The federal solar rebate (STCs)
The national discount comes from small-scale technology certificates under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. Your installer takes their value off your quote. It depends on system size, postcode and the year of installation, and falls every January until the scheme ends in 2030.
At the $40 Clearing House price, a 6.6 kW system installed in 2026 gets up to about $1,800 in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra, and $1,560 in Melbourne and Hobart. See how STCs work.
Solar rebates in each state and territory
| State | Solar panel help | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Solar Homes rebate up to $1,400, plus an optional matching interest-free loan; Solar for Apartments up to $2,800 per apartment | Owner-occupiers and landlords with household income under $150,000; owners corporations |
| New South Wales | Home Energy Saver discounts up to $4,000 or zero-interest loans up to $15,000; Solar for Apartment Residents grants up to $150,000 per building | Lower-income households and concession card holders for discounts; owners for loans; owners corporations for grants |
| ACT | Home Energy Support Program: 50% of the cost of rooftop solar, up to $2,500 | Homeowners with a Pensioner Concession, Health Care or DVA Gold Card |
| Queensland | Supercharged Solar for Renters: up to $3,500 for systems of 3 kW or more on rental homes | Landlords of eligible rentals, with tenant consent. Owner-occupiers get federal STCs only |
| South Australia | No state solar panel rebate | Federal STCs only |
| Western Australia | No state solar panel rebate; a battery rebate applies | Federal STCs only for panels |
| Tasmania | No open state program; the Energy Saver Loan Scheme closed on 1 September 2025 | Federal STCs only |
| Northern Territory | No state solar panel rebate; the Home and Business Battery Scheme is closed | Federal STCs only |
We publish a dedicated page only where a state has its own program. For the other states, the STC discount is the whole story for solar panels, and their concession and bill programs are covered on our energy rebates hub.
Battery and hot water incentives
Battery help is separate: the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, the WA Residential Battery Scheme and the NSW virtual power plant incentive. See battery rebates. Solar and heat pump hot water is covered in solar and heat pump hot water.
Beware of 'government solar' sales calls
No government calls households to sell solar. Programs are delivered through approved retailers you choose yourself. Check any offer against the official program page before signing.
Common questions
Yes. The federal STC discount applies Australia-wide and is taken off your quote. Victoria adds a rebate of up to $1,400 for eligible households, and NSW and the ACT run programs for particular groups.
Queensland has no state solar rebate for owner-occupiers in 2026, though landlords can get up to $3,500 through Supercharged Solar for Renters. Owner-occupiers get the federal STC discount, worth up to about $1,800 on a 6.6 kW system in Brisbane at the Clearing House price.
In Victoria, landlords can claim the Solar Homes rebate for rental properties under an agreement with tenants, and Queensland pays landlords up to $3,500 through Supercharged Solar for Renters. NSW Home Energy Saver discounts are open to tenants named on the lease. Elsewhere renters need the landlord to install.
State rebates come off after the federal STC discount. For example, a Victorian Solar Homes rebate is paid on top of the STCs.
Sources
Every program detail comes from the government that runs it, checked in October 2026. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.
- Clean Energy Regulator, calculate small-scale technology certificate entitlements
- Solar Victoria, solar panel (PV) rebate
- NSW Climate and Energy Action, Home Energy Saver
- NSW Government, Solar for Apartment Residents grant program
- ACT Climate Choices, Home Energy Support: rebates for homeowners
- Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania, Energy Saver Loan Scheme
- business.gov.au, Home and Business Battery Scheme NT