Guide to solar rebates

While individual apartment owners can’t apply for a rebate in NSW, a building owner or strata manager can apply for a grant to cover 50% of the purchase and installation costs of shared solar for the building for eligible residents.²

The ACT Government offers a partial rebate on the cost of purchasing and installing rooftop solar panels or other energy efficient appliances for eligible property owners. This rebate is only available to certain concession card holders so research before applying. The ACT Government also offers an interest free loan to help pay for the remainder of your solar PV system.³

As part of the Solar Homes Program, the Victorian Government offers a solar panel rebate (with the additional option of an interest free loan) for eligible homeowners.⁴

Rebates are also offered to not-for-profit community housing organisations for properties they manage on the behalf of their tenants to help assist them with cost of living expenses.⁵ Similarly, for eligible rental property holders in VIC, they could get rebates on installing solar on their rental properties to assist the tenants with their electricity bills.⁶

Western Australia offers a battery rebate scheme for homeowners with Synergy or Horizon Power (rebate amount may vary depending on which energy provider you’re with).⁷ They also have interest free loans to help you invest in energy efficient technology including solar panels and solar battery systems.

While there are no rebates for individual residents, the NT has a rebate for shared property management entities to install rooftop solar on an apartment or unit building so that the residents can benefit from solar energy.⁸

The Cheaper Home Batteries program is available across Australia to help those with solar panels with the cost of installing a solar battery by offering a discount of approximately 30% on the upfront cost of installation.⁹

Tasmania’s Energy Saver Loan Scheme offers no interest loans for helping Tasmanians afford solar panels and batteries or other energy efficient systems to lower the cost of living.¹⁰

• Solar energy is renewable. Using solar power instead of fossil fuels (e.g. coal power) reduces carbon emissions, which is great for reducing your impact on the environment.
• Long-term money saver. How much you could save will depend on the size of your solar system, your electricity usage and the average amount of daylight you get in your area. It can also depend on the time of day you use solar and if you can store it in a solar battery. Using solar during the day, and at night if you have a battery, will positively affect your energy bill savings.
• Reduce dependence on the grid. Rely less on the power grid (especially during peak demand times), where the majority of Australians still receive their electricity supply.
• Increase home value. A product worth thousands of dollars and reduces your energy bill could be very attractive to potential buyers in the future.

• Set-up costs. The initial cost of buying a solar energy system – even with government rebates – is high but continues to reduce.
• Reducing solar feed-in tariffs. Minimal or no payback for exporting excess solar generated electricity to the grid can significantly extend the payback period of the upfront costs to install.
• Expiry date of STC scheme. While the STC scheme can help you save, it won’t be around forever. In fact, the rebate is decreasing year on year until it ends in 2030.
• Aesthetic. Depending on your tastes, you may not like the ‘look’ of solar panels on your roof or the amount of space they inhabit.
• Ongoing maintenance costs. An annual or bi-annual maintenance inspection is advisable to ensure all parts of your solar system are in good working order.

First, you’ll need to check you meet the eligibility requirements. This might include earning below a certain amount, being a concession card holder or not already having solar panels. You can check your eligibility for STCs via the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Regulator website, and your state’s eligibility requirements via their government website.

Second, you need to find a provider or installer. They can also quote eligibility, rebates, system sizes, connecting to the grid and overall cost. Gather multiple quotes (many companies offer prices with rebates) and compare before you select. Most of these retailers may offer an additional warranty on the whole system.

To find out more, check out our guide on solar installation.

The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme also offers STCs for other renewable energy systems such as solar hot water systems and heat pumps.¹ Victoria offers a solar water rebate with a financial incentive of up to $1,400, provided you meet the eligibility criteria.¹¹

While not strictly a solar hot water rebate, the NSW Government also offers a rebate for replacing your electric water heater with an air source heat pump water heater to improve your energy-efficiency and help the shift towards renewable energy.¹²

The federal government’s Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme ends in 2030.¹ Other solar rebates may come and go more frequently, so it’s always a good idea to check if there are any financial incentives in place before purchasing your solar power system or battery.

The price you pay will depend on several factors, including:

• The size of the system, plus the brand (these vary a lot in costs, warranties and features)
• Your state and the terms of the rebates and incentives it offers
• The provider or installer you choose
• The average number of daylight hours in your location
• If you include a battery system.

It’s recommended you gather multiple quotes from Approved Solar Retailers and select the right option for your circumstances.

The answer to this question will depend on your circumstances. Although, if you can afford the upfront costs or repayments, it could be a money-saving option in the long term. What’s more, from a broader perspective, you’re shrinking your carbon footprint and, if you have a battery, reducing your strain on the grid.

If you can’t afford up-front costs, there may be solar rebates available to help cover some of the necessary fees. Another option is to go through retailers that offer to install solar panels for you, with the condition that you agree to be locked into a contract with them for a fixed number of years with an accompanying electricity plan.

Conveniently, solar panels require very little maintenance. You just need to ensure dirt, leaves, debris or overhanging trees aren’t throwing shade over your panels and obstructing the sun’s rays. So, lightly cleaning your solar panels periodically (by a licensed professional) might be in order.

If you want to rely more heavily on clean energy, a battery may be the solution for you. A solar battery can help you lower your electricity costs further by storing energy, which reduces the need to pay for energy usage from the grid at night when you’ve stopped generating your own electricity. However, your solar panel system can work fine without a solar battery system.

Solar batteries are expensive but can also save solar energy from being wasted during the day when you’re not home, so it’s worth weighing up your options. There are also different size options for battery storage, which will influence the cost and the amount of solar power you can store for home use.