After a successful New South Wales trial, hardware giant Bunnings is rolling out its home solar subscription products across eastern Australia.
Zelora is Bunnings’ home electrification program, designed to help households install home solar systems without the massive upfront cost. Originally launched in Sydney and Newcastle last year, the service is now available in metro Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.
What is Zelora?
Backed by Bunnings and smart energy company Intellihub, Zelora allows homeowners to buy and pay off solar and battery packages on a subscription or payment plan, instead of dropping thousands of dollars outright.
While customers can pay upfront, Zelora offers a 10-year subscription plan with monthly payments, along with ongoing support for the whole repayment period. For the duration of a customer’s subscription, Zelora provides performance monitoring and fault resolution. Your subscription also includes energy optimisation software to maximise your system’s efficiency and lower your energy bill.
What options does Zelora offer?
New customers will receive a personalised recommendation based on their household energy needs and roof space.
Full packages include panels, a solar battery and inverter, as well as full installation by accredited installers. Battery-only options are also available for homes who already have panels installed. Depending on the size of your home and household, you’ll be given personalised recommendations ranging from:
- 6.5kW solar panel system (x12 panels) to a 14.2kW solar panel system (x26 panels)
- 15kWh battery and inverter to a 40kWh battery and inverter
Zelora offers products from brands including Anker and Sigenergy, all with warranties of up to 25 years for panels and 10 years for batteries.
All options offered by Zelora are available on its subscription service or can be purchased outright.
How much does a Zelora package cost?
As all of Zelora’s solar packages are customised, pricing can vary. However, indicative pricing for a four person home in NSW ranges from $239 - $260 per month for a 10.9kW system and 30kWh battery on a 10-year subscription (or $32,131 to $34,955 in total with all fees factored in).
Actual costs will depend on your choice of system size and package, and if you require a non-standard installation.
Is there a catch?
Being able to avoid a big lump sum payment on your solar system sounds great, right? However, there is a slight bump in the road when it comes to Zelora’s payment plans. All subscriptions come with a 2.5% annual escalation applied over the 10 year period.
According to Solar Choice, the average price of a 10kW solar system as of April 2026 is between $8,000 and $10,000 upfront, after rebates. Premium systems with high-efficiency panels are more expensive, ranging between $9,000 and $12,000 on average. Solar Choice also estimates that a 30kWh battery and inverter costs an average of $16,900 installed.
Essentially you’re paying an extra 2.5% indexation cost every year for 10 years to avoid the lump sum payment upfront.
Another issue that may be off-putting for customers is that you won’t actually own your new system until you’ve finished paying it off.
Zelora offers customers on its subscription the option to buy out their system before they reach the 10-year mark. Customers simply have to pay the remaining cost of their package, plus a $150 fee.
Is Zelora worth it?
Because of the 2.5% annual increase on repayments, you will be paying more than the solar system is worth if you go with Zelora’s subscription option. However, this may be worth it if you want the benefits of solar but don’t have tens of thousands of dollars to spend up front.
Although Zelora offers an upfront payment option, its smart energy optimisation software and ongoing customer support is only available to customers who subscribe. Zelora’s monitoring software will track your usage, as well as current energy tariffs and costs, and automatically switch between grid, solar or battery electricity as needed.
The built-in smart optimisation offers a set-and-forget way for subscribers to maximise their savings and energy efficiency. Over the course of a three-month summer period in NSW, Zelora calculated that customers experienced a 25% reduction in their electricity usage charges. This includes the cost of the Zelora subscription. Customers average an 88% reduction in electricity charges if the subscription costs are excluded.
The possible savings on your electricity bill, plus the ability to avoid a huge upfront cost on your solar system might make Zelora a worthwhile investment, particularly for customers wanting convenience and dedicated support. Just be sure to consider the 2.5% annual escalation and how much extra it will cost you in the long run.
