The first battery installed under the Community Battery Funding program, located in Bexley North.

Expressions of interest are now open for the $46.3m second round of a national funding program for community batteries. Here’s what it all means and how to apply.

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I rented most of my adult life. I left home at 18, bought my first home at 32, struggled with a mortgage for three years, then sold it to start SolarQuotes. It was another four years before I bought again, only after SolarQuotes started doing well enough.

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The Australian federal election is creeping up, and if history is any guide, Labor and the Coalition will be battling it out with policy sweeteners. One of the likely big-ticket items? Battery rebates. It’s a safe bet that, in a bid to win votes, both sides will throw money at home batteries (just like WA Labor is in today’s state election).

That’s great, except for one thing.

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As everyone will be aware, Cyclone Alfred is bearing down on some pretty populated parts of Queensland and New South Wales. Solar installers have been posting useful links, so without adding to the information overload we’d like to put a few of the best tips we’ve found together.

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Last weekend, I found myself at a gig in Adelaide watching “The Smythes” – a tribute band to The Smiths. As I stood there with my Coopers enjoying “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, I thought of the blackout protection I enjoy thanks to my Powerwall 2.

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Image: GloBird

Update 24th Feb 2025:  I mistakenly wrote that the Globird Zerohero VPP allows a household to use up to 0.3kWh of grid electricity during the two hour Zerohero peak and still receive a $1 credit.  But the actual figure GloBird gives is 0.03kWh per hour.  This makes for a total of 0.06kWh over the two hour period.  This figure is low and has the potential to make it difficult for battery households to claim the $1 credit because it’s normal for battery households to still draw a small amount of power from the grid even if they never exceed their battery’s continuous power output.  I called GloBird but wasn’t able to talk to anyone who knew details about the VPP.  I have sent them an email and, hopefully, they will respond to it.  Until I get clarification from Glowbird, I can’t recommend using their Zerohero VPP as it may be difficult for households to take advantage of one of its major benefits.

Update 3rd March 2025:  GloBird have responded and said, for the batteries they have tested, households are able to get through the two hour Zerohero evening peak without exceeding the 0.03kWh per hour grid electricity consumption limit, so are able to receive the $1 credit.   They also sent some bill information on four households showing this.  However, this information was all from summer when small amounts of solar generation during the peak period could have helped the households avoid the 0.03kWh per hour limit.  Until we receive information showing homes can receive the $1 Zerohero credit outside of summer, I recommend assuming you won’t get it any time your solar system isn’t producing a small amount of energy during the second half of the Zerohero evening peak.  I have placed the bill information at the end of the post.

I’ve looked into the pros and cons of a range of Virtual Power Plants, and so far, I haven’t been impressed.  But GloBird Energy’s Zerohero VPP stands out as the best of a bad bunch.  Rather than providing inadequately meagre payments — so long as you have a suitable battery and electricity consumption patterns — its payments have the potential to be adequately meagre.

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According to installers we trust, what are the best home battery brands in Australia in 2025?

Two brands tied for this year’s top spot – read on to discover the victorious duo. [Read more…]

Months after being announced, NSW’s battery ‘rebate’ (which isn’t technically a rebate) is due to launch on November 1st.

If you’re a homeowner looking to claim it, here’s what you need to know. [Read more…]

The only thing that’s grown more than electricity bills recently is the number of new solar power systems installed with batteries. I’m guessing a close third is the growth of my inbox, specifically with questions about small unwanted energy imports. Read on while I explain; please, stop emailing me…

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Generally, home batteries can charge from the grid – but not always. Discover those that will, those that won’t and batteries we’re not sure about. [Read more…]