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Rebates & incentivesRebates, explained properly.
Most solar sites advertise a big number and bury the conditions. This is the honest version: what each scheme actually is, who qualifies, and how the money reaches you.
Residential rebates →
For homes and households: the federal STC discount on solar, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, NSW virtual power plant incentives and the apartment solar pathway.
Commercial rebates →
For business: STCs under 100 kW, LGCs at and above it, the battery program for businesses, and the tax treatment that changes the maths.
The one thing to understand first
In Australia there is no cheque in the mail. The main "solar rebate" is a certificate scheme. Your system creates tradeable certificates, your installer takes them off your invoice, and you pay a lower price on day one. That's why a quote should always show the discount as a line item — if it doesn't, ask.
The schemes that matter in NSW
| Scheme | Applies to | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| SRES — Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) | Solar systems under 100 kW | Upfront discount off the system price at point of sale |
| Cheaper Home Batteries Program | Batteries roughly 5–100 kWh, for homes, businesses and community organisations | Upfront discount, also delivered through STCs |
| LRET — Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) | Systems of 100 kW and above | Ongoing revenue, earned annually on actual generation |
| NSW virtual power plant incentive | Batteries connected to a participating VPP | Payment or bill credits via the VPP provider |
| Feed-in tariff | Exported solar | Credit on your electricity bill, set by your retailer |
Note that NSW does not currently offer its own standalone rebate on solar panels. The panel discount you'll be quoted comes from the federal scheme. State support is focused on batteries, virtual power plants and apartment buildings.
Two rules that catch people out
Accreditation is not optional. To create certificates, the system must be installed by a Clean Energy Council accredited installer using approved components. A cheaper quote from an unaccredited installer can cost you the entire rebate.
The value falls every year. The small-scale scheme is legislated to end in 2030, and the number of certificates a system creates drops each January as fewer years remain. Waiting a year is a real cost, not a neutral decision.
Want a number for your own situation? The rebate estimator applies the current formula to your system size.
Incentive schemes change, sometimes at short notice, and eligibility depends on your specific circumstances. This page is a plain-English guide, not advice, and the figures are indicative. We confirm your actual entitlement in writing against the rules in force on the day of installation. Official sources: DCCEEW and the Clean Energy Regulator.
Not sure what you qualify for?
We work out your entitlement as part of the assessment and show it as a line item on the quote — before you commit to anything.