Home battery boom under Australia’s Cheaper Home Batteries program

Australia has been a global leader in rooftop solar for years, but home battery adoption always lagged behind. That started to change in a dramatic way when the Federal Government launched the Cheaper Home Batteries program in mid twenty twenty five. In only a few months, more than one hundred thousand households and small businesses have installed a home battery through the scheme, adding around two gigawatt hours of storage and increasing national home battery capacity by more than fifty percent.

For solar battery installers and retailers, this is a once in a decade shift. Demand is being pulled forward, customers are suddenly very interested in storage, and the quality of every design and product choice will shape how people remember this new wave of home battery systems.

In this article, Solar Rains looks at what the Cheaper Home Batteries program actually offers, why consumers are rushing to join, and how installers can use strong partners and quality solar battery products to deliver reliable systems that keep performing long after the subsidy is gone.

Cheaper Home Batteries program at a glance

What the program offers households and small businesses

The Cheaper Home Batteries program is a national scheme that reduces the upfront cost of installing a home battery or a small commercial battery. Eligible households, businesses and community organisations can receive a discount of around thirty percent on a small scale battery system, generally between five and one hundred kilowatt hours.

The goal is simple

• Make it easier for people with rooftop solar to store their own clean energy
• Reduce reliance on the grid during evening peaks
• Unlock more flexible, dispatchable renewable energy at the household level

Importantly, the discount applies to batteries connected to new or existing solar photovoltaic systems. That means both retrofit projects and new solar plus battery installations can benefit.

Funding size, discount level and time frame

The program is backed by two point three billion dollars in Federal funding.

Key design points include

• Around thirty percent discount on eligible home battery systems
• Funding delivered through the existing Small scale Renewable Energy Scheme
• Support planned to run to twenty thirty, with discount levels reviewed at least once a year and expected to decline as battery prices fall

Because the incentive is linked to small scale technology certificates, the discount scales with the usable capacity of the home battery system. Larger batteries attract more certificates, which translates to a higher total discount, while still maintaining the approximate thirty percent reduction in upfront cost.

Who is eligible and how the discount is delivered

Consumers do not apply for the discount directly. Instead, accredited retailers and installers factor the discount into their quotes, then claim the benefit on the customers behalf, similar to the way rooftop solar incentives already work.

In practice this means

• The customer receives a reduced upfront price for the home battery
• The retailer or installer manages the compliance and paperwork
• Systems and installers must meet program rules and standards to qualify

For installers and retailers who work with Solar Rains, this is an opportunity to position compliant, approved solar battery products that align with program rules and quality expectations, while letting the government funding improve customer affordability.

Why home battery demand is surging

The numbers behind the Cheaper Home Batteries rollout are striking. Within four months, one hundred thousand batteries representing around two gigawatt hours of storage were installed across the country.

So what is driving this surge?

Cost of living pressure and bill control

Energy bills are front of mind for many households. A home battery, paired with rooftop solar, allows customers to

• Store excess solar during the day
• Use their own stored energy in the evening
• Reduce exposure to volatile peak tariffs

Government modelling suggests that for some households, combining rooftop solar with a home battery can reduce annual power bills by more than one thousand dollars, with even higher savings for those that install both systems together under the new scheme.

When the upfront cost falls by about thirty percent, the payback time for a quality home battery becomes much more attractive, and that is often enough to move customers from curious to committed.

Making better use of rooftop solar

Australia has more than four million rooftop solar systems, but until recently only a small fraction of those homes had a battery.

A home battery helps to

• Lift self consumption of solar energy
• Reduce exports at midday when wholesale prices may be low
• Enable participation in future virtual power plant programs, where available

For installers and retailers, this trend means that almost every existing solar customer is now a potential home battery customer, especially when a government program is actively promoting storage and reducing upfront cost.

From niche tech to mainstream home upgrade

The subsidy has changed the perception of home battery systems. Previously they were often seen as a premium or experimental technology. Now they are entering the same mental space as air conditioning, double glazing or high quality insulation

A serious home upgrade that

• Delivers comfort and resilience
• Adds long term value to the property
• Signals a commitment to clean energy

Public interest stories and news coverage have reinforced this shift, with reports describing installation volumes that are off the charts and drawing comparisons to the rooftop solar boom a decade earlier.

What this means for solar battery installers and retailers

A larger, more informed pool of customers

The Cheaper Home Batteries program has not only increased the number of potential projects, it has also raised awareness. Many customers now arrive at a consultation already familiar with the basic concepts of a home battery system. They may know

• The approximate discount level
• That systems between five and one hundred kilowatt hours are targeted
• That eligibility is linked to approved products and accredited installers

This creates an opportunity for installers and retailers to step in as trusted advisors and to differentiate on quality, design and after sales support rather than on price alone.

Common questions customers ask about home battery value

Installers are likely to hear questions such as

• How big should my home battery be for my household
• How long could the battery keep my home running in an outage
• Will the discount still be available in a year or two
• How do I know this solar battery is safe and from a reputable brand

Having clear, honest answers backed by real product data and third party information from sources such as the Clean Energy Regulator and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water helps build trust and supports the E E A T principles that search engines look for in online content. 

Key risks when demand grows this quickly

Fast growing markets can also attract lower quality products and rushed installations. Potential risks include

• Solar battery products without strong local warranty support
• Systems installed without careful attention to ventilation, clearances or fire safety guidelines
• Oversized or undersized batteries that do not match the customers usage pattern

This is where careful product curation and reliable distribution partners matter. Working with Solar Rains allows installers to focus on system design and customer service, with confidence that the home battery hardware is from proven brands with transparent specifications and warranties.

How Solar Rains supports Cheaper Home Batteries projects

Solar Rains is a specialist distributor that supplies solar battery products to installers and retailers across Australia. The company does not sell directly to homeowners, instead it focuses on helping trade partners deliver outstanding home battery systems that stand the test of time.

Curated home battery range for small and medium systems

The Cheaper Home Batteries program is built around small scale storage, from about five to one hundred kilowatt hours. Solar Rains aligns its range with that market by offering

• Modular home battery systems suitable for typical suburban homes
• Higher capacity solar battery units for small businesses and community sites
• Inverter compatible options that integrate cleanly with leading solar inverter brands

This makes it straightforward for installers to select a system that fits both the customers load profile and the program capacity bands.

Product quality, safety, warranty and traceable supply

Every home battery in the Solar Rains portfolio is selected with a focus on

• Independent safety testing and certifications
• Clear manufacturer warranties backed by local support channels
• Transparent data sheets that set realistic expectations for cycle life and capacity retention

For installers working under the Cheaper Home Batteries scheme, this focus on quality and traceable supply simplifies compliance and reduces the risk of problematic call backs in future years.

Technical support for installers during design and commissioning

Beyond product supply, Solar Rains adds value by supporting trade partners with

• Pre sale consultations to match solar battery options with customer goals
• Guidance on system design, including typical sizing rules of thumb
• Access to commissioning guides, training material and troubleshooting support

This combination helps installers respond confidently to the new wave of customer interest triggered by the Cheaper Home Batteries program, while keeping projects efficient and profitable.

Choosing the right home battery for the program

Sizing basics for typical Australian homes

While every home is different, some general principles help in early conversations

• Many three bedroom homes with efficient appliances and existing rooftop solar find a ten to fifteen kilowatt hour home battery to be a good starting point
• Larger households with electric vehicles, pool pumps or ducted electric heating may need larger solar battery capacity to capture their full solar surplus
• Customers mainly interested in backup rather than daily bill savings may choose a smaller battery that supports only critical loads

Data from the Clean Energy Regulator shows that in the first months of the program, most installed batteries have capacities between ten and twenty kilowatt hours, which aligns with the needs of many Australian homes.

Checklist for compatible solar battery products

When assessing whether a home battery is suitable for use under the Cheaper Home Batteries scheme and for long term operation, installers should check

• The product appears on relevant approved product lists where required
• The manufacturer provides clear installation manuals and warranty terms
• The system is compatible with the customers existing or planned solar inverter
• The rated usable capacity falls within the program bands
• The solar battery chemistry, enclosure and protection features align with site conditions and safety requirements

Solar Rains works with installers to confirm these points before products are quoted or ordered.

Example use cases with program style systems

Some typical project scenarios include

• Existing rooftop solar household adding a twelve kilowatt hour home battery to increase self consumption and reduce evening peak charges
• Small business with daytime operations installing a fifteen to twenty kilowatt hour solar battery to manage demand charges and support critical loads during outages
• Regional community facility combining a rooftop solar upgrade and a medium sized battery to reduce diesel generator run time and improve resilience

In each case, the Cheaper Home Batteries discount improves the payback period, while the choice of a high quality solar battery from a trusted distributor such as Solar Rains supports long term performance.

Partnering with Solar Rains in the new home battery boom

The Cheaper Home Batteries program has turned home battery storage into a mainstream conversation. For installers and retailers, this is a powerful opportunity, but also a responsibility. The systems deployed in the next few years will shape customer attitudes for a decade or more.

Solar Rains partners with trade customers to

• Supply carefully selected home battery and solar battery products that align with program rules and local standards
• Provide technical support that helps installers design, quote and commission systems efficiently
• Maintain a long term view of warranty, safety and product reliability

As government support gradually steps down toward twenty thirty, the strongest businesses in the market are likely to be those that used this period to build a reputation for quality and trust, not just for short term volume. Solar Rains is committed to helping its partners achieve exactly that.

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