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 the system still worked. [Read more…]
About Max Opray
Journalist Max Opray joined SolarQuotes in 2025 as editor, bringing with him over a decade of experience covering green energy. Across his career Max has won multiple awards for his feature stories for The Guardian and The Saturday Paper, fact-checked energy claims for Australian Associated Press, launched the climate solutions newsletter Climactic, and covered the circular economy for sustainability thinktank Metabolic. Max also reported on table tennis at the 2016 Rio Olympics — and is patiently waiting for any tenuous excuse to include his ping pong expertise in a SolarQuotes story.
The Risk Behind ‘Upgradeable’ Battery Leases
Taps Running Too Hot Or Cold? They’re Probably Ill Tempered
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.
[Read more…]
SolarQuotes Is Seeking A Home Electrification Writer
Are you a journalist with experience covering renewables, or a solar fanatic with professional writing experience? We might have just the role for you.
Quitting Petrol For An EV: Do You Need A Home Charger?
An Ocular home EV charger installed by Smooth Current Electrical Pty Ltd.
Thanks to the Iran war petrol prices just keep on rising, along with the number of petrol stations running out of fuel. The worsening fuel shortage has many Australians looking for the first time at making the switch over to an electric vehicle.
Aside from what car to buy, the other big decision prospective EV owners need to consider is whether to get a home charger: do they actually need the EV equivalent of a petrol station installed in their own driveway?
[Read more…]
How To Protect Your Home From The Oil & Gas Crisis
The Iran war is ushering in an extended period of supercharged oil and gas prices. Experts say Australians can insulate themselves from rising bills by electrifying their home and transport – here’s how.
[Read more…]
Regulator Warning Over Battery Rebate Deception
The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has issued a warning to retailers and installers over deceptive behaviour occurring in the rush to get batteries ahead of the May changes to the federal rebate.
[Read more…]
‘Substandard’ Battery Installs Trigger Inspection Blitz
Solar battery installers will face new requirements starting in March, as Clean Energy Regulator (CER) inspections ramp up amid a surging home battery market. Nearly two-thirds of home batteries inspected to date have fallen foul of the regulator (usually related to labelling issues), with 0.9% found to be unsafe.
[Read more…]
Fixed Charges Hike Could Wipe Out Battery Rebate Savings
In response to a draft proposal from the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) for higher fixed network charges, new analysis projects that a flat fixed fee for energy bills could disproportionally raise bills for energy-efficient households, and largely wipe out the value of the federal battery rebate.
[Read more…]
Gas Connections Are About To Get A Whole Lot More Expensive
The gas death spiral is accelerating so fast that the dwindling number of Australians still tethered to gas must be feeling dizzy (or perhaps that’s just the methane seeping in from those leaky cooktops). The number of households on gas continues to decline, with new costs set to be foisted on those who remain connected.
[Read more…]
Battery Rebate Scramble: Installers Booked Out Until May
The rush to get large home batteries before the federal rebate is restructured has seen many reputable battery installers booked out through to May, when the changes to the Cheaper Home Battery Program come into force.
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