Is a home battery worth it in Melbourne?
A battery stores your midday solar for the evening. Whether it pays depends on how much you use after dark and how much solar you export. Check your own numbers below.
Updated November 2026 · Litmec Electrical, REC-10383
A home battery tends to pay in Melbourne when a household uses more than about 4 to 5 kWh between sunset and sunrise and already exports a good share of its solar. Below that, most of the battery sits unused.
Batteries also earn government certificates under the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which take part of the cost off upfront. We check what applies on your install date.
How big a battery do you need?
Size a battery to your evening and overnight use, not to your panels. Most Melbourne households use 5 to 12 kWh after dark; a 10 kWh battery covers the typical home.
| Evening and overnight use | Battery size | Covered on an average day |
|---|---|---|
| 4 kWh | 5 kWh | about 3.1 kWh |
| 6 kWh | 5 kWh | about 3.5 kWh |
| 8 kWh | 10 kWh | about 6.2 kWh |
| 10 kWh | 10 kWh | about 7.0 kWh |
| 14 kWh | 15 kWh | about 10.5 kWh |
| 18 kWh | 15 kWh | about 10.5 kWh |
Why batteries don't always pay
- Winter: in June a 6.6 kW system makes about 15 kWh a day, and the house uses much of it directly, so many winter days the battery doesn't fill.
- Low evening use: a household that uses 3 kWh at night gets little from a 10 kWh battery.
- What you give up: each kWh stored is a kWh not exported, so the real gain is the import price minus the feed-in tariff, about 26c per kWh.
Batteries and existing solar
Most older systems can take a battery, either AC-coupled with its own inverter or through a hybrid inverter if yours is due for replacement. We check your inverter, switchboard and where the battery can legally go on the site visit. Australian Standard AS/NZS 5139 controls battery locations: not in habitable rooms, and kept clear of exits and windows.
Backup in a blackout
Not every battery powers the house in an outage. Backup needs the right inverter and a backed-up circuit set up in the switchboard. If backup matters to you, say so when you book; it changes the design.
Rebates for batteries
Since July 2025, home batteries earn small-scale technology certificates under the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program. The value depends on battery size and the certificate price, and steps down each year. We claim it for you and take it off the quote. All rebates.
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Questions
What size battery do I need in Melbourne?
Match it to your evening and overnight use. If you use about 8 kWh after dark, a 10 kWh battery is a good fit; at 4 kWh, a 5 kWh battery or no battery at all.
Can I add a battery to my existing solar system?
Usually yes, either with an AC-coupled battery that has its own inverter, or a hybrid inverter that replaces your current one. We check your existing system on the site visit.
Will a battery keep my power on in a blackout?
Only if it is set up for backup, with a compatible inverter and backed-up circuits. Many installed batteries are not. Tell us if backup matters to you.
Do batteries get a rebate in Victoria?
Home batteries earn certificates under the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, taken off the price upfront. The value depends on battery size and changes over time, so we confirm it on your quote.
Check it on your roof
One minute online, then a free visit from a licensed electrician who checks your roof and switchboard.