Redback unveils solar inverters and beefs up battery range

Redback Technologies chief executive officer Patrick Matweew said the addition of an inverter to the Brisbane-based company’s range of products marked a major change in the company’s strategy.

Redback inverter offerings have until now been confined to hybrid inverters as part of their battery storage systems. This has now been expanded with the introduction of the Redback Smart Inverter series.

“Based on the great success we have had since 2015 with our smart home battery solutions, coupled with the fact that there is no affordable Australian brand in the market, we have decided to expand our portfolio to include grid-tied PV inverters,” Matweew said.

“Every household has different energy needs, so we made a conscious shift to ensure we have an Australian solution for every customer.”

The Redback Smart Inverters are single-phase solar inverters in 5, 6, 8 and 10 kVA (kW) output with the company claiming a maximum efficiency of up to 97.5%. All come with a smart meter and wi-fi dongle as standard and allow for home batteries to be added in the future. They are all compliant with the new AS4777.2 (2020) standard.

Redback has also expanded its Smart Battery range, adding two new larger capacity models to its SB-Series.

In addition to the existing SB7200 7.2 kWh offering which was unveiled earlier this year, Redback has introduced the new SB9600 which has a nominal storage capacity of 9.6 kWh and the larger SB14200 with 14.2 kWh storage capacity.

Both the SB9600 and SB14200 have a 4.5 k active power output rating, while the SB7200 offers 3.3 KW rated active power with the company claiming a maximum efficiency of 96.60%.

The company said the units, which feature batteries from China-based manufacturer Pylontech, are compatible with most solar systems, can be remotely monitored and all three models can provide back-up supply in a power outage, where a back-up circuit is connected and battery energy is available.

“The batteries are also modular units, meaning they’re lightweight, easy to install and operate and as with all Redback solutions, the Smart Home Battery Systems are designed in Australia and are built to withstand Australia’s harshest conditions,” Matweew said.

“The new SB9600 and SB14000 have been developed and designed to be affordable for Australian households and with our latest addition of a 10-year warranty attached to the battery system, owners will have peace of mind for years to come.”

The new Smart Batteries will be available in Australia later this month, though the smaller 7.2 kWh Smart Battery is available now and is in stock in Australia.

The new inverter series is also expected to be available in Australia later this month.

The launch of the new products coincides with a rebranding of Redback which includes a new logo and colour scheme. Gone is the iconic redback spider, replaced by an orb reminiscent of the sun.

Matweew said building a stronger connection between the company’s Australian heritage and its purpose and vision was the main driver behind the decision to rebrand.

“The Australian sun is such an important aspect of our landscape; our new branding takes these iconic colours and incorporates them, along with the open road to Australia’s clean energy future. This ties in with our purpose to power a cleaner tomorrow,” he said.

“That is the key message – we want to give Australian households and small businesses an Australian option, one that is designed for our local conditions, that is robust and affordable, and there clearly is a gap in the market right now.”