With 100s of solar companies all promoting offers including the NSW battery rebate, why choose one retailer over another?
This is a question that a lot of people in the market for a solar battery in NSW will be asking themselves as they are bombarded with different offers, brands and products that all qualify for the new battery rebate.
The reason the market is so crowded at the moment is because companies are rushing to get a first mover advantage to secure sales off the back of the newly announced NSW battery subsidy. You only need to do one search on google and your facebook newsfeed will be littered with the A-Z of solar companies trying to get you to spend your hard earned money with them.
So how do you assess which company to go with, is it the cheapest offer, the best known brand, google review ratings – or do you look at overall value and company pedigree first? Lets face it, with so many ‘me too’ offers in the market, looking beyond the product package and price is where you will find the reasons to choose one over another.
What makes ShineHub different?
We recommend stepping away to get a helicopter view of the solar business that you are looking to hand you cash over to. Who are they, what have they done, what is their track record, and what, beyond pricing and product, is it that makes their value proposition stand out vs the pack?
The key word here is value. Not price. Not discounts. If you judge an offer purely on those two parameters it is likely that your shortlist of contenders will be very long, because let’s face it, while there will be some differences in the pricing offered, everyone has access to the same rebate amounts from the government to build attractively priced solar battery offers.
Yes, price is important, but it is only one component of the value proposition that you should evaluate before you choose which retailer to go with.
ShineHub track record
ShineHub was one of the first solar businesses in Australia to focus on battery sales and Virtual Power Plant technology, rather than just taking the easy road and selling heavily subsidised (by the government) panel systems. From our humble beginnings in 2015 to present day, we have over 6,500+ solar battery installations in Australia (NSW, SA, VIC, QLD). The majority of which are networked and connected to the grid and the FCAS energy markets through our Virtual Power Plant. Plus we were also at the forefront of investing in the development of Virtual Power Plant technology. In fact we were part of some of the earliest VPP trials in Australia which formed the backbone of where the technology has evolved to today. So you can be sure that the ShineHub VPP is the real deal!
We are here for the long haul
With over 7 years of leading the solar charge in Australia, we’ve consistently been at the helm of innovation and solar battery sales. We have 6500+ operational systems, 90% of which are connected to our VPP, in the market – spanning NSW, VIC, SA and QLD. And we are just at the start. There are still millions of homes in Australia that don’t have a solar battery…yet.
Bespoke System Design
Armed with cutting-edge design and engineering software and extensive experience from thousands of installations, our team meticulously crafts a system tailored just for you, optimised to save you money. It is imperative that our systems are top performing to ensure our VPP has ample battery power to draw on when the grid needs it.
Solar Aftercare Program
Our comprehensive Solar Aftercare program is there to look after you for the life of your system. You get free access to our online portal as well as real-time energy monitoring and integrated customer service through our bespoke Powow App.
The online portal gives you access to all your system warranty documents, installation documents and records, as well as the ability to keep all your details up to date, for example if your bank account or contact details have changed.
And if you have questions about your system or need help, our team of solar and home energy experts are available to help make sure you’re always getting the most from your system or help with things such as what happens when you sell your home.
The latest Battery technology – Hinen
When it comes to battery storage for solar energy, consumers are spoilt for choice in Australia. Tesla, Sonnen, LG, Enphase, Redback, Sungrow, Huawei, Growatt, BYD, Solar Edge to name a few. That’s a pretty intimidating list and it’s easy to just default to the best known brand mark for your battery. But what are you potentially sacrificing for taking this shortcut to make your choice?
Our focus at ShineHub is to identify what provides the most value for our customers, provide the safest battery chemistry, have rock solid warranties coupled with low failure rates, and seamless integration with the ShineHub VPP. This is why we have chosen Hinen as our solar battery provider in 2024. While not yet a household name in Australia like Tesla or Sonnen, Hinen has been chosen for a number of important reasons which we believe offers the best solution for our customers.
Committed to innovation, Hinen has a skilled R&D team delivering cutting-edge products. These products feature advanced technologies like Bidirectional inverter technology, Battery Management System (BMS),and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Algorithm. That’s a lot to get your head around, but what it amounts to is a company that, although new to the AU market (ShineHub is currently exclusive distributor), is recognized for innovation and technical excellence.
- $20+ million Annual R&D Investment
- SGS Accredited Laboratory Certificate means Hinens products and processes have been scrutinized to ensure that they deliver optimum performance, quality and safety and adhere to sustainability measures.
- 20+ years of experience in electronic product manufacturing with the entire production and value chain owned and operated by Hinen rather than multiple parties.
- Global footprint with 7 production centers (total area of 786,000㎡) in Dongguan (China), Ji’an (China), Hai Duong (Vietnam) and Bac Giang (Vietnam). Hinen also has branch offices in Europe, Australia, and Africa.
- Hinen’s batteries are equipped with an advanced fire suppression system normally only found in commercial grade batteries, with each battery module integrated with a smart thermal aerosol fire extinguisher. If a battery fire fault is detected, the extinguisher will be activated within 15 seconds, automatically releasing an efficient aerosol fire extinguishing agent to put out the fire, serving as the last line of defense to ensure the safety of the system and its surrounding environment.
Battery chemistry is important but often overlooked when selecting a solar battery
- First and foremost, Hinen batteries utilize Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry. This is the safest, most robust and stable choice for solar batteries, and particularly important in Australia’s hot climate. In contrast, some battery brands in the market use lithium-ion chemistry, which has a tendency to degrade faster and overheat in extreme heat, and in some cases catch on fire (the subject of numerous battery recalls over the years.)
- LiFePO4 batteries are also more suited to long-term, always-on Virtual Power Plant (VPP) participation, providing consumers with more peace of mind that their battery will keep working efficiently throughout the warranted 10-year period and not degrade, even with VPP use.
- Hinen batteries bought through ShineHub come with a robust 10-year warranty on the battery and inverter that is unaffected by VPP participation, promising a long and reliable lifespan. Other battery brands on the market provide a warranty that guarantees that the battery will retain at least 70% and in some cases as low as 60% of its capacity at the end of the warranty period. Hinen’s warranty guarantees that the battery will retain at least 80% of original capacity at the end of the 10-year warranty period meaning you get a longer more effective battery lifespan.
Price matters (but needs to be married to value)
It’s amazing how much extra you can pay for a brand like Tesla (3K-5K). Ask yourself, do you want to pay extra for a battery that potentially has a less comprehensive warranty, battery chemistry that may be less safe, and a warranty that is compromised by VPP participation? Perhaps if you are thinking of it as wall art, but not if you are looking for an affordable workhorse that will safely power your home. Plus Hinen’s batteries are pretty sleek looking to boot.
We have a track record of partnering with Councils
With our successful Council Programs ShineHub has revolutionised the way entire communities generate, store and manage power. To date we have partnered with numerous Councils to help their residents adopt solar. We now have over 1,200 solar systems installed as part of our council programs to date, with more programs planned in the near future.
In order to be selected as the exclusive Council Solar Bulk Buy program provider by numerous councils; most notably Mitcham, Charles Sturt, Campbelltown, and Marion Councils in SA, our business has been thoroughly evaluated by our Council partners. They sought and obtained expert advice through independent experts who considered due diligence information, legal advice and a detailed assessment of ShineHub’s finances and company structure before choosing us.
This is great news for new ShineHub customers, as someone else has done way more in-depth research on our business than you could ever do as a private individual.
We have also been selected by the Victoria and South Australian state governments as a Pre-Approved Supplier of Community Batteries on the Industry Capability Network – further streamlining government procurement processes, and fostering trust.
Ready to take the next step and go solar with a business you can trust?
If you are looking for a trusted solar partner for your solar project, we encourage you to get in contact with us to see how you can make the switch to solar. We are confident that you won’t be disappointed.
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