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.

Aldi Solar Chucks Big Batteries Into Its Bargain Bin

An Aldi Solar van next to a solar panelAldi is expanding its solar offer both in size and coverage, featuring bigger batteries that will be available in more areas of Australia. Here’s our verdict on whether its a good idea to get a supermarket to power your home.

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Huge Wait On Battery Installs Due To Rebate Rush

Someone installing a battery

Demand for the federal battery rebate is so intense that many installers are fully booked for months and struggling to find battery stock, with some jobs already being pushed into next year when the incentive drops in value.

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Heat Pumps Win The Hot Water Efficiency War

A hot water heat pumpWhen it comes to efficiency, hot water heat pumps have long had the definitive edge over alternative technologies anywhere south of Brisbane. Our latest analysis further upgrades this advice: heat pumps today are the most efficient way to heat your hot water, no matter what area of Australia you live. [Read more…]

Federal Battery Rebate On Track To Run Out Of Funding

Installation of a home battery Extraordinary uptake in response to the federal battery rebate means the scheme is likely to chew through its announced $2.3bn funding pool well ahead of schedule. SolarQuotes can reveal that the Albanese government has earmarked additional funding, but this still doesn’t make up the projected shortfall.

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The Rebate Cowboys Are Back: Don’t Get Taken For A Ride

A website promoting the federal battery rebateThe Cheaper Home Batteries Program is triggering a Wild West of misleading ads, dodgy installations, poor-quality products, and fake government websites. We’ve seen this all before with the solar rebate: here’s how to avoid falling for the same traps with the new battery incentive.

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Federal Battery Rebate Rules Locked In

Energy minister Chris Bowen spruiks Labor’s battery election promise.

The federal government has scrambled to the finish line just in time for its $2.3bn Cheaper Home Batteries Program, amending regulations to make official a plan to reshape Australia’s energy grid with the install of one million batteries by 2030.

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Battery Rebate Backflips Trigger Petitions & Mass Refunds

A battery rebate petitionHundreds of homeowners and installers expecting to stack the federal battery rebate with cancelled state schemes have been left in the lurch, launching petitions and scrambling to get their deposits back as they ask the question: is it still worth getting a battery with the federal incentive alone?

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Make Sure Your Solar Isn’t An Insect Magnet

A mayfly rests on a solar panelPlenty of people get solar to do their bit for the environment. Although renewables are far better for nature than fossil fuels, a new book details the little-known impact that solar panels have on insects, birds and bats. Here’s how to make sure your panels aren’t part of the problem.

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The Best Solar Panels To Pair With A New Battery

The federal battery rebate has triggered a huge surge of interest in solar panels, which are required to qualify for the government incentive. Some people are getting solar for the first time, while others are upgrading their existing systems. Here’s the best solar to pair with a home battery.

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Electricity Price Rises Revealed: Here’s How To Avoid Being Hit

Electricity price increases - AustraliaElectricity bills are set to surge by up to 9.7% for some Australians from July, according to the latest reference price details released by the Australian Energy Regulator, although most households will see smaller increases.

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