The cost benefit of batteries

This is a difficult question to answer.  The best ‘bang for your buck’ is a regular grid connect system which significantly reduces your electricity bill and is the least cost option. 

To determine the cost benefit of a system to your situation we calculate the ‘pay back period’.  This means that we look at your billing history and predict how much money the solar will reduce your bills by.  Once we know what you will save each year we work out how long those savings will take to pay for the solar system installed. 

With grid connect systems we generally find pay back periods of between 1.5 and 3 years.  When we do the same calculator for a battery system the pay back period is more likely to be closer to five years.  This has come down over the last few years and it is now cost effective to add batteries although the bang for your buck is not quite as attractive as a grid connect only option. 

There are other advantages of batteries such as limited electrical supply during a power outage.  One of the most common mistakes made by salespeople is to suggest that having batteries will allow full power during a grid outage.  This is rarely the case with most battery systems only capable of limited power supply during a grid outage.  You may be able to have your lights on and fridges or TV running but it is not likely you will be able to run a large aircon or hot water system or any other large electrical appliance such as ovens and large pumps.

We suggest having a generator on standby as well.