Battery rebate by state
The federal discount is the same everywhere. What changes is whether your state adds anything on top: WA pays a published rebate, NSW pays an incentive only if you join a VPP, SA pays concession households only and the ACT lends at 3%. Each page below shows the figure, the price after rebates by battery size and the status of every state scheme.
Each figure is the federal $3,608 plus any published state rebate a general household can claim, computed at today's 6.8 STCs per usable kWh, at the 15 October 2026 price of $39.65 per STC. Conditional and priority-group money is shown as its own line.
What is the Cheaper Home Batteries Program?
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is the federal battery rebate, launched 1 July 2025 and administered by the Clean Energy Regulator. It works like the solar STC scheme: your battery earns Small-scale Technology Certificates based on its usable capacity, your installer sells or assigns those certificates, and the value lands on your invoice as a point-of-sale discount. In December 2025 the government expanded the program budget from $2.3 billion to $7.2 billion, so it is funded to run its full course to the end of 2030.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator data, to 1 July 2026.
| Launched | 1 July 2025 · budget expanded to $7.2 billion (Dec 2025) |
| Current rate | 6.8 STCs per usable kWh (installed 1 May 2026 to 31 Dec 2026) |
| Worth | ~$270/kWh gross · typically $244-$252/kWh net on your quote |
| Tiers | 100% of the first 14 kWh, 60% on >14-28, 15% on >28-50, nil above 50 |
| Eligible size | 5-100 kWh nominal capacity (certificates paid on usable capacity) |
| Requirements | Solar required · VPP-capable if on-grid · on the CEC approved battery list · SAA-accredited installer with battery endorsement |
| Next step-down | 1 January 2027 (factor drops to 5.7) |
| Ends | 31 December 2030, after step-downs every 1 January and 1 July |
How much is the federal battery rebate in 2026?
The formula: usable kWh × 6.8 STCs × the STC price (spot price $39.65 on 15 Oct 2026, clearing house cap $40 ex GST). The per-kWh factor applies to 100% of the first 14 kWh of usable capacity, 60% of anything from 14 to 28 kWh, and 15% from 28 to 50 kWh. The STC total is rounded down to a whole number before it is valued. Three worked examples:
Gross = STCs × $39.65 spot price. The net range reflects the typical $244-$252 per eligible kWh installers pass through after certificate admin fees. Figures are typical, not guaranteed; the exact pass-through is set by your installer's quote.
Popular battery sizes at today's rate
| Battery | Usable capacity | Gross rebate, installed by 31 December 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Sungrow SBR HV (small) | 9.6 kWh | $2,577 |
| BYD Battery-Box Premium HVS | 10.2 kWh | $2,736 |
| Sungrow SBR HV (medium) | 12.8 kWh | $3,450 |
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | 13.5 kWh | $3,608 |
| LG RESU16H Prime | 16 kWh | $4,084 |
| Sungrow SBR HV (large pair) | 25.6 kWh | $5,630 |
The step-down schedule: what the battery rebate is worth each period to 2030
The rate is scheduled to fall every 1 January and 1 July until the program ends. Here is the full Clean Energy Regulator schedule, with the value of a 13.5 kWh battery computed for each period at today's $39.65 STC price:
| Installed | STCs per usable kWh | 13.5 kWh battery gets | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2026 to 30 Apr 2026 | 8.4 | $4,480 | - |
| 1 May 2026 to 31 Dec 2026Now | 6.8 | $3,608 | −$872 |
| 1 Jan 2027 to 30 Jun 2027 | 5.7 | $3,013 | −$595 |
| 1 Jul 2027 to 31 Dec 2027 | 5.2 | $2,776 | −$237 |
| 1 Jan 2028 to 30 Jun 2028 | 4.6 | $2,458 | −$318 |
| 1 Jul 2028 to 31 Dec 2028 | 4.1 | $2,181 | −$277 |
| 1 Jan 2029 to 30 Jun 2029 | 3.6 | $1,903 | −$278 |
| 1 Jul 2029 to 31 Dec 2029 | 3.1 | $1,626 | −$277 |
| 1 Jan 2030 to 30 Jun 2030 | 2.6 | $1,388 | −$238 |
| 1 Jul 2030 to 31 Dec 2030 | 2.1 | $1,110 | −$278 |
The practical takeaway: a 13.5 kWh battery installed by 31 December 2026 gets about $3,608; the identical battery installed from 1 January 2027 gets about $3,013, so waiting costs $595. The Clean Energy Regulator sets the factor by the installation date, not the day you sign the contract, so allow for installer lead times.
Gross vs net: how to check your quote
The headline $270 per kWh is the gross certificate value at the $39.65 spot price (the CER clearing house caps STCs at $40 ex GST). Your installer does not pass through 100% of it: registered agents charge admin fees to create and trade the certificates, so the typical net discount on quotes is $244 to $252 per eligible kWh.
- On a 13.5 kWh battery, expect a line item around $3,294 to $3,402. Gross would be $3,608.
- The discount must appear as its own line on the quote, usually labelled "Cheaper Home Batteries" or "battery STC discount".
- If the line is well under $244 per eligible kWh, ask the installer to explain their STC pricing before you sign.
- If a quote shows the full gross value, check for a separate STC admin fee elsewhere on the invoice.
Eligibility criteria
The battery discount runs through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), the same certificate scheme as the solar rebate, so the Clean Energy Regulator's SRES rules apply:
- Solar is required. The battery must be connected to a solar PV system, new or existing. A battery set up to charge only from the grid is not eligible.
- 5-100 kWh nominal capacity. Eligibility is tested on the battery's nominal capacity; the certificates are earned on usable capacity (first 14 kWh at 100%, then 60% to 28 kWh, then 15% to 50 kWh).
- VPP-capable if on-grid. The battery must be able to join a Virtual Power Plant. Actually joining one is optional. Off-grid systems are exempt from the VPP requirement.
- One battery per premises, ever. A premises can only claim once under the program, so size the battery for where your usage is heading, not just today's bill.
- Approved product, SAA-accredited installer. The battery must be new, on the Clean Energy Council's approved battery list, and installed by a Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accredited installer with battery endorsement.
- The installation date sets the rate. The Clean Energy Regulator keys the STC factor to the installation date, not the contract or deposit date. A battery installed by 31 December 2026 gets 6.8 STCs per usable kWh.
You never file anything yourself. The installer (or their registered agent) creates the certificates and the discount appears on your invoice.
Stacking the federal battery rebate with state programs
Most state battery rebates have closed, replaced in practice by the federal program. Here is what each state adds, from the same data as the state pages:
| State | State battery support | Status |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | PDRS Virtual Power Plant connection incentive: only if you join a VPP; amount varies by provider and scales with capacity up to 28 kWh · Home Energy Saver interest-free loan: 0% loan up to $15,000 | Active |
| VIC | Closed May 2025. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program now the primary battery support. | Federal only |
| QLD | Closed 8 May 2024. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program now applies. | Federal only |
| SA | REPS Virtual Power Plant incentive: up to $2,050, priority-group households (concession card holders and hardship customers) for the rest of 2026 | Limited |
| WA | WA Residential Battery Scheme, Synergy customers: $130/kWh, max $1,300 · WA Residential Battery Scheme, Horizon Power customers: up to $3,800, Horizon Power network customers in regional and remote WA · WA Residential Battery Scheme no-interest loan: 0% loan up to $10,000 | Active |
| TAS | Funding exhausted, closed 1 September 2025. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program still applies. | Federal only |
| ACT | Sustainable Household Scheme: 3% loan up to $20,000 | Loan only |
| NT | Funding cap reached, closed June 2025. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program now applies. | Federal only |
WA is the clearest stacking case: Synergy customers (most of Perth) add $1,300 on a 10 kWh battery, and Horizon Power customers in regional WA add more. For panels, see solar rebates by state.
Worked example: a Sydney household's 2026 stack
Say you are in Sydney installing a 6.6 kW solar system with a 13.5 kWh battery:
About $5,392 in combined support before you negotiate the hardware price, at the 15 October 2026 price of $39.65 per STC. If the household also joins a virtual power plant, NSW adds a one-off incentive on top. NSW publishes no fixed amount: it scales with the capacity made available to the grid, up to 28 kWh, and varies by provider and contract, so it is not in the total. The battery line is the gross certificate value; expect the quote line to land in the $3,294-$3,402 range once admin fees come out. A 10 kWh battery is the other common pairing, usually alongside a 10 kW solar system; see the worked example for that size in the receipts above.
What a battery actually saves (with sources)
Adding a battery to existing solar saves up to $1,100/yr on top of what the panels already save, per the government's own estimate (Minister for Climate Change and Energy). A new solar plus battery system saves up to $2,300/yr, about 90% of a typical household bill, from the same source.
On payback, the honest version: it depends almost entirely on your buy price and how much you use after dark. The government's own estimate for a battery on existing solar is up to $1,100/yr, an upper figure. Each state battery page works a payback range from that state's average bill and the installed prices we track, with the assumptions shown. The economics are strongest where feed-in tariffs are lowest, because every stored kWh replaces evening grid power instead of earning a few cents as an export. General information only, not financial advice.
Common questions
How much should a 10 kWh battery cost?
Between $10,480 and $13,376 fully installed before rebates, based on the 10 kWh-class models we track (Solar Choice Battery Price Index, August 2026; solarcalculator.com.au, solar battery prices, May 2026), checked 10 October 2026. The federal discount takes about $2,696 off that, so expect to pay roughly $7,784 to $10,680 before any state incentive. WA adds $1,300 at this size (WA for Synergy customers who join a VPP), NSW adds a one-off incentive only if you join a VPP, with no published amount.
Is the solar battery rebate reducing in 2026?
Yes, on a published schedule. The factor fell from 8.4 to 6.8 STCs per usable kWh on 1 May 2026, and it falls to 5.7 on 1 January 2027. On a 13.5 kWh battery that is $3,608 now versus $3,013 after, a difference of $595 for an identical install. The schedule steps down every 1 January and 1 July until the program ends on 31 December 2030, and the Clean Energy Regulator applies it by installation date, not the day you sign.
What will the battery rebate be in 2026?
For batteries installed between 1 May 2026 and 31 December 2026, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program pays 6.8 STCs per usable kWh, worth about $270 per kWh gross at the 15 October 2026 price of $39.65 per STC, and typically $244 to $252 per kWh on your quote after admin fees. A 13.5 kWh battery gets about $3,608 gross. On 1 January 2027 the factor steps down to 5.7, which cuts the same install to about $3,013, a loss of $595.
What is the rebate for a 10kW battery?
A battery sold as "10 kW" or "10 kWh" usually has about 10 kWh of usable capacity. At the current rate that creates 68 STCs, worth $2,696 gross at $39.65 per certificate, and typically $2,440 to $2,520 as the actual discount on your quote after installer admin fees.
How long will the government battery rebate last?
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program runs to 31 December 2030, but the rate steps down every 1 January and 1 July along the way: 6.8 STCs per kWh now, then 5.7, 5.2, 4.6, 4.1, 3.6, 3.1, 2.6, 2.1, the last for July to December 2030 (Clean Energy Regulator schedule). Each step is permanent, so the same battery attracts less support the longer you wait. The program budget was expanded to $7.2 billion in December 2025.
Do I need solar to get the battery rebate?
Yes. The battery must be connected to a solar PV system, either one you already have or one installed at the same time. A battery configured to charge only from the grid is not eligible. If your home is on-grid the battery must also be VPP-capable (able to join a Virtual Power Plant), although actually signing up to a VPP is optional.
Can I claim the federal battery rebate and a state battery rebate?
Yes, where a state program is open. The federal discount stacks with WA's Residential Battery Scheme (up to $1,300 for Synergy customers, more on the Horizon Power network, VPP required) and, if you join a virtual power plant, with NSW's VPP incentive, which has no published amount because it varies by provider. SA's REPS incentive is limited to concession and hardship households. VIC, QLD, TAS and NT have no state battery rebate, so the federal program is the whole story there.
Is it worth getting a battery now?
It depends on your buy price and how much power you use after dark. The government estimates up to $1,100/yr in extra savings from adding a battery to existing solar, and up to $2,300/yr for a new solar plus battery system, both "up to" figures. Each state battery page sets a payback range against that state's average bill and the installed prices we track, with the assumptions shown. The rebate itself only gets smaller from here, with the next cut on 1 January 2027. This is general information, not financial advice.