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Australian, state and territory governments run programs that can reduce the upfront price of solar, batteries and some other home energy upgrades. Programs change, open and close, and each has its own eligibility rules.
This page explains how incentives generally work. Any incentives PlaceNest has checked appear below with their source and date; if none appear, check the official program pages.
Under the national Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, eligible small systems such as rooftop solar and solar batteries can create small-scale technology certificates. Certificates have a market value that changes over time.
Most households assign the right to create their certificates to a registered agent, usually their installer or retailer, in exchange for a lower upfront price. You can also create and sell them yourself, through the STC Clearing House or on the open market.
The number of certificates depends on factors such as the system's size, its location and the year of installation for generating systems, or the usable capacity for batteries. The scheme's rules, not the installer, decide eligibility.
Since 1 July 2025, the Australian Government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program has given a discount on eligible home batteries through small-scale technology certificates under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. The battery must be connected to new or existing solar panels and meet installer, product and virtual power plant capability requirements; eligibility is decided by the program (checked 11 October 2026 — see the official program page).
Some states and territories offer their own rebates, low- or zero-interest loans or other support. These often have conditions such as property ownership, income tests, property value caps or using a participating installer.
Programs can stack with the national scheme or exclude each other. Read each program's rules on its official site.
PlaceNest currently links the official program pages for the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. If you live elsewhere, use the energy.gov.au rebates directory and your state or territory energy agency.
An incentive shown in PlaceNest is general information. Whether you are eligible is decided by the program administrator under its rules at the time you apply or install.
Programs can change or close with little notice. Do not make a decision based only on an incentive — the system should make sense for your home on its own merits.
Eligibility is set by each program's official rules, which can include where you live, whether you own and live in the home, income or concession-card tests, the property's value or type, the equipment and installer used, and installation or application dates.
Work through the official program page step by step before you sign anything, and ask the installer how any discount has been applied in the quote.
Use official government and regulator sources rather than advertising. The Clean Energy Regulator runs the national small-scale scheme; energy.gov.au lists Australian, state and territory rebates and assistance; state and territory energy agencies run their own programs.
The sources list at the end of this page links to each of these. If a program in PlaceNest's list disagrees with its official page, the official page is right.
Any incentive PlaceNest lists carries its official source, its eligibility criteria, the dates it is in effect, the date PlaceNest last checked it and whether it has been verified. Entries past their review date are flagged.
Only programs a PlaceNest reviewer has verified against the official source, and that are still current, are ever taken off a PlaceNest estimate. A program that is not yet verified is labelled so and never reduces a price. A program that has ended is marked as ended and is never counted.
PlaceNest hasn't verified any current government incentives yet, so none are listed here and none are taken off any PlaceNest estimate. Programs change often: check the official government source, and ask your installer what is already included in the quote.
Not directly. The certificates are created for your system and usually assigned to your installer or retailer, who reduces the price in return.
Sometimes. Each program's rules say whether it can be combined with others.
Amounts change often, so this page does not repeat them. Check the official program page for current amounts and conditions; any incentives PlaceNest has checked are listed with their source and date.
Not yet reviewed by a person. Programs, products and rules change — check the official source before you decide.
General information only. PlaceNest's energy guides, and any estimates or incentive lists, are general information and estimates — not personalised financial advice, and not a quote. Programs, prices and rules change: check the official sources, and get written quotes from accredited installers before you decide.
PlaceNest guides are general information, not financial advice. Whether solar, a battery or an EV charger pays off depends on your home, usage and prices.
Any incentive or finance details PlaceNest shows come from a reviewed list, each with its official source and the date it was checked; eligibility is decided by each program. See how incentives work and paying for an upgrade.