At a Glance: Alpha ESS Batteries score 3.9 out of 5
Scoring is based on our solar battery scorecard which is consistently applied to each brand and battery available on the Australian market. This scoring reflects Alpha ESS’s residential Smile 5 series.
$$$ Price: Based on data from Solar Choice’s network of solar installers, the average price for an installed Alpha ESS battery is $1,025 per usable kWh. This means they are a mid-range priced solution.
- Company Backing and Trustworthiness (5 out of 5): Alpha ESS has offices in Adelaide and Sydney with a substantial number of Australian employees. They have been operating in Australia since 2015. The brand is diversified beyond solar batteries, also offering EV chargers.
- Warranty Offer (2.5 out of 5): Alpha ESS batteries come with a through-put warranty of 3.12MWh per usable kWh and a degradation rate of 70% after 10 years. They also have a product warranty of 10 years.
- Customer Reviews (3 out of 5): Based on verified reviews through Solar Choice’s independent platform, at the time of writing, Alpha ESS have received mostly positive customer feedback from a total of 59 reviews. Based on our customer reviewing scoring system, average ratings between 4 and 4.25 score 3 points.
- Functionality (5 out of 5): Alpha ESS batteries score a full 5 points for the functionality we look for. This includes being a modular stackable solution, outdoor rated at IP65, having a built in inverter so it can connect to any existing solar systems and having built in fire suppression. The batteries can also be expanded with new batteries not being affected by older degraded batteries in the stack.
Please note that the Solar Choice score card reflects our opinions only. Customers are encouraged to do their own research. Uncover essential details in the comprehensive guide below and find out what you need to know before you buy.
Background on AlphaESS – Company History
AlphaESS Battery System – How It Works
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You can ‘DC Couple’ or ‘AC Couple’ the Alpha ESS.
If you were starting from scratch and installing a new system, a DC coupled AlphaESS battery would make the most sense. This is because there would be no need to purchase an additional grid-connected inverter as the AlphaESS unit can do it all for you. It also only converts DC energy to AC energy once when the house is drawing down power from battery – meaning its a more efficient solution.
To read our full explanation on DC coupling and AC coupling – click here.
How Much do AlphaESS Batteries Cost?
One of AlphaESS’s most popular residential battery systems is the SMILE5 series. See the below table which provide an indicative guide based on data from Solar Choice’s Battery Price Index on the cost of installing a AlphaESS SMILE5 with different battery capacity:
| Alpha ESS Product | Indicative Price Range ($AUD) |
| Alpha ESS SMILE5 5.5kWh | $8,500 to $9,000 |
| Alpha ESS SMILE5 11kWh | $12,000 to $13,000 |
| Alpha ESS SMILE5 16.5kWh | $15,000 to $17,500 |
Please note
- Prices are an estimate of a full turnkey price for end-consumers including all products, labour and GST
- Price estimates does not include any battery rebates
To give this cost context it is important to balance the cost of a battery against the return of a cheaper power bill. Solar Choice’s solar and battery calculator is a comprehensive tool to understand the financial viability – although be warned, the financial return for batteries is still not as attractive as solar panels.
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AlphaESS Independently Tested by ITP Renewables
ITP Renewables, an independent organization funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), independently tested AlphaESS. They publish live performance data and biannual reports on the batteries they test. Their accelerated testing method cycles batteries three times daily, simulating nine years of use in just three years.
In 2017, ITP Renewables began testing the AlphaESS M48100 (9.6kWh) battery. After two years, equivalent to six traditional years of use, they noticed abnormal behavior: the battery’s charge/discharge rate was restricted. AlphaESS examined the battery and found over-temperature alarms, leading to the discontinuation of the test.
AlphaESS informed Solar Choice that the tested battery was their first model, manufactured over seven years ago, and they have made significant improvements since.
AlphaESS’s Warranty Terms for Australian Customers
As of October 2024, AlphaESS has updated their Australian documents to offer a 10-year product warranty for the inverter and all battery components. This covers manufacturing defects and is the aspect of the warranty that is most commonly claimed by customers.
The batteries also come with a performance warranty which guarantees whichever comes first out of the 2 conditions below:
- the battery retains 70% of its usable capacity after 10 years
- the battery has throughput 3.12MWh per kWh of usable capacity
The latest warranty document also removes some unusual limiting conditions that were present in previous documents. This now looks to be one of the better battery warranties for Australian customers. Alpha ESS have an office in Chatswood that you can contact for technical support and to claim warranty.
You can download the warranty details here:
Alpha ESS Australian Warranty Document
Pros and Cons of Alpha ESS Batteries
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The Chemistry Behind AlphaESS Batteries
This AlphaESS battery consists of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), as the cathode material and its anodes are carbon. This is different to Lithium Ion batteries such as the Tesla Powerwall 2.
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Reviews from Australians who have installed Alpha ESS Batteries
I chose Alpha ESS over the more popular Sigenergy option as it aligned better with my budget. Thus far, I am very satisfied with its performance. It delivers exactly what I needed—storing excess solar energy during the day and providing reliable power throughout the night. I am already noticing significant savings, which will accelerate my return on investment.
At this stage I have not received a power account so it’s a little early to know.
no as it isn't even fully installed I am still running from the grid I was better off not getting a battery at least the solar system was working until I thought I would do the right thing for tenants to help save costs No go
Installed battery looks good. Installer did a good and neat job with the cabling. App is great as well, providing solar, grid, house load and battery statistics. Counter checked with my solar inverter and energy provider stats and they’re within acceptable accuracy. Opened support tickets in the app when reporting wasn’t working as I would expect it, followed up with a call and issue resolved promptly. I was able to integrate with my home assistant both using Open Api and Modbus. Great to have them available with lots of knowledge in the internet to help you get started. Alpha ESS is supported with known VPPs. Went with Globird as they allow me to control my batteries.
Installation Photos
Review left 5 years after system installed
Had the Alpha ECO 10 - SMILE-BAT-10.3P for 4 years now. Want to add another 30 kwh to my setup but told the battery is no longer supported and will need to be replaced if I want to add another battery! So a 10 year warranty may not mean much. Performance is ok but the whole procedure of monitoring to balance the best cost with Amber is difficult.
Had a installed in shed very happy clean
So far so good, but again seemingly anathema to VPP. Hopefully that changes, but even if they don't I'm sure they'll service me adequately for the foreseeable future.
It seems to be working fine. It is still new and I have only been using it for a few days.
Affordable price, At least 70% memory left after 10 years of usage , there's no need to remove the existing converter
I have only just had it installed, but it charged fully the first day and I have no issues
Goos product --very happy with the battery -- I have it on the side of the house behind the fence so no one messes with it --hahaha It makes a light show at night --really cool.
Wouldn't have a clue if the battery is ok. Pretty sure it will be, just needs to be turned on.
The Alpha ESS battery has only been installed the past week which has had wildly varying weather and the battery seems to be functioning well and as intended. It is intended to join a VPP to which this battery is suitable. Subject to further research it will probably be Amber.
Installation Photos
Very happy. 15KW. Monitoring system is excellent on the PC, good on the iphone but desktop PC is better.
Review left 9 years after system installed
Battery supplies are low. Causing delays
Finding the units (2off) are performing very well. Very easy to track system performance through the Alpha app.
It's the largest battery that I could afford. I would like another one just to be completely off grid but even with only the 10 KW I am only using perhaps 3 to 5 kW from the grid a week if even that
Alpha is a more budget battery, but honestly it's been perfect. The app monitoring has not had a single issue. The performance has been great.
Seems to be working fine and great value for money.
It's a neat looking package but it is still early days. I have only had this installed 2 days ago.
Installation Photos
