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Forum Index : Solar : Aldi 6.6kW panels, 5.5kW inverter, 10kWh battery system

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lizby
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Joined: 17/05/2016
Location: United States
Posts: 3411

Posted: 06:45pm 14 Sep 2025

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Aaron, "Revlac" suggested that I copy this post from my "AI investigations" thread in the Microcontrollers section so that folks here could analyze and comment on the Aldi offering. To me, it looks quite powerful at one-third to one-fifth the price of what a similar system would cost in the U.S. or Canada (with the full effect of tariffs and rollback of subsidies not yet being felt).

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I read a recent PV Magazine article about the German grocery chain Aldi providing, in Australia, a 6.6kW solar, 5.5kW inverter, 10kWh (or 20kWh) battery system installed for $6,999 ($4,610 USD, 3,965 Euro).

I spent a fun hour this morning asking Gemini various questions about this system.

Estimated factory cost of goods in US$: 10 kWh Battery System: ~$800; 5.5 kW Hybrid Inverter: ~$550; 6.6 kW Solar Panels: $594; Balance-of-System (BOS): $660; Total hardware: $2,604 USD.

For the average Australian single family residence, what is the anticipated payback time: 2.5 to 4 years.

For a household with an EV but no solar (residential charging to be added): 2.8 years.

For a household about to buy an EV, trading in a gasoline car: 1.67 years --$2,000 (from not buying gasoline) + $2,200 (from not buying electricity for the home) = $4,200 AUD per year

If Aldi or similar system installed on all Australian single family residences, what percentage of total electricity generation would that represent? 26%-28% of final demand.

How much gasoline would be saved with 100% Aldi system + 100% EV for single family residences, and what percentage of AU fossil fuel use would that be, and counting displaced fossil electricity generation, what total percentage would be displaced? 67.5 TWh equivalent gasoline: 4.2% of AU energy supply; 42.75 TWh Fossil Fuel Electricity Displaced: 2.6%; Total: 6.8% of AU energy supply.

Note that the Aldi price is underwritten to a significant degree by government rebates which Aldi would collect: Solar Panel Rebate (SRES): ~ $2,145 AUD and Battery Rebate: ~ $2,500 AUD, for Total Combined Rebates: ~ $4,645 AUD. There would be an additional $2,500 AUD for the 20kWh version.

This total price of $11,650 AUD or $14,150 (20kWh) is still far below the price of a comparable system in the U.S. or Canada--probably one-third or one-quarter of the price.

If I had a suitable roof (which I don't), I would happily pay an unsubsidized $9,500 USD for a similar system. Payback time would be a lot longer because of $.125/kWh U.S. price for electricity in Florida (compared to $.40 AUD -> $.265 USD).

The Aldi system includes blackout protection, so it will continue to supply the residence with power if the main electricity grid goes down. I'd pay a good bit for that feature alone.

Maximum subsidies for 20kWh system for all 7.5 million AU single family residences would be around $54 billion AUD. Annual saving in oil and gasoline imports if all of those residences had an EV with residential charging would be ~$50 billion.

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Revlac

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Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1171

Posted: 09:26am 15 Sep 2025

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Looking at the data sheets provided the battery is 51v and 100Ah fairly standard stuff as a wall mount design, has built in contactor and no idea what BMS it uses, a note down the bottom of the Data sheet "Note: Monitoring achieved through compatible inverter" That would put me off buying as battery and expecting to use it with any other type of inverter not on the list.
The battery looks like....

Solis ESS 51.2V 100Ah 5Kwh European Warehouse Wall Mounted Lithium Battery
10240wh Wall Mounted Solar Battery 51.2v 100ah Photovolta Energy Storage Lithium Battery
So there may well be a lot of these just rebadged or with similar internal's
Overall the battery is nothing special in my opinion, one could buy similar and better products that can be used without com's, and on any inverter of choice.

The Inverter is pretty standard as well, these types of Hybrid inverters have been around for years, many of the Voltronics rebrands have been out for years as well as many copies.
I see this system as too small of an offering these days especially for those who may be getting an EV in future the inverter is a bit on the small side as well, there is little value in selling power back to the grid, depending on what deal you might get and location.

I'm offgrid so might be a bit biased to grid tied systems, I think some of us could buy batteries and an inverter separately and panels and build a system that's better value and more suited to the user requirements.

Quite often we end up using more power than first planed for, and the Aldi system and others like it would not really have an upgrade path, when you need it.

I have seen a couple of hand truck builds.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

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