Can’t Afford EXPENSIVE Batteries? Buy This Instead (Eddi & Zappi)
Rising electricity bills are hitting Australian households hard. Even with rooftop solar panels, many families are still shocked by their quarterly bills. Why? Because feed-in tariffs have collapsed, dropping as low as 2–3 cents per kWh, while retailers charge you 40c+ to buy power back from the grid.
That’s why solar batteries have become the talk of the town. A good home battery can cut bills by $2,000+ per year and allow households to run almost entirely on stored solar. But here’s the catch: batteries come with a big upfront cost. Many households—especially lower-income families—simply can’t afford one.
So, what’s the solution if your budget doesn’t stretch to a $10,000+ battery? The answer may surprise you: you can make your home act like a smart battery, without owning a battery.
Why Solar Alone Isn’t Enough Anymore
For years, rooftop solar panels were seen as the ultimate bill saver. But with falling feed-in tariffs, that’s no longer true. As energy expert Markus Lambert explains:
“Just because you have solar, you’re not going to see automatic savings. Even people with big solar systems are still getting big bills.”
This shift is why households are increasingly looking at self-consumption—using more of their solar directly in the home instead of exporting it for peanuts.
Smart Alternatives to Solar Batteries
Two products from MyEnergi—the Eddi hot water diverter and the Zappi EV charger—are game-changers for households looking to save money without the steep battery investment.
1. The Eddi Hot Water Diverter: Free Hot Showers from the Sun
Hot water is one of the biggest hidden costs in Australian homes, accounting for up to 40% of electricity use. Normally, hot water systems reheat during the day whenever the thermostat dips—often pulling expensive grid power at peak times.
The Eddi changes that. It automatically diverts excess solar into your hot water tank, ensuring your showers are heated by the sun, not the grid.
Export value: ~3c per kWh
Self-consumption value: 35c+ per kWh saved
That’s 10x more valuable than exporting to the grid.
ROI Example: Heating a 350L hot water tank takes around 10 kWh per day. At 35c/kWh, that’s $3.50/day—or over $1,200 per year. An Eddi unit, which costs about the same installed, pays for itself in one year.
2. The Zappi Smart EV Charger: Drive on Sunshine
Australians spend over $2,000 annually on petrol. Switching to an EV is already a money-saver, but combining it with solar takes things to another level.
The Zappi EV charger lets you send excess solar straight into your car. It intelligently balances between your EV and your hot water, ensuring no energy is wasted or exported for cents.
Eco+ Mode ensures your EV only charges from surplus solar.
Priority Settings let you choose whether hot water or your car gets first dibs.
Think about it: solar-powered kilometres from your roof instead of paying the pump.
Real-World Results: A Smarter Way to Save
After installing both the Eddi and Zappi, Markus saw his solar self-consumption jump to 83%. Weekly grid usage dropped from 150 kWh to just 56 kWh—a massive reduction in bills.
Instead of exporting 97 kWh of surplus solar, he now redirects it into hot water and his EV. The result? Lower bills, higher savings, and no wasted solar.
Do These Products Replace Batteries?
Not exactly. Batteries still deliver unmatched energy independence and blackout protection. But for households that can’t afford one yet, or even for those that already own one, these devices add huge value:
Without a battery: they act like a “virtual battery” by storing energy in hot water or your EV.
With a battery: they make the battery feel bigger by taking care of heavy loads first, preserving storage for nighttime use.
In other words, Eddi + Zappi = smarter solar + more value from your system.
Key Takeaways
Rooftop solar alone won’t save you as much as it used to due to low feed-in tariffs.
Hot water is one of the largest household energy drains—diverting solar here pays back in just one year.
EV charging with solar saves thousands on petrol while maximising solar use.
You don’t need a $10,000 battery to dramatically reduce bills—smart load management can deliver immediate savings.
Final Word
If you want lower bills, smarter energy use, and faster ROI, start with affordable solar-smart products like the Eddi diverter and Zappi charger. They may not replace the dream of a home battery, but they can get you most of the benefits at a fraction of the cost.
