Solar manufacturers Sungrow and SolarEdge are still offering inverter trade-in (or up) programs in Australia when upgrading their systems to new hybrid inverters and/or batteries from the respective firms. Here’s how the schemes work and what you can get.
Sungrow Inverter Trade-In Offer
Originally launched in late June 2025, Sungrow’s initiative enables Australian customers to swap their existing Sungrow inverters via the company’s certified installer network to receive rebates for upgrading to the firm’s latest-generation hybrid inverter and Sungrow battery systems.
Dozens of older Sungrow inverter models are eligible for the scheme, with trade-in values ranging from $500 for 2 kW inverters to $1,700 for some 20 kW units. The list includes the SG5K-D ($800 trade-in) and SG8K-D ( $1,000 trade-in), which have exceeded installations of 100,000 units each in Australia according to the firm.
Rebates are issued after the new system is installed, the trade-in units are returned and received, and all documents have been reviewed and approved by Sungrow. A Sungrow certified installer manages the entire trade-in process, from the submission of the application to the return of the trade-in and application of credit.
Currently a pilot program, Sungrow may make it a long-term initiative depending on results. Further details can be found here.
As at June 2025, 870 GW of Sungrow power electronic converters have been installed worldwide, and the company claims deployment of more than 400,000 residential systems in Australia.
“As one of the first company-led trade-in initiatives in Australia’s residential energy sector, the program helps establish a closed-loop model covering energy consumption, product use, recycling, and regeneration,” states the firm.
SolarEdge Inverter TradeUp Deal
SolarEdge’s TradeUp program has been around for quite a while. TradeUp is currently available when adding a single- or 3-phase SolarEdge Home Battery & Backup Interface to an existing SolarEdge single-phase or residential three-phase system.
Under the program, an existing eligible SolarEdge inverter can be traded-up to a new single- or three-phase 10 kW — or 5 kW if preferred — Home Hub Universal Inverter at no cost, which will come with a fresh 12-year inverter warranty.
Furthermore, an older SolarEdge residential 3-phase inverter can be replaced with two new single-phase inverters (Home Hub and Genesis) as part of the TradeUp program to meet inverter capacity phase imbalance requirements specified by Distributed Network Service Providers (DNSPs) in some states and regions.
How much longer TradeUp will be around for isn’t clear. Back in 2024, the company said it was available until December 31, 2025, or until 1,000 inverters had been exchanged; but that may have changed since.
In related news, late last month SolarEdge announced its Home Hub Universal 3-Phase 10kW Inverter and new stackable DC-coupled modular 3-phase battery are slated for Clean Energy Council (CEC) listing this month according to the firm, with shipments beginning mid-November.
Key features of Home Hub Universal 3-Phase 10kW Inverter:
- Model number: SE10K-RWB48
- 3-phase backup (with Backup Interface).
- Single string design < 13.3kW.
- 200% oversizing (with batteries).
- Connect up to 2 followers.
- Datasheet here
Key features of the Stackable Home Battery:
- Model number: BAT-05K48
- Stackable modular 4.85kWh battery (1-5 in parallel).
- Maximum capacity: 24.25kWh per Home Hub.
- Scalable up to 72.75kWh storage with 2x SE10K-RWB48 followers.
- DC Coupled, with AC-coupled capability.
- 3-phase backup (with Backup Interface).
- Datasheet here
Combined with the national solar battery rebate, there are significant savings to be had under both initiatives. The Cheaper Home Batteries program currently provides an up-front discount on the purchase and installation of eligible energy storage systems of roughly 30%.
These manufacturer programs are an interesting move on a couple of fronts — encouraging existing customers to stay within the brands’ component ecosystems, and (hopefully) responsible recycling/disposal of returned solar inverters.
Sungrow says:
“Once collected, the traded-in inverter becomes the property of Sungrow or its authorised recycling partners and will not be returned. All environmental disposal is handled responsibly through authorised channels.”
I’m not clear on how SolarEdge deals with the old inverters it receives.
To any Sungrow/SolarEdge owners who have participated in the trade-in/trade-up schemes — how was the process and are you happy with the result? Consider leaving a comment below.
Learn more about choosing the best inverters for your home.
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