When Sue installed a solar battery at her outer Melbourne home, she knew she would see savings on her energy costs, but 12 month later, she was surprised how much her bills have reduced.
Sue decided to install the solar battery after having solar panels for eight years.
“We’ve certainly saved a lot of money over the years in installing [panels].”
“I had been thinking about [getting a battery] for a while and had been concerned about the cost, and whether we’d really get our money’s worth out of it in terms of savings.”
Having a solar battery means Sue can capture the excess energy her solar PV system generates.
"Essentially the energy is going from the sun to the panels to the battery to our appliances and still being topped up as we’re using the appliances. At the end of the day the battery is usually still full so in the evening we’re not drawing from the grid so we’re saving money”.
How does a solar battery system work?
Many households would like to understand how a battery system works before adding one to their PV system.
To ensure she’s using the energy as its being generated, Sue has made some changes to how she uses her appliances.
“I used to put the washing machine on at night, thinking I was using off peak power and saving money, but it’s actually better to run it during the day when the sun is shining.”
By using her major appliances in the middle of the day, Sue is ensuring she gets the most out of her solar PV and solar battery. She is able to monitor their performance using an app on her phone.
“For the first two or three weeks I was constantly on the app, just looking at it all day when the sun was shining and when I turned on an appliance, say the dishwasher or the washing machine even the kettle.”
“Using the app really taught me how to use the electricity better. It’s connected to the battery, so you get a picture of when the battery’s full, how much energy is coming from your solar panels into your battery, and also what energy you’re pulling from the grid or if you’ve got excess energy. Definitely having the app with your battery does help you use it the best.
Is a solar battery right for your home?
Installing a solar battery will allow you to benefit more from the clean energy provided by the sun.
Sue’s solar battery has attracted quite a bit of interest from her friends and family.
“Friends and family ask us about the battery and has it saved us money? I’ll show them the app and they’re very interested to see how that works. They think it’s quite tidy where it is in our garage, it’s out of the way, we wouldn’t even know it was there. I can compare my bill to my sister’s bill, and she likes mine a lot better!”
“My advice to someone who’s considering getting a solar battery for solar panels would be to certainly look into the government rebate."
"We’ve certainly found the whole process very smooth and very easy. Now our bills are half of what they used to be and it won’t be many years before we make up that money as well.”
Solar battery loans
Interest-free loans of up to $8,800 are available to help eligible Victorian households reduce the upfront costs of installing a solar battery.
Leading the charge: Your guide to solar batteries
Keep your solar running 24/7 with a battery. Solar Victoria has interest-free loans of up to $8,800 available for solar battery installations.
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