Solar & Battery Rebates, Subsidies & Incentives – 2024

 Queensland

Here’s what’s on offer in the appropriately named sunshine state.

• National solar subsidy – you can save thousands off a system; for example, around $2,300 off a 6.6kW system installed in Brisbane in 2024. Just bear in mind prices you see advertised for systems in Queensland will already have this included. Further details on this subsidy, more commonly referred to as the “solar rebate”, here.
• Feed-in tariff – this is what you receive for surplus energy you export to the mains grid after your system is installed, which can help to accelerate payback. Learn more about Queensland’s feed-in tariff.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – A $3,000 rebate on new electric vehicles with a purchase price of up to $68,000 or a $6,000 rebate if your total household taxable income is $180,000 or less.  Also available are discounted vehicle registration and registration duty costs. Further information.
• Batteries – Queensland’s Battery Booster program offered a subsidy of up to $4,000 for a home battery, but ended on the 8th of May 2024.  There’s now no subsidy for batteries in Queensland.

New South Wales

In New South Wales, there’s a bit going on with incentives:

• National solar subsidy – available across New South Wales for all system sizes, the national STC scheme can reduce the upfront cost of a 6.6kW system installed in Sydney by around $2,300! Note that system prices advertised in New South Wales would already factor in this amount. Learn more about the “solar rebate”.
• Solar For Low Income Households – in exchange for agreeing to forfeit the Low Income Household Rebate for ten years, qualifying households can get a free 3 kilowatt solar system. More information here.
• Feed-in tariff – the payment you’ll get for each kilowatt-hour of surplus electricity generated by your system not used by your home that is exported to the mains grid. Discover more about NSW’s feed-in tariff. 
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – The NSW $3,000 rebate ended on the 31st of December 2023 but still applies to appropriate vehicles if a deposit was paid before then.  Further information.
• Batteries – From the 1st of November 2024 a NSW battery subsidy will be introduced.  It’s likely to be from $1,600 to $2,400 of the installed cost.  There will be a $250-450 payment for joining a VPP which can be claimed a 2nd time after 3 years.  What we currently know about the incentive is here.  If you want to find out how to prepare your home for a subsidized battery, here’s information on what you can do.

Local Council Incentive:  If you live in the Randwick local goverment area, you can receive a rebate of up to 10% off rooftop solar and also home batteries.  They also provide a rebate of up to 25% for EV chargers.  Details here.

ACT

Residents of Canberra also have a number of options.

• National solar subsidy – in the nation’s capital, this subsidy is worth (for example) around $2,270 off the up-front price of a 6.6kW solar power system! This would be factored into pricing you see advertised in the ACT.
• Home Energy Support offers eligible households (Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card, Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card, and Australian Government Health Care Card holders) a rebate of up to 50% (capped at $2,500) on a rooftop solar system, plus an interest-free loan to cover the remainder. Further information here.
• Sustainable Household Scheme: provides zero-interest loans to help with the costs of energy-efficient upgrades, including solar panels and batteries. Loans from $2,000 to $15,000 are available, to be repaid over up to 10 years. Find out more here.
• Feed-in tariff – you’ll likely be generating surplus solar energy at times beyond what your home needs – and you can get paid for this! Further information on  ACT’s feed-in tariff here.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – Full stamp duty exemption for new purchases, new and used EVs bought between 24 May 2021 and 30 June 2024 receive two years free registration while ones bought outside this period receive a 20% reduction, interest free loans up to $15,000. Further information.

Victoria

Victorians are a fortunate bunch – a veritable smorgasbord of support is on offer to go solar and electrify.

• National solar subsidy – this incentive significantly reduces the cost of buying solar panels. For example, in the case of a 6.6kW system installation in Melbourne, it can provide (approximately) a $1,950 discount in 2024. This subsidy is already factored into pricing you may see advertised for systems in Victoria. Find further details here.
• Victorian solar panel rebate – a subsidy of up to $1,400 is available towards purchasing a solar power system – and yes, you can also take advantage of the national solar rebate.  An interest-free loan option is also available. Learn more about the Victorian solar panel rebate.
• Solar battery loans – 4,500 interest-free loans of up to $8,800 are available in 2023-24. More information here. 
• Feed-in tariff – this is the payment you’ll be eligible for when your system exports surplus energy it generates to the mains grid. Further information on Victoria’s feed-in tariff here.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – There was a $3,000 subsidy on vehicles with a purchase price (dutiable value) under a threshold of $68,740, but that was axed at the end of June 2023. More than 10,000 zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) subsidies were delivered under the initiative. A $100 registration discount is still available. Further information.
• Hot Water – $1,000 rebate off hot water heat pumps or electric boosted solar hot water. Learn more about the Victorian hot water rebate.
• Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program – hot water – (on top of the solar hot water rebate above) about $490 to replace a gas hot water heater with a heat pump or about $1,050 to replace a conventional electric hot water system with a heat pump.  Larger discounts are available if they are replaced with solar hot water.  More info here.
• VEU program for reverse cycle air conditioners: A subsidy of $490-$1,260 to replace a non-ducted gas heater with a non-ducted reverse cycle air conditioner. About $2,170-$2,240 to replace a ducted gas heater with a ducted reverse-cycle air conditioner.  Subsidies are also available for replacing older and less efficient air conditioners.  More info here.

Tasmania

Tasmania’s incentives aren’t extensive – but they make a big difference to outlay and accelerate payback.

• National solar subsidy – solar power costs a little more in Tasmania, but this subsidy provides a discount of around $1,950 on a 6.6kW installation (just an example). When looking at advertised prices on systems, bear in mind this subsidy is already taken into account.
• Feed-in tariff – at times, your system will be generating more electricity than your home needs. This surplus energy, exported to the mains grid, is eligible for a payment. Find out more about Tasmania’s feed-in tariff.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – Tasmania is offering a $2,000 subsidy on EVs until funding runs out.  They also provide support for other electric mobility devices that includes a $500 subsidy for ebikes.  More information.

South Australia

South Australia is a solar energy powerhouse, with the uptake of small-scale solar energy systems supported by the following programs.

• National solar subsidy – while this subsidy reduces each year, it’s still very generous. For example, a 6.6kW system attracts a subsidy of approximately $2,300 in 2024. This incentive would have been taken into account on any pricing you see advertised in SA. Learn more about the incentive here.
• Feed-in tariff – one of the great things about having solar panels is even when your house doesn’t consume all the electricity a system generates, you can get paid for that as well. Further details on South Australia’s feed-in tariff here
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – There was a $3,000 subsidy for new electric vehicles, but it ended on the 1st of January 2024.  EVs ordered before this date will still receive it.  Further information.

Local Council incentive: Adelaide City Council will pay up to 20% of the cost of a solar system and also subsidizes EV chargers.  This is available in Adelaide City and North Adelaide but no other suburbs.  Details here.

Western Australia

Here’s what’s currently available in Western Australia:

• National solar subsidy – applicable to any system size, but as an example is worth around $2,300 on a 6.6kW system in 2024. When you see prices advertised for solar systems, this up-front discount is already factored in.
• Feed-in tariff – the payment you’ll receive for surplus energy your system generates that is exported to the grid. Find out more about Western Australia’s feed-in tariff here. 
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – $3,500 rebate for electric vehicles up to a maximum dutiable value of $70,000.
• EV Chargers – Small and medium businesses as well as non-profit organizations have until the 30th of June 2024 to take advantage of an EV charger subsidy.

Northern Territory

Territorians can take advantage of the following schemes:

• National solar subsidy – this varies according to installation size (panel capacity) and location. In Darwin, it’s the highest for any Australian capital – around $2,500 off a 6.6kW system in 2024!
• Home and business battery scheme – offers a grant of $400 per kilowatt-hour, up to a maximum grant of $5,000 on eligible battery systems.  For example, with 13.5kWh capacity, a Tesla Powerwall would be eligible for the full $5,000. More information here.
• Feed-in tariff – even when your home isn’t consuming some or all of the energy the solar panels are generating, you’ll get paid for exporting that surplus electricity to the mains grid. Learn more about the Northern Territory feed-in tariff.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) – free registration, stamp duty exemption up to $1,500 for vehicles valued up to $50,000 (3% stamp duty on the amount over) and EV charger grants. Further information.