The future looks bright for Western Australia – bright … and powered by solar!
That’s because, with the election of Labor to the WA state government comes a new Residential Battery Scheme designed to help households and home-based businesses get cost-effective access to solar batteries.
But what does this scheme entail, and how will it benefit you? We’ve summarised this for you below:
What solar battery rebates did Labor promise residents of WA?
As a part of the WA Labor government’s election campaign, premiere Roger Cook promised Western Australians the “most generous battery and solar rebate scheme in the country.”
Now that they’ve been elected, these promises are rolling out.
All totalled, the state government is offering 20,000 non-means-tested rebates for residential solar batteries of up to $5,000 for Synergy customers, and up to $7,500 for Horizon Power customers.
The final rebate value depends on the capacity of your intended solar battery.
Additionally, residents and home businesses can also access a means-tested, no-interest loan of up to $10,000, with a minimum of $2,000, to assist even more households in accessing solar power.
Response from our CEO:
“This new rebate scheme is an excellent step forwards for residents of WA,” says Think Renewable CEO Daniel Tonkin. “WA is a national leader in the solar space and this shows another commitment from the local government to produce and store energy in renewable ways.”
“WA has the most rooftop solar installed out of any state in the country, but batteries have always lagged behind. Now, the new rebate will allow thousands of residents to not only maximise solar during the day, but to store their excess energy to use at night – enhancing the benefits.”
What does this mean for you?
With these solar battery rebates, you could wipe up to $17,500 off the up-front purchase price of a brand-new solar battery. In all but the most expensive cases, this will encompass the entire cost.
If you’ve ever wanted to shrink your energy bills, rely less on the grid and do your part for the planet, now is the time. These schemes don’t last forever, so we recommend consulting with a professional solar battery installer soon to get ahead of the queue.
Who is eligible for the scheme?
At time of writing, the WA Residential Battery Scheme is still in consultation with the third-party provider who will manage it. But, we do know a few details about who will be eligible:
- WA-based homes and home-based businesses subject to a residential electricity account with Synergy or Horizon Power.
- Those buying new, additional or replacement solar batteries with minimum 5 kWh storage capacity and which are VPP-capable.
Note: Funding assistance will also be available for the installation of solar panels if they are a part of a package including a battery. This is fabulous news, as it enables even those who don’t have any solar to get started this year.
When does the scheme launch?
Labor’s scheme will launch from July 1, 2025, coming out in several rounds. Specifics here have yet to be announced at time of writing.
How will a solar battery benefit your property?
Solar batteries are a pathway to greatly enhancing your solar power system, taking the benefits of solar panels to the next level. Specifically, a solar battery can:
- Store power for later: Solar batteries are designed to do one thing and do it well: store solar power. During the day, your panels will generate a lot of electricity that you may not always use. With a battery, that excess doesn’t go to waste, it’s stored for use later when the sun isn’t shining.
- Save more money: With plenty of power saved up, you can shift your renewable energy usage to peak billing times. This should help you shrink your monthly bill, and can result in significant savings over time.
- Reduce your environmental impact: By relying less on the grid, you’re doing your part for the planet – reducing your consumption of fossil fuels and lowering your carbon footprint.
Learn more: What is a solar battery storage system?
What you need to know about buying a solar battery
There are a few things to keep in mind when hunting for a new or replacement solar battery. Namely, you’ll need to work out…
- Your required capacity
- Your desired power output
- What kind of efficiency you’re looking for
- VPP-capability
- Warranties
- Who’s going to install it for you
You can learn all about those nitty-gritty details in our handy solar battery buyers guide here.
We also have additional guidance on choosing the correct size of solar battery here.
As for that last part – who’s going to install your battery – that’s where we come in.
How to get a professional solar battery installer
You can’t install a solar battery yourself; a qualified electrician must do it for you. Luckily, the search for a professional is easy – just choose Think Renewable.
We’re an award-winning solar battery installer who can identify the right battery for your property’s needs, walk you through accessing the rebate scheme and ensure you’re prepared for when it comes out. Find out more about our service here, or contact us for a free quote.
