Solar Energy: everything we know so far

The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) recently inspected 1,278 solar battery inspections and found significant issues with "workmanship". Solar Energy has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in Australia.

Key facts

• The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) recently inspected 1,278 solar battery inspections and found significant issues with "workmanship".
• In less than nine months, more than a quarter of a million batteries were installed in Australian households.
• The... changes were announced on 13 December 2025 and are aimed at ensuring the program can be sustained to 2030 to deliver around 40 gigawatt hours of storage capacity," a spokesperson from the Clean Energy Regulator said.
• Finn Peacock, the founder of comparison website SolarQuotes, told the ABC in December that poor design had fuelled a rush towards much bigger systems, up to the maximum eligible size of 50kWh, and drained the scheme's original $2.3 billion budget much sooner than the government was anticipating.
• Australians keen to embrace rooftop solar and battery storage are facing significant changes with a popular rebate scheme undergoing a major overhaul from today.

What we know

Going deeper, In less than nine months, more than a quarter of a million batteries were installed in Australian households.

On the substance, the... changes were announced on 13 December 2025 and are aimed at ensuring the program can be sustained to 2030 to deliver around 40 gigawatt hours of storage capacity," a spokesperson from the Clean Energy Regulator said.

Beyond the headlines, Finn Peacock, the founder of comparison website SolarQuotes, told the ABC in December that poor design had fuelled a rush towards much bigger systems, up to the maximum eligible size of 50kWh, and drained the scheme's original $2.3 billion budget much sooner than the government was anticipating.

More precisely, Australians keen to embrace rooftop solar and battery storage are facing significant changes with a popular rebate scheme undergoing a major overhaul from today.

It is worth noting that Energy expert from Swinburne University of Technology, Professor Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian, believes reform is necessary as more and more household take up solar and storage, but said the design of the changes will be critical.

By the numbers

“In some cases, these changes will cut thousands of dollars from previous rebates,” Tonkin warned.

On a related note, more than a quarter of a million units were installed across the country in the first nine months, adding around 7.7 gigawatt-hours of storage.

Going deeper, That's equivalent to about 40 of the big batteries Elon Musk built in South Australia.

On the substance, Now, to curb the rush toward ever-bigger systems, it tapers off after 14 kilowatt-hours as follows:.

What they're saying

“If consumers perceive early adopters are being penalised, it could slow uptake at a time when distributed energy is essential to avoid costly network upgrades,” he cautioned.

“We changed our prices seven weeks ago and the interest is still coming through,” he told Yahoo.

The wider context

On a related note, Households and businesses installed more rooftop solar power in March than in any other month on record as batteries and EVs inject new life into the solar market.

Going deeper, Australian households installed more rooftop solar power in March than in any other month on record, as a massive boom in supersized home batteries and surging electric vehicle sales pushed many homeowners to upgrade the size of their rooftop panels.

On the substance, Here's how the battery rebate is changing and why.

Beyond the headlines, Changes to home battery rebates coming into effect today aim to ensure the scheme does not risk becoming a victim of its own success.

More precisely, Just like rooftop solar systems, household batteries are treated like small power plants and, depending on capacity, are issued "vouchers".

The bottom line

• The... changes were announced on 13 December 2025 and are aimed at ensuring the program can be sustained to 2030 to deliver around 40 gigawatt hours of storage capacity," a spokesperson from the Clean Energy Regulator said.
• The vouchers are eventually traded on to the broader energy market, but that's a whole other story.
• A report from the Clean Energy Council found customers were taking up the offer at a breakneck pace.
• Searches spiking right now: Homeowners turn to solar panels as oil prices rise, Australia’s home battery bonanza is fuelling a solar revival, Australia's summer saw the dawn of the big battery, as gas drops to 25-year low, Homeowners to lose thousands as popular solar battery rebate is cut.