Different technologies do different jobs. We therefore assess each product category against criteria relevant to the role that technology performs - rather than applying the same measures to every product.
Context matters.
A solar panel should not be judged by VPP capability. Energy trading and VPP control depend on the equipment that manages and controls energy - not the panel generating it.
Solar Panels
Criteria selected for the role this technology performs in your energy system.
Price / value
Warranty
Owner and installer reviews
Efficiency
Degradation
Expected service life / durability
Availability
Australian market presence
Australian-based support
Product safety
Bankability / manufacturer strength
Manufacturing and supply-chain origin
Sustainability
Ethics / supply-chain considerations
Inverters
Criteria selected for the role this technology performs in your energy system.
Price / value
Warranty
Owner and installer reviews
Efficiency
Reliability
Expected service life / durability
Availability
Australian market presence
Australian-based support
Product safety
Monitoring and software
VPP and energy-trading capability
Sustainability
Ethics / corporate conduct
Batteries
Criteria selected for the role this technology performs in your energy system.
Price / value
Warranty
Owner and installer reviews
Degradation
Usable capacity and efficiency
Expected service life / cycle life
Availability
Australian market presence
Australian-based support
Product safety
Backup capability
VPP and energy-trading capability
Sustainability
Ethics / supply-chain considerations
EV Chargers
Knowledge in development.
How a score is arrived at
Each applicable criterion carries a written finding and the sources behind it. Scores are not averages of opinion - they are judgements against published evidence, and the evidence is shown so you can judge our conclusions for yourself.
What we will not do
We do not cite retailer or lead-generation websites as evidence. They sell the products they describe.
We do not assert something we could not establish. Where a fact could not be confirmed, the report records that it was raised with the manufacturer.
We do not change a score because a manufacturer asks us to. We correct facts.
When ratings change
Products, warranties and ownership change. Reports carry the date they were assessed, and the guide is reviewed monthly against the relevant approved-product registers and other authoritative sources.