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EnergyAustralia, one of the country’s leading energy retailers, today announced the launch of the next generation Redback Smart Hybrid System, new technology specifically created to put families and businesses in control of their energy consumption.
The Redback Smart Hybrid System, developed through EnergyAustralia’s partnership with Brisbane-based Redback Technologies, combines a solar inverter, battery enclosure and intelligent energy management software into a seamless package. When paired with solar panels and compatible batteries, Redback transforms a standard solar system into an intelligent energy management system.
"The Redback system is the next generation in energy storage and management with a sharp ability to learn and respond to how people consume their energy, based on their preferences," said Andrew Perry, EnergyAustralia Executive – NextGen.
"This is the future of energy technology, created with one aim: to put the customer in the driving seat so they can decide how they use, store and even sell their solar energy."
Mr Perry said with electricity and gas prices at record highs, customers were increasingly demanding affordable, innovative technology that helps them manage their energy consumption.
"In the past 12 months we’ve seen energy prices surge while in some states the lights have gone out. It’s no surprise there’s growing appetite for new technologies with the potential to shake-up the energy sector. There’s a revolution happening right now in energy and customers will say it’s about time," he said.
In their fourth annual retail energy competition review, the Australian Energy Market Commission found that around 1 in 5 homes already use solar power. And it’s forecast that by 2027, over 40 per cent of customers will have adopted on site distributed energy, based on the CSIRO’s electricity network transformation roadmap.
Redback Technologies Founder and Managing Director Philip Livingston said: "We are bringing the new generation of Redback technology to market – giving Australians access to a seamlessly integrated hardware and software package that enables customers to save money by consuming more of the solar energy they produce on site."
"This is an exciting time as there’s never been a better opportunity for Australia’s energy industry to take proactive steps toward a grid powered by renewables. With the launch of the second generation Redback Smart Hybrid System we are not only putting consumers in control of their energy, we’re paving the way for a clean energy tomorrow that will benefit future generations."
The Redback Smart Hybrid Inverter has a 5 kilowatt (kW) power output. When combined with the Redback battery enclosure and compatible batteries, the system can store up to 13.2 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to meet 75 per cent of the average home’s daily energy needs.
Its modular design means that customers can start with as little as 3.3 kWh of storage and add more battery units over time, offering greater pricing flexibility.
In automatic mode, the Redback Smart Hybrid Inverter stores excess solar in the battery. At times when there isn’t enough solar available, the battery discharges, minimising draw from the grid to help keep costs down. The system is also capable of predicting household usage patterns and solar energy production using machine learning and proprietary algorithms developed by Redback.
One of the system’s most attractive benefits is the Redback app through which customers can access, monitor and control their energy use from a smartphone or tablet.
The management system has the ability to connect into pool pumps and in the future control smart appliances in the home to help reduce reliance on the grid and ultimately save money.
And should the lights go out, customers can choose to have their system installed so that it can provide power to their home during a blackout.
The new Redback Smart Hybrid System is available through EnergyAustralia and its dealer network, with prices starting around $9,000 including solar and battery storage. Based on annual household consumption of 8,000 kWh, the Redback Smart Hybrid System combined with solar and battery storage could save a household about $1,500 annually, meaning pay-back after around 7 years1.
The Redback Smart Hybrid Inverter launch follows EnergyAustralia’s $9.3 million investment in the system’s developer, Redback Technologies, in October last year.
1Energy usage and tariffs vary depending on customer and location. Calculation based on:
- Customer installing both solar and battery storage; 4.9 kW solar system with 3.3 kWh battery (cost $10,610)
- Customer located in NSW with north facing panels and typical evening peak load profile
- EnergyAustralia time-of-use tariff, peak 54.90 c/kWh, shoulder 24.96 c/kWh, off-peak $15.24 c/kWh, feed-in tariff 12.50 c/kWh (Distributor: Ausgrid).
- Pay-on-time discount on usage of 23%.