Solar & Battery FAQs

The rebate is applied as an upfront discount on your installed price via Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), for eligible batteries installed by a CEC-accredited retailer with new or existing solar. Mercy Rays handles the paperwork as part of your install.

Yes — they're both delivered as upfront STC discounts, but they're separate schemes with separate step-down schedules. The solar panel rebate has been running for years and shrinks annually; the battery rebate (Cheaper Home Batteries Program) started more recently and, since 1 May 2026, now steps down every six months instead of once a year.

Yes, by law. It's a legislated step-down scheme that loses value every calendar year and ends completely on 31 December 2030, with no replacement currently legislated. A standard 6.6kW system's rebate in 2026 is worth roughly 71% of what it was worth in 2024, and keeps falling by around $340 a year.

Yes. Since 1 May 2026 the battery rebate's underlying STC factor steps down every six months instead of annually, and now also tapers by battery size — larger systems receive a reduced percentage. Installing sooner, and sizing correctly the first time, both protect your rebate value.

Victoria's Solar Homes program has offered an additional $1,400 point-of-sale rebate for eligible solar installs, on top of the federal STC scheme. Funding rounds and eligibility change — ask your Mercy Rays consultant to confirm what's currently open.

Our current PV + Battery bundle — 7.125kW Risen panels, a 6kW hybrid inverter and a 28.6kWh Mango Power battery, fully installed — is $5,990 incl. GST after VIC, federal and battery rebates, for a standard site. A battery alone (Mango Power 28.6kWh) is $3,990 incl. GST after rebates. Site-specific extras can apply; we confirm exact pricing in writing before you commit.

It depends on your evening and overnight electricity usage. Most Melbourne households land somewhere between 10kWh and 28.6kWh. Our free assessment sizes this from your actual bill, not a generic estimate.

Sizing depends on your roof space, orientation, shading and usage pattern. As a rough guide: 1–3 people with modest daytime usage often suit 5–6.6kW; a family of 4+ with evening cooking, heating or an EV often suits 8–10kW; larger or all-electric homes often suit 10kW+ with three-phase.

No — batteries can be installed alongside new solar panels or retrofitted to an existing system. We'll confirm the right configuration for your home.

Roof area, pitch, orientation and shading from trees or neighbouring buildings all affect how much capacity fits and performs well. Enter your address on our contact page and we'll check your roof by satellite before confirming a system size.

All five brands we install are Tier 1 and CEC-approved. Risen offers the best value and features in our PV+Battery bundle deal; Canadian Solar and Trina lead on warranty and efficiency; Jinko is the world's largest panel manufacturer by volume; Eging PV is our value-focused bifacial option.

A standard (string) inverter only converts DC power from your panels into usable AC power. A hybrid inverter does that and also manages battery charge/discharge, usually with built-in backup-power circuitry. Every inverter Mercy Rays stocks is hybrid or battery-ready, so adding storage later doesn't mean replacing equipment.

It depends on your budget, roof, and whether you want an all-in-one unit or a stackable modular system. Mango Power offers the largest capacity per dollar with sub-10ms switchover; AlphaESS and GoodWe are proven all-in-one designs; FoxESS and Sofar stack to very large capacities. We'll recommend the best fit after seeing your bill and roof.

Usually yes. If your inverter is already hybrid or battery-ready, a compatible battery can often be added directly. With an older string inverter, you'll typically need a hybrid inverter upgrade or an AC-coupled battery that pairs with your existing setup. We assess your current system and recommend the lowest-cost path to storage.

Panels typically carry a 15–25 year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty; inverters and batteries on our range typically carry a 10-year warranty. Always confirm current terms for the specific model at quote stage, as manufacturers update terms periodically.

Mango Power uses CATL LFP cells (the same cell maker supplying major EV and grid-storage manufacturers globally), SiC power electronics for higher efficiency, and a sub-10ms on/off-grid switchover. It's now stocked and installed by Mercy Rays, backed by a 10-year warranty.

Most residential battery installations are completed in a single day, though this depends on the brand, configuration and any switchboard upgrades required.

Free quote from your address and bill → we check your roof by satellite → a written, itemised proposal with firm pricing and rebate value → install, typically completed in a day → grid connection and all rebate paperwork handled on your behalf.

Most standard residential solar and battery installs only need approval from your electricity distributor (a standard connection application), not council planning approval. Larger systems or unusual roof structures can trigger extra requirements — we confirm what applies to your property before install day.

Yes, for a standard install, for a limited time. Pricing is subject to change without notice, and extras may apply for non-standard sites (e.g. switchboard upgrades, difficult access). See the full offer page for details.

A 7.125kW Risen solar panel array, a 6kW hybrid inverter, and a 28.6kWh Mango Power battery, fully installed, incl. GST — after VIC, federal and battery rebates, subject to eligibility criteria. Site specific extras apply. See the bundle offer page for full details.

If you're upgrading an existing system, we'll advise whether your current equipment can be retained (e.g. as part of a hybrid retrofit) or needs replacing, and handle removal and responsible disposal of anything that's decommissioned as part of the quote.

According to the Clean Energy Council's Rooftop Solar & Storage Report, Australian households installed 180,878 new rooftop solar systems in the first half of 2026 — a 35% increase on the same period in 2025 — alongside 276,011 home batteries, more than double the previous six-month period. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program has supported more than 487,000 installations nationally.

With diesel and petrol prices climbing through 2026 and pushing up the cost of everything that's trucked, delivered or grid-generated, a fixed, on-roof source of power is one of the few household costs you can lock in rather than watch rise. Combined with rebates that shrink every year, the economics currently favour acting sooner rather than later.

Based on current data: yes, for two independent reasons. First, uptake and battery attach rates are at record highs, meaning installer experience, supply chains and finance options are mature. Second, both rebate schemes are on a fixed, legislated decline — so today's numbers are the best they'll be from here.