Subscription solar rolls out

While many homeowners have the perfect roof setup for solar, the cost of installation and battery tech remains a barrier.

Now, two companies – Intellihub and Smart – are teaming up to join the subscription-based solar movement.

While almost half of Australia's households have solar panels, most of them cite upfront cost as the biggest barrier to adding battery storage, according to Intellihub, which specialises in smart metres.

A predictable monthly subscription model, in contrast, removes this barrier and for this reason is finding traction overseas.

Under the pairs' new consumer brand Enreal, households can opt to pay a monthly fee for a solar home energy kit that includes solar panels, a home battery, energy optimisation technology, and there's even an option to add in a leased electric vehicle (EV). The result is smaller (or even zero) power bills.

“This is the future of home energy, a microgrid where the homeowner is powering their house, appliances and vehicle – and selling the excess back to the grid.”

In this model, homeowners can purchase solar systems as they do with mobile phones, Intellihub GM Nicole Crivelli says.

"The subscription is not a lease, but more like a mobile phone plan subscription which includes payment for the hardware, installation, optimisation software, monitoring and maintenance for alerted issues, with transfer of ownership after the 10 year term, or earlier if the customer elects to pay out the contract."

Enreal is offering four energy kit sizes which are determined through an online assessment that analyses each home’s energy use and needs. A 3-4 person household with a pool may pay, for example, around $170 per month.

The upfront cost of this same system would come to almost $18,000, according to Crivelli, with subscribers paying no more than upfront purchasers would for their solar. They also own their solar hardware systems at the end of the contract.

Intellihub CEO Wes Ballantine says in addition to doing away with upfront costs, the partnership can also reduce the complexity for consumers. "This partnership simplifies the decision by packaging up affordable home energy products and technology smarts that deliver immediate energy savings for customers."

While the service isn’t just for EV owners, it has been designed to support those making the switch. As one of Australia’s largest EV novated leasing providers, Smart says it will help customers integrate EV charging into their home energy setup.

Smart group executive Sid Jha said: "This offering means there are no huge cost barriers to entry for either the home electrification or the electric vehicle, and experts provide the installation."

Home microgrid

The Enreal offering includes accredited installation technicians and a home energy management app is part of the package to help monitor, control and optimise home energy usage and to integrate with other home energy devices.

The duo say they sought to make the payment options simple enough to help customers get started quickly.

"This is the future of home energy, a microgrid where the homeowner is powering their house, appliances and vehicle – and selling the excess back to the grid," Jha said.

The service launched in metropolitan Sydney last week with further expansion across Australia planned.