Your state's battery rebate stack
Every figure below is the typical stacked total on a solar (6.6 kW) plus 13.5 kWh battery install: federal battery discount, federal solar STC, and whatever your state genuinely adds. Pick your state for the full breakdown.
The federal layer (every state, battery first)
Two federal schemes apply no matter where you live. Since 1 July 2025 the battery discount has been the big one; the solar STC rebate stacks alongside it when panels go in at the same time.
Cheaper Home Batteries Program
The federal battery discount: 6.8 STCs per usable kWh on the first 14 kWh (tapering above), applied at point of sale. Works for batteries added to existing solar too. Steps down to 5.7 STCs per kWh on 1 January 2027, which is about $599 off the 13.5 kWh figure.
Federal STC rebate (solar panels)
Point-of-sale discount on every CEC-accredited solar system. The amount depends on your STC zone: about $1,436 in Tasmania up to $2,115 in the NT on a 6.6 kW system. The deeming period drops every 1 January until the scheme ends on 31 December 2030.
How the stack works
Rebates aren't either/or, they're additive. A NSW household installing a 6.6 kW system with a 13.5 kWh battery in 2026 stacks:
- $3,631 federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount (6.8 STCs per usable kWh on 13.5 kWh)
- $1,796 federal STC rebate on the panels (6.6 kW, STC Zone 3)
- up to $1,500 NSW PDRS incentive for connecting the battery to a Virtual Power Plant
That's up to $6,927 applied at the invoice, no paperwork on your end. Numbers vary by battery size, STC pricing and VPP eligibility; your specialist confirms the live amounts when we get in touch.
Closed schemes people still search for
Old articles and ads keep these alive. They are gone. If a quote leans on any of them, walk away.
Common questions
How much is the solar battery rebate in Australia in 2026?
The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program pays about $271 per usable kWh on the first 14 kWh (6.8 STCs per kWh at the current certificate price), which is roughly $3,631 on a typical 13.5 kWh battery in every state. Stacked with the federal solar STC rebate and any state top-up, a typical solar plus 13.5 kWh battery install attracts $5,067 (TAS) to $6,927 (NSW) depending on where you live.
Which states have their own battery money in 2026?
Three do, in different shapes. NSW pays a VPP connection incentive worth up to about $1,500 plus a $15,000 interest-free loan (with a $4,000 discount opening later in 2026). WA pays $130 per usable kWh (Synergy, capped at $1,300) or $380 per kWh (Horizon Power, capped at $3,800). SA's REPS VPP incentive (up to $2,050) is limited to priority-group households until new funding arrives in 2027. The ACT offers 3% loans up to $20,000 rather than a rebate. VIC, QLD, TAS and NT have no state battery program, so it's the federal discount only.
Are the rebates real, or am I getting hustled?
100% real. The federal STC and battery schemes are legislated under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 and administered by the Clean Energy Regulator. State programs are funded directly by the relevant state government. Every rebate comes off the invoice at the point of sale; you never receive cash directly, you just pay less for the system.
Do I have to apply for the rebate myself?
No. Your CEC-accredited installer handles all the paperwork. The federal battery and STC discounts are applied at point of sale on your invoice. State incentives are claimed by the installer or the VPP provider on your behalf as part of the standard quote process.
Are the rebates really shrinking?
Yes, on a legislated schedule. The federal battery factor steps down from 6.8 to 5.7 STCs per usable kWh on 1 January 2027, worth about $599 less on a 13.5 kWh battery, and keeps stepping down every January and July until 2030. The solar STC deeming period drops every 1 January until that scheme ends on 31 December 2030. State programs also close when funding runs out, as QLD, SA, TAS and the NT households have already seen.