Since Graeme has installed a solar-battery combination his Pennington household has used less energy than the system has created.

“It’s a top shot,” he says of the system a year later. “We’re in front the whole time.”

Concerned about his rising power bills, Graeme approached Energy Rating Systems for advice. Using its comprehensive Energy Analyser tool, ERS assessed the needs of his family of three.

As a result 20 solar panels were installed with micro-inverters on each panel. This is like having 20 little power stations working away during daylight hours, as micro-inverters ensure maximum production from each panel, perfect if there are shade issues at various times of the year.

The 5.4kW solar system is connected to a Sonnen battery that has 8kWh of storage. This kicks in when the sun goes down or it’s a cloudy day.

It’s important to have the correct-sized solar array feeding the battery as the storage component needs to cycle its energy to maintain peak efficiency. Too large and the battery won’t cycle enough.

A year later, Graeme’s family has always been in credit with its energy use, despite cloudy days and a long, cold winter.

As the home battery storage industry has moved into its second generation, the technology has experienced a revolution.

The latest battery storage systems have the ability to power a range of household appliances such as hot water, air-conditioning, underfloor heating, even your swimming pool pump.

A wi-fi link enables householders to monitor consumption to create smart energy management.

Consumer advocacy group CHOICE names Adelaide among Australia’s top three cities for solar-battery storage. Reliable sunshine and consistent temperatures are not the only incentives. There are generous government subsidies available.