Solar power is rapidly becoming one of the most popular green energies in the world. From households to businesses, everyone is switching to this sustainable alternative. And Australia is contributing to this change through 3.4 million (approximately) homes having rooftop solar PV systems.
Solar rebates are one of the crucial aspects behind this change. It enables everyone to switch to solar without stressing much about installation costs. But how much did they really save on getting residential solar panels?
To help you with it, we have prepared this comprehensive guide. So you can make the most of solar rebates in Australia.
How do solar incentives and rebates work in Australia?
Solar rebates are financial incentives offered by the federal and state governments. It encourages people to opt for solar installation. Currently, the Australian Government offers two types of solar incentives:
- Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (STES).
It is a federal government scheme for homeowners and small-scale businesses. It offers financial help for installing a solar system on their property. However, you will receive these incentives as small-scale technology certificates(STC). Each certificate denotes each megawatt of energy your solar PV system generates in its lifetime. Later, you can sell these certificates yourself or through your installer and get a discount on your solar installation.
- Feed-in Tariffs
An ideal solar panel system produces enough energy to power your home or property. It generates more power than required many times, which can get wasted if not stored in batteries.
That’s why the Australian government introduced feed-in tariffs, another crucial financial incentive. It helps you to earn a few cents by sending extra kilowatt-hour of unused renewable electricity to the power grid.
Solar Rebates in Australia
Solar incentives and rebates in different Australian States:
NSW Solar Rebates
Under the New South Wales government’s new rebate program, low-income households will get 3kWh of free solar panel systems. So, if you already receive the low-income household rebate, you can opt for this one.
However, to do that, you should meet the eligibility criteria, such as owning the house and forgoing your previous rebate in exchange for this new program for 10 years.
Victoria
At present, the Victoria government is offering three main solar rebates, including:
- Solar PV rebate
Under this scheme, you can get $1,400 as a rebate for installing solar panels on your home or rental properties. You can also opt for an interest-free loan equivalent to your rebate amount. But then you need to repay it within four years.
To apply for it, you must own a home worth less than $3 million, should not have any solar system previously installed after November 1, 2009, and have a household income of less than $1,80,000 per year.
- Solar Battery loan
The government also provides an interest-free loan on solar batteries of up to $8,800 for households. For that, you should own a home that doesn’t value more than $3 million, have a solar system equal to or larger than 5kWh installed, have not received any solar battery rebate before, and your household income should not be more than $1,80,000. Also, you should install only pre-approved battery models and follow all safety guidelines.
- Solar hot water rebate
Under this program, you can receive around 50% rebate on solar hot water system installation costs as a homeowner.
To become eligible, you must own or occupy a house valued at less than $3 million, have a yearly household income of less than $1,80,000, the system must come under a pre-approved product list, and you should be replacing at least a 3-year-old hot water system.
ACT
The ACT residents can opt for two rebates:
- Home Energy Support provides you (holders of an Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card or a Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card) with up to 50% rebate on residential solar panels (with a maximum cost of $2,500). Also, get an interest-free loan to cover extra expenses.
- The sustainable household scheme enables you to get zero-interest loans ranging between $2,000 to $15,000 for solar upgrades like solar panels and batteries, repaid within 10 years.
National Territory
As an NT resident, you can opt for a Home and business battery scheme that offers a subsidy of $450 per Kilowatt hour and a maximum grant of $6,000 on a certified battery system.
What are the things to keep in mind before opting for solar incentives?
Every state has different eligibility criteria for solar rebates. However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind to become eligible for solar incentives:
- You should choose a solar panel system with an appropriate size that meets solar rebate criteria.
- When looking for a solar installer, you must hire a person who holds certification from the Clean Energy Council.
- Always opt for high-quality panels and solar inverters listed under CER’s approved product list.
- You should fulfil the standards and guidelines set by the Australian government on solar installation.
Conclusion
The world is striving toward a sustainable future. And solar incentives are an encouragement and financial help for us to shift towards greener alternatives. We hope this guide clears your doubts and will help you to navigate the appropriate solar rebate. So you can contribute to such a global initiative.
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