Solar batteries close, but not quite there yet for the typical family

With the hot weather returning and pool pumps and airconditioners springing back to life after a six-month hibernation, more householders will be asking themselves if it is time to go solar.

Solar panels are responsible for most of the energy
bill savings but the economic case for batteries is less clear.

That's even more so as electricity prices are expected to continue to rise well in excess of inflation, driven by energy policy uncertainty and other factors.

While the economic case for solar panels is settled, the jury is still out on batteries. Home solar battery prices are falling, but they are not falling as quickly as solar panels.

With costs of about $10,000, batteries are not cheap and usually have to be replaced after about 12 years, whereas solar panels last more than 20 years.

Read the story by John Collett from The Age - “Solar batteries close, but not quite there yet for the typical family.”