Take Advantage of the Federal Battery Rebate & Maximise Your Savings Today
Take Advantage of the Federal Battery Rebate & Maximise Your Savings Today
Posted 11 Mar
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With the rapid uptake of solar in recent years, 2026 seems to be another great year for those looking into solar to finally get it. Combining advancements in solar technology, price reductions, and ever-growing benefits for households, more homes and businesses are considering investing in solar power - but is solar worth it?
Answer: Yes, we believe solar is worth it
in 2026. With fluctuating energy costs, available rebates, and strong benefits, a solar system is still very much worth it for homes in
Australia.
Total Capacity in Kilowatts (kW) - Courtesy of APVI
In Q4 2025, distributed solar reported an all-time high of 4,407 MW of quarterly output.
During a half-hour period in Q4 2025, solar generated 61% of the grid's demand
Total batteries installed passed 145,000, totalling 3,398 MWh of capacity
Total fossil fuel generation dropped from 51% to 49% in Q4 2025.
Overall, yes, solar is still worth investing in for 2026, with numerous benefits for both homes and businesses in Australia.
As uncertainty lingers in Australia with global events, the price electricity remains variable and at risk of increasing without
notice. As prices fluctuate, properties all over states like NSW look to secure their energy through means like solar and battery.
Solar offers a great opportunity for households and commercial properties to generate energy independently for increased energy
security, but how can you be sure solar is worth it for your property?
For most households and businesses, solar power can be one of the best investments you can make for reducing your electricity costs.
But why? What makes solar so good to invest in?
Let's go through the benefits of installing solar power and why it is worth it for most households and businesses.
Because of global events that are out of our control, energy is one element that is highly susceptible to fluctuations in the market. Events like COVID and rising global tensions may affect supply which in result can affect our electricity generation which only calls for further independence for every property in Australia.
Australia has available solar rebates that help enable affordability for solar systems for most Australians. Current rebates/incentives paired with drops in solar panel module prices over time helps solar become more accessible.
Because solar can generate electricity with up to 30 years of performance warranties, solar is seen as a long-lasting beneficial investment as it continues to offset daily electricity consumption.
For owners looking to boost property value, solar and battery are a great choice in strengthening a property's capabilities in its own energy independence.
With solar PV module technology continually improving, households and businesses that generate more solar energy from their rooftops with higher power and efficiency.
Think of a generator continuously working throughout the day - no noise, no pollution, and next to no maintenance energy generation to help power your daily appliances.
Whether you're a firm believer in NetZero or climate change, being able to generate electricity sustainably is a massive win for Australian businesses and households.
Solar is worth it for helping Australia meet its target of hitting NetZero - where Australia produces and consumes 100% renewable electricity.
If you own high-consuming appliances like a pool pump, air-conditioner, or an electric vehicle, it's likely your consumption is higher than average.
By having solar energy generating free electricity throughout the day, solar owners have the opportunity to run higher-consuming appliances throughout the day instead of running them on grid energy.
Being completely transparent, like anything else, there are disadvantages of solar power. Let's go through why solar may not be worth it for you and your property.
Depending on your budget, solar can be a daunting investment depending on the system size you need. If you don't feel like you need solar, the investment cost for a solar system you need can be much higher than you think.
Even though it is an investment at the end of the day, some business and homeowners can doubt solar's ability to provide upfront benefits which makes it feel like a bigger upfront cost than it really is. Whilst the initial cost of a solar system can be a lot for some, the benefits can help pay itself off over an average 5-year period.
Elements like solar STC rebates, reducing costs of solar systems, and proposed payback periods, can help reduce the upfront costs of investing in solar which can make it feel more worth it to potential buyers.
Another downside to solar energy is how weather-dependent solar generation is. Because solar modules rely on direct sunlight, days where it is cloudy can reduce solar's ability to produce maximum power output. This also applies for shaded areas.
Other obstructions like debris, dirt, and bird droppings can also negatively affect your solar's power output, however occasionally inspecting this can help you identify potential issues.
Weather dependency is another contributing disadvantage as solar is reliant on sunlight. Any obstructions like clouds or shading affects the efficiency of the system.
We also see that some people talk about the carbon footprint of solar manufacturing, but as mentioned in
this article,
solar panel manufacturing has a lower carbon footprint compared to producing the other methods of energy generation like coal and
natural gas.
In 2025, there was a major boom in solar battery storage adoption with the announcement of the Federal battery subsidy. This incentive was designed to make energy storage more affordable for more Australians, but is battery storage still worth it?
Courtesy of the Clean Energy Council's Rooftop Solar and Storage Biannual Report - July-December 2025
With a battery rebate currently available, it helps more Aussies jump into the pool of energy security. For Australian homes and businesses looking to find further energy independence, battery storage has become an extremely popular option due to its immediate and long-term benefits.
Yes, solar battery storage is definitely worth it if you generate excess solar energy and use most of your energy in the evenings when the sun is down. Energy storage stores the excess solar energy and offsets your usage, helping you avoid those expensive grid electricity prices during peak periods.
Elements to a home's energy like solar, battery, hot water, and EV charging are all going crazy in the game of innovation.
The rise in services like Amber which enable homeowners to trade their energy on the live energy market, as well as smart energy systems that integrate are creating a world of direct integration which benefits Australian property owners in a variety of ways.
Understanding smart energy monitoring, consumption habits, tariffs, energy efficiency, and peak period timing can significantly improve a property's electricity usage and overall bill.
Brands like Fronius offer direct integration between not only solar and battery, but hot water, smart metering, and EV charging as well, making easy to monitor live consumption and generation metrics.
An employee who works for us (Elite Power Group) had a Fronius GEN24 and BYD Battery-Box HVM installed to help manage their electricity bills and boost their independence.
Consisting of 13kW of solar and 16kWh of energy storage, the system is set to generate around 20,000kWh per year. Based on this and their previous 6-month electricity billing period, they would be savings around $343 per month, covering all usage charges and still being positive by around $2 per day.
(Image shown is the actual installation for this example).
As you can see in this chart, most of the solar energy produced throughout the day is stored in the battery. This kind of solar and battery system enables this homeowner to be almost fully self-sustainable with the exception of a few peak demand periods. Imaging a world where you can have the air conditioner on all day and still be positive on your electricity bill.
A few side notes; no solar and battery system will be 100% off-grid-like with energy usage, as you can see with the limited grid consumption periods. This would likely mean the battery output power couldn't keep up with demand and grid energy was used to meet the demand.
Because there is an overvoltage issue in the electricity network where they live, it mean that their solar production actually has to be scaled back to protect the network which reduces the amount of solar going back into the grid.
Despite a reduced solar feed-in, this home still produces enough energy to meet and exceed their consumption habits.
According to monitoring software, this system has produces around 172% of their overall average consumption (as of this article), and a 94% reduction in their total electricity bill.
Not only does it produce more than they consume, but the system also saves around 16.9 tonnes of C02 every year, the equivalent of 3,212 trees being planted and 499,572 avoided km's being travelled over its lifetime.
So overall, is Solar worth getting in 2026? The Short Answer is yes, solar is definitely worth it in 2026.
However, we understand that the initial investment may be unrealistic or hard to achieve for some property owners. Now is a great time to consider investing as both solar and battery incentives will drop over time.
In 2026, we have seen a massive boom in energy investments from solar, to battery, to electric vehicles which is great to see. With these investments, households and businesses are becoming more energy independent, producing, storing, and consuming their own energy.
Overall, it's not too late to invest in solar. In fact, 2026 is actually a perfect time to consider getting solar and battery with available incentives, current costs, and available options for you and your consumption habits.
Is solar still worth it in Australia in 2026? Discover solar panel costs, payback periods, savings and whether adding a battery is worth it for homes.
Read moreExplore how Australia’s Q4 2025 solar and battery data highlights a major milestone: majority renewable contribution to daytime electricity demand.
Read moreHow rooftop solar helped NSW avoid blackouts during the 2026 heatwave, reducing grid stress & supporting record electricity demand across Newcastle.
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