Month: March 2025

What rebates and incentives are available for solar and batteries in NSW?

Posted on by Thomas Yako

NSW consumers have access to several rebates and subsidies available for solar panels and solar batteries. Customers I help always want to understand what is available for them, and they want to know how SolarBright will apply these rebates for them.

These rebates and subsidies can come from federal and state governments, as well as your local council.  Before our customers decide to buy a battery or solar system, we make sure the incentives are explained to them. At SolarBright apply them to the pricing we prepare so our customer knows the price they will pay.

Federal Solar Incentives

First up are the STCs, or Small Technology Certificates, and issued through the Federal government via the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).  These are Australia’s solar rebates for all residential and small businesses looking to add solar to their home or office. These apply for all solar panel systems under 100kW in size. STCs function as a tradable currency and can be sold on the market for a determined price.

At SolarBright we have the STCs signed over to us by the customer and will claim their value from the government after the installation of the solar system. We have already passed the discount on to the customer by deducting it from the quoted price of the system. In this way, STCs give our customers an upfront discount on their installation.

The number of STCs received from your installation depends on how large your system is, which climate zone you live in and the number of years remaining in the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES). This last point is important.

Each year I see the total value of the STC’s per system coming down by 7% and the scheme will be phased out by December 31st, 2030. At present (Feb 2025) the market value of an STC offered to our customers is $41.50 and a 6.6kW solar system is eligible for 54, so the rebate comes to $2,241for the system.

Every year the number of STC’s issued per kW of system size will decrease until the end of the scheme in 2030. You can check the STC calculator to find out how many STCs can be created for your solar system.

New South Wales State Battery Rebate

With the hoopla I have seen in the solar industry you would have to be under a rock not to know about the NSW government battery rebate. It was announced back in April 2024 and launched on Nov 1, 2024.

The good news is NSW customers who install a solar system and battery are eligible not only for the federal STCs on the solar but also the NSW Peak Reduction Certificates (PRCs) on the battery issued by the state government.

The PRC scheme is designed to reduce the demand on the electrical grid during peak hour, making the grid more reliable and stable. Solar batteries are a keyway of doing this. To quote the government website: “The discount on the installation cost of your battery is only offered by (solar) installers working with an accredited supplier, not directly through the NSW Government.”

How it works for our customers is for each battery proposal done in our system calculates the PRC’s eligible for that size battery. This is then offered as an upfront discount to our customers. It is then up to SolarBright to install the battery in line with the installation guidelines, submit all the claim paperwork and get the PRC’s processed and paid.

This makes it easy for our customers.

The price of a PRC fluctuates based on market dynamics. In March 2025 a 12.8kWh Sungrow battery for our customer generates $1,959 in PRC’s.

 Solar Incentives for Apartments in NSW

Another scheme from the NSW government is designed to assist apartment residents with putting solar on their apartment building (if it is eligible).

Under this scheme they can apply for the NSW to cover 50% of the cost of the work.

This is a limited scheme with a $25 million pool of grants and applications close 1 Dec 2025. However, it can cover up to $150,000 per project.

Local Council Incentives

I always advise my customers to check in with their local council too. Some councils offer rebates, grants or low-interest loans for renewable energy installations.

For example, Randwick Council in NSW has a “Sustainability Rebates” initiative where households, businesses and schools can receive rebates for several different renewable energy projects. For rooftop solar, households can receive a 10% rebate of up to $500 while businesses are eligible for 10% up to $1,000. Solar batteries on both households and businesses are both eligible for a 10% rebate up to $1,000.

For every customer that comes to SolarBright for solar or solar and battery pricing, we detail in the proposal all the eligible STC’S and PRC’s that apply.

If you would like to find out how much in solar incentives you may be eligible for, organise an obligation free in-home discussion with one of solar and battery experts.

Skylight Flashing Guide 101

Posted on by James Marcialis

What I have noticed is many customers are unaware of the importance of the roof flashings so I will look at the topic in this basic skylight flashing guide 101. The basic job of the skylight flashing  is to seal the skylight creating a watertight barrier to prevent leaks. I believe the more educated our customers are on this topic the better decisions they make.

Over the years as a skylight specialist probably the most common question my customers ask me during a skylight consultation is “will the skylight leak?” As we specialise in tubular skylights, my answer to them is our custom-made flashings for MaxLight skylights and MaxBreeze solar roof ventilation do not leak. SolarBright produces custom made single piece flashings of several types that are designed specifically for Australian roofs.

Skylight flashings are the key to waterproofing your skylight install. As there are two main sky technologies, tubular skylights and traditional roof window style skylights, let’s take look how both types of skylights are waterproofed.

Traditional Skylight Flashing

These types of skylights involve cutting a large hole in your ceiling and roof. Depending on brand you might even have a multiple piece flashing. With these multiple piece flashings water can work its way under the seam and leak into your roof.

These types of skylights also need regular maintenance, due to the large edge at the highest point of the skylight they need to be checked regularly for leaves and other debris. A build up of debris can cause the unit to leak as organic particles will break down causing the flashing metal to rust over time. This allow water to enter.

For metal roof applications the best practice is to use a back flashing or over flashing to prevent leakage in these types of skylights. This creates a reliable water seal for the skylight. The negative implication of this type of installation is the cost. The back flashing needs to be run from the location of the skylight all the way to the highest point of the roof. These bespoke flashing need to ne fabricated individually can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of the skylight.

MaxLight Tubular Skylight Flashing

Our Australian made MaxLight Skylights utilize our exclusive Australian made and designed flashings. Our seamless flashings are designed to suit and fit most Australian roof types. They are made from one piece so there are no joins that water can work their way through.  They are included in the cost of the skylight so you do not have to pay extra for a waterproof seal on the skylight.

By their nature a tubular skylight creates a smaller penetration in your roof meaning there is less area for water to work it’s way in and due to the part of the flashing that sits above the roof line is round there is less need for maintenance as debris will wash away.

They are made from a durable injection moulded plastic so no worries about corrosion.

Avoid Budget Skylights and Flashings

Some budget brands still use the old zinc alum flashings that are one size fits all roof types. Their flashings are not specifically designed to suit Australian roofing profiles thus causing leaks. They are the skylight flashings that gave tubular skylights a bad name for leaks.

The MaxLight skylight uses our exclusive Australian designed and made injection moulded flashing. It perfectly fits your roof type whether tile or metal. For example, our concrete tile flashing for a 250mm ML250 skylight is the exact size of one tile. So the installer simply replaces 1 tile with the flashing and it works exactly like a new tile. The only difference is a raised opening in the middle for the skylight dome dome to fit over and seal the unit.

With thousands of installed thousands flashings in the field we are proud to state they are leak proof. They do not leak when fitted by competent installer.

In summary, choose a MaxLight tubular skylight to take advantage of a skylight technology with a proven, leak proof flashing system. You will enjoy free natural light in your home with no worries about leaks in the future.

Don’t hesitate to call SolarBright today and chat to one of our skylight experts to discuss a skylight solution to brighten any dark areas or rooms in your home.

Introducing SolarBright’s Latest AC Coupled Battery

Posted on by Mark Dixon

I am always excited when SolarBright adds a new battery to the range and today I want to talk about our latest AC coupled battery, the sonnenBattery Evo 10kWh. This German designed and engineered battery is a smart and economical choice for us to help meet the growing energy needs of Australian households.

As more Australians look for ways to reduce electricity bills and become more energy independent, the need for efficient energy storage solutions is growing. This battery combines advanced technology with good performance, offering a reliable and long-lasting option to get more out of your solar panels.

Why a new battery has been added to the range

Why is this AC coupled battery an important addition to the range? When I look back to 3 or 4 years ago, most of our customers only bought solar panel systems. Maybe one in 12 or 15 customers would buy a battery as well. Why was that? Well at the time power was still relatively cheap so pay pack time on batteries took 7 or 8 years. With power prices now almost doubling sine then, they come back to us seeking a battery to add to the solar system. Being an AC coupled battery means the battery suited for easily connecting to these existing solar systems.

The Evo 10kWh battery is part of SolarBright’s commitment to providing future-proof, sustainable energy solutions that suit Australian homes. It’s a smart solution for those looking to maximise their solar system’s potential and gain energy security while reducing environmental impact and lowering their power costs.

Battery capacity for Australian homes with existing solar

The SonnenBattery Evo boasts an impressive 10kWh storage capacity, making it an ideal choice for Australian households. Many homes with solar generate more solar energy than they use during daylight hours. Without solar battery storage, this excess energy often goes back to the grid for minimal return. The Evo battery solves this by storing this excess solar power, allowing you to use it when it’s needed most: at night when you are being flogged by the power company at peak rates – often up to 48c per k/Wh.

If you are thinking about adding a sonnen Evo AC coupled battery to an existing solar panel system, I ask you to check your power bills from the previous 12 months. You need to determine how much excess power you are exporting everyday and this info is on the bill. You will need to be exporting about 10kWh of power a day to fill the battery each day for use at night.

With a 10kWh capacity, the Evo provides enough stored energy to power average sized homes overnight, reducing reliance on the grid. For larger households or homes with higher energy needs, the Evo is scalable, allowing multiple batteries to be linked to increase storage capacity. However, this means you can only add storage capacity in 10kWh chunks.

By ensuring no solar energy goes unused, this solar panel battery makes an excellent investment for homeowners looking to reduce reliance on traditional energy providers.

Built tough for the local climate

Australian weather can be unpredictable, with extreme heat in summer and storms possible throughout the year. The SonnenBattery Evo is engineered for outside use to withstand these conditions, making it an ideal choice for Australian homes. The battery has an ambient temperature range of -5⁰C to 45⁰C with IP56 degree of protection.

The Evo’s durable construction and weatherproof casing ensure optimal performance in all conditions. This versatility means it can be installed either indoors or outdoors, depending on your home’s layout. For households needing a solar system battery that can handle Australia’s diverse climate, the German made SonnenBattery Evo is a strong and sturdy option.

Even more financial savings

As well as the technological benefits I have discussed for the SonnenBattery Evo, it can deliver plenty of financial benefits, too. Every existing solar customer I chat with, wants to cut their power bills and reduce dependence on the energy companies.

Without a battery, their excess solar energy generated during the day is sent back to the grid for a small credit on their bill. This is the feed-in tariff, and three or four years ago you could get 10 to 15 cents per kWh for it. That’s not bad when you are only paying max 28c a kWh for peak power.

Now I see the economics are tougher for our solar customers without a battery – you will only get 3 or 4 cents a kWh feed in. It’s nice to get a little back, but it’s even better not to pay for electricity in the first place.

With the Evo, you can store that energy and use it during peak times when electricity from the grid is most expensive, leading to greater savings on your electricity bills. Over time, these savings can help offset the battery’s initial price, making it a smart long-term investment.

Lower your environmental impact

In addition to the financial benefits, installing a lithium solar battery like the SonnenBattery Evo is an excellent way to reduce your environmental footprint. By making the most of the clean energy generated by your solar panels, you decrease reliance on grid electricity, which often comes from non-renewable sources.

As Australia moves towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, solar power combined with efficient energy storage is vital. You can be part of the green revolution, doing your bit for the environment while also enjoying the financial savings and convenience of reliable, clean solar energy.

Want to know more about the latest solar battery solutions?

The SonnenBattery Evo 10kWh from SolarBright is the perfect solution for households looking to make the most from their installed solar power system, lower electricity bills, and reduce their environmental impact. Whether you’re after financial savings or long-term energy independence, the Evo delivers everything you need.

For more information or to book a consultation, contact us today and discover how SolarBright’s latest solar battery can provide long-term energy security for your home.