Solar Rebates and STCs in Australia: What You're Actually Entitled To
The Australian government will pay you to install solar. Not directly, not as a cheque in the mail, but through a scheme that reduces your upfront installation cost at the point of sale. Most homeowners don't fully understand how it works. Here's the plain-English version.
What is the STC scheme?
STCs stand for Small-scale Technology Certificates. When you install a solar system, your installer generates a number of certificates on your behalf, based on how much clean energy your system is expected to produce over its lifetime. Those certificates have a market value, and your installer sells them, then passes the discount on to you as a reduction in your installation price.
You don't apply for anything. You don't fill in forms. The discount just appears in your quote as a line item. If it doesn't, ask your installer where it is.
How much is the rebate worth?
It depends on three things: the size of your system, where you live, and when you install.
A 6.6kW system in Sydney currently attracts roughly $2,000 to $2,500 in STCs. A 10kW system in Brisbane could be $3,000 to $3,500. Systems in sunnier states and territories generate more certificates because they're expected to produce more energy.
The exact formula involves the system's capacity in kilowatts, a zone multiplier based on your location, the number of deeming years remaining, and the current STC price (around $38 per certificate in 2026).
Sunlytics shows the STC rebate as a separate line in every quote so you can see exactly what the government is contributing before you speak to any installer.
Why does 2026 matter?
The STC scheme winds down a little every year until it ends completely on 31 December 2030. Each January 1st, the deeming period drops by one year, which reduces the number of certificates your system generates, which reduces your rebate.
In practical terms, a 10kW system installed in 2024 attracted more STCs than the same system installed in 2026. And 2027 will be lower again.
If you've been sitting on the decision, that's a legitimate reason to move sooner rather than later. The panels aren't getting cheaper enough year-on-year to offset what you're losing in rebates.
Are there other rebates?
Yes, depending on your state.
Victoria offers additional rebates through Solar Victoria for eligible households, including interest-free loans for battery storage. New South Wales had the Empowering Homes loan scheme, which closed in 2024. Queensland has no state solar rebate but has among the most competitive installers in the country, which keeps prices lower.
The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program is separate from STCs and applies specifically to battery storage. It provides roughly $372 per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity, meaning a 10kWh battery attracts around $3,700 off the installed price.
What the rebate doesn't cover
The STC rebate applies to the solar panels. It doesn't cover switchboard upgrades, meter replacements, or any additional electrical work your home requires before panels can be connected. These are genuine costs that some installers bury in the fine print. A good installer puts them in the quote upfront. Sunlytics flags common hidden costs so you know what questions to ask before you sign anything.
See your STC rebate before you talk to anyone
Sunlytics shows the exact rebate amount in every quote, broken out as its own line item.
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