Simple steps to a smarter home

Switching to solar can be smart but with changing rebates and new tech, the process can feel daunting. Here’s how to get going.

Whether it’s power bills blowing out your budget, the falling prices of renewable tech or attractive government grants, there’s never been a better time to invest in solar and batteries at home. And according to energy expert and SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock, there’s an emotional pay-off, too. “It’s a wonderful feeling to generate your own electricity. Everyone should get to experience it.”

Regardless of the motivation, more Aussies are turning to renewable energy. In the second half of 2025, 183,245 batteries were sold in Australia, more than the previous four years combined. There are now more than 420,000 home batteries nationwide and 4.3 million households with rooftop solar.

If you’ve been thinking of joining the renewable revolution, here’s what you need to know about energy consumption, installation and out-of-pocket expenses.

What to consider before installing solar

Before buying, Peacock says you need to understand where the financial returns come from. “Eighty per cent of your savings will come from self-consumption, which is using the solar yourself,” he says. “That’s where you save the big dollars because you’re not paying the grid up to 75 cents a kilowatt-hour. You’re making it yourself for free, essentially.”

He also suggests being clear on your goals. “Do you just want to get your bills as low as possible or do you want to try to make money with energy trading? Both options are valid but they change what kind of system you buy and how they’re configured.”

Ultimately, it helps to view solar as a long- term strategy rather than a get-rich-quick scheme. “At the moment, the feed-in tariff – your credited excess energy that’s fed back into the grid – is just a few cents per kilowatt-hour,” Peacock notes. “The real value is simply using the electricity you’re generating that you’d otherwise have to pay for.”

Meet the homeowner maximising solar and battery storage

When Tom Szecsodi and his family moved into their new home, it already had a few solar panels. But as a self-described “solar nerd”, Tom quickly set about maximising their capacity and adding a battery buffer. 

“Max out your battery capacity, particularly if you plan on charging an electric vehicle down the track.”

“I wanted to become more sustainable and reduce our power bills,” he says. “We have underfloor heating and ducted air conditioning so the house chews a lot of power. Our biggest bill in winter last year was about $1300 for the quarter.”

Tom crunched the numbers and liked what he saw. “I understood there’s a capital cost to putting in the additional solar and a battery but when I looked at that investment over a longer timeline, the equation absolutely made sense.”

Your three-step guide to getting started

Ready to get going? Here’s how to lay the groundwork for a successful set-up.

1. Check your foundation

“You want to consider if your roof is suitable for solar,” says Peacock. “You ideally want a north-, east- or west-facing roof that’s clear of shade.”

2. Understand your power footprint

“The good news is that these days almost all energy retailers have an online dashboard where you can track your electricity usage hour by hour,” says Peacock. “That’s a perfect starting point for talking to an installer – it gives you a clear idea of how big a battery you might want.”

3. Research potential installers

Peacock says: “The golden rule of avoiding a dodgy solar installer is to cross-reference reviews. Don’t just look at one site – check Product Review, Facebook, Google, Trustpilot and SolarQuotes and compare the rankings. If you see a big discrepancy between the review platforms and the average score, that’s a red flag.”

Understanding the costs and potential savings

There’s no denying it: the heavy upfront cost of solar installation has historically been a barrier to entry. But as infrastructure costs come down and energy prices go up, the time it takes to recoup your investment is shrinking.

According to Paul Nicolo, general manager of consumer lending at CommBank, renewable home upgrades offer long-term value, with “break-even periods potentially being realised within a few years.” When it comes to price, Peacock warns against deals that look too good to be true. “Don’t be seduced by a cheap deal. If the system is badly installed, you won’t get those savings.” CommBank and Brighte’s digital marketplace connects buyers with accredited installers to help ease the process.

“Start keeping a simple spreadsheet of all your current energy expenditure. Apart from making usage transparent right now, it’s satisfying to compare your savings later on.”

Meet the retiree who fully electrified his home

“I’ve become a bit of a dinner-table bore about renewables,” says Charles Coppel, an 89-year-old self-funded retiree. He became passionate about renewable energy in 2022 after reading engineer and scientist Saul Griffith’s book The Big Switch.

“What we’d been spending on gas and electricity was absolutely horrific so we did our own big switch in late 2022,” says Charles.

The Brunswick East local increased his rooftop solar layout from 10 panels to 32 and added a home battery. “At the same time, we phased out gas entirely by replacing our hot-water system, heating and cooling to the house. We also bought an electric car.”

The upfront cost of fully electrifying his home was large – about $55,000 – but Charles sees it as a valuable investment. His total annual energy expenses dropped from about $6600 (including petrol) in 2022 to $1130 in the last financial year.

“For retired people, this is a brilliant way of lowering your ongoing living expenditure,” Charles notes. “Plus, you’re adding tangible value to your home.”

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Published: 14 October 2026