Peter stands beside his home battery after solar helped stop 0 power bills in the Southern Highlands.

Written by Donna Wentworth

Last Updated: June 26, 2026

Peter From the Southern Highlands Stopped Paying $570 Bills With Solar

Peter Lee was spending about $570 a quarter for power. Now he pays nothing. Peter is a science teacher in Glenquarry, a farming pocket about ten minutes from Bowral, and he had wanted solar for years. One thing held him back: the fear of getting ripped off. This is his story with Lenergy.

Here is what it covers:

Why a tech-minded homeowner waited years to go solar
How he found a solar company he could trust
What his 10.56kW solar and 31.2kWh battery system does
What install day was actually like
Whether he would recommend Lenergy

Why did a science teacher wait so long to go solar?

Peter is not new to the idea of solar. Far from it.

Being a science teacher, I vowed to build a house with solar energy. Since then I built two houses and didn’t put it in because of cost.

The technology was something he believed in. The price, for years, was the sticking point. When the numbers finally made sense, one worry remained.

My hesitation was possibly getting ripped off. There are a lot of organisations out there that tell you many things. My major concern was to actually get a company that worked.

That fear is common, and it is fair. It is also why it helps to understand Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Solar Battery before you sign anything.

Peter smiles during a home interview, sharing how solar helped reduce his electricity bills and save on energy costs.

How did Peter choose a solar company he could trust?

He did what most of us do. He went online.

I looked online, as we all do, and checked out some reviews. I didn’t actually speak to anybody who had experience with Lenergy. There were so many positive reviews. I just couldn’t ignore that.

Reviews are not the whole story. A long, consistent run of them tells you something though. For a careful buyer with no personal referral to lean on, it was enough to take the next step.

Aerial view of a rural home with rooftop solar panels, surrounded by gardens, trees and a long country driveway.

What was it like working with Lenergy?

For Peter, trust was built in the first meeting.

The first visit, when they came out, we sat outside and had a good chat. It was all very open. Whenever I asked a question, it was answered without hesitation. They didn’t seem to be hiding anything, and it all made sense.

His technical background mattered here.

I’ve got a technical background, so what was being said matched technically as well.

Then came the install.

They came on the day they said they were going to come. They turned up and did a great job. And they’re good people to have around too. They were just wonderful.

What does Peter’s solar and battery system include?

The system is built around a Sigenergy SigenStor, the battery Lenergy installs.

Solar: 10.56kW, made up of 24 × 440W Suntech Power Ultra V Pro mini panels
Inverter: one Sigenergy SigenStor-15T-32, three-phase, 15kW, to AS4777-2 2020
Battery: 32.24kWh total, 31.2kWh usable, LiFePO4

On a property this size, that combination does the heavy lifting through the day and stores the rest for the evening. Peter put it simply. His bill “has gone down to nothing because our system is over-supplying at the moment”. Sizing is what makes that possible, so it pays to understand how to choose a solar battery size for your own home.

Modern home with rooftop solar panels, inverter and battery system installed beside the entrance on an exterior wall.

The numbers behind that are easy to see. The chart below shows how much electricity Peter’s 10.56kW system is estimated to make on an average day in each month. Output sits around 60 kWh a day through the warmer months and eases to under 30 kWh in mid-winter, when the days are short and the Southern Highlands sees more cloud. Even in those leaner months the system makes enough on most days to cover his use and charge the battery, which is a big part of why his bill has dropped the way it has.

Solar chart showing average daily electricity production by month, with highest output in summer and lowest in winter.

Would Peter recommend Lenergy?

He already has.

I already have. Definitely recommended to others, and we’ll do so again. For sure. They’re local as well, which is really helpful to us.

Peter’s story is one home, one system, one set of numbers. Yours will be different. If you are weighing up solar and a battery and want to start with the basics, read next: Is Your Home Ready for Solar Panels?

Here the story from the man himself below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a solar and battery system really reduce my power bill to zero?

It can, in the right conditions. Peter went from about $570 a quarter to nothing because his 10.56kW solar and 31.2kWh battery system over-supplies his home, covering daytime use and storing the rest for the evening. Your result depends on your usage, your system size and your tariff, so the numbers are different for every home.

How do I avoid getting ripped off when buying solar?

Peter’s worry is a fair one. The basics that protect you: check the installer is accredited with Solar Accreditation Australia, ask plenty of questions and see whether the answers hold up, read independent reviews, and get the system and warranty details in writing. A company that answers openly, like Peter found, is usually a good sign.

Does Lenergy install solar in the Southern Highlands and NSW?

Lenergy designs and installs solar, battery and EV systems across NSW and the ACT, including the Southern Highlands. Peter’s system is in Glenquarry, near Bowral, and he valued having a local team on the job.

What size solar and battery system did Peter get?

Peter’s system is a 10.56kW solar array (24 × 440W panels) paired with a Sigenergy SigenStor providing 31.2kWh of usable battery storage, run through a three-phase 15kW SigenStor inverter.