Solar batteries crossed an economic line in Australia in late 2025. Until then, for most households, the answer to "should I get a battery?" was a polite no — payback periods stretched to 12+ years, which is longer than most batteries warrant. In 2026 that's changed. Here's the actual maths, by city.
What changed in 2024–25
Three things happened, more or less simultaneously, that flipped the battery economics:
- Battery prices fell 30%. A 10kWh Tesla Powerwall 3 install dropped from $16,400 in 2023 to around $11,800 by mid-2025. The Sungrow SBR series and BYD batteries dropped further.
- Feed-in tariffs collapsed. Most retailers paid 14c/kWh for exported solar in 2020. By 2025 most pay 4–7c during the day and zero (or negative) during peak solar hours. Exporting is no longer how solar pays.
- Time-of-use pricing became the default. Evening peak prices (5–9pm) in most distribution zones now sit at 35–55c/kWh. Storing your own solar to use at peak is worth 5–10× more than exporting it.
Solar-only payback by capital, 2026
These are the typical payback periods for a 6.6kW solar system, no battery, on a household with an average $400/quarter power bill. Numbers from our quote data and current AEMO feed-in tariffs.
- Brisbane — 3.8 years. Highest solar yield in any Australian capital (5.2 peak-sun-hours), lowest install cost per watt, high household usage from year-round air conditioning.
- Perth — 4.4 years. Solid yield, slightly higher install costs, but low feed-in tariff on the SWIS island grid drags slightly.
- Adelaide — 4.6 years. Good solar yield (4.9), modest household usage, high retail prices.
- Sydney — 5.1 years. Good yield (4.7), higher install costs, and roof-area constraints on inner-suburb homes often force smaller systems.
- Melbourne — 5.8 years. Lowest yield (4.0), highest install costs of any east-coast capital. Still positive, but tightest of the mainland capitals.
- Hobart — 6.4 years. Low yield, mild climate means low household usage.
- Canberra & Darwin — 4.9 and 4.2 years respectively, with strong government rebate programs in the ACT.
Adding a battery in 2026
The interesting question is the marginal payback of adding a 10kWh battery to a solar-only system. Numbers below assume a Tesla Powerwall 3 or equivalent (Sungrow SBR128, BYD Battery-Box HVS), installed at current 2026 pricing:
- Perth — 6.2 years marginal payback. Best in the country because of the dismal SWIS feed-in tariff. Almost every solar self-consumed via battery is worth 30–45c/kWh.
- Sydney & Melbourne — 7.4 and 7.8 years. Time-of-use evening peaks make stored solar valuable.
- Brisbane — 7.9 years. Strong evening usage, but daytime feed-in is slightly better than other capitals, which makes the relative case for battery slightly weaker.
- Adelaide — 7.0 years. SA's pricing volatility (negative prices midday, very high evening) makes batteries economically rational here too.
These payback periods are now within battery warranty periods (most batteries are warranted to 10 years), which is the threshold that's flipped many homeowners from "wait" to "do it now". Five years ago, you'd buy a battery and the warranty would expire before you paid it off.
Government rebates that still apply in 2026
Federal STCs (Small-scale Technology Certificates) continue to subsidise solar in 2026. They reduce annually under the SRES phase-out scheme but still take $1,400–$2,400 off a typical 6.6kW system. State-level rebates vary:
- Victoria — Solar Homes rebate continues (interest-free loans up to $1,400 toward solar + battery).
- New South Wales — Low-income solar program available for eligible households.
- ACT — Strong battery rebate, often the most generous in the country.
- South Australia — Home Battery Scheme still running, eligible up to $2,000 off battery cost.
- Western Australia — DEBS feed-in tariff scheme for new installs (time-varying).
When it still doesn't make sense
Solar and battery don't make sense for every household, even in 2026. Skip it if: your power bill is under $250/quarter (savings are small), you're moving within 3 years (sale price won't fully recover), or your roof has under 25m² of unshaded north or west-facing area (the system size won't be worth the install cost).
For everyone else: the payback maths in 2026 is the strongest it's ever been. Get a quote on your roof in 36 seconds — or browse our solar category page for system sizing.