Home battery buying guide for Australians (2026)

1. Is a battery worth it for you?

A battery stores your daytime solar so you can use it at night. It pays off when the gap between what you pay for grid power and what you earn for exporting is wide, and when you use a lot of power in the evening. Households that are out all day and home at night usually see the best results.

2. How the federal discount works

• Batteries of 5–100 kWh, installed with solar PV, can create STCs. Installers usually apply this as an upfront discount.
• The battery must be on the Clean Energy Council approved list, and the installer must be SAA-accredited.
• From 1 May 2026, the full factor applies to the first 14 kWh, 60% to 14–28 kWh and 15% to 28–50 kWh.
• The factor is 6.8 for 2026 installs and 5.7 for Jan–Jun 2027 (DCCEEW).

3. What should it cost?

Solar Choice's November 2026 index puts a 10 kWh battery-only install at about $738 per usable kWh after the discount, including GST and installation. Larger systems cost a little less per kWh. Adding a new inverter lifts it to roughly $761–$798/kWh (source).

4. Sizing it

Look at your evening and overnight use in your retailer's app. Bigger isn't always better: under the tiered rules, every kWh above 14 earns a smaller discount.

5. Questions to ask every installer

1. What is the exact battery model, and what is its usable kWh?
2. Is the STC discount shown on the quote, and how many STCs?
3. Do I need a new inverter? Is backup power included, and for which circuits?
4. What warranty applies to the battery, the inverter and the workmanship?
5. Is the battery VPP-capable, and do I have to join a VPP? (VPP-capable is required for grid-connected systems; joining is a separate choice.)