Calculator
Solar rebate calculator
Enter your postcode and system size to see your small-scale technology certificates (STCs), what they're worth, and how the rebate shrinks each year to 2030.
Enter your postcode to see your solar rebate.
See my price after rebatesEstimate using the Clean Energy Regulator's zone ratings and an assumed certificate value; your installer confirms the final credit. Rules verified 26 September 2026.
How does the STC calculator work?
The federal solar rebate comes from the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. A new system earns small-scale technology certificates (STCs), and the calculator works them out the way the Clean Energy Regulator does:
- System size in kW (the panels' total rated output), up to 100 kW.
- Your postcode's zone rating: sunnier zones earn more. zone 1 is 1.622, zone 2 is 1.536, zone 3 is 1.382, zone 4 is 1.185.
- Deeming years: 5 for a system installed in 2026, 4 in 2027, one fewer each year until the scheme ends after 2030.
The three multiply, rounded down to whole certificates. Each is worth about $37 to you after installer and agent fees; your installer sets the final value and shows it as a discount on your quote.
How much is the solar rebate in each capital?
| City (zone) | 6.6 kW, 2026 | 10 kW, 2026 | 6.6 kW, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney (3) | $1,665 | $2,553 | $1,332 |
| Melbourne (4) | $1,443 | $2,183 | $1,147 |
| Brisbane (3) | $1,665 | $2,553 | $1,332 |
| Adelaide (3) | $1,665 | $2,553 | $1,332 |
| Perth (3) | $1,665 | $2,553 | $1,332 |
| Hobart (4) | $1,443 | $2,183 | $1,147 |
| Canberra (3) | $1,665 | $2,553 | $1,332 |
| Darwin (2) | $1,850 | $2,812 | $1,480 |
Worked example: 6.6 kW in Brisbane (zone 3, rating 1.382) installed in 2026 is 6.6 × 1.382 × 5 = 45 certificates, about $1,665 off the price.
What the calculator doesn't include
It shows the federal solar rebate only. State programs are separate: see rebates by state. A battery earns its own certificates under a different formula: use the battery rebate calculator. For the price after rebates and what solar saves, see what solar panels cost and the savings calculator, or read solar rebates in Australia.
Questions people ask
How is the solar rebate calculated?
Certificates = system size in kW × your postcode's zone rating × the deeming years left in the scheme (5 for systems installed in 2026), rounded down. Each certificate is worth about $37 to you after fees, and your installer takes that off the price.
How much is the solar rebate on a 6.6 kW system?
In Sydney (zone 3), about $1,665 (45 STCs) if installed this year, and about $1,332 from 1 January 2027. Sunnier zones get more; enter your postcode above for yours.
When does the solar rebate end?
It shrinks every 1 January and ends after 2030: a system installed in 2030 earns 1 deeming year's worth.
Do I have to apply for the solar rebate?
No. Almost everyone assigns the certificates to their installer, who takes the value off the price on the quote. You can create and sell them yourself, but few people do.
Is the solar rebate means-tested?
No. There's no income test. The system must be new, under 100 kW, use approved panels and inverters, and be installed by an accredited installer.
Sources
- Clean Energy Regulator: Postcode zone ratings
- Clean Energy Regulator: Calculate STC entitlements
- Clean Energy Regulator: Rooftop solar
- Clean Energy Regulator: Small-scale renewable energy systems
General information, not financial advice. Figures from our rules table, last verified 26 September 2026.