Solar & energy: what to decide, in the order it matters
Three decisions sit behind almost every energy question we get asked, and they come in order: does a battery pay back on your usage, what the rebates leave you paying, and who installs it. If you rent or live in an apartment, none of those are open to you and the answer is a portable unit from A$299 instead. Everything below is grouped by which of those you are on.
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Editor Jarred, FounderLast updated How we compareHow we make money
- Does a battery pay back?On your own usage, the gap between what you export for and what you buy at.
- What the rebates leave you payingThe federal discount is applied by the installer at the point of sale, and some states add their own.
- Who installs itAccreditation, the warranty that is honoured, and whether backup was specified at all.
If you own the home
An installed battery cuts your bill year-round and is the only option the federal rebate applies to. Apollo Energy Group sizes it from your real usage, and our readers get $500 off the quote.
Get an Apollo quote, $500 offApollo pays us when you enquire. The $500 is yours either way.
If you rent, or cannot install
A portable power station needs no electrician, no roof and no landlord conversation. It will hold a fridge and devices through an outage, and it moves house with you.
Both are disclosed affiliate links. We earn from either, at no extra cost to you.
Should I get a battery at all?
Start here if you have solar, or a big evening bill, and are not sure a battery pays for itself
A battery pays back on the gap between what you export for and what you buy at, so the answer turns on your own usage rather than on the brand. These work out whether the numbers stack up before anyone quotes you.
- GuideIs a home battery worth it?When the numbers work, and the cases where they do not.
- CalculatorPayback calculatorNet cost, annual saving and payback from your own usage and tariff.
- CostsWhat a battery costsInstalled price bands by size, before and after the rebate.
- GuideWhat size do I need?Sizing from evening use rather than from roof size.
What the rebates pay
Start here if you want to know what you will be charged after incentives
The federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount is applied at the point of sale by the installer, and some states add their own on top. It tapers above 14kWh, which is why most quotes land near that mark.
- CostsThe 2026 federal rebateWhat it pays, how the taper works, and who applies it.
- CostsRebates by stateWhich states still add an incentive in 2026, and which stopped.
- CostsNSW in 2026The federal discount and the NSW VPP incentive on one battery.
- GuideVirtual power plantsWhat a VPP pays, and what you give up on control and warranty.
Choosing a battery and an installer
Start here if you have decided to install and are comparing quotes
The installer decides more about the outcome than the badge on the battery does: accreditation, the warranty that is honoured, and whether backup was specified at all.
- OfferApollo Energy GroupThe installer we work with, and $500 off your quote through our link.
- ComparisonHow to choose a batteryCapacity, chemistry, warranty, backup and VPP-readiness.
- ComparisonPowerwall alternativesWeighing the alternatives on capacity, backup and after-rebate cost.
- ReviewApollo, reviewedAccreditation, warranty and what to check before signing.
Solar, blackouts and backup
Start here if the reason you are looking is an outage, not a bill
A battery only carries you through a blackout if backup hardware was specified, which is a separate line on the quote. If you rent, none of the installed options are open to you and a portable unit is the realistic answer.
- GuideBlackout backupWhy many batteries shut off with the grid, and what to specify.
- GuideSolar and battery togetherSizing panels and storage as one system, and what each rebate covers.
- ComparisonPortable vs installedWhich one the rebate applies to, and which suits renters.
- GuideChoosing a NSW installerAccreditation, licensing and the questions worth asking.
Portable power, priced per watt-hour
The two ranges we hold links for are EcoFlow and Anker SOLIX, and their Australian prices are set out together so different capacities can be compared on one number.
Common questions
- What does Refer Labs cover under solar and energy?
- Home battery storage, the federal and state rebates that apply to it, choosing an installer, and portable power stations for people who cannot install a fixed system. We do not compare electricity retailers or rank solar panel brands, because we hold no commercial relationship in either and would be repeating other people's research.
- What does a home battery cost in Australia?
- Installed prices are commonly quoted around $600 to $1,300 per usable kWh before rebates, with larger systems costing less per kWh. After the federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount, industry examples put a common household system in a broad band from about $4,000 to $13,000 installed. The spread is wide enough that a quote for your own home is the only figure worth acting on.
- I rent. Is there anything here for me?
- Yes, one route. An installed battery needs owner consent, switchboard work and an accredited installer, so it is not available to renters. A portable power station starts at A$299, plugs into a normal outlet, needs no approval and moves with you when you do. It will carry a fridge and devices through an outage, though it will not lower your power bill.
- How does Refer Labs make money on these pages?
- Apollo Energy Group pays us when a reader enquires for a quote, and EcoFlow and Anker SOLIX pay us on purchases through our links. Nothing on these pages is a paid placement, and the rebate rules and published prices the comparisons rest on are checkable without us. Every page carries its own disclosure.