A surge in demand for large home battery systems ahead of changes to the Federal Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program has left many installers fully booked through to May, when the revised rebate structure takes effect.
Industry sources say installation capacity is tightening rapidly as households seek to secure systems under the current rebate settings, which have favoured larger battery installations.
Rob Moffa, who works closely with installers in his client operations role at SolarQuotes, says reports from across the country suggest pre-May installation slots are largely exhausted.
“As each day passes, more installers are telling us their pre-May battery installation capacity has been reached,” Moffa said.
The Federal Government announced in December that from 1 May the rebate will move to a tiered structure, with support tapering for larger systems.
Troy Coburn, Owner of Queensland-based Reef Solar & Electrical, says enquiries surged immediately following the announcement.
“By early January, battery demand was already pushing past what we could realistically deliver before 1 May,” Coburn said.
“The issue isn’t interest – it’s capacity.”
Under the current settings, the rebate structure has effectively rewarded scale, encouraging households to install larger systems.
Coburn shares that the shift to a tiered model will alter that dynamic.
“From 1 May, support drops off more quickly as battery size increases, which will likely push customers toward smaller systems,” Coburn said.
“Battery installations are also more complex than solar-only jobs, requiring longer install times and commissioning.”
Industry stakeholders are urging consumers to exercise caution if seeking pre-May installations. SolarQuotes recommends that households obtain written confirmation of installation dates, ensure equipment is secured rather than anticipated, clarify what constitutes installed (typically the date of electrical compliance certification), and carefully review deposit terms.
While battery installations face constraints, some installers report solar-only systems remain more readily available. However, others note that high battery demand is also affecting broader scheduling.
Coburn adds there can be merit in installing solar first and sizing a battery later based on real usage and export data, rather than rushing into an oversized system.
This article is based on analysis by SolarQuotes