Victoria's Solar Homes Program encourages homeowners to opt for rooftop solar panels. Now, German battery storage company sonnen says its sonnenFlat energy plan will offer fixed electricity bills to households with solar & storage in the Australian state. Pictured is the bridge and skyline of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. (Photo Credit: Walesjacqueline/www.goodfreephotos.com)

Energy storage company sonnen from Germany has launched a new scheme in Victoria, Australia offering fixed monthly electricity bills for homes with rooftop solar system and batteries. Over 2.3 million Victorian households will be eligible to avail the sonnenFlat energy plan.

Subscribers can expect a monthly bill starting from AUD 42 ($29) per month, excluding GST for 7,500 kWh with the sonnenFlat offer. Guaranteed annual energy allowance will be available for homes that use solar, storage and grid energy through the sonnenFlat for a monthly fee of AUD 52 ($36) for electricity usage of 10,000 kWh and AUD 62 ($43) for 12,500 kWh. There will be no changes to the grid supply of such households.

Currently available throughout New South Wales, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and southeast Queensland, the launch of sonnenFlat will cover all of Victoria, said sonnen. For the month of June 2019, sonnen will offer a AUD 1,000 ($692) discount on the purchase of new a sonnenBatterie as part of the sonnenFlat Energy Bundle scheme.

Explaining how sonnenFlat brings down electricity bills even for rooftop solar users, one of its customers Bo Gacic from Coromandel Valley, South Australia said, “sonnenFlat has protected us from rising retail energy prices since September 2018. We used to pay about AUD 5,600 ($3,877) each year for a household of five to our energy retailer even with our rooftop solar. Our bills are now AUD 42 per month and nothing has changed about the way we’re being supplied electricity. The only change is we get a fixed monthly energy bill from sonnen.”

‘Designed in Germany and manufactured in Australia’, the energy storage solution will ‘eliminate bill shocks, reduce upfront cost of investing in home batteries and fix monthly electricity cost for households, explained Nathan Dunn, CEO of sonnen Asia Pacific. .

Victoria could be an important market for a company like sonnen since the state is currently implementing its Solar Homes Program, offering a 50% rebate to homeowners who install solar panels. Stan Krpan has been appointed as the CEO to execute the program (see Stan Krpan To Lead Victoria’s Solar Home Program).

In February 2019, oil and gas major Shell announced the acquisition of sonnen. Back then sonnen said the acquisition will allow the company offer more choice to its customers seeking reliable, affordable and cleaner energy (see Shell Takes Over 100% Of Sonnen).

Sonnen’s product offering, which can be called attractive if it delivers what it promises, comes at a time in Australia when the electorate have overwhelmingly brought back a federal government that is everything but renewables friendly (see Australian Coalition Stays In Power).