries are manufactured using Class 1 Nickel which has very high purity, this material is not just a better processed version of what is found in Indonesia but the Ore itself is actually different (Sulfide Ore) and is more difficult to source and mine than class 2 Nickel. As of now class 1 Nickel is predominantly mined in China, Australia, Canada and Russia.
I guess people should avoid that mainstream media agenda based garbage called Spotlight.
I’m probably going to wait until non-flammable and cheaper sodium batteries are available. Any idea when that will be?
Hi Nicholas,
You could get some Zenarji lithium titanate batteries right now. They’re basically impossible to set on fire.
Might need a Deye inverter though?
Hi, I just signed a contract to get 10kw worth of panels and the powerwall 3 two weeks ago. After reading this article I am correct in thinking that we will still receive the rebate as long as we donāt turn it on till July?
Maybe a daft question, as the inventor is integrated does that mean I canāt use solar?
Hi Grant,
Not a dumb question but one I’ll have to guess at until clarified.
Firstly, yes, the battery needs to remain off until 1st July.
Second, probably… Powerwall wouldn’t function without the battery being activated. They may have a secret squirrel setting to isolate them but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
While I think the incentive is amazing, my own recent experience of trying to find an upgrade for my existing 10kwh Sungrow battery tells me the money will be wasted unless the ripoff prices we’re paying for batteries here in Australia right now are addressed.
In the last 2-3 years, the prices of the raw prismatic lithium cells that make up the batteries we buy have dropped by 80-90%. All the battery systems we buy contain cells make by only 3-4 Chinese manufacturers. And yet none of the existing batteries on the market here have dropped their prices by more than 5-10% over that period.
Yet if you look to China, you can find battery systems from major battery manufacturers for 50-75% less than we pay here. These are approved for sale and use in the US and Europe, but not here in Australia. The CEC makes it so difficult to get batteries approved here, and we’re such a small market that it’s just not worth the time for these major companies to bother.
That’s what needs fixing.
In the last 2-3 years how much your fiat money dropped? In real money the price indeed dropped.
Just more of Labours alse promises like saving money on people’s power bills.
Every election labour plans on bribing us with delusional spending sprees on health, business and never delivering.
You don’t encourage business to this country
Your part lacks substance and integrity.
Labour has the spine of a jellyfish and a laughing stock to the world.
Hi Derek,
We like to keep the comments constructive and helpful, so I’ll offer some handy links for you.
https://www.mdavis.xyz/govlist/
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/post/max-opray/2023/02/10/taylor-hid-energy-hikes
https://www.solarquotes.com.au/battery-storage/calculator/
Anthony – I would appreciate it as moderator if you could please keep the comments specific to the topic.
Iām trying to find pertinent information and instead wading through numerous posts containing unrelated political sledging does not make this an informative site tbh.
Hi Anne,
There’s politics ingrained in everything but I understand your frustration.
We do try to keep things helpful & informative.
You should see some of the rants we have to delete…
Thanks for the reminder, it’s appreciated.
The maximum number of batteries that can be installed per household is āoneā, does this mean that only one battery can be installed or is it a battery system, as a single battery will not be as large as 50kWh…
Hi Lui,
A battery system is made up of components, they’re not breaking it down to individual cells.
Most popular modular batteries are under 5kWh each and they’re not about to exclude them… you just stack them up.
Is there a maximum amount you can add at one location before the rebate is capped? My tennis club is looking to add a 40.3 kWh battery, and at $370/kwh capacity I calculate the rebate at $14,911. This is almost half the full installation cost with inverter. Can that be right?
Hi Kymbos,
You’ll get incentive paid on 50kWh, theoretically that’s $18,000 but bear in mind the admin cost and some ticket clipping by the certificate traders might mean it’s $350/kWh?
Systems are capped at 100kWh to exclude large businesses.
I would expect a 40kWh battery to cost around $40,000 (without the newly announced incentive) so if you’re paying less then be careful about the quality of the equipment and install.
Frankly, this seems too generous to be true. If you have future engagement with Labor on this, could you please enquire as to whether there is a fixed cap per household on the total rebate available? It just seems too high to me.
Hi Kymbos,
These are the facts as we know them right now.
Frankly the NSW PDRS scheme isn’t generous enough, so offering roughly 30% of a battery is much better.
Other issue is that NSW PDRS also is capped at 28kWh (whilst proposed Federal rebate is 50kWh).
So currently if people look to roll any potential federal rebate savings back into additional battery capacity, they then lose the NSW PDRS rebate.
i.e. go from 24kWh to 48kWh, loosing ~$4,300 in NSW rebate.
Recall that the problems to be addressed are the “SolarDuckCurve” and preventing CO2 from getting into the atmosphere. Apparently this will be way faster and cheaper than Small Modular Reactors.
You’re onto something when you mention speed of deployment Ian.
SMRs are currently vapourware and should they ever materialise, they’re promised to be more expensive than large nuclear plants.
And not only speed of deployment – but the fact it is installed in parallel with Grid Scale storage by a different workforce so is a win win.
The fact that this is going to be installed at the point of generation and almost by definition will end up benefitting the more wealthy will mean that we will end up with more storage near the larger solar panel rollouts and hence can hopefully push back any DNSP augmentation projects. The fact that MOST wealthier people do not even look at their general power usage is another ancillary benefit as it will help buffer some of their additional high end power draw in the evenings.
Please don’t try to push me in Labor vs Coalition discussion. First, I’m not interested; second, this is not the right place for that. I just stated facts – it is possible to get a much better deal without handouts from any party.
What is “home made battery”? I talk about professionally made battery packs or professionally made battery cells combined with professionally made BMS. I used both. All batteries are made in China or from Chinese cells. Why do I need to pay to manufactures of brand stickers? I prefer to pay directly to hardworking Chinese workers.
LiFePo4 cells/batteries are known for their excellent thermal stability and are widely believed not to catch fire or explode under normal operating conditions. Right now my batteries are in the shed 100m away from the home. However, I am working on the another project where I plan to have 60 kWh of batteries behind the wall of my bedroom. LiFePo4 are safe unless you do something extremely stupid with them.
Hi Tim,
The LNP have undermined the energy transition wherever they can, so I’m always genuinely curious, it’s interesting to know how people view that fact.
Most punters have no expertise or interest in battery projects; they just want something simple that has a warranty under Australian consumer law.
Whether it’s home/hand/locally assembled; or factory built/fully imported, if the end product isn’t tested & approved you’ll probably find your house isn’t insured.
I’ve built batteries but for those who lack expertise, paying for others to meet class 6 requirements is expensive.
AS/NZS 5139:2019 Electrical Installations – Safety of battery systems is what you need to refer to in any case.
It’s like home built cars. People who want an AC Cobra or Lotus 7 will work through the exemptions to ADRs. However nobody can argue they’re cheap & ignoring rego rules doesn’t wash.
That is the crux of the problem. There are a dozen very large battery manufacturers in China building and shipping literally millions of their systems all over the world. They’re made from exactly the same components as the ones we have available in Australia. They’re approved in the US, EU, UK and many other countries. And they’re up to 75% cheaper than the systems we have here.
But we can’t use them legally because the CEC makes it so difficult and expensive to get batteries approved here. It’s just not worth their time for such a small market. We should pick an overseas market like the US, and offer automatic approval for batteries approved there.
Hi Lachlan,
The CEC doesn’t do anyone any any favours as far as I can establish but Australian standards are based on IEC standards so maybe just some better approval processes would be better.
Did much happen with the community batteries program announced at the last election?
I was certainly interested, but it was incredibly hard finding info on, even though apparently one was installed in my suburb.
It is a shame that the policy isn’t coupled to some sort of assistance / incentives specifically for low income earning households and rentals. Definitely setting this country up for an increase in wealth divide based on an energy poverty trap. People with savings or drawdown on their mortgages will snap this up for the fantastic investment deal that it is, while people without means will miss out again.
On a positive note, maybe battery system availability will be improving significantly as sales decline in the US…?
Hi Mike,
You’re dead right, sadly.
SA housing trust did supply Tesla PW2 & solar for some public housing on a VPP.
However because this is a regulatory change to the STC scheme, it has to have solar attached.
Might be tone to raise a campaign that even 1 measly panel will do if the system is attached to a VPP or wholesale deal that allows energy to be time shifted.
So i’m a bit confused. I’m in WA and does the federal rebate apply first or state? makes a lot of difference for a 11kw battery
11kw battery around 10k from what i’m quoted.
10k -30%-5000 =2000
vs
10k -5000 -30% = 3500
probably will get it regardless but would like to know how its applied
This is such total last minute BS ! It’s like the ALP are trying to blind voters with shiny gifts to distract them from the fundamental problem that Australia is no longer viable without energy independence. “Renewable” (unreliable) power sources reached saturation point in the mix a long time ago.
Just to begin with, what plan has Albo & co devised to prevent PRICE GOUGING by suppliers and GUARANTEE that consumers benefit the total cost savings on their brilliant-battery-scheme ??
Never known a bunch of imbeciles like this cohort of the ALP; all they’ve done is insult the intelligence of the Australian public and keep spending us into hyperinflation. In defence of our country, make sure the ALP and The Greens get the boot on Election Day !
(BTW – this rant is from an early adopter with a 17KW domestic array)
Ah Fred,
You’ll get me in trouble for publishing unhelpful political posts; but equally we need a better class of discussion and some basic facts observed.
The plans have been developed over 18 months.
Electrification makes us independent.
Solar and wind weans us off billions of dollars of fossil gas or imported oil and replaces it with cheap sovereign electricity.
Nothing is as reliable as sunrise.
South Australia is proof positive that grid reliability only goes up as more distributed power is installed.
500% renewable overbuild is where we’re headed because it’s cheap.
The solar STC incentive scheme has years of runs on the board delivering fierce competition and ever cheaper solar.
The battery incentive is delivered by the same scheme.
I looked at the numbers, and theyāre eye-opening. Australia imports about $60 billion worth of petrol and diesel every year. Imagine what the country could do with that money if it switched to homegrown energy.
Hi Nick,
It’s mind boggling isn’t it. All that money and we just set fire to it.
Well explained here :
https://www.rewiringaustralia.org/
https://electrify2515.org/
So…. unreliable hey…. imho its reliable in its unreliability. For example I can reliably rely that solar alone wont do it after sunset… I guess its not just me alone that suffers this…enter ALP storage rebates and Im sure teh LNP is trying to work out how they can offer the same thing while not shooting yet another gaping hole in the nuclear thing which then means that the status quo for 20-40 years while we put that in, is not in play….. Ive just signed up for 19kw on the roof and 24kwhrs of battery….Im pretty much guessing that my reliably unreliable old system that reliably gave about 25kwhrs of solar per day will soon be replaced by a system that can reliably give me all that I need…every day. While daily charges for electricity remain between $1 and $2 per day Ill stay on grid and use “Local Volts” as my retailer so I can to help my Kids with their electricity needs where both of them have either small roof space (small solar) or no roof space (apartment living)
Andy, thanks for the Local Volts tip.
I’d heard something was already on the market to allow sharing (family / friends / perhaps others) of excess solar power generated, but not sure why this name hasn’t come up before . . . a quick search shows articles from early March 2017, it might even have a presence before that.
There is their website to click through, and plenty of review / comparison (to Amber) info in the results, so will have a good read through.
Hi Les,
Amber is more user friendly with a nice user interface and some hedging built in. I think you can also get a state government bung paid to join them as a VPP.
LocalVolts is more technical, you really need to be a boffin (or hire one) to do the integrations and get the best out of it, but it’s a more pure form of direct peer-to-peer trading.
Did Amber ever develop solar curtailment for Powerwall systems, for negative wholesale pricing periods?
Hi Nick,
I thought Amber were fully integrated with Tesla but I don’t own one so I’m not 100% sure sorry.
Cheers Anthony.
I’ll possibly get that sort of feedback when I get onto read their website, some of the reviews etc.
One always needs to do a lot of research before considering anything to do with solar and battery, power companies, retailers, plans, tariffs, etc, it’s a minefield.
Thanks Anthony, when I spoke with them actually I remember it was an issue with Enphase micro-converters, rather than the Powerwall.
I was reading a newspaper article tonight about “Energy Renaissance (company) The superHomeā¢ (battery product)” which I see now was only announced on 7 April. Apparently a redox flow based home battery. Had you heard of this before the announcement and what are your thoughts on this technology for the home? I had a look back through the blogs, but it seemed to only mention (probably because that’s what was available at the time) commercial applications. The company bio appears to be more focussed on commercial applications and does not appear to have been updated for this new product yet.
Great article. I’ve seen a few conflicting reports online so wanted to ask based on the seminar; would this battery incentive also apply to off-grid battery installations?
Hi Nick,
Off grid systems rely on diesel if there’s no solar, so from a climate perspective it’s very important to curb that… hence off grid IS being subsidised for batteries the same it’s already been subsidised with solar STCs since 2008.
The incentive is to help the grid with your investment. If out of sudden Labour followed up on their previous election promise many would not even bother with the conundrum happening as we speak. Installers demanding full payment before the battery installation is even tested. Some even tell you they won’t be running conduits and cables before Jul 1-st to comply to something which no one cared to publish, but you need to pay the entire balance. Likely it is a trick to get as many contracts as possible without a constraint of non-existent contractors base, but in the absence of clarity (which is good for election), anything goes right now.
If you are off-grid you may be better off buying a no-name battery and installing away from valuable structures; maybe in a middle of a pond of water š