Already have solar
Should you add a battery to your solar?
A battery keeps your spare solar for the evening instead of selling it cheaply. We work out what that trade is worth for your home, and the size where it pays best.
Ready to talk to an installer? Send a project brief without using the calculator.
The gap that pays for a battery
What you pay for a kWh, against what you’re paid for one.
Typical single-rate usage price and feed-in rate in each state and territory. The wider the gap, the more each stored kWh is worth. Your own plan may differ: enter it above.
| State | You pay | You’re paid | Gap per kWh | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Australia | 41.5c | 5.0c | 36.5c | Usage · Feed-in |
| Western Australia | 33.3c | 2.0c · 10c 3–9pm | 31.3c | Usage · Feed-in |
| New South Wales | 32.3c | 5.0c | 27.3c | Usage · Feed-in |
| Australian Capital Territory | 32.1c | 5.0c | 27.1c | Usage · Feed-in |
| Victoria | 27.4c | 1.0c | 26.4c | Usage · Feed-in |
| Northern Territory | 31.7c | 9.3c · 18.66c 3–9pm | 22.4c | Usage · Feed-in |
| Queensland | 27.9c | 6.0c | 21.9c | Usage · Feed-in |
| Tasmania | 24.8c | 9.3c | 15.5c | Usage · Feed-in |
Typical figures reviewed October 2026; your retailer’s rates may be higher or lower. A battery also loses about a tenth of what it stores in charging and discharging, which the calculator includes. Battery prices fall under the federal discount, which steps down every six months to 2030 .
Why does my feed-in rate matter so much?
Every kWh a battery stores is a kWh you would otherwise have exported. You stop earning the feed-in credit on it, and in return you avoid buying a kWh from the grid in the evening. The lower your feed-in rate and the higher your evening rate, the more each stored kWh is worth.
Will a battery work with my existing inverter?
Usually, in one of two ways. An AC-coupled battery comes with its own inverter and sits alongside your solar inverter; or your solar inverter is replaced with a hybrid inverter that runs both. The prices here are typical battery-with-inverter prices; an installer will tell you which suits your system.
Why add my exports from the bill?
Panels that face east or west, or have some shade, export less than the same size facing north. When you enter what you export, we work out how your panels actually perform and size the battery to the solar you really have spare.
Is anything I enter stored?
Your bill calculations stay in your browser and your answers are included in this page’s share link. Your postcode and requested services are sent to our server to check installer availability, without creating a lead. If you request a quote, we store and share only the details and brief you approve.