“Serious impact:” Budget home battery brand faces suspension from rebate due to non-compliance

Seven home battery models from one of the up and coming new budget brands on the Australian market are facing suspension from taking part in the federal rebate, after falling short on a number of key compliance measures.

The Clean Energy Council (CEC) on Tuesday announced that it intends to suspend seven models from China-based home battery brand Neovolt, due to non-compliance with the CEC’s terms and conditions.

The suspension, which kicks in on September 15 if the non-compliance issues are not rectified by then, means the seven battery models (listed below) will no longer be eligible for the Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) that underpin the Cheaper Home Batteries scheme.

The CEC says the suspension decision is not in any way connected to a product recall or any identified product safety issue, but “given the quantity of existing stock in Australia … [could] have a serious impact for some businesses and consumers should the suspension proceed.”

“This action shows that established regulatory systems have worked effectively to ensure only eligible products are installed under the scheme,” the CEC says.

Neovolt batteries are made by a Suzhou-based company called Bytewatt, whose website says it has more than a decade of experience in battery and inverter making. It has an Australian office in New South Wales, and is distributed through a number of local companies including Sydney-based outfit VoltX.

According to a recent review by Solar Quotes, the home batteries are advertised at up to nearly a third cheaper than some equivalent capacity and better-known battery brands, making them a “tempting option for budget-conscious buyers.”

Customer reviews on the same website are largely positive, scoring the battery at an average of 4.6/5 based on 84 individual ratings.

As the CEC notes, the suspension is not about safety or performance, but rather non-compliance – which, while in itself a serious issue, is more readily rectified than a recall of some sort.

In this particular case, the Neovolt batteries are said to have nameplates that don’t match the products submitted in the product listing application, have an invalid certificate of compliance with International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, and incorrectly marked battery products.

The Neovolt battery models facing STC suspension are:

BW-BAT-9.6P

BW-BAT-9.6P I

BW-BAT-9.6P II

BW-BAT-9.6P III

BW-BAT-9.6P IV

BW-BAT-9.6P V

BW-BAT-9.6P VI

The CEC says: “The IEC 62619 certificate that was relied upon to approve models BW-BAT-9.6P I to VI for listing is now invalid. Nameplate labels on products supplied in Australia were found to be inconsistent with those in the testing and certification documentation initially supplied to the CEC.

“The manufacturer has failed to clarify why different variants of the BW-BAT-9.6P model were imported and is unable to distinguish which of their imported stock belongs to each variant.

“We are working with the manufacturer to address the matters that have resulted in the intended suspension and will provide updates on this page.”

The CEC says if the Neovolt batteries are suspended on September 15, the manufacturer has three months to “complete corrective actions.” If corrective actions are completed, the suspension is lifted and affected products are eligible for STCs again from the date the suspension is lifted.

Home battery installers, designers and retailers are warned to keep up to date with the CEC approved products lists, and not to create claims using suspended models.

“We monitor STC claims closely and may take regulatory action if false or misleading information is identified,” the CEC says.

Renew Economy is seeking comment from Neovolt’s Australian office and from one of the brand’s major distributors, VoltX.

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