How does solar battery finance work?
Solar battery finance works on the price your installer quotes after the federal discount, so you borrow only the remaining cost and repay it over a fixed term. Yes, you can finance a home battery much like any other home upgrade.
Common options are an unsecured personal loan, a green loan or a home loan top-up. Funds go to you or straight to the installer, depending on the lender.
- Start with the installer’s quote for the battery, inverter and installation.
- Take off the Cheaper Home Batteries discount, applied through certificates.
- Add any extras, like a switchboard upgrade or backup gateway.
- What’s left is the amount to finance.
How does the Cheaper Home Batteries Program work?
It’s a federal discount of roughly 30% off the upfront cost of an eligible home battery installed with new or existing rooftop solar. It started on 1 July 2025 and is delivered through small-scale technology certificates, which usually show up as a discount on your installer’s quote.
Two changes are worth knowing. From 1 May 2026, battery certificates are tiered by size, so larger batteries get proportionally less per kWh. The discount is also adjusted over time as battery prices fall, aiming to keep the saving at about 30%.
Program funding was expanded to an estimated $7.2 billion over four years. For the full walk-through, read our Cheaper Home Batteries Program guide.
What size battery do I need?
Size the battery to your evenings, not your roof. A battery earns its keep by covering the power you use after sunset, so your night-time usage is the starting point.
| Consideration | Why it matters | Ask your installer |
|---|---|---|
| Evening and overnight use | Sets how much stored energy you’ll use each night | Can you size it from my smart meter data? |
| Solar system size | Panels need spare daytime output to fill the battery | Will my panels charge it on a cloudy winter day? |
| Backup needs | Not every set-up keeps power on in an outage | Which circuits will run during a blackout? |
| Future plans | An EV, pool pump or heat pump can shift your usage | Can the system be expanded later? |
| Tiered discount | From 1 May 2026, bigger batteries get proportionally less per kWh | What’s the discount on each size you’ve quoted? |
| Tariffs and VPPs | Time-of-use pricing and VPPs change what stored energy is worth | Is this battery VPP-compatible? |
Bigger isn’t automatically better value. A battery that rarely fills or empties is capacity you’ve paid for but don’t use.
Can I add a battery to my existing solar?
Usually, yes. The federal discount applies to batteries installed with existing rooftop solar as well as with new systems.
Your installer will check how the battery connects. Some plug into a hybrid inverter that manages both panels and storage, while others come with their own inverter and sit alongside your current set-up.
- Is the existing inverter compatible, or due for replacement anyway?
- Does the switchboard need an upgrade?
- Where can the battery be safely mounted?
- Will a battery change your current feed-in arrangement? Check with your retailer.
No panels yet? The discount is built around batteries paired with rooftop solar, so many households install both together on one loan. Our solar panel finance page covers the panel side.
What are virtual power plants?
A virtual power plant (VPP) links lots of home batteries so an energy retailer or operator can draw on them when the grid needs support. In return, members typically receive credits, payments or plan benefits.
- The upside: extra value from a battery you already own, and a hand in keeping the grid steady.
- The trade-off: the operator can use some of your stored energy, so there may be less left for your evening.
- The fine print: compare how much control you hand over, the contract length and the exit terms before joining.
What you’ll need
- Installer’s quote showing the discount applied
- Battery, inverter and backup details
- Details of your existing solar system, if you have one
- Recent electricity bills
- Photo ID, such as your driver licence
- Income evidence — payslips or business financials
- Recent bank statements
Who it usually suits
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or over
- Owner of the home where the battery will be installed
- Steady income, whether from a job, a business or both
- Current debts that leave room for a new repayment
- Credit history reviewed as a whole, not just the score
