Solar & Battery Rebates, Subsidies & Incentives – 2026

 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 $1,600 off a 6.6kW system installed in Brisbane in 2026. 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.
• Supercharged Solar for Renters – Eligible Queensland landlords can receive a state rebate of up to $3,500 to install solar panels on rental properties, in addition to the national solar subsidy. Rebates range from $2,500 to $3,500 depending on system capacity. The property must meet tenancy and other eligibility requirements, and the landlord must receive conditional approval before installation. Details here.
• National battery subsidy –  a federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 30%.    
• 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) – The QLD EV incentive ended September 2024, but the EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is available throughout Australia and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.

New South Wales

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

• National solar subsidy – available across New South Wales, the national STC scheme can reduce the upfront cost of a 6.6kW system installed in Sydney by around $1,600. Note that system prices advertised in New South Wales would already factor in this amount. Learn more about the “solar rebate”.
• National battery subsidy – a federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 25%.
• Home Energy Saver Program – Eligible homeowners and landlords with combined annual taxable household income of up to $210,000 can apply for interest-free loans of up to $15,000 for solar, batteries, hot water heat pumps, EV chargers, and other approved upgrades. Discounts of up to $4,000 are also planned for eligible homeowners and renters with combined gross household income of up to $80,000 or a qualifying concession card. Loan applications are open, but discount applications have not yet opened. If you want the loan and the discount, you should apply for the discount first. Read more about the Home Energy Saver Program.
• Solar for Apartment Residents – Eligible apartment buildings can receive grants covering up to 50% of the cost of shared rooftop solar, capped at $150,000. Higher grants of up to $200,000 are available under the SoAR Boost program in selected suburbs. Applications are scheduled to close on 4 December 2026, unless funding runs out earlier.
• Apartment battery incentive – Eligible apartment buildings with four or more units can access an upfront discount of approximately 20-40% on battery installations, depending on whether new or additional solar is installed. The discount may be combined with the federal battery rebate where both schemes’ conditions are met.
• VPP incentive – There’s a NSW incentive for joining a VPP with a maximum payment to households of roughly $1,000.
• 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 EV rebate ended December 2023, but the EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is available throughout Australia and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.
• Heat Pump Hot Water – There’s an incentive for replacing an existing hot water system with heat pump systems.  It’s around $370-$640 for replacing a conventional electric hot water system and around $200-$330 for gas.  This incentive goes to installers and they decide how it’s passed on to customers.  Details here.

Local Council Incentive:  If you live in the Randwick local government area, you can receive rebates for a range of environmentally friendly purchases including solar, batteries, heat pump hot water systems, and EV chargers. Details here.

ACT

Residents of Canberra have a number of options.

• National solar subsidy – in the nation’s capital, this subsidy is worth around $1,600 off the up-front price of a 6.6kW solar power system. This is already factored into solar system prices in the ACT.
• National battery subsidy – a federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 25%.
• Home Energy Support – Eligible ACT homeowners who live in their property and hold a qualifying concession card can receive a rebate covering 50% of the cost of rooftop solar, capped at $2,500. A second rebate covering 50% of costs, also capped at $2,500, is available for eligible upgrades including heat pump or evacuated-tube solar hot water, reverse cycle air conditioning, electric cooking, and ceiling insulation. An interest-free loan of up to $10,000 may also be available to cover remaining costs. Property-value and other eligibility requirements apply. Further information here.
• Sustainable Household Scheme – provides 3% loans to help with the costs of energy-efficient upgrades, including home batteries, heat pump hot water, EVs, and EV chargers. Rooftop solar is not covered. Loans from $2,000 to $20,000 are available, repaid over up to 10 years. A loan can be used with the federal battery subsidy. 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) – Reduced registration costs and stamp duty for zero emission vehicles. Low-interest 3% loans up to $20,000 available for purchase of EVs up to $60,000 in price. Further information here. The national EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is also available and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.
• Heat Pumps – In addition to the ACT Government assistance mentioned above, if you are with ActewAGL and upgrading a gas hot water system, you can receive up to $1,250 off the purchase price of a new heat pump system and $250 will be credited to your electricity bills over the next three years, which comes to $20.84 per quarter.  Details here.

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 $1,400 discount in 2026. 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. Applicants must have a combined annual household income of no more than $150,00. Learn more about the Victorian solar panel rebate.
• Solar for Apartments – Eligble apartment buildings, units and strata townhouses can receive a rebate of up to $2,800 per apartment for shared rooftop solar, capped at $140,000 per property. The program is scheduled to run until 30 June 2027, subject to funding availability.
• National battery subsidy – a federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 25%.
• 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) – The national EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is available and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.
• Hot Water – A rebate of up to $1,000 for a hot water heat pump or electric boosted solar hot water is available to most households. For a locally made product it can be up to $1,400. Applicants must have a combined annual household income of no more than $150,00. Learn more about the Victorian hot water rebate.
• Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program – hot water – On top of the solar hot water rebate above, there’s an additional rebate of around $600 to replace a gas or electric hot water heater with a heat pump.  This is also available to businesses.  More info here.
• VEU program for reverse cycle air conditioners: A subsidy of up to $1,610 to replace a non-ducted gas heater with a non-ducted reverse cycle air conditioner, and up to $5,530 to replace a ducted gas heater with a ducted reverse-cycle air conditioner. Most homes will receive substantially less than the maximum. 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 $1,400 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.
• National battery subsidy – a federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 25%.
• 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’s state EV incentive ended in October 2024.  However, the national EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is still available and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.

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 $1,600 in 2026. This incentive would have been taken into account on any pricing you see advertised in SA. Learn more about the incentive here.
• National battery subsidy – a federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 25%.
• SA REPS VPP incentive – Early in 2026, South Australians could stack extra savings by connecting an eligible home battery to a REPS-approved Virtual Power Plant. Funding for most households ran out in May 2026, but eligible REPS priority-group households can still receive incentives of up to $2,050 — subject to funding availability. Incentives for other households may become available again in early 2027.
• 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) – SA’s state EV incentive ended at the start of 2024.  But the national EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is available and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.
• Heat Pump Hot Water – The Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS) provides a financial incentive for heat pump hot water systems.  The amount is not fixed, but for households without gas, the incentive may be around $930, while for those with gas connections, it may be around $270.  If you’re a pensioner, Health Care Card holder, or otherwise a member of a REPS Priority Group, it may increase by around $124.  The incentive goes to installers, and they decide how it’s passed on to customers.

Local Council incentive: The City of Adelaide’s 2026/27 Sustainability Incentives Scheme is open for applications, including eligible solar, battery, and EV charging upgrades. The scheme applies to eligible properties in Adelaide and North Adelaide, not the wider Adelaide metropolitan area. Applications are current scheduled to close on 30 June 2027, subject to scheme conditions and funding availability. Details here.

Western Australia

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

• National solar subsidy – Applicable to any system size up to 1 MW, but it’s worth around $1,600 on a 6.6kW system in 2026. When you see prices advertised for solar systems, this up-front discount is already factored in.
• National battery subsidy – The federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 25%.
• State battery subsidy – The WA Residential Battery Scheme offers rebates of up to $1,300 for Synergy customers and $3,800 for Horizon Power customers, in addition to the federal battery rebate. The batteries must be approved for the scheme, and households must join a VPP.  More information here.
• Battery zero-interest loans – Eligible households with combined annual income below $210,000 can also apply for an interest-free loan of up to $10,000 that is repayable over up to 10 years. Loans can help cover an eligible battery installation and rooftop solar installed with the battery. VPP participation and other scheme requirements apply. 
• 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) – WA’s EV rebate ended May 10, 2025. But the national EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is also available and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.

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 $1,800 off a 6.6kW system in 2026!
• National battery subsidy – a federal battery rebate is available, reducing the cost of installing a battery by around 25%.  There was an NT battery subsidy, but it ended early June 2025. 
• 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) -Until 30 June 2027, eligible battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles receive free registration, excluding Motor Accidents Compensation and administration charges, along with a stamp duty concession of up to $1,500. For vehicles valued above $50,000, 3% stamp duty applies to the amount exceeding $50,000. Further information.  In addition, the national EV Fringe Benefit Tax Exemption is available and lowers the cost of an eligible EV provided through an employer, including qualifying novated lease arrangements.