Cheaper Home Batteries Program – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

It’s all part of Australia’s push to modernise the grid and give households more control over their energy. Batteries don’t just store your solar power for nighttime use - they also:

1. 1. Ease pressure on the grid during peak hours

2. 2. Help support renewable energy targets

3. 3. Get homes ready for EV charging and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)

The federal government knows that batteries are the missing piece of the puzzle and they’re putting serious money behind making them more accessible.

This isn’t a cashback or post-installation refund. Instead, your installer applies the rebate directly to your quote as a discount.

Here’s how to make it happen:

• • Choose a VPP-capable battery from the approved list

• • Book an installation with an accredited installer participating in the scheme

• • Your quote will include the rebate as a line-item discount

• • We handle the rebate paperwork and submit it on your behalf

At Solar Secure, we’re experts at streamlining this process from quote to install.

• • Available to households, small businesses, and community facilities

• • Your battery must be between 5–50kWh

• • Applies to both new and existing rooftop solar installations

• • Batteries must be Virtual Power Plant (VPP) capable if connected to the grid

• • Installation must be carried out by a Clean Energy Council (CEC) accredited installer like Solar Secure

Your battery must meet certain technical specs that make it suitable for Virtual Power Plants. To be VPP capable, a battery system must be able to connect to the electricity grid and respond to signals from third party VPP operators (such as a retailer). This will require an ongoing internet connection. Consumers are not required to participate in a VPP. You don’t have to join a VPP to get the rebate, just have the option.

You don’t have to choose just one. This federal rebate can stack with your state’s incentive programs, including:

• NSW : Peak Demand Reduction Scheme – Save up to $2,400

• Victoria : 0% interest loan of up to $8,800

• ACT : $15,000 interest-free loan through the Sustainable Household Scheme

• WA : New Residential Battery Rebate (launching 2025)

Solar Secure will help you apply for every eligible rebate and loan, maximising your savings without the admin headache.

Only batteries that meet specific safety, quality, and performance standards approved by the relevant program are eligible. Approved product lists are usually published on the state program’s official website.

Yes, most programs require you to have a rooftop solar system installed or install one simultaneously with your battery system to qualify.

The federal program only supports batteries that are paired with solar panels. If you don’t already have a PV system, you’ll need to install one at the same time as your battery to qualify.

In some cases, yes – but they’ll need written permission from their landlord. Not all states include renters in their programs, so check local guidelines.

Yes, landlords in Australia can claim the federal rebate under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program for multiple properties, provided each property meets the program's eligibility criteria.

The program allows one rebate per property. This means landlords can claim the rebate for each of their properties, if each property has a qualifying solar and battery system installed.

The number of small-scale technology certificates (STCs) that a battery system is eligible for will be in reference to the kilowatt-hours of usable capacity of the battery system. The usable capacity of the battery is the amount of energy that can be discharged from a battery and represents the power that a home or small business can draw from the battery.

STCs will only be provided for the first 50 kWh of the usable capacity of a battery system.

The discount rate in 2025 would be represented as 9.3 STCs per kWh of usable capacity, equivalent to around $372 per kWh.

The number of STCs will decline for battery systems installed in 2026 and later years until the scheme ends in 2030.

The calculation of STCs will be based on the number of STCs per kWh of installed usable capacity of the battery and the year of installation, as outlined below.

The estimated value per kWh is approximate and based on $40 per STC for a battery installed in the year. This could vary over time in line with reviews of whether the discount remains appropriate.

No. You must use an installer that is accredited (usually Clean Energy Council-approved) and the battery must be installed by a person accredited for battery installations by Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) registered with the state program.

1. Check Eligibility

• • Open to homeowners, small businesses, and community facilities across Australia
• • Must have an existing rooftop solar system or plan to install one alongside the battery
• • No income testing applies
• • Your Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) must be dated on or after July 1, 2025

2. Select an Approved Installer

• • Choose a Clean Energy Council (CEC) accredited installer participating in the program
• • The rebate is applied directly through these installers; you won't need to apply separately

3. Obtain and Compare Quotes

• • Request detailed quotes from multiple approved installers
• • Ensure the quotes specify the usable battery capacity, as rebates are calculated per kilowatt-hour (kWh)

4. Proceed with Installation

• • Once you've selected an installer and agreed on the quote, schedule the installation
• • Ensure all necessary documentation, including the COES, is completed post-installation

5. Rebate Application and Payment

• • The installer will handle the rebate application on your behalf
• • The rebate amount will be deducted from your total cost, reducing your upfront payment

Although the rebate doesn’t go live until 1 July 2025, there’s plenty you can do right now:

• • Pre-register your interest so we can notify you when approved battery lists are released

• • Schedule an installation for July onwards (spots are expected to book out fast)

• • Get a quote now so you’re ready to go when the rebate launches

Pro tip :Some homeowners are pre-installing their batteries now but waiting until July to activate them, so they can still qualify.