Batteries are becoming a more common feature in Australia’s shift to clean energy – both in our homes and as part of our national power grid.
According to fresh data from Jeff Sykes, the CEO of Solar Choice, a comparison website, one in five new solar installations now include a home battery, up from one in 20 in 2021.
And an increasing number of Aussies are turning to household batteries to store power generated by solar panels to decrease their dependence on fossil fuels.
For those keen to take advantage of batteries, the good news is that the cost and simplicity of installation are making them more affordable and easy to install for home owners.
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Glen Currie, who resides in a century-old weatherboard dwelling in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, in the Boroondara region, installed a new battery when upgrading his 20-year-old 5kW solar system to a new 10kW solar system.
He installed the battery on the wall in a spot out of direct sunlight on the eastern side of his building, next to his solar inverters, which saved him from having to run cables in a cumbersome way.
Currie reckons one of the good things about the new battery is that it comes with a phone app that lets you check how much power’s coming into the battery every day. “We’re saving up for an electric vehicle and will then be able to charge the EV with all that extra solar power,” he says.
Currie reckons it’s a good idea to get a battery before getting solar panels – that way, you can store electricity from the grid when it’s dirt cheap and run your house off your battery when it’s more expensive.
“This is a breeze for your installer to sort out and can be done at a later time as well.”
Are you based in an area with a power grid that’s not very reliable?
For some people, batteries have more of a purely practical application beyond wanting to reduce their carbon footprint. Folks in the bush will often have to put up with patchy power from the grid, so having a decent battery can be a must-have.
For Aussies looking to install a battery in their home through a not-for-profit focused on climate and energy resilience, there are a few things to consider beforehand.
“It’s crucial to make sure the system being installed can supply the necessary power and energy during blackouts,” he says, noting that not all batteries are designed for grid backup and some may only power essential appliances, like a fridge, so it’s vital to ask questions.
Sykes says one of the most important things to think about is making sure you’ve got the right number of solar panels to support the battery you’ve chosen. “You’d ideally want it to be charged from excess solar power throughout the year, including during winter when there’s less sunlight.”
New models making home instalation simpler and more affordable
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“Home battery prices have been dropping at a glacial pace, but there’s now a noticeable pick-up in the trend,” he says.
One major improvement Peacock spots is the shift to ‘all-in-one’ modular systems where a solar inverter is built into the battery system. This is now the best option for consumers, Peacock reckons, as you don’t need to buy an extra battery upfront, and they can be added later on at a fraction of the original cost.
Big batteries are crucial for Australia’s shift to renewable energy
In November 2017 to ensure the energy grid was stable and prevent power outages.
A new $370m 100MW battery will be built to go with a solar farm out west. While batteries of this size have become more common in recent years, Sykes says it’s mainly because they’re connected to the wholesale market, which provides a more attractive revenue stream than a home battery system.
“G’day Australia needs to shift to 100% renewable energy, and we’ll need reliable energy storage to make that happen,” says Peacock. “Traditionally, pumped hydro’s been the way to go, but big batteries have become the top pick for energy companies because they’re quick to set up, flexible, respond fast, and getting cheaper all the time.”
