SolarQuotes Blog

New WA Solar Installs — What To Check Before Signing A Quote

May 6, 2026 2026-05-05T19:38:45 by 1 Comment

WA inverter rules checklist

From 1 May 2026, new inverter rules apply to solar and battery systems connected to WA’s main electricity grid, managed by Western Power.

Your installer is responsible for making sure your system meets the technical requirements – that’s their job. But there are two things worth discussing with them: how your export limits are configured and whether your system has room to grow.

This guide covers what to look for under the new rules. It’s not general solar buying advice – it’s specifically about new design decisions that matter because of the new rules. [Continue reading…]

Too Much Of A Good Thing: Dynamic Solar Connections Explained

May 5, 2026 2026-05-05T07:21:10 by 4 Comments
Solar panels and power lines

When Australian households first started installing solar, there were almost no restrictions on how much energy they could export back to the grid, and they received up to 60c per kWh for exporting it. Fast forward to today, and we have millions of rooftop solar systems meeting more than 13% of the country’s electricity demand. [Continue reading…]

When A Battery Company Sues Its Critics, It Tells You Everything

May 4, 2026 2026-05-04T06:32:50 by 10 Comments

We’ve been running this website for 16 years. In that time, we’ve published tens of thousands of reviews and written plenty of posts about installers and manufacturers. Shock horror, some have been critical.

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Missed The May Battery Rebate Cutoff? Here’s What To Do

May 1, 2026 2026-04-29T16:08:43 by 6 Comments
Battery rebate deadline cut-off

A rush to secure home battery systems ahead of the 1 May cutoff has left many customers dealing with delays that have pushed their installs past the deadline, raising questions about pricing and eligibility. If your system wasn’t fully commissioned by 30 April, you may now be working through what that means for your agreed […]

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WARNING! DANGER! Battery Labels Are Shockingly Bad

April 30, 2026 2026-04-29T23:17:05 by 25 Comments

Apparently a recent raft of audits showed 98% of battery installations were defective. Does that mean the entire solar installation industry is incompetent? No, but the people writing the rules…?

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The Risk Behind ‘Upgradeable’ Battery Leases

April 29, 2026 2026-04-29T10:00:33 by 10 Comments
When upradeable batteries aren't upgradeable

A Queensland homeowner got a solar-battery system under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) through ShineHub, expecting it could be expanded later. Just a couple of years into a 10 year contract, the homeowner says he was told to throw away his battery and inverter and start again if he wanted more capacity — even though […]

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AEMC Report Raises Concerns For Solar Households

April 28, 2026 2026-04-28T11:15:27 by 36 Comments

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) says its proposed network pricing reforms could cut electricity costs and deliver up to $6 billion in savings across 15 years — but modelling suggests those savings won’t be shared evenly, with some  solar owners potentially worse off.

[Continue reading…]

Bad Policy, Easy Fix: How to Wipe Out The EV Road User Charge

April 27, 2026 2026-04-27T09:37:51 by 124 Comments
EV road user charge

Imagine the government threatening to tax ex-smokers for no longer contributing to health funding via tobacco tax revenue. It would be the dumbest policy ever conceived.

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Why Solar Output Isn’t Just About Daily Totals

April 24, 2026 2026-04-23T16:16:04 by 20 Comments
Solar output daily totals

Most solar owners judge their system by a simple measure: how much energy it produces over the day. If the total looks good, it was a good day. If it’s down, something must be wrong — but that’s not always the full story.

[Continue reading…]

Taps Running Too Hot Or Cold? They’re Probably Ill Tempered

April 23, 2026 2026-04-23T09:45:36 by 12 Comments
A shower running too hot

If you’re getting scalded by the water pouring out of your taps or suffering through underwhelmingly tepid showers, there’s a likely culprit: the tempering valve.

[Continue reading…]
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