Thinking about adding a battery storage system to your existing solar panel system, so that you minimise your reliance on the grid? Or maybe you haven’t yet made the switch to solar, and you’re on the fence about whether you need storage too?

There has never been a better time to consider battery storage in Adelaide, following the State Government’s announcement of significant subsidies available per home as part of the Home Battery Subsidy Scheme. What’s more, they’ve also committed to $100 million in low-interest loans that will help pay for both batteries and solar panel systems.

So whether you’re upgrading to add storage, or just getting started with solar, you can take advantage of these lucrative subsidies today.

Who is eligible for the Home Battery Scheme?

The subsidy covers up to $6,000 per property, and is available for 40,000 homes. More than 1,350 South Australians have been approved for a battery storage subsidy since the announcement. Anyone who is connected to the electricity grid is eligible to apply, and Energy Concession Holders are able to apply for a larger subsidy.

Are there limitations for certain retailers or brands?

More than 80 providers are qualified to sell and install batteries included in the scheme. There are 11 brands and more than 170 individual systems deemed safe and reliable with more to be approved.

How is the subsidy calculated?

A $6,000 subsidy is the maximum possible allowed under the scheme. The specific amount your battery is eligible for will be determined by the capacity of the battery you choose. Eligible households are entitled to $500/kWh and concession holders $600/kWh. This amount is expected to decrease over time, so don’t wait too long to make your decision.

How do I access a low-interest loan?

Once you’ve been granted a subsidy under the Home Battery Scheme, you can then apply for low-interest finance through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to help with the battery cost, or to also include new or additional solar panels that you want to purchase.

How do I tell if solar storage is for me?

Have a look at your last electricity bill. How much electricity, in kilowatt hours, are you using per day? How much of that usage is used during daylight hours, and how much is at night?

Ideally, you want to gauge how much energy you’re using at night, when solar panels would not generate electricity. These are the times you’d rely on what’s stored in a battery.

To give you an idea of an average cost to install a 10kWh battery to an existing solar panel system it is approximately $6,000. If you want to combine that with a 6kW solar panel system you would need to add approximately $5,000 to the previous battery price.

Armed with this information and if your estimated budget fits with the above indicative pricing, your next step is to talk to a member of the Solar Warehouse Australia team to work out whether your existing panels could generate enough to cover you, and whether the cost would be worth it. We can then discuss your situation and the range of batteries that could best suit you.