ACT programs at a glance
| Program | Type | Status | Solar needed | Lock-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Loop | Battery VPP | Open to new customers | At least 5 kW of operational solar | No lock-in contract; you can leave at any time. |
| Amber SmartShift | Wholesale-price battery trading | Open to new customers | Not stated | No penalties for switching SmartShift off. |
| ActewAGL VPP | Battery VPP | Open to new customers | Not stated | No lock-in contracts. |
ACT VPP and battery programs
Origin Loop
- Sign-up bonus: $200, credited to your Origin electricity account (incl. GST)
- Event credit: $1 per kWh, for energy exported to the grid during Loop events, up to 200 kWh a year
Origin's VPP: Origin can draw up to 200 kWh a year from your battery during Loop events and pays $1 for each kWh, on top of a $200 sign-up bonus and your normal feed-in tariff.
Amber SmartShift
- Export earnings: Wholesale price, exports are paid at the wholesale spot price, which moves every five minutes and can go negative
- Fees: Membership: $25 a month
Amber passes wholesale electricity prices straight through to you. SmartShift automatically charges your battery when prices are low and exports when they're high.
Queensland availability is south-east QLD only.
ActewAGL VPP
- Battery Saver plan: Half the daily supply charge, while you're connected to the VPP
- Battery Power Top-Up: $60 a quarter, $240 a year, added to another ActewAGL residential plan
- Sign-up bonus: $100, new customers, conditions apply
ActewAGL's VPP comes two ways: the Battery Saver plan halves your daily supply charge, or the Battery Power Top-Up add-on pays a $60 credit every quarter on another ActewAGL plan. ActewAGL never drains your battery below 20%.
In NSW, ActewAGL's Battery Saver plans are listed in the AER plan data on the Essential Energy and Endeavour Energy networks.
Programs that have ended
- Tesla Energy Plan (Tesla) ended on 30 September 2025 for all customers. Its page says what happened and which open programs take the same battery.
Notes specific to the Australian Capital Territory
Check the ACT Sustainable Household Scheme guidelines for any VPP condition attached to its battery loans.
VPP credits and the ACT feed-in tariff
A VPP pays on top of, or instead of, what your retail plan pays for exports. Before you join, check four things on the program page: how much of your battery the operator keeps in reserve for you, any cap on event energy a year, whether there's a lock-in, and whether you keep your plan's feed-in tariff. Then set that against the ACT feed-in tariff you'd earn exporting the same energy yourself.
Checking whether a battery suits a particular program? The VPP battery compatibility table lists every battery each program names.
Common questions
What VPP programs are available in the Australian Capital Territory?
As checked between 28 and 29 September 2026: Origin Loop (Origin Energy), battery VPP, open to new customers; Amber SmartShift (Amber Electric), wholesale-price battery trading plan, open to new customers; ActewAGL VPP (ActewAGL), battery VPP, open to new customers. Tesla Energy Plan ended on 30 September 2025.
How much do VPPs pay in the Australian Capital Territory?
It depends on the program. Here's what each open program pays, as checked between 28 and 29 September 2026: Origin Loop (Sign-up bonus: $200, credited to your Origin electricity account (incl. GST); Event credit: $1 per kWh, for energy exported to the grid during Loop events, up to 200 kWh a year). Amber SmartShift (Export earnings: Wholesale price, exports are paid at the wholesale spot price, which moves every five minutes and can go negative; fees: Membership: $25 a month). ActewAGL VPP (Battery Saver plan: Half the daily supply charge, while you're connected to the VPP; Battery Power Top-Up: $60 a quarter, $240 a year, added to another ActewAGL residential plan; Sign-up bonus: $100, new customers, conditions apply).
Do I need to switch retailers to join a VPP in ACT?
For the programs listed here, yes: Origin Loop requires you to be a Origin Energy customer, Amber SmartShift requires you to be a Amber Electric customer and ActewAGL VPP requires you to be a ActewAGL customer.
Does ACT require VPP enrolment for the federal battery rebate?
No. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program requires your battery to be VPP-capable, meaning it can support enrolment, but actual enrolment is optional. You can claim the rebate and never join a VPP.