kWh and kW answer different questions
| Measure | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Usable energy · kWh | How much stored energy is available under the specified operating conditions. |
| Output power · kW | How much equipment the system can supply at once. Starting loads also matter. |
| Reserve setting | The portion held back for an outage, reducing energy available for everyday use. |
For illustration, a 10 kWh battery with a 20% reserve leaves 8 kWh before conversion losses for routine use. This is an arithmetic example, not a recommended size or a promised runtime.
What size is worth exploring?
Compare your evening and overnight use, solar surplus, tariffs, reserve preference and future appliances. Ask for a realistic comparison of at least two suitable capacities. Check how often each could charge and discharge across the seasons.
Will the lights stay on?
Backup needs compatible equipment and a deliberate circuit design. Confirm the supported circuits, phase arrangement, power limits and whether solar can recharge the battery while the grid is down. These features vary between systems.
A fridge, lights and internet present different requirements from cooking, heating or a water pump. Tell us which loads matter most; we will assess their actual requirements.
VPPs, tariffs and control
A virtual power plant can involve an operator controlling battery charging and discharge under a contract. Compare payments, electricity rates, reserve control, exit terms and warranty conditions. Do not assume the best plan is the one with the highest headline credit.
Our main solar-and-storage choices
We lead with Sigenergy SigenStor, followed by GoodWe ESA. Compare the matched inverter, usable storage, backup arrangement and operating controls for your property.
Already have solar?
Bring the inverter model and monitoring history. We can discuss a compatible storage addition versus changes to the existing setup. Confirm any gateway, inverter, wiring or monitoring work in the scope.
What would you keep running?
Choose your priorities for an outage. We’ll assess actual power, starting currents, circuits and energy requirements before recommending equipment.
A planning checklist, not a runtime or battery-size estimate. A battery is not a substitute for a dedicated medical or life-safety power supply.
Let’s apply this to your home.
Bring these questions into your conversation with our Bendigo team.
Add to my quote brief ↗Or call 0428 280 294 ↗