Guides
Answers to the questions people ask before they buy. No brand pays to appear in any of them.
Start here, 7 min read
How to compare solar and battery quotes
Get more than one written quote, then line up the exact products, usable battery capacity, warranties, rebate and extra charges before you sign anything.
Read the guideBuying and quotes
Questions to ask a solar or battery installer
The questions worth asking before you sign, grouped by the company, the system, install day, rebates and paperwork, and warranty, with why each one matters.
6 min read
Solar and battery sales tactics to walk away from
Rushed deadlines, today-only prices, vague free offers and claims the government sent them are signs to walk away. Here is how to check, and how to report it.
6 min read
Batteries
Is a home battery worth it in 2026?
A battery can make sense if you use power in the evening, get a low feed-in tariff and qualify for the rebate. Here is how to judge it for your own home.
7 min read
Virtual power plants explained: should you join one?
What a virtual power plant does with your home battery, what you give up and might get, the NSW and WA incentives, and the questions to ask before you sign.
6 min read
What size home battery do you need?
How to size a home battery from your evening and overnight use, what your solar can refill, and why the rebate taper means bigger is not always better value.
6 min read
Will a battery keep the lights on in a blackout?
Why a home battery does not always work in a power cut, the difference between whole-home and essential-circuits backup, and what to ask your installer.
6 min read
Solar panels
How much does solar cost in Australia in 2026?
Average 2026 solar prices by capital city for 6 kW and 10 kW systems, what a quote should include, what adds cost and why the cheapest quote is not always the best.
6 min read
Solar feed-in tariffs in 2026: what you will be paid
What you may be paid for exported solar in 2026-27, state by state, plus time-of-use rates, the new Solar Sharer Offer and why using your own solar matters more.
6 min read
What size solar system do you need?
How to size a home solar system from your bills, daytime use, roof and local sunshine, with average output per kW for each capital city.
6 min read
Rebates
How the federal battery rebate works in 2026
How the Cheaper Home Batteries discount is worked out: STCs, the factor, the size taper, who claims it, and why the date on your compliance certificate matters.
6 min read
The solar panel rebate (STCs) explained
How the federal solar panel rebate really works: what STCs are, how many your system earns, why the discount falls each year and how to check it on a quote.
6 min read