When it comes to energy storage, Australia has captured the world’s attention and is a testing ground for battery products and sales strategies that will ultimately be rolled out across […]
Category: Batteries & Energy Storage
Articles & advice about batteries, energy storage systems, and energy management systems for residential & commercial solar panel arrays. We can also help you compare battery storage system prices.
SA to install 30MW battery bank
South Australia is set to install another large-scale battery storage system, this time to be located on the Yorke Peninsula in, as part of a renewables-based mini-grid with the nearby Wattle […]
In response to ‘battery bunker’ standards debacle, AEMC recommends new body to oversee distributed energy
The Australian Energy Market Commission has called for the creation of a new regulatory body to oversee the distributed energy generation market, including storage technology. In its final report on […]
I’m (finally) going to live in a solar-powered home
After nearly a decade working in Australia’s solar industry, I’m finally getting in on the action on a personal level. From next week I’m moving to Newcastle and will be […]
What are the best cities for home solar battery storage? (August 2017 update)
Having just published an article on the state of Australia’s battery storage market at the beginning of 2017 (recently updated), we decided we would endeavour to shed a bit more light […]
Is home solar battery storage worth it in 2017? (August update)
Since 2015 Australians have been talking about home battery storage being on the cusp of financial viability. Are home batteries worth the investment in 2017? We’ve crunched the number for […]
Battery safety standards decision looms large over industry
Standards Australia will soon decide whether to allow home lithium battery banks to be installed in a garage or external wall – or whether they’ll be required to live in […]
Interested in batteries? NSW Government’s Home Solar Battery Guide is a must-read – no matter which state you live in
Earlier this year the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment commissioned Total Environment Centre, Alternative Technology Association and Zumio to produce a guidebook for state residents interested in […]
Introducing our new Home Solar & Battery Storage Systems Guide
Over the years Solar Choice has published thousands of articles on the topic of solar power and (more recently) battery storage. Much of this knowledge is spread across various parts […]
Big improvements to our Solar & Battery Sizing & Payback Estimator tool
It’s been well over a year since we first released our Solar & Battery Sizing & Payback Estimator tool in February 2016. Through its life so far, this handy tool has […]
Newly formed battery giant Fluence aims to take on Tesla
Energy giants AES and Siemens have combined their energy storage divisions to take on upstarts like Tesla and other industry rivals, in an effort to dominate the soaring global battery […]
A guide to community microgrids
carbonTRACK Community microgrids are a way for neighbourhoods, villages, towns and cities to meet their energy needs locally. Increasingly, community microgrids are being eyed as an option even in areas where […]
Walnut Energy: Battery solutions for commercial, industrial & grid-scale applications
Walnut Energy is an Australian developer of containerised battery storage solutions for medium to large-scale commercial and industrial premises – not to mention power plants and microgrids. Their battery storage […]
Ampetus Super Lithium: Modular, cost-competitive battery bank for homes
Ampetus Energy is an Australian battery storage system developer offering one of the most cost-effective battery products currently available: the Ampetus Super Lithium battery. The battery comes with a 10 […]
sonnenFlat: sonnen’s ‘free’ / flat-rate electricity plan looks great. Is it worth it?
German battery system maker sonnen has launched its ground-breaking sonnenFlat package – a retail electricity offer available to anyone with at least a 5kW solar system and a sonnen battery system […]
Retrofitting battery storage in Sydney: Some example case studies
You are a solar PV system owner who is now considering adding battery storage. The options you have depend on a number of factors, and there are a range of […]
sonnen launches battery-driven plan to take retailers ‘out of business’
German battery storage developer sonen has described this month’s near 20 per cent jump in the cost of grid power around Australia as “perfect” timing for the rollout of its […]
7 good reasons to install battery storage now
There are now dozens of home battery storage product options to choose from on the Australian market. Prices are coming down quickly, and as electricity prices rise (as they are […]
Energy Storage Conference & Exhibition 2017: Roundup
Every June for the last three years I’ve attended the Energy Storage Conference & Exhibition in Sydney. This year the event took place on 14-15th at Sydney’s new Convention and […]
Add more solar panels or get batteries? A customer case study
Being a nation-wide advice & comparison service for rooftop solar, Solar Choice regularly receives enquiries from customers from people all over the country. We recently received a call from a […]
Diversification the key to a resilient energy market
Australia’s energy markets are becoming more complex due to battery storage and rooftop solar, and diversifying the mix of energy sources can ensure the grid remains resilient, according to Dr […]
Peer-to-peer trading with solar & batteries: What to look for
‘Peer-to-peer energy trading’ is a buzzword that is thrown around quite a bit in Australia as the number of solar & battery storage systems grows. What is peer-to-peer energy trading […]
Battery storage: Retrofit or new build with solar?
If you’re considering installing battery storage for your grid-connected home, you probably find yourself in one of two situations: You’ve already got a solar PV system on your roof and want to add […]
Retrofitting battery storage to an existing solar PV system: What to consider
Lots of Australian homes are expected to install battery storage in the coming years. Many of these homes will install brand new solar-plus-storage systems, but quite a few will be […]
Empowered energy customers support the grid
With the right technology, homeowners and businesses with solar and battery storage systems have the potential to play a vital role in stabilising a grid with high renewable generation, according […]
Levelised cost of storage: A better way to compare battery value
When it comes to choosing batteries for home or commercial battery storage, it can be difficult to sift through the multitude of options to find the IDEAL battery for your […]
Could distributed battery systems ‘blackstart’ the grid?
Solar Choice recently received a comment from a visitor to our site asking about whether distributed battery storage systems – using Reposit Power‘s battery management technology – could be used […]
Avoiding the boom and bust for a sustainable energy storage market
By studying the successes and challenges experienced by overseas projects and markets, and using them to inform better policy and decision-making, Australia’s energy market transformation could be the best-practice example […]
How much can you really save with ‘selective export’ of solar & battery energy?
Now that solar feed-in tariff rates are so low across the country, there’s little reason for a solar system owner to send their energy back into the grid, as they […]
‘No more energy bills’ with solar? Buyer beware
Rooftop solar panels are a fantastic investment in Australia, but be realistic in your expectations “Eliminate your energy bills!” is a phrase – sometimes used in solar sales pitches – that […]
Is home solar battery storage a good match and your energy consumption habits?
Each household uses different amounts of electricity in different patterns throughout the day. Some consumption patterns are more conducive to battery storage as an investment, and knowing your consumption habits […]