The short version
- Solar panels: the federal STC rebate takes roughly $1,700 off a 6.6kW system and $3,400 off 13kW. It drops on 1 January 2027.
- Batteries: the federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount takes roughly $250 per kWh off the first 14kWh. It steps down every six months from January 2027.
- Queensland: no state solar or battery rebate is currently open.
- Businesses: the upfront STC rebate now covers commercial systems up to 1MW (it used to stop at 100kW).
- Tweed (NSW): a NSW incentive is paid when you connect a battery to an approved virtual power plant (VPP).
Federal solar rebate (STCs)
The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme creates certificates (STCs) for every eligible system. Installers like us take them as an upfront discount, so you never deal with them yourself. Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Tweed all sit in Zone 3.
| System size | Approx. STCs | Approx. rebate |
|---|---|---|
| 6.6kW | 45 | $1,700 |
| 10kW | 69 | $2,600 |
| 13kW | 89 | $3,400 |
Values assume 2026 installation and certificate prices around $37 to $38. The scheme reduces every 1 January until it ends in 2030, so the same system installed in January 2027 gets about a fifth less.
Commercial solar: rebate now up to 1MW
From 1 October 2026 the small-scale scheme was expanded so commercial systems between 100kW and 1MW can also create STCs, with a fixed five-year deeming period. Before this, anything over 100kW had to go through the large-scale scheme. Businesses can still choose the large-scale route if it suits them better, and we model both in your quote. More on commercial solar.
Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program
Since 1 July 2025 batteries have earned STCs too. From 1 May 2026 the rate is 6.8 certificates per usable kWh, tapered by size:
| Battery capacity | Share of full rate |
|---|---|
| First 14kWh | 100% |
| 14kWh to 28kWh | 60% |
| 28kWh to 50kWh | 15% |
At current certificate prices that is about $2,500 off a 10kWh battery and about $3,400 off 13.5kWh. The rate is scheduled to fall again from January 2027 and every six months after, and the discount is set by your installation date.
Queensland: what is and is not available
Queensland's Battery Booster program closed in 2024 and no state solar or battery rebate is open right now. If a website promises a Queensland battery rebate on top of the federal one, ask them to show you the program page.
Queensland feed-in tariffs in South East Queensland are set by each retailer and typically sit between 3 and 10 cents per kWh, which is why using your own solar (or storing it) matters far more than exporting it.
NSW and the Tweed: the VPP battery incentive
Tweed homes sit in NSW, so they can access the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme incentive paid when a battery is connected to an approved virtual power plant. From 1 July 2026 solar is no longer required, and the payment is calculated on up to 28kWh of capacity. The value depends on certificate prices and the VPP provider, so we confirm it in your quote.
Essential Energy area evening feed-in benchmarks are much higher than midday ones, which makes a battery that can export between 5pm and 8pm attractive for Tweed households.
Free midday power and what it means for you
Retailers in South East Queensland and NSW now offer plans with a free power window in the middle of the day. If you are on one, a battery can fill up for free even on cloudy days and run your home through the evening peak. It also makes timing your pool pump, hot water and EV charging around midday worthwhile. Read our guide to free midday power and batteries.
