Castle Hill has just found itself at the centre of one of Australia’s biggest home energy milestones.
On Friday 14 August, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited RKS Energy Solutions in Castle Hill alongside Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Smart Energy Council CEO David McElrea and Olympic champion and Fox ESS ambassador Ian Thorpe. The event was also attended by FOX ESS CEO Michael Zhu and Brooks Richard, Solar Energy Managing Director at FOX ESS. Sponsored by Fox ESS, the event marked Australia’s milestone of more than 500,000 home batteries installed under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, bringing together government and industry to recognise the country’s rapidly growing adoption of home energy storage.
And there was a reason Castle Hill was chosen.
The numbers tell an interesting local story.
The Mitchell electorate, which includes Castle Hill, recorded 6,958 home battery installations, with more than 10 per cent of households taking up the program. It has risen from 108th nationally in 2024 to third nationally and first in NSW for battery uptake.
In other words, the battery boom isn’t just happening somewhere in Australia. It is happening right here in North West Sydney.
That makes the visit particularly significant for RKS Energy Solutions, which hosted the national milestone event at its Castle Hill premises.
The milestone is about more than the number of batteries installed.
According to Minister Chris Bowen, the 507,651 batteries installed since July 2025 represent around 14 gigawatt-hours of storage across Australian homes. The Government says approximately 2,000 batteries are now being installed each working day.
For homeowners, the appeal is fairly straightforward. Solar panels generate electricity during the day, but households often need more power in the evening. A battery can store surplus solar energy and make it available when the sun isn’t shining, helping households use more of the energy they generate themselves.
The broader benefit is that batteries can also reduce pressure on the electricity grid during periods of high demand.
For the team at RKS Energy Solutions, the visit was also a reflection of how quickly Australia’s battery market has changed.
During the press conference, Minister Bowen noted that RKS had grown from 9 employees to 21, linking that growth to the increased demand created by the battery program. He also highlighted the wider growth of the installation industry, with around 8,400 battery installers now working across Australia.
RKS Energy Solutions owner Kunal Kapoor described the opportunity as a significant part of the company’s growth and highlighted the importance of the milestone for the wider battery industry.
For a local energy company, having the national battery milestone recognised at its own premises is certainly not an everyday occurrence.
Reaching 500,000 batteries may sound like an endpoint, but the conversations at Castle Hill suggested otherwise.
The focus is now shifting towards how Australian households can make better use of stored energy, increase energy independence and participate in a more flexible electricity network.
Battery technology is also becoming increasingly connected to other household energy decisions, from solar generation and EV charging to smart energy management and Virtual Power Plants.
For homeowners considering battery storage, the question is no longer simply “Should I get a battery?”
It is “What kind of battery system makes sense for the way my home uses energy?”
That question deserves proper consideration of electricity consumption, existing solar capacity, future plans, battery size and backup requirements.
Australia has officially passed the half-million mark, and Castle Hill was chosen to celebrate it.
For RKS Energy Solutions, hosting this milestone was a significant local moment and a reflection of how quickly home battery storage has grown in Australia. With 15 years of experience in the solar industry, the team has seen first-hand how the way Australian households generate, store and use energy is changing.
If you’re considering adding a battery to your home, RKS Energy Solutions can assess your existing solar system and energy usage and help you understand whether battery storage is right for your property.
Book a battery assessment with RKS Energy Solutions today.
The Prime Minister visited RKS to mark Australia passing the half-million mark in home battery installations and recognise the growing role of battery storage in the country’s energy transition.
It demonstrated how quickly household battery storage has moved into the mainstream, with batteries increasingly being installed alongside rooftop solar to store and use energy when it is needed.
The program provides eligible households, small businesses and community organisations with an upfront discount of around 30% on eligible battery installations through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.
The incentive is provided through Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). The value depends on factors including the battery’s eligible usable capacity, installation date and the applicable STC factor.
Yes. Eligible batteries can be installed alongside existing solar PV systems, provided the battery system and installation meet the program’s requirements.
There is no universal battery size. The appropriate capacity depends on the home’s electricity consumption, solar generation, evening demand and the way the household intends to use stored energy.
Not necessarily. A battery can reduce the amount of electricity purchased from the grid, but the actual reduction depends on the home’s solar generation, energy consumption, tariffs and battery utilisation.
During periods of excess solar generation, the battery can store energy that would otherwise be exported to the grid. That stored energy can then be used later, including during evening periods when solar generation has fallen.
Yes. Battery storage can often be retrofitted to an existing PV system, although the existing inverter, electrical configuration and available system capacity need to be assessed before selecting the battery architecture.
No. A battery that is larger than the property’s solar generation or energy demand may not be fully utilised. The objective is to match storage capacity with the property’s actual energy profile rather than simply maximising battery size.
Our team can help you choose the right solar system, battery storage and energy solutions.
Copyright © RKS Energy Solutions | All rights reserved
