One Neovolt battery is eligible again. Check the label before booking installation.

A useful step forward

The Clean Energy Council relisted Neovolt BW-BAT-9.6P on 7 October. Its I–VI models remain suspended. Eligible units need the specific nameplate details in the CEC notice. Reinstatement does not restore small-scale technology certificates, or STCs, for installations completed from 15 September to 6 October inclusive. Other scheme requirements still apply.

That is worth reporting after our September article criticised the identification problems. When the position changes, readers deserve the update. The corrective work deserves credit, but the boring questions still need answers before somebody bolts several thousand dollars of equipment to the house.

Read the current CEC notice →

The name on the quote is only the start

Two similar-looking BW-BAT-9.6P variants share a model number, so the label’s voltage range, current and battery designation matter.

Ask for a clear photo of the nameplate on the equipment allocated to your job, plus written confirmation from the installer that it matches the applicable requirements. A catalogue picture of a tidy white cabinet cannot do that job. Neither can a salesperson saying the brand is back.

Keep that confirmation with the itemised quote, model and serial records. If the installer cannot explain a mismatch, pause and get it resolved before installation. Owners should not open a battery or remove covers to investigate a label; ask the installer to handle anything inaccessible.

Get the rebate assumptions on paper

The Clean Energy Regulator explains that STCs can provide an upfront discount when the purchaser assigns the right to claim them to a registered agent. The battery must meet the full program requirements, including being on the approved list and installation by an appropriately accredited installer.

So ask for a quote that separates the equipment, installation work and assumed discount. Get the retailer to explain what happens to the final price if eligibility or timing changes. It is much easier to have that conversation before paying than after the paperwork turns into a group project.

State schemes need their own check. IPART’s published NSW notice says it will review its separate Peak Demand Reduction Scheme ban if the CEC lifts its suspension. That wording does not confirm a NSW incentive has been restored. Ask the scheme administrator to verify the current position before counting it in your budget.

Check federal battery program requirements →

Existing owners need clear answers too

Neovolt’s 7 September response described the dispute as a listing-compliance matter and said no product safety concern had been identified. It also committed to working with the CEC. That statement should be read alongside the newer official decision.

If you already own one, take questions about your particular installation, claim, warranty or servicing to the retailer and manufacturer. Ask for a written answer tied to your actual system, rather than assuming another owner’s experience applies. Keep the correspondence somewhere you can find it later.

Read Neovolt’s September response →

Back on the shortlist, with the paperwork

A properly documented offer can then be compared on the same terms as any other battery: useful storage, backup capability, installed price, warranty and local support. Approval is an essential starting point; it does not tell you which system best suits your home.

Use our home-battery comparison to explore those trade-offs, then ask an installer to confirm the proposed configuration. A good deal should still look good once all the details are written down.

Compare home batteries →