FAQ Results

Installing a battery storage system is a great way to maximise the clean electricity generated by solar panels. With battery storage, you can use more of your solar electricity at times when the sun isn’t shining, like evenings and overnight. This will make your household less reliant on fossil fuel-generated electricity from the grid, and reduce your overall environmental impact.

When purchasing battery storage, check whether the product can be recycled at the end of its life to ensure the impact is as low as possible. The Australian Battery Recycling Initiative and the Clean Energy Council are collaborating to promote the recycling of energy storage batteries.

Battery storage is perfectly safe if it is used properly and is well looked after. There are potential risks, but these are no different to the many electrical hazards already present in the modern home. However, it is important to be aware of the risks so they can be properly managed.

See the Safety first web page for more information, and always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The Clean Energy Council and CSIRO produced a useful set of FAQs and a safety checklist that cover the safety of battery storage systems in more detail.

Batteries themselves do not make noise, but the systems attached to them – like the inverter – may make some noise. You may hear the cooling fans and an electronic ‘buzz’ from the circuits, but it should be fairly similar to a regular solar inverter.

Make sure you discuss any proposed changes with your solar PV system retailer, as some changes may affect your eligibility for solar feed in tariffs (FiT).

You or your solar PV retailer* will need to submit an application to us if you wish to:

• Add panels to an existing system
• Increase or decrease the inverter capacity of an existing system
• Replace your inverter due to failure
• Add battery storage to an existing system
  • Note: if you are currently earning the 44c/kWh FiT, read the section on 'Adding a battery to a solar PV on the 44c feed-in tariff' on our Battery connection options web page.

You can submit an application via Customer Self Service or your solar retailer/installer* can submit it via our Electrical Partners Portal.

*If someone other than you (the property owner) lodges the application, they become the applicant we deal with.

While there are a number of different battery storage solutions available, residential systems are typically similar in size to a fridge or split system air-conditioner. They come in a range of sizes based on the technology that they use and the amount of energy that they store. Lead acid batteries tend to be physically larger than lithium batteries, but it’s best to check your battery manufacturer’s website for accurate size details of their products.

Battery systems can operate in a number of different ways. It's important to discuss your needs with your system installer when choosing a system. Some systems are most suitable for storing energy to offset use during peak times, whilst others are ideal for providing electricity to your home during power outages (blackouts).

Once set up, the battery system should operate automatically.

Battery systems connect to a house in two main ways: DC coupled or AC coupled.

• A DC coupled system has a single hybrid inverter that takes energy from multiple DC ports (like solar PV and batteries) and converts to AC to supply customer loads or export to the grid.
• An AC coupled system takes local AC supply to charge the batteries and discharge through its own dedicated battery inverter, which is additional to the PV inverter.

The main difference between the two is that an AC coupled system can charge directly from the grid, whereas some DC systems only allow charging from your solar system. Additionally, if a DC system is being retrofitted with an existing PV solar system, the installer must make sure the PV system is compliant with current standards and guidelines.

The Clean Energy Council and CSIRO have a useful set of battery storage FAQs that explain how battery storage works in more detail.

There currently is no national certification process for battery storage system installers. Here are some things to investigate to help you find a reputable installer:

• Are they a registered electrical contractor?
• Are they a Clean Energy Council accredited solar PV installer?
• Do they have experience with installing battery storage systems?
• Do they offer a maintenance plan for battery storage systems?

Different electric vehicles (EVs) can travel varying distances (or ‘ranges’) after a recharge, so it’s important to choose the one that will best meet your driving needs.

EV range will be shortened by:

• Aggressive driving
• Long mountain climbs
• Non-stop high speeds (e.g. on a highway)
• Strong headwinds
• Extra weight (e.g. three passengers and luggage)
• Loss in battery capacity (the amount of charge the battery can supply)
• High air conditioner use.

EV range can be improved by:

• Driving less aggressively
• City / town driving with more braking
• Driving long descents downhill
• Tailwinds
• Using the air conditioner less.

Read more on our Electric vehicle range web page.

Product warranties on battery systems are generally around 5 - 10 years. A battery system will often last longer than its warranty, but its ability to store energy may gradually reduce over time with use.

Warranties offered by battery suppliers vary, including how they define the life of the battery. Some suppliers offer a warranty as an ‘energy throughput’ figure which means that they guarantee their batteries will store and deliver a given amount of energy, no matter how quickly that limit is reached. Some battery suppliers offer a warranty guaranteeing either an energy throughput or a lifetime in years, usually based on whichever limit is reached first.

Make sure you discuss warranty details with your system installer.

The Clean Energy Council’s Solar Retailer Code of Conduct covers battery storage. Companies that have signed on to the voluntary code of conduct must provide a five-year, whole of system warranty – including your battery.

Visit the Clean Energy Council to find an approved solar retailer as they are also accredited to install battery systems.

While battery systems are coming down in cost, the cost to install a household system is still significant and will cost many thousands of dollars. Some providers may offer leasing arrangements or payment plans. Make sure you check the details and ask for the total costs of any plan.