Battery storage
Battery storage
Adding a battery to your solar system allows you to store excess electricity generated by solar panels for use when the sun isn’t shining.
A battery storage system can:
- Help reduce your reliance on electricity from the grid
- Maximise your solar panels by allowing you to capture excess solar energy that would normally be sent to the grid and save it for your own usage later in the day
- Offset the increased cost of power used during peak times
- Save money by storing energy from the grid overnight when prices are low to use during peak times when prices are high (depending on your power agreement)
- Provide electricity to your home during power outages (depending on your system)
- Reduce your exposure to future electricity price rises
Available Products
We have a number of different brands of batteries available through the Solar Savers program. Please note, brand availability will vary depending on your region and installer.
Pricing Guide
As well as the size and brand of system you choose, there are other costs related to battery installation. These may include fire-sheet protection, bollard installation. These costs are generally between $200 – $550 each.
This pricing guide includes GST and excludes STCs.
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Battery supply and installation $9,200 - $20,000
Rebates
When installing a battery, depending on your circumstances you may have access to the following rebates.
Warranties
Please note, warranties vary between product and installer. The below figures provided as a guide. Refer to your quote and the manufacturer’s warranty document for full details and terms and conditions.
Warranties are provided in addition to the rights you automatically have under Australian Consumer Law.
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Product warranty 10-12 years
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Workmanship warranty 5 - 15 years
FAQs
No. Most homes with solar currently do not have battery storage. If you are fine to draw energy from the grid when the sun isn’t shining, and are prepared to be off-line when there’s a power outage, then solar only is just fine.
Like solar panels, battery performance naturally degrades over time until it reaches a point where it is no longer useful or recommended to continue operating.
Factors that influence the lifespan of a lithium-ion solar battery are the battery type, usage, ambient temperature, manufacturer/model of the battery, and maintenance. Lithium-ion batteries offer 500-1000 cycles before degradation and have an operational lifespan of 10+ years. However, if a lithium-ion battery is affected by high temperatures, or deeply drained at any time, this affects that lifespan.
Some home battery systems can power your home in the event of a power cut, but not all.
Batteries need to have an ‘islanding’ capability to ensure there is no risk of any form of electricity generation creating a risk to people working on the lines to restore power. To get past this, backup battery systems can have a relay to physically disconnect the electricity supply in a building from the grid (called islanding). It detects a drop in voltage on the grid in the event of a power outage, and disconnects the home from the grid.
This depends on the size and energy requirements of your home. The average household uses between 8-10 kWh of electricity per day.
Home storage batteries start at around 2.5 to 5 kWh in capacity for small systems, up to large systems at 13 to 15 kWh. You will generally need to determine how much energy you use at night, particularly if you intend to maximise your solar use during the day when the sun is shining. Take into account your fridge, TV, lights, heating and cooling etc.
Bear in mind that during winter there may be times when you need to draw from the grid if there hasn’t been enough sun to add to the batteries.