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Do’s and don’ts of batteries

I’ve seen advertising for battery storage cheaper than Sharpe Energy Hub. Are these any good?

We’ll answer that question with a question: Why would you buy a battery that has a five-year warranty, not the 10-year warranty we offer, is half the size of the industry-leading products in our range, which means they cost double the price per kWh produced, and can’t be connected to a Virtual Power Plant?

Surely they can’t be that bad as there are so many companies advertising them?

Look closer and you will see that many of these companies are very small and are newcomers to the solar industry. Often it’s hard to find an installer prepared to work with these cheap brands. And then there is the limited warranty.

That’s no big deal. I’ll just buy an extended warranty.

Paying for extended warranties will most likely increase the original purchase price so much that the battery is going to be more expensive compared to buying a good quality battery from a company that can get you grid blackout backup and connection to a VPP

What’s so important about a VPP?

Solar battery storage, linked to a VPP scheme is the best way to maximise energy savings. It’s a big reason why South Australia is leading the nation, and most of the world, in converting its grid to renewables.

You’re still not convincing me a smaller, cheaper battery doesn’t make sense.

OK. Look at it this way. A typical small, cheap battery has a 5kWh output. Once you’ve used that up you are paying for grid power. A five-year warranty means it’s not intended for long-term use. Another disadvantage is that its small size means it can’t maximise savings from SA’s Home Battery Subsidy scheme. It only earns $1500 compared to a 10kWh battery at $3000 and a 13kWh battery at $4000. Connecting to a VPP gives you more savings through credits, instant discounts on certain batteries, competitive electricity rates and the ability to avoid the peak tariff period.

But don’t bigger batteries require more solar panels?

Not necessarily. 10kWh batteries do not need large solar systems to be fully charged. They run well off a system with a minimum size of 3.5kW. It depends on your energy use and requirements, which is why it is so important to get one of our Sharpe Energy Hub consultants to crunch the numbers on your power bill so we can tailor a system to suit you.

What’s so special about your range?

We offer the best battery storage systems with long warranties, the option of back-up protection against a grid blackout and the ability to join a range of VPPs. With low finance options available, the difference in monthly payments is so minor it makes sense to purchase better quality.

To sum up: even though the advertised price of a smaller battery is less, its overall additional costs, lower energy bill savings and the inability to access the benefits of a VPP make it more expensive in the long run.