Solar Power Savings — Solar rebate updates

Federal STC deeming drops to 4 years for 2026 installs

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On 1 January 2026 the federal Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) deeming period stepped down from 5 years to 4 years. That's a roughly 25% reduction in the dollar value of the federal solar rebate for any system installed during 2026, and the step-down repeats every January until the scheme phases out completely on 31 December 2030.

What this means in dollars

For a typical 6.6 kW system in Sydney (STC Zone 3, rating 1.382), the federal STC rebate is now:

2025 install: 6.6 × 1.382 × 5 × $38 = $1,733
2026 install: 6.6 × 1.382 × 4 × $38 = $1,386
2027 install (projected): 6.6 × 1.382 × 3 × $38 = $1,040
2028 install (projected): 6.6 × 1.382 × 2 × $38 = $693

The dollar-value step-down is bigger in absolute terms in higher STC zones — the NT (Zone 1, rating 1.622) loses about $407 per kW step-down, vs. about $277 per kW in Tasmania (Zone 4, rating 1.092).

Why is the rebate winding down?

The STC scheme was legislated under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 with a fixed end date of 31 December 2030. The "years remaining" multiplier in the rebate formula reflects how many years of expected generation can still be claimed at install. As we approach 2030, the multiplier ticks down each January.

Should you wait or install now?

The maths is clear: every year you delay costs about a quarter of the federal rebate value, in cash. Other rebate programs aren't growing to compensate — most state programs are also winding down (see other updates on this page). For most homeowners considering solar in 2026, installing before the next 1 January is measurably better than waiting.

Full STC rebate explainer →

Cheaper Home Batteries Program rate steps down 1 May 2026

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On 1 May 2026 the Clean Energy Regulator stepped down the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program rate. The per-kWh STC factor dropped from 8.4 to 6.8, which translates to approximately $258 per usable kWh on the first tier of capacity (down from about $317). The program also introduced explicit capacity tapering.

New rate structure

From 1 May 2026, the rebate is calculated in three tiers:

kWh 0–14: 100% of the per-kWh rate (~$258/kWh)
kWh 14–28: 60% of the rate (~$155/kWh)
kWh 28–50: 15% of the rate (~$39/kWh)
Above 50 kWh: no rebate

Real numbers by battery size

10 kWh battery (e.g. BYD Premium HVS): ~$2,580
13.5 kWh battery (Tesla Powerwall 3): ~$3,483
16 kWh battery (LG RESU16H Prime): ~$3,922
25.6 kWh battery (paired Sungrow HV): ~$5,415

Stacks unchanged

The federal program still stacks with NSW's PDRS battery incentive and WA's Residential Battery Scheme — the only two active state battery rebates as of May 2026. QLD's Battery Booster (closed May 2024), VIC's battery loan (closed May 2025), TAS's Energy Saver Loan (funding exhausted Sept 2025), and the NT and SA Home Battery Schemes (both closed) no longer apply.

Full Cheaper Home Batteries explainer →

QLD Battery Booster closed in May 2024 and was not restarted

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The Queensland Battery Booster Program closed to new applications on 8 May 2024. The state government has not announced any plans to restart it. Two years on, Queensland households installing batteries now rely on the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program as the only government support.

What this means for QLD homes

The Battery Booster paid $3,000–$4,000 per household (the higher amount for those earning under $66,667). Without it, the net cost of a battery install in QLD is meaningfully higher than in NSW or WA, both of which have active state battery rebates.

What still applies in Queensland

Federal STC rebate — about $1,386 on a typical 6.6 kW system in Brisbane (Zone 3).
Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program — about $258/kWh on the first 14 kWh of usable capacity, tapered above.
Ergon Solar Bonus Scheme — only for customers in the Ergon network who enrolled before 9 July 2012. Still paying 13.351 c/kWh. Closed to new entrants.

Full QLD rebate breakdown →

NSW Empowering Homes loan closed; PDRS battery incentive takes over

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The NSW Empowering Homes battery loan — which previously offered up to $14,000 interest-free over 8 years — closed to new applications in 2025. The state's battery support is now delivered through two newer mechanisms: the PDRS battery incentive (a per-kWh point-of-sale rebate) and a one-off NSW VPP sign-on payment.

What the PDRS incentive pays

NSW's Peak Demand Reduction Scheme generates Energy Savings Certificates (ESCs) for accredited battery installations. In 2026, that translates to approximately $311–$344 per usable kWh of battery capacity installed, applied as a point-of-sale discount by the installer. On a 13.5 kWh battery, that's roughly $4,200–$4,650.

NSW VPP sign-on

Separately, NSW pays a one-off $1,500 sign-on incentive to homeowners who connect their new battery to a registered Virtual Power Plant. This is a separate program from the PDRS and is paid directly to the customer (not the installer).

Combined 2026 stack for a Sydney install

Federal STC (~$1,386) + federal Cheaper Home Batteries (~$3,483 on 13.5 kWh) + PDRS (~$4,388 on 13.5 kWh) + NSW VPP sign-on ($1,500) ≈ $10,757 in 2026 stack value on a typical solar + battery install in Sydney.

Full NSW rebate breakdown →

ACT Sustainable Household Scheme moves to 3% interest

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

From 1 July 2025, the ACT Sustainable Household Scheme is no longer interest-free. New loan applications carry a 3% interest rate, while the cap ($15,000), term (up to 10 years), and product coverage (solar PV, batteries, heat pumps, EV chargers, efficient heating/cooling) are unchanged.

What this means in practice

On a $15,000 loan over 10 years at 3%, the total interest cost is approximately $2,400 — meaningful but still substantially cheaper than commercial green loans (which run 5–8% in 2026). The repayment increase versus the previous interest-free terms is about $20/month on a $15,000 loan.

Other ACT programs still active

Home Energy Support Program — up to $5,000 total ($2,500 toward solar + $2,500 toward efficient hot water, heating/cooling, or insulation). Income-tested.
Federal STC + Cheaper Home Batteries — stack on top.

Full ACT rebate breakdown →

Victoria's regulated minimum feed-in tariff removed from 1 July 2025

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

On 1 July 2025, Victoria's Essential Services Commission stopped setting an annual regulated minimum solar feed-in tariff. Retailers are now free to set whatever voluntary FIT they choose, with no statutory floor.

Why the change?

Victoria's high rooftop solar penetration means wholesale electricity prices regularly drop below zero during peak midday production. The ESC concluded that a regulated minimum was no longer economically grounded — there's no positive "value of solar exports" at the times when most solar is generated.

What's actually happening to FIT rates?

Sector-average voluntary FITs in Victoria for 2025/26 sit around 1.1 c/kWh, with competitive plans up to about 6.7 c/kWh (Powershop, some Tango plans). The highest published rates come with daily caps (typically 5 kWh/day) — past the cap the rate often drops to 0.

The shift in solar economics

Lower FITs make self-consumption disproportionately more valuable. Households that use power during the day (pool pumps, daytime hot water, EV charging) get the full retail rate avoided. Households that mostly consume in the evening should consider a battery — the export-side spread between FIT and import has effectively reversed.

Full VIC feed-in tariff comparison →

WA Residential Battery Scheme: $130/kWh Synergy, $380/kWh Horizon

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Western Australia's Residential Battery Scheme — launched in 2024 — remains the most active state battery rebate in 2026 alongside NSW's PDRS. The amounts and eligibility are very specific to which network you're on.

Synergy customers (South West Interconnected System)

$130 per usable kWh of battery capacity, capped at $1,300 (10 kWh maximum). Battery must be between 5 and 10 kWh usable. VPP enrolment with a participating retailer is mandatory.

Horizon Power customers (regional + remote)

$380 per usable kWh of battery capacity, capped at $3,800 (10 kWh maximum). The higher rate reflects Horizon's higher local energy infrastructure costs. VPP enrolment is also required.

Combined federal + state stack

For a Synergy customer installing a 10 kWh battery in 2026:

Federal Cheaper Home Batteries: 10 × $258 = $2,580
WA Residential Battery (Synergy): $1,300
Combined: ~$3,880 off a $9,000–$11,000 battery install

For a Horizon customer, the stack is larger: ~$2,580 federal + $3,800 state = $6,380.

WA's regulated DEBS feed-in tariff (2.0 c/kWh off-peak, 10 c/kWh peak 3–9pm) makes batteries especially valuable: charge midday at low export prices, discharge during the peak window for the full 10 c/kWh.

Full WA rebate breakdown →