Australian Solar Battery Rebates

LAST UPDATED MAY 2026

This page covers the Australian Solar Battery Rebates for homes and businesses.

The 1 May 2026 rebate changes are now in effect. The rebate continues to 2030 but now reduces every six months (not annually) and is tiered by battery size.

Dollar estimates on this page use a typical STC price of $38 per certificate after admin fees — actual values depend on the live STC market price at the time of your installation.

What Is the Australian Federal Solar Battery Rebate?

The Federal Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program reduces the upfront cost of installing a solar battery. It operates through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and is applied as an upfront discount via Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). You don’t apply for it separately, your accredited installer applies it directly to your invoice.

The program launched on 1 July 2025 and is funded through to 2030, with the government increasing total funding from $2.3 billion to an estimated $7.2 billion in December 2025.

Key Details:

Launch Date: 1 July 2025

Eligible Capacity: 5–100kWh (STCs on first 50kWh only)

Typical Saving: ~30% off installed battery cost

Funded until: 2030 ($7.2 billion total program)

How the Rebate Works

The rebate is applied as an upfront discount at the point of installation. The value depends on:

The battery’s usable capacity
The installation date. This locks in your STC factor
The current STC market price (typically $37–$40 per certificate, but this fluctuates)

Current Rebate Tier Structure (from 1 May 2026)

From 1 May 2026, the STC factor applies at different rates depending on the battery’s usable capacity:

Usable Capacity Range	STC Factor Applied	What This Means
0 – 14 kWh	100%	Full rebate — strongest value per kWh
14 – 28 kWh	60%	Reduced rate on this portion only
28 – 50 kWh	15%	Minimal rebate on this portion
Above 50 kWh	Not eligible	STCs only generated for first 50kWh

Good news for most households: A typical home battery of 10–14 kWh falls entirely within the 100% tier and receives the full STC factor. Only batteries above 14 kWh are affected by the tiered reduction.

Rebate Step-Down Schedule & Estimated Values by Battery Size

The installation date locks in the STC factor and therefore the rebate value. The table below shows estimated rebate values at each step-down date for three common battery sizes, based on an STC price of $38 per certificate (after ~10% admin fees). STC factors are drawn from the government’s published “Summary of Revised Small-scale Technology Certificate Entitlement to 2030”.

Period	STC Factor (per kWh, 100% tier)	10 kWh battery fully in 100% tier	14 kWh battery fully in 100% tier	20 kWh battery 14kWh@100% + 6kWh@60%
Jul–Dec 2025 Launch	9.3	~$3,534	~$4,948	~$6,208*
Jan–Apr 2026	8.4	~$3,192	~$4,469	~$5,608*
May–Dec 2026 Now	6.8	~$2,584	~$3,618	~$4,545
Jan–Jun 2027	5.7	~$2,166	~$3,034	~$3,810
Jul–Dec 2027	5.2	~$1,976	~$2,766	~$3,474
Jan–Jun 2028	4.6	~$1,748	~$2,448	~$3,074
Jul–Dec 2028	4.1	~$1,558	~$2,182	~$2,740
Jan–Jun 2029	3.6	~$1,368	~$1,915	~$2,405
Jul–Dec 2029	3.1	~$1,178	~$1,650	~$2,072
Jan–Jun 2030	2.6	~$988	~$1,384	~$1,738
Jul–Dec 2030	2.1	~$798	~$1,118	~$1,404

* For Jul 2025–Apr 2026, the tiered structure did not apply — the full STC factor applied to all capacity up to 50kWh. The 20kWh figures for those periods use the flat pre-May 2026 rate. From May 2026 onwards, tiers apply: 14kWh at 100% + 6kWh at 60% of the STC factor. All figures assume $38/STC after ~10% admin fees. Actual rebate values depend on the live STC market price. Verify using the Clean Energy Regulator’s official Solar Battery STC Calculator at cer.gov.au.

How the 20 kWh figure is calculated (May–Dec 2026 example)

For a 20 kWh battery installed in the current period (STC factor 6.8, $38/STC):

First 14 kWh at 100%: 14 × 6.8 × $38 = ~$3,618
Next 6 kWh at 60%: 6 × 6.8 × 0.60 × $38 = ~$927
Total: ~$4,545

Before vs After 1 May 2026

Feature	Installed Before 1 May 2026	Installed From 1 May 2026
STC Reduction Schedule	Reduces annually	Reduces every 6 months
Rebate Value Trend	Higher overall rebate	Gradually declining rebate
Battery Size Treatment	STC factor applied evenly up to 50kWh	Tiered: strongest for first 14kWh, reduced above
Best Value For	All sizes, including larger systems	Right-sized systems (≤14kWh strongest)
Impact of Waiting	Smaller change year to year	Noticeable reduction every 6 months

Who Is Eligible?

To qualify for the federal battery rebate, you must:

Own the property (home or business)
Install a battery connected to a new or existing rooftop solar PV system
Be installing a battery at this address for the first time — only one claim per premises is allowed

Eligible participants include homeowners, small businesses, strata schemes, and community facilities. There is no means test — no income cap applies. Landlords can claim for multiple properties, each with their own electricity meter (NMI).

System & Installer Requirements

Battery and inverter must be Clean Energy Council (CEC) approved and listed on the CEC approved product list at time of installation
Installer must be accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) and supervise the installation on-site
Grid-connected systems must be VPP capable — participation in a VPP remains optional
An electrical compliance certificate (or state/territory equivalent) must be issued at installation
Battery must be appropriately sized for the property’s solar PV and energy use

What’s Not Eligible

Portable batteries
Electric vehicles
Capacity beyond the first 50kWh of usable storage
A second battery at the same address

Can I Combine Federal and State Rebates?

In most cases, yes. The Federal Government has confirmed the national scheme is designed to complement, not replace, state and territory incentive programs. This means you may be able to stack both rebates, potentially increasing your total savings significantly. Check your state government’s energy website for current programs and compatibility requirements.

Next Steps

Compare quotes from accredited battery installers through Solar Market.
Confirm your chosen battery system meets eligibility requirements.
Schedule installation to lock in the current rebate rate.

Get 3 quotes now for solar battery systems from accredited installers.

Rebates reduce every 6 months. The next step-down is 1 November 2026. Compare quotes from accredited installers to lock in the current rate.

Note: The Cheaper Home Batteries Program was previously known as the National Battery Booster Program.

Register For Australian Battery Rebate Alerts

Complete this form and we’ll alert you about relevant Australian battery rebates:

State Government Solar Battery Rebates

On top of the Australian Federal solar battery rebate, each Australian State and Territory has its own approach to solar battery rebates. However, eligibility and incentive amounts vary significantly, so it’s essential to understand the options available in your area: