Calculator
Battery rebate calculator
Pick your battery's usable size and when it's installed. See the federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount, how the size tiers work, what the next step-down costs, and your state's top-ups.
Federal battery rebate
$3,367
91 STCs at about $37 each, for a 13.5 kWh battery installed by 31 December 2026.
- 0–14 kWh: 100% rate, about $252/kWh · 13.5 kWh of yours
- 14–28 kWh: 60% rate, about $151/kWh
- 28–50 kWh: 15% rate, about $38/kWh
Installed from 1 January 2027, the same battery gets about $2,812, $555 less. It's the installation date that counts, not the date you sign.
| Installed | STCs | Rebate |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 – Dec 2026 | 91 | $3,367 |
| Jan 2027 – June 2027 | 76 | $2,812 |
| July 2027 – Dec 2027 | 70 | $2,590 |
| Jan 2028 – June 2028 | 62 | $2,294 |
| July 2028 – Dec 2028 | 55 | $2,035 |
| Jan 2029 – June 2029 | 48 | $1,776 |
Estimate from the government's factors and an assumed certificate value; your installer confirms the final credit. Only one battery per property can claim. Rules verified 26 September 2026.
How does the battery rebate calculator work?
The federal battery rebate (the Cheaper Home Batteries Program) is paid as small-scale technology certificates (STCs). The calculator multiplies three things, all from our rules table:
- Your battery's usable capacity, in kWh, split into tiers: the full rate up to 14 kWh, 60% from 14 to 28 kWh and 15% from 28 to 50 kWh.
- The certificates per kWh for the install date: 6.8 STCs per kWh until 31 December 2026, then 5.7 from 1 January 2027. The rate steps down every six months until 2030.
- The value of a certificate, about $37 after the fees installers and agents take. Installers set the final figure, so yours can differ by a few per cent.
On the full-rate tier, that's about $252 for each usable kWh installed now. Usable capacity is what the battery can actually deliver, usually a little less than the nominal figure on the box; your installer's quote and the datasheet give both.
What is the rebate on common battery sizes?
| Usable size | Installed now | From 1 January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | $2,516 (68 STCs) | $2,109 |
| 15 kWh | $3,663 (99 STCs) | $3,071 |
| 20 kWh | $4,403 (119 STCs) | $3,700 |
| 30 kWh | $5,698 (154 STCs) | $4,773 |
Worked example: a 15 kWh battery has 14 kWh at the full rate and 1 kWh at 60%, so it earns 99 certificates, about $3,663. Doubling it to 30 kWh doesn't double the rebate: $5,698, because more of it sits in the lower tiers.
Are there state battery rebates on top?
State programs stack with the federal rebate, each with its own conditions. None is taken off the figure above: loans aren't discounts, and rebates and VPP incentives depend on your eligibility, which your installer or the program confirms. Status as checked for our rules table, verified 26 September 2026:
| State | Program | Status |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | NSW virtual power plant incentive. An extra incentive if you connect your battery to a virtual power plant. The amount varies by provider and network, so it isn't included in your price. Not in your price until your eligibility is confirmed. | Open |
| NSW Home Energy Saver zero-interest loan. A zero-interest, no-fee loan of up to $15,000, repaid over up to 10 years, for solar, batteries and other upgrades, for NSW homeowners with a combined taxable household income up to $210,000. A loan, not a discount, so it isn't taken off your price. | Open | |
| NSW battery installation discount. Not generally available: since 1 July 2026 only through exempt energy programs and at government sites. The federal battery discount applies instead. Not available to new applicants. | Suspended | |
| VIC | Solar Victoria battery loan. Closed to new applications in May 2025, when its targets were met. The federal battery discount applies instead. Not available to new applicants. | Closed |
| QLD | QLD Battery Booster. Closed to new applications since May 2024, and its official page has been removed. Federal rebates still apply in Queensland. Not available to new applicants. | Closed |
| SA | SA REPS battery VPP incentive (via retailers and providers). Some retailers and providers pay an incentive for connecting a new or existing battery to an approved virtual power plant, often more for concession households. Each sets its own amount, so it isn't in your price. Not in your price until your eligibility is confirmed. | Open |
| SA Home Battery Scheme. Closed; new applications aren't accepted. The federal battery discount applies instead. Not available to new applicants. | Closed | |
| WA | WA Residential Battery Scheme. Up to $1,300 for Synergy customers, or up to $3,800 for Horizon Power customers, when you join a virtual power plant. Confirmed by your installer, so it isn't included in your price. Not in your price until your eligibility is confirmed. Synergy or Horizon Power: which rate is yours | Open |
| WA no-interest battery loan. A no-interest loan of $2,001 to $10,000 over 3 to 10 years, for households earning under $210,000. A loan, not a discount, so it isn't taken off your price. | Open | |
| TAS | Tasmanian Energy Saver Loan Scheme. Closed at 11:59 pm on 1 September 2025, when its funding was used. Federal rebates still apply in Tasmania. Not available to new applicants. | Closed |
| ACT | ACT Sustainable Household Scheme loan. A loan of $2,000 to $20,000 at 3% interest over up to 10 years for batteries and other upgrades. Solar panels are only covered for concession card holders. A loan, not a discount, so it isn't taken off your price. | Open |
| NT | NT Home and Business Battery Scheme. Closed: its $6 million funding cap was reached and no new grants are being made. Federal rebates still apply, and NT postcodes are in the highest solar zones (Darwin zone 2, central Australia zone 1). Not available to new applicants. | Closed |
What the calculator doesn't include
It shows the federal rebate only, not the battery's price or what it saves you. For those, use the savings calculator, see what a solar battery costs after the rebate, or read how the battery rebate works and what size battery you need. Only one battery per property can claim, once.
Questions people ask
How much is the battery rebate on a 13.5 kWh battery?
About $3,367 (91 STCs at about $37 each) if it's installed now, and about $2,812 if it's installed from 1 January 2027. Your installer confirms the final figure.
Why does a bigger battery get less per kWh?
The rebate is paid in tiers of usable capacity: the full rate up to 14 kWh, 60% of it from 14 to 28 kWh and 15% from 28 to 50 kWh. Nothing is paid above 50 kWh usable.
Does the install date or the signing date count?
The installation date counts (the date on the electrical compliance certificate), not the date you sign. If a step-down falls before your installation, the rebate is lower.
Can I get a state battery rebate as well?
Yes, in Western Australia, where a state battery rebate is open on top of the federal one, with its own conditions. Other states offer loans or VPP incentives instead; the table on this page lists each state's programs and their status.
Do I need solar to get the battery rebate?
Yes. The battery has to be installed with solar: your existing solar, or new or replacement solar. A battery charging only from the grid isn't eligible.
Do I have to join a virtual power plant?
For the federal rebate, no: an on-grid battery must be able to join a virtual power plant, but you don't have to join one. Some state top-ups, such as WA's, do require you to join.
Sources
- DCCEEW: Cheaper Home Batteries (updated 9 Jun 2026)
- DCCEEW: Cheaper Home Batteries eligibility
- CER: Calculate STC entitlements
- CER: Solar batteries (updated 31 Jul 2026): STCs on the first 50 kWh usable; 5-100 kWh nominal; one per premises/NMI
General information, not financial advice. Figures from our rules table, last verified 26 September 2026.