Plugging in: How to charge your home with a battery

Are you interested in installing a home battery but don’t know where to start? We’ve put together some general guidance and a list of the support and resources available across Australia to help you on your way.

Batteries help homes and businesses with solar make the most of their systems by storing excess cheap, clean solar power for use when the sun goes down. This slashes power bills, by reducing reliance on grid power during the evening peak when electricity prices are more expensive. Pairing a battery with rooftop solar could almost double a household’s savings: up to $2300 less per year on power bills for the average family, compared to $1500 in savings with solar only. If set up to do so, solar paired with a battery can also increase resilience and keep homes and businesses running in power outages – like those caused by extreme weather events, which are becoming more frequent and intense as our climate changes.

Now the Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program has commenced, many of us are excited about the opportunity to install a discounted battery and see these cost-of-living benefits first hand, while increasing energy resilience, cutting climate pollution and securing a safer future for our kids. But it’s not always easy to find the right information. This page is designed as a general guide, to help you find the information you need to consider a home battery purchase.

Questions to consider before installing a battery

Purchasing a home battery is a personal decision, and it’s important to carefully consider your specific options and circumstances. We encourage you to refer to the information and resources available in your area, and compare quotes from multiple retailers or installers to ensure you get the best outcomes.

Is a home battery right for me?

Before installing a battery, it’s important to understand your energy use and whether a battery will help you achieve your energy savings goals. If you already have solar, you may have an understanding of your energy use. A good retailer or installer will be able to help answer your questions. Other resources and support available include:

The Residential Efficiency Scorecard program, available across Australia, provides targeted information to assist households in achieving their energy goals. Victoria offers rebates on home energy assessment ratings.
Many councils across Australia offer do-it-yourself Home Energy Audit Toolkits for loan.
Community energy groups can also offer support. Find a group near you on the Community Power Agency’s Community Energy Map.

We’ve answered common questions about the costs, benefits, safety and environmental impacts of home batteries here: Home batteries explained.

Am I eligible for government support?

If you want to access government support to install a battery, make sure you understand the conditions of the relevant program to ensure that you, the retailer, installer and product you choose, are eligible before making any decisions. Summaries and links to the support available in each state and territory are below.

How do I choose a retailer or installer?

You can choose to purchase a battery either directly through an accredited installer, or through a retailer that will arrange for installation through an accredited installer. There are many battery retailers and installers in Australia now. You might like to speak to friends or neighbours who have installed batteries, and read reviews. The New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC) maintains a list of battery retailers that meet customer protection standards which may help as a guide. It’s a good idea to seek quotes from multiple retailers/installers to ensure you get the best value for money.

It’s important to be aware of any relevant government requirements. For example, the Cheaper Home batteries scheme requires installation to be completed or supervised by an accredited Solar Accreditation Australia installer.

How do I choose a battery?

The right battery for you will depend on many factors. A good installer or retailer will be able to help choose a battery and answer any questions about suitable size, brand, cost, location, warranty, compatibility with your solar system, how to most efficiently use your battery, and estimated power bill savings.

Many government subsidies, including the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, require batteries to be on the Clean Energy Council approved list of batteries. These batteries meet Australian standards and industry best practice requirements, and are independently tested to confirm they meet electrical safety and quality standards.

Do I need to join a virtual power plant?

Government incentives for installing a home battery are increasingly requiring participation, or capacity to participate in, a virtual power plant (VPP). A VPP connects individual batteries on homes and businesses so they can act as one single, large power plant. By joining a VPP, households with solar and batteries can access financial benefits by selling their stored solar power to the grid in peak times when prices are high, while sharing their clean energy with the community. VPPs boost the benefits of home batteries to the grid significantly, as they enable network operators to more accurately manage energy generation, storage and use.

It is very important to make an informed decision about whether to participate in a VPP, and if so, which VPP to join. There are a range of VPP offerings available across Australia with varying conditions, including price you receive for your excess power, when the VPP can access your battery, and how much of your power can be exported to the grid. Like choosing a battery, it’s a good idea to compare offers from multiple providers.

What financial support and resources are available in my state or territory for installing a battery?

Australia-wide

Financial support available

The Cheaper Home Batteries program provides a discount on batteries for eligible homes and businesses across Australia, equivalent to around a 30 per cent discount on the upfront cost.

The discount is based on the battery’s usable capacity and will gradually decrease until 2030. To be eligible, a battery in an on-grid system needs to be capable of being coordinated through a VPP, but does not need to be connected to a VPP.The discount will generally be provided through solar and battery retailers and installers. The program will be delivered through the existing Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which has helped Australia achieve our world-leading uptake of rooftop solar since 2012.

Information and guidance

The Australian Government’s get to know batteries page explains the costs and benefits of adding a battery to your existing or planned rooftop solar system.