One of Australia’s leading rooftop solar and virtual power plant providers, Smart Commercial Solar, has launched a new online tool aimed at getting businesses hooked up to battery storage.
The AI-powered battery calculator was developed by Smart’s engineering team and informed by the installation of more than 2,000 commercial solar and storage systems nationwide.
It is also informed by the passionate belief – regularly expounded by the company’s founder and CEO, Huon Hoogesteger – that commercial and industrial solar and storage is the biggest missed opportunity in the transition to distributed renewables.
To this end, Smart hopes that its new online calculator will offer an easy way for business owners to get an instant battery business case, including payback period, return on investment (ROI) and potential savings.
Kealy Day, Smart Commercial Solar’s chief technology officer, says the launch of the federal Cheaper Home Batteries rebate has caused a major spike in inquiries from business owners asking whether batteries finally make sense for them, too.
“Battery paybacks have always been the sticking point,” Day says. “Now that rebates and new revenue opportunities are changing the maths, this tool shows just how achievable battery storage has become.”
The calculator is free to use on Smart’s website and is designed to support businesses considering batteries of all sizes. It is also relatively easy to use – just upload a recent electricity bill.
“Our AI-powered calculator gives them a clear answer straight away, without the wait or the complexity,” Day says.
Smart also stresses that the tool is a work in progress, with additional outputs and refinements likely to be added in the months ahead, informed by user feedback and ongoing market developments.
You can find Smart Commercial Solar’s Smart Battery Calculator here.
Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
