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Two installers in high visibility gear kneeling on a terracotta tiled roof, fixing a solar panel into its rail under a clear blue sky.
← All guides Solar and home batteries

Solar and home batteries

Solar is sized to how much power you use, and a battery is sized to the solar you do not use. That is why both belong later in the job list than people expect. These guides explain the arithmetic.

3 guides

Guides for this upgrade

Start with the guide that matches what you're dealing with now. Each one stands on its own, with links to related topics where they overlap.

Two installers fitting a home battery and inverter beside a switchboard in a garage
Solar and battery12 min read

Is a battery worth it yet, honestly?

The arithmetic in plain terms, why the answer changed, and the two households where it still does not stack up.

Updated 20 August 2026Read →
An energy assessor going through a report on a tablet with a couple at their kitchen bench
Start here14 min read

The right order to upgrade your home

Insulation before heat pump sizing, sealing before ventilation, and solar later than you would think. The dependencies nobody explains before you are quoted.

Updated 22 August 2026Read →
An electrician kneeling at a new switchboard in a garage, a home battery beside it
Switchboard6 min read

Why every quote mentions your switchboard

What your switchboard may need before solar, batteries, EV charging or going all electric, and why the same line keeps appearing in quotes.

Updated 4 August 2026Read →

6 upgrades

What’s involved in adding solar and a battery

These are the main upgrades that can be involved in making and storing your own power. You can also use these categories to find businesses that specialise in the work you need.

01 Rooftop solar installationPanels, inverter and the wiring to the board. The size that suits you depends on when you actually use power.
02 Home battery installationStores what the roof makes in the day for the evening, and keeps the lights on in an outage if it is wired for it.
03 Solar and battery upgradesAdding panels, replacing an ageing inverter, or fitting a battery to a system that never had one.
04 Virtual power plant (VPP) battery connectionConnects your home battery to a virtual power plant, which can pay you for letting the grid draw on it at busy times. Some battery rebates require it, so ask before you choose a battery.
05 Off-grid solar and battery systemsSolar panels, batteries and usually a backup generator, sized to run the home with no grid connection at all. Most common on rural blocks a long way from the poles.
06 Solar system maintenancePanel cleaning, output checks and isolator faults. A system quietly underperforming for years is common.

When you know which upgrade you need, find businesses that specialise in that work and service your area.

Find solar and battery specialists

Rebates and incentives

What help is available

The Home Energy Rebate Tracker puts the federal, state and territory programs in one place, with the date we last checked each one and a link to the page it came from.

Amounts, eligibility and closing dates change, and some schemes have shut while their old numbers were still printed on the page. Always check the source before you commit to an upgrade.

About 30% off

Federal home battery discount

OPEN

Your installer takes it off the price of the battery up front. You do not claim it back later. The amount steps down every six months until 2030.

Australia wide Checked 6 October 2026 cer.gov.au ↗

$1,300 to $3,800

WA Residential Battery Scheme

OPEN

The amount depends on who sells you your power. The battery has to join a virtual power plant. There is also a no interest loan for households under an income limit.

Western Australia Checked 14 October 2026 wa.gov.au ↗

Up to $3,500

Supercharged Solar for Renters

OPEN, FOR LANDLORDS

This one is for landlords, not homeowners. It puts solar on a rental property that has none, on the terms set out on the government page.

Queensland Checked 7 October 2026 qld.gov.au ↗

When you’re ready for help

Find the right help for your next step.

Get a whole-home plan

A home energy assessor can look at your whole home, identify the biggest opportunities and help you work out what to tackle first to make it more comfortable, efficient and cheaper to run.

Find an assessor near you

Find the right specialist

Once you know which upgrade you need, find a business that specialises in that type of work and services your area.

Find a specialist near you