Plenti paves way for home solar battery boom with digital one-stop shop

Lending platform Plenti has launched a new point-of-sale platform that aims to help Australian homeowners connect their solar resources with battery storage.

The platform, GreenConnect, will link Australian households with solar and battery manufacturers, energy retailers, equipment installers and Plenti’s own loan service.

Plenti conceived the platform to fill a gap in the market, as fewer than 10% of the 398Kw of solar installations in Australia in 2021 were coupled with a home battery installation.

A Plenti survey of more than 3000 customers found that even with strong interest in solar battery systems, 25% of customers didn’t know where to go to purchase such a system, and only 29% understood the economic benefits to their household of connecting to a VPP.

The AEMO has separately warned that Australia will need vastly more energy storage capacity to manage its energy demands as the country transitions away from fossil fuels – estimating that both home battery installation and VPP participation must increase thirty-fold by 2050.

GreenConnect will provide a platform where consumers can access and sign up for battery and solar system package deals, renewable-optimised energy plans, and VPP schemes – with financing options over a ten-year term.

“If we want to reduce household emissions and energy costs more rapidly than we’ve been achieving through solar alone, we need to see greater battery and VPP uptake,” said Plenti’s Head of Renewable Energy Louis Edwards.

“GreenConnect transforms the process of adding a battery from one that is complex and costly to one that is simple, easy and more affordable.

“By bringing together energy retailers and product manufactures, GreenConnect allows equipment installers the ability to offer consumers all-in-one energy solutions in one single location.”

The platform launched today with more than 650 suppliers.

“It’s very clear that the next step change is going to come from greater uptake of batteries and VPPs,” said Smart Energy Council CEO John Grimes. “We’re delighted to learn about Plenti’s GreenConnect platform. As an industry body advocating for accelerated battery and VPP uptake, it is pleasing to see an initiative that has brought together all major stakeholders, working towards a common goal.”