When Greig Sheridan and Glen Anderson retired to Newcastle their first big investment was to install solar on their Adamstown rooftop.
Supported by an interest-free loan, the couple outlayed about $30,000 for 22 400 watt panels plus a Tesla powerwall.
Two years on and they couldn't be happier. Their power bill has been virtually reduced to zero and they have since bought an EV as part of their clean energy transformation.
"We are very big on trying to undo some of the damage that humans have done to the planet by minimising what we are doing now," Mr Sheridan.
"As soon as the opportunity presented itself we stuck as many solar panels on the roof as possible"
And they are not alone, with data showing the Hunter has some of the highest rooftop solar uptake rates in the state.
The Port Stephens suburbs of Campvale, Ferodale, Fullerton Cove, Medowie, Oyster Cove now have solar penetration rates of 54.5 per cent.
At the same time, older areas like Hamilton and Newcastle west have relatively low installation rates of 28.5 per cent.
David Sedighi, chief operating officer of battery storage systems VoltX Energy, said the rise of solar in newer suburbs was largely the result of government mandates requiring new homes to achieve reductions in water and energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
"We know having solar makes a new home more attractive to prospective buyers in the future too, as the cost of energy increases," he said.
"The so-called "sun-tax" where energy providers charge customers a tariff for rooftop solar exported to its network will also drive demand for batteries."
In response to the growing need for energy savings, the NSW government will introduce a rebate starting at $1600 for battery storage systems from November 1 this year.
The $1600 rebate will mean a VoltX Energy Battery will go from $7500 to $5900, including installation.
"By offering the rebate immediately, we enable customers to bypass potential backlogs and start reaping the benefits and savings right away," Mr Sedighi said.
Mr Sheridan welcomed the new incentives to buy batteries.
"For us it's too late, we are early adopters but we have had the benefits of this for the last two years, it's going to pay for itself regardless. " he said.
Brian Craighead, chief of Hunter-based lithium battery manufacturer Energy Renaissance said while demand for the company's product was strong, there still remained barriers to overcome.
"This is why we need to ensure local cleantech businesses have the policy framework and industry support to thrive, securing good jobs into the future and doing our bit to help Australia reach net zero," he said.
