Solar panels make power while the sun is up, but many households use most of their electricity in the evening, when the air conditioning is running and the sun has gone. A battery stores your spare daytime solar so you can use it at night. Whether that is worth the cost depends on how you use power.

What a battery actually does

Without a battery, solar power you do not use during the day is exported to the grid. With one, that power charges the battery first and is used after sunset. The result is that you buy less from the grid at night and export less at lower daytime rates.

Who benefits most

A battery tends to make the most sense if:

Most of your usage is in the evening and overnight, for example air conditioning, cooking and TVs.
You already have solar and regularly export a lot of unused power. With the old 26 cent feed-in tariff finished, exported power is worth less than using it yourself.
You want some backup during outages, if your system is set up for it. Not every battery installation provides this, so ask.
You want to reduce your reliance on the grid as electricity prices change.

It may be harder to justify if you are home mostly during the day and use most of your solar as it is generated, or if you are on a tight budget and have not yet installed solar.

Rebates and incentives in 2026

Two federal incentives are running now, and both work through Small-scale Technology Certificates. The NT Government’s own battery grant has closed.

Solar rebate (STC). The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme discounts rooftop solar panels through STCs, which your installer applies to your quote.
Battery rebate (BSTC). The Cheaper Home Batteries Program started on 1 July 2025 and funds around a 30% discount on eligible small-scale batteries connected to new or existing rooftop solar. It also works through certificates (battery STCs) that your installer builds into the price. Since 1 May 2026 the certificates are tiered, so the benefit tapers for larger batteries, which means the size you choose changes the result. The discount also steps down every six months, with the next reduction scheduled for 1 January 2027, so install timing matters. See our solar battery storage and backup power service for what we install.
NT Home and Business Battery Scheme (closed). The Territory’s grant of $400 per kWh, up to $12,000, reached its $6 million funding allocation and no longer takes new applications. Treat any older ad or article that still mentions it with caution.

We will check what applies to your system when we prepare your quote. Rules and rates change, so ask for each discount to appear as its own line on your written quote, and confirm the battery you are considering is eligible. For more on the rebates, see our guide to solar energy grants and programs.

Questions to ask before you buy

How much of my evening usage will this battery realistically cover?
Is this exact battery model eligible for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, and is the discount shown as its own line?
Does the quote still make sense if the incentive changes before installation?
Will it work during a blackout, and if so, which circuits will it power?
What is the warranty, and how does the battery cope with Darwin heat and humidity?
Does my existing inverter work with it?

Should you add a battery now or later?

If you are installing solar for the first time, it is worth designing the system so a battery can be added later, even if you do not buy one on day one. If you already have solar, a battery retrofit can work well, but compatibility depends on your existing inverter. We install Fronius and BYD batteries, and for homes capacities generally run from about 12 kWh to 60 kWh or more, sized to how you actually use power.

Talk to the Florance Energy Solutions team

We can look at your usage and explain, in plain terms, whether a battery makes sense for your home. Book a free on-site consultation, and ask about no-deposit finance options (subject to credit approval, fees and terms). See our solar power installation service for more.

Related reading from Florance Electrical: NT solar rebates explained for 2026 and solar battery maintenance tips for NT homes.