Can you get a home battery without solar?
Yes, a battery can charge from the grid. But without solar panels you don't get the federal battery discount [SB-S003, C].
On 2 Sigenergy modules installed this year, that's about $4,320 of certificates you miss out on (E, below).
We haven't installed or used these batteries ourselves. This page is research from government pages, manufacturer documents and installer price lists, each linked and dated.
What you lose
| With solar | Without solar | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal discount | Yes [SB-S003, C] | No [SB-S003, C] |
| 2 Sigenergy modules (17.52 kWh), installed Dec 2026 | 109 certificates ≈ $4,320 off | $0 off |
Working (E): 14×6.8 + 3.52×6.8×0.6 = 109 certificates [SB-S036, SB-S001] × $39.65, the last trade on 30 Oct 2026 [SB-S095]. Installers pass on a bit less.
Pre-discount installed prices from a seller with its own date: MISSING for a full table.
What a grid-only battery can still do
- Charge on cheap overnight power and run your evening peak, if your plan has time-of-use rates (E).
- Keep the lights on in a blackout, if backup hardware is added (extra cost, e.g. +$1,455.90 on one installer's Sigenergy list) [SB-S092, C].
- Join a VPP, where a provider uses some of its storage [SB-S007, C].
Payback without solar: MISSING. It needs your peak and off-peak rates. Use the sum below with your bill.
Will it pay for itself?
- Yearly saving ≈ kWh the battery covers each evening × 365 × (your peak rate − your feed-in rate) (E).
- Payback years = what you pay after discounts ÷ yearly saving (E).
- Check the warranty: most batteries we cover promise 70% of usable storage at 10 years, or a throughput cap, whichever comes first [SB-S053, SB-S055, SB-S057, SB-S059, C]. If payback is past 10 years, think twice (E).
See a worked example with a real published tariff on our Sigenergy price page (example only, use your own bill).
A seller must give you payback, sizing and warranty details before you sign [SB-S082, C].
Most battery owners have solar
23% of solar homes have a battery. Just 2% of homes without solar do [SB-S077, C].
Questions to ask a seller
- Would a small solar system make me eligible for the discount? [SB-S003]
- What does backup cost, in writing?
- What's the price with and without solar?
Related: Solar battery rebate · All batteries
To compare electricity plans, use the government's free tools: Energy Made Easy (NSW, Qld, SA, Tas, ACT) and Victorian Energy Compare (Vic).
Rules checked 3 November 2026. Next scheduled check: before 1 January 2027 (STC step-down), and monthly for WA and NSW.