Huge Wait On Battery Installs Due To Rebate Rush

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.

How Long Is The Wait List For Battery Installs?

With tens of thousands of Australians taking advantage of the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, fully-booked installers across the country aren’t able to fit in new jobs for months. Installers are short not just on time but also on stock, as they compete for dwindling supplies of popular solar battery brands.

Installers Booked Out For Months

Multiple battery installers interviewed by SolarQuotes say that customers who book an install now can expect a wait of two-to-four months.

Tim Sturgiss of Huglo Solar, who does installs in NSW & the ACT, says there has been “huge interest” and he is already booked out to late October.

“We’re already looking to book into November, we don’t like being too much further out as that becomes a horrible customer experience. I suspect we’ll be booked out for the year by the end of September,” he tells SolarQuotes.

Rob Moffa, who is in regular contact with installers in his client operations role at SolarQuotes, says he’s hearing about similar wait periods for home battery installs across the country.

“Historical trends will tell you there’s plenty of time to book in an install to get it done before Christmas. But this year if you wait until October, November, and you’re wanting it by Christmas, its just not going to happen. If you don’t act now, you’re more than likely going to miss out this year,” he says.

Rob warns that installers are so flat-out that many will likely want to take a decent break towards the end of the year.

“When the industry hasn’t been that busy, just plodding along nicely, installers may work through Christmas. But I think we’ll see an uptake of installers breaking through Christmas, exhausted and needing to recharge,” he says.

Last Christmas Solar Citizens campaigned for a federal battery rebate, and with that now in place installers will likely take a well-earned break this festive season.

Installs Pushed To 2026 With Reduced Battery Rebate

One issue with not getting an install done by the end of the year is that the federal battery rebate will drop in value in 2026. While it is a smaller drop than the amount the solar rebate falls each year, it does mean that homeowners who see the prices advertised now might end up with a slightly higher quote than they expected.

Sturgiss warned homeowners should be on guard for “misinformation” and be aware that the rebate applies to the date of the actual install, not when the quote is signed off on.

He argues though that it is better to risk a slightly reduced rebate rather than get a cowboy installer to do the work.

“Yes your rebate might go down, but if you rush it through with some installer who is not qualified, it is going to cost you more in the long run,” he says.

Rob meanwhile warns that installers should also be conscious of the approach of the end of the year, as they are obliged to honour prices agreed with customers, which could leave them out of pocket should the rebate be less than they budgeted for.

“If the install date is scheduled for next year, the final price needs to be based on that installation date. I’ve seen in past, installers provide quotes thinking it will happen before Christmas, but they don’t get it done in time, and are out of pocket,” he says.

Some installers are already so booked up that new customers will have to wait until next year, such as with Robby Mack of Energy SA.

“We’re already booking January at the moment – the customers are in a queue with us for install, while we’re in a queue with wholesalers for batteries. There’s been continual delays in stock which is a huge challenge, if you have all these bookings and then there’s container delays,” Mack tells SolarQuotes.

The federal battery rebate declines each year, although at a slower speed than the solar rebate.

Solar Battery Brands Facing Stock Shortages

Some popular brands have been short on supply amid the rebate mania. Installers singled out Sigenergy as particularly tricky to source at times, along with Goodwe, BYD and Sungrow. Even bollards to protect batteries have been in short supply.

Tesla and Enphase conversely are two brands that installers have found easier to procure through this period.

Abhinu Raghavan of WA-based installer Fritts Solar tells SolarQuotes he is currently booking customers for three months from now, and expects his bookings to be pushed into 2026 by the end of September.

Raghavan claims he ordered 800 units of BYD batteries earlier in the year, but only got 27 delivered in July, and expects just 75 next month.

One option to avoid battery shortages is to book a solar-only install, which has the added benefit of allowing a new solar owner to get a grasp on consumption patterns to better inform the correct choice of battery size.

Raghavan cautions however that some installers are reluctant to take solar-only installs at the moment because rebate rules constrain how many jobs they can sign off on per day, so are finding it more efficient to do solar-and-battery installs.

In a market where even bollards are in short supply, apparently Tesla Powerwall 3s are still readily available – thanks perhaps to the inflammatory behaviour of a certain CEO.

Could A Backup Brand Shorten The Wait?

Raghavan suggests customers could potentially reduce the amount of time they wait by getting multiple quotes from different installers, and having an alternative quality brand in mind.

“Some salespeople will be telling customers they can install in 4-5 weeks, but in reality it might be longer. Especially in this time with supply shortages, rather than having one preferred brand, customers can have at least an alternative option, so if there is not supply of one brand, they can get another, then they can get it installed this year,” he says.

Other installers aren’t so sure, including Mack at Energy SA.

“Customers are sold on the features, so its not something we’d try and slip them on a different brand, they’ve chosen a particular brand on features and price. It is not like a solar panel where the differences between brands are minimal: there are pretty big differences in batteries in costs and features, so it is often not practical to change brand,” he says.

Sturgiss at Huglo Solar is on a similar page.

“There’s too much dog’s crap out there,” Sturgiss says. “I don’t like going wide on brands.”

For more on batteries and to research brands, consult the SolarQuotes battery comparison table. For more on the federal battery rebate, read our detailed guide.