About Kim WainwrightA solar installer and electrician in a previous life, Kim has been blogging for SolarQuotes since 2022. He enjoys translating complex aspects of the solar industry into content that the layperson can understand and digest. He spends his time reading about renewable energy and sustainability, while simultaneously juggling teaching and performing guitar music around various parts of Australia. Read Kim's full bio.
You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d seen Victoria’s installer podium before. The same three companies that made the top three in 2025 are back again this year, although Jet Solar and Brightworks Solar have traded places at the top. [Read more…]
Electric cars, home batteries and chargers are becoming familiar technology, but electricity is turning up in some unexpected places. How about robotic legs that help you walk, or a jet ski that might one day double as a home battery?
These are just some of the unusual ideas we spotted at Everything Electric Sydney recently – here’s a rundown on some of the energy tech spruiked by companies as the next big thing.
Australia’s federal solar rebate has an expiry date. At the end of 2030, the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme that has helped put solar on millions of roofs is scheduled to finish.
That was always the plan. The interesting part is that, with just over four years left, Australia keeps finding new things for the scheme to do. [Read more…]
Most EV owners probably don’t need an app guide for the daily commute. You know where you’re going, where you normally charge, and your car can probably get you there without much fuss.
A proper road trip changes things. Now there are five jobs to do: plan the route, check the chargers, navigate the route, start and pay for charging, and switch to ‘Plan B’ if something goes wrong.
Do you need a different app for each job, or can one app handle most of an Australian EV road trip?
There are some familiar names at the top of Western Australia’s 2026 solar installer rankings, with last year’s winner taking first place again and a new contender moving into second.
Buying a heat pump hot water system means wading through impressive-looking efficiency claims that aren’t always easy to compare.
Proposed federal government rules aim to change that by introducing a minimum efficiency standard for heat pump water heaters sold in Australia.
But a minimum efficiency standard doesn’t necessarily guarantee a good heat pump. So what will these rules actually achieve? [Read more…]
Queensland’s top-rated solar installer has held onto the crown for another year, while two new names have moved into the runner-up positions.
It’s part of SolarQuotes’ annual state installer awards, based on customer ratings and reviews submitted over the past year.
Here are Queensland’s top three for 2026. [Read more…]
Victoria’s Midday Power Saver offers three hours of free electricity from 1 October. The federal Solar Sharer initiative, already operating nationwide, has reportedly attracted only around 10,000 customers.
With Victoria’s tariffs now finalised, there’s an opportunity to see what the state is offering and whether its approach might prove more attractive to households.
[Read more…]
Last year’s national champion is back in the running as we reveal the three solar installers NSW customers rated highest in 2026.
The winners were determined using a weighted calculation of customer reviews published on the SolarQuotes website. This gives smaller companies with fewer reviews a fair chance against their bigger rivals. [Read more…]
Plug-in solar has moved a step closer in Australia, with federal, state and territory energy ministers agreeing to explore pathways for its safe deployment. The UK now allows approved systems, while New Zealand is also moving towards legalisation.
But there’s an electrical safety problem SolarQuotes raised when we looked at balcony solar in 2024. Two years later, we finally have a much better answer. [Read more…]
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