# Solar and Batteries on Ergon in Townsville - Link: https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/ergon-solar-townsville/ - Published: 2026-09-26T13:06:16+10:00 - Author: Barra Solar Power Townsville     [Home](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/)›Guides›Ergon solar & battery guide Townsville guide · Ergon network # Solar and batteries on _Ergon_ in Townsville Approvals, export limits and feed-in tariffs in plain English — and the Ergon paperwork a local installer handles for you. [Call 07 4401 5122](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/ergon-solar-townsville/+61744015122) [Get a quote](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/contact-us/) Local crew, GarbuttWe lodge the Ergon application Barra 30 kW + battery install · Townsville The short answer ## Townsville is Ergon country If you live in Townsville, your poles and wires are almost certainly on the **Ergon Energy Network**. Any rooftop solar or home battery needs Ergon Network approval** before** it’s installed — export or not. **Ergon Energy Retail** then pays any feed- in tariff you qualify for. ### Who does what   **Ergon Energy Network**Owns the poles and wires. Approves (or limits) your connection and how much you can export.   **Ergon Energy Retail**Bills you for usage and pays eligible feed-in credits for exports.   **Your installer (that’s us)**Designs the system, lodges the network application, installs to Australian Standards. Townsville is **not** on the Energex network — Brisbane advice often doesn’t apply here. Approvals ## Getting connected with Ergon in 3 steps Approval is a gate, not a formality. Here’s what happens before your system is switched on.   Step 1 ### Lodge the application A network connection application goes to Ergon Network — for solar and batteries, whether you’ll export or not. Barra lodges this via Ergon’s Electrical Partners Portal   Step 2 ### Get your connection offer Ergon assesses your local feeder and inverter size, then issues an offer — basic or negotiated, depending on size and network conditions. We explain the offer before you’re locked in   Step 3 ### Install, meter, then export Installation and commissioning go ahead under that approval. The right meter must be in place before the inverter is left exporting. We coordinate metering so export isn’t turned on early **Why the order matters:** turning solar on too early can leave you on estimated reads without export credits. Export limits ## Basic vs dynamic export Ergon Network sets how much you can send back to the grid at your connection point. There are two common paths.   ### Basic connection A fixed export limit **~5 kW**per phase Typical basic offer on the main grid   * One fixed limit, all day, every day. * Single-wire (SWER) country feeds are often lower. * Where the network is already heavy with rooftop solar, Ergon may offer a lower limit — including very low or zero export in some cases.   ### Dynamic connection Export flexes with the network up to**~10 kW**per phase When the network has room, with compatible equipment   * When the network is under pressure, your system can be asked to turn export down. * In normal constraint periods, Ergon describes a floor of around **1.5 kW** still allowed (emergencies can be stricter). * If communication with Ergon’s system is lost for a prolonged period, export may fall back to a default limit (commonly about 1.5 kW). **Single-phase or three-phase?**Limits are often described per phase, so a three- phase supply can support a larger total system. We check your switchboard at design stage — we don’t guess from the street. **Every address is different**Exact limits are site-specific. Your neighbour’s approval isn’t a promise for your roof — Barra designs around the offer Ergon actually issues for your address. Feed-in tariff ## What Ergon Retail pays for your exports Regional feed-in tariff · QLD **6.006**c/kWh For eligible exports, set by the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) and paid by Ergon Energy Retail. 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027Was 8.660c in 2025–26 #### Typical eligibility (confirm with Ergon Retail for your account) * Inverter capacity no more than 30 kW * Using less than 100 MWh a year * Ergon Retail customer on the Ergon network * Grid-connected with an approved network agreement * Only one solar system at the premises receiving the tariff * Not also receiving the old 44c Solar Bonus Scheme tariff Updated each July. Check Ergon Retail or the QCA before relying on a number in a quote spreadsheet. **Why batteries, then?** Feed-in money is usually much smaller than the cost of buying power at night — so many Townsville homes use a battery to keep more of their own daytime solar for after sunset. #### Still on the 44c Solar Bonus Scheme? Ergon Network advises that if you want to **export energy from a battery**, you generally **can’t keep** the 44c arrangement. The scheme is closed to new customers and legislated to end on 1 July 2028. Tell us before we design anything — keeping or leaving 44c should be a deliberate decision. Your Ergon bill ## How do I read solar lines on an Ergon bill? Here’s a real Ergon bill from one of our solar and battery customers, with their details removed. Power bought from the grid sits under **New charges**. Solar sent back to the grid sits under **New credits**, paid at your feed-in rate. The solar the home used itself isn’t printed anywhere, and that’s usually the biggest saving. **A real Ergon bill, explained line by line**Personal details removed Page 1 · How much do I owe? ![Page 1 of an Ergon Energy Retail home bill with name, address, account number and NMI blacked out. Total due shows $0.00.](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/ wp-content/uploads/2026/11/ergon-bill-page1-explained.jpg "Solar and Batteries on Ergon in Townsville | Barra Solar Power") 1. A 2. ### Account details 3. Account number, supply address, NMI and issue date. We’ve blacked them out. Do the same before you share a bill with anyone. 4. B 5. ### How much do I owe? 6. This home is in credit, so page 1 shows **$0.00 due**. The credit balance is in the bill summary (11). Page 2 · Understand my bill [⌊Page 2 of a real Ergon bill with 11 numbered callouts: meter reading, plan summary, balance brought forward, zero smart-meter reads, 24.29 kWh bought for $7.02, daily service fee $54.15, new charges $61.17, 917.27 kWh solar exported for a $55.09 credit, usage chart, daily averages and bill summary of $711.77 in credit.⌉⌊Page 2 of a real Ergon bill with numbered pins 1 to 11 matching the list below. Pin 8 marks the solar export credit of $55.09.⌉](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/ergon-bill-page2-explained.jpg) [Open the full-size bill ↗](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/ergon-bill-page2-explained.jpg) 1. 1 2. ### Meter reading 3. Interval (smart) meter, actual readings. No estimates on this bill. 4. 2 5. ### Plan summary 6. Every tariff at the home: Tariff 11 flat rate, Tariff 33 economy (controlled supply), and Solar Exports at the regional feed-in rate. 7. 3 8. ### Balance brought forward 9. **$717.85 CR** carried over from earlier bills. CR means credit, money in your favour. 10. 4 11. ### Start and end reads show 0 12. Normal on a smart meter. Ergon bills from the data recorded across the whole period, not from two reads. 13. 5 14. ### Power bought from the grid 15. **24.29 kWh** over 30 days at 26.268c a kWh (before GST) = $6.38, or **$7.02** with GST. 16. 6 17. ### Daily service fee 18. 30 days × $1.64098 = $49.23, or **$54.15** with GST. Charged every day, solar or not. On this bill it’s the biggest charge. 19. 7 20. ### New charges total 21. **$61.17** including GST. Tariff 33 used 0.00 kWh this month, so it cost nothing. 22. 8 23. ### New credits: solar sent to the grid 24. **917.27 kWh** exported × 6.006c = **$55.09 credit**. 6.006c is the regional feed- in rate (1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027). On the old Solar Bonus Scheme it’s 44c. The minus sign on the rate means Ergon is paying you. 25. 9 26. ### Compare your usage 27. One bar per bill for power bought, dots for solar exported. Bought power drops from April 2026, when the battery went in. 28. 10 29. ### Daily averages 30. **0.80 kWh** bought from the grid a day, **30.57 kWh** sent back a day. 31. 11 32. ### Bill summary 33. $717.85 CR + $61.17 charges − $55.09 credits = **$711.77 CR**. Still in credit, nothing to pay. Real Ergon Energy Retail bill, 16 Sep – 16 Oct 2026. Name, address, account number and NMI removed. Page 1 wasn’t in the copy we kept, so it’s laid out from Ergon’s Oct 2026 bill guide with this home’s $0.00 result. Your numbers will differ. The saving you don’t see ### Your bill only shows the solar you didn’t use Every kWh your home uses straight from the [panels](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/longi-solar-panels-townsville/)( or the battery) is a kWh you didn’t buy. To see it, use Ergon’s own check: **Solar made** (inverter or app) **−** **solar exported** (bill or meter) **=** solar your home used On the bill above, 917.27 kWh went to the grid. Everything the system made on top of that ran the house and charged the battery, which is why only 24.29 kWh had to be bought all month. Ergon says a smaller solar credit is often a good sign: more of your power is staying at home. #### Lines that catch people out * **Start and end readings show zero?** Normal on a smart meter. It bills from the data recorded across the whole period, not two reads. * **“Feed-in-Tariff payment – Direct credit” under Other charges?** Not a fee. It’s built-up solar credit being paid into your bank account by EFT, once a year from your solar meter anniversary. * **New system, no solar credit?** If the inverter was switched on before the right meter was in, Ergon bills on estimated reads with no export. That’s why we sort metering before export is turned on. Not sure what yours is telling you? [Send us a recent Ergon bill](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/contact-us/). Black out your name, address and account number first, and we’ll walk you through it. Done for you ## What Barra handles for you On a typical Townsville solar or battery job, here’s what our local crew takes care of.   **Bills & site review**Your bills, goals, roof and switchboard.   **System design**Sized to your usage and Ergon constraints.   **Ergon application**We lodge the network connection application.   **Your export offer, explained**Basic or dynamic — before you’re locked in.   **Licensed install**Electrical workmanship suited to North Queensland conditions.   **Metering & commissioning**Coordinated so export isn’t turned on too early.   **App walkthrough**How your system and app work.   **Ongoing local support**Your local contact after handover. You still deal with Ergon Retail for tariffs and billing — we help translate the jargon. Adding storage? Check [how we assess a battery retrofit](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/add-battery-to-existing-solar/), see our [battery systems](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/battery-systems/), or read about [Ergon community batteries and home batteries in Townsville](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/battery-news/ergon-community-batteries-townsville-home-battery/). Frequently asked questions ## Good to know. Want to model your own bills first? Try the [Solar & Battery Savings Calculator](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/solar-battery-savings-calculator/). 01Do I need Ergon approval before installing solar or a battery in Townsville? Yes. On the Ergon network, solar and battery systems need network approval before installation, whether they export or not. Your installer usually lodges this for you. 02What is the regional solar feed-in tariff for Ergon customers right now? From 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 the QCA regional feed-in tariff is 6.006 cents per kWh for eligible exports. Confirm eligibility with Ergon Retail. 03What is the difference between a basic and a dynamic Ergon connection? A basic connection uses a fixed export limit (often around 5 kW per phase on the main grid). A dynamic connection can allow higher export when the network has capacity and reduce export when the network is constrained. 04Will adding a battery affect a 44c Solar Bonus Scheme tariff? It can. Under the Queensland rules, you lose the 44c if a battery can export to the grid or can run while your solar is generating (other than in a blackout). Replacing your inverter with a bigger one, or adding panels beyond its rating, also ends it. The scheme closes on 1 July 2028. Tell your installer you are on 44c before any design starts. 05Does Barra handle the Ergon paperwork? Yes. For a typical install Barra designs the system and lodges the Ergon Network connection application, then installs and commissions once the approval path is clear. Talk to a local ## Solar, a battery, or both — on Ergon Start with a conversation about your bills and goals. We handle the Ergon paperwork, so you see your export offer before anyone drills the roof. [Call the Garbutt team07 4401 5122](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/ergon-solar-townsville/+61744015122) [Get a quote](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/contact-us/)[Explore solar](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/) Or run a first-pass model on the [Solar & Battery Savings Calculator](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/solar-battery-savings-calculator/). Barra Solar Power — local Townsville solar and battery installer, 13 Gurney St, Garbutt. **Sources & disclaimer:** Queensland Competition Authority (regional feed-in tariff 2026–27); Queensland Government regional feed-in tariff eligibility; Ergon Energy Network connection, Dynamic Connections and battery storage guidance; Ergon Energy Retail solar pages. This guide is general information for homeowners and small businesses, not legal or financial advice. Rules and rates change — check the latest with Ergon and the QCA.   Get in touch ## Talk to the team. Tell us what you’re after. Our own Townsville team will be in touch, usually the next business day (allow up to 3 business days when busy). [Call 07 4401 5122](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/ergon-solar-townsville/+61744015122) [Email us](https://www.barrasolarpower.com.au/ergon-solar-townsville/sales@barrasolarpower.com.au) ### Talk to the team Tell us what you’re after and we’ll be in touch. First name Please enter your first name. Last name Please enter your last name. Address Mobile Please enter an Australian mobile or landline, e.g. 0412 345 678. Email Please enter a valid email address. What can we help with? New solarSolar & BatteryAdd a batteryUpgrade my systemSomething else Please choose one. 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