Hardware giant Bunnings is opening up its subscription home solar and battery service to cities in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia as it looks to muscle further in on the long-term energy-as-a-service market.
Bunnings and digital energy management company Intellihub first launched the Zelora energy-as-a-service product in Sydney and Newcastle last year, offering a range of battery and/or solar options that are installed for free and then paid for in monthly installations over a 10-year subscription period.
The offer includes an app, and deploys technologies from some of the major players in the Australian market, including battery makers SigEnergy and Anker Solix, and solar module supplier Das Solar.
It’s created four, super-simplified battery options that can come with or without solar, and at a price point that may be able to really shake up the market, which for many remains out of reach for many, even with the federal rebate.
“What we’ve seen through the trial in New South Wales is strong interest from Aussies for the Zelora offer, with plenty of customers wanting to go solar and add a battery to their homes, but upfront cost can be a barrier,” says Bunnings COO Ryan Baker.
Bunnings says a sample of NSW Zelora households with an average battery size of 18 kWh cut their energy costs by an average of 25 per cent over a three-month summer period, with the monthly subscription costs included.
Baker says that for many households, the upfront and monthly savings alongside the convenience of the one-stop-shop will be enough to help kickstart the journey into home electrification, too.
“Home electrification can be complex, so … [we have] focused on making Zelora as straightforward and cost effective as possible, helping customers with a solution that is easy to understand with full, ongoing customer support.”
As part of the expansion, Zelora is also broadening its battery range, with “additional products in development” to suit different household needs and budgets.
Currently, service has four offers starting from $109 a month for a 15 kilowatt-hours (kWh) battery ($114 if you live in Victoria, however) up to $308 a month ($329 in Victoria) for a whopping 40 kWh battery with 14.2 kilowatts (kW) of solar.
A monthly subscription for a 20-23 kWh battery starts from either $140 a month for an Anker Solix X1 battery or $170 a month for a SigenStor battery.
These rates rise by 2.5 per cent each year to factor in inflation. Over a 10-year subscription, the overall cost comes out at $18,882 for the Anker Solix battery and $22,885 for the Sigenergy battery.
Bunnings says the subscription also comes with guaranteed tech support for that duration and the Intellihub-designed app that automates the battery operation.
This is also not factoring in electricity plans such as Amber and Flow Power, which can tap into wholesale market prices, or Ovo which offers three hours of free electricity during the day, which can bump up export returns and savings.
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Rachel Williamson
Rachel Williamson is a science and business journalist, who focuses on climate change-related health and environmental issues.
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