Solar Incentives Australia
Get My Rebate

Methodology · Last verified 15 May 2026

How we work out our numbers

Every rebate amount, savings claim, and "9 in 10" figure on this site is shown with a basis. This page is where we publish them, including data sources, sample sizes, and the date we last verified each one.

Energy comparison claims (/homesavings/)

"9 in 10 households who run our 60-second check find a cheaper plan"

Needs data
Basis:Tucked customer cohort data, [SAMPLE_SIZE] customers who completed the 60-second check between [DATE_RANGE]. A customer is counted as 'finding a cheaper plan' if Tucked's analysis surfaces at least one available plan with a lower projected annual cost than the customer's current plan, based on the customer's actual usage profile.
Source:Tucked internal data, partner-supplied. Tucked is the comparison and switching service operator. See https://tuckedup.com.au
Caveat:Outcome of the call (whether the customer chooses to switch) is a separate metric and not what this number measures. Individual results vary by household, current plan, postcode, energy type, and retailer plan availability.

"Saving $1,200 a year on average"

Needs data
Basis:Mean annual saving across Tucked customers who switched to a recommended plan in [DATE_RANGE]. 'Saving' is the difference between the customer's prior 12-month energy spend and the projected 12-month spend on their new plan, based on the customer's actual usage.
Source:Tucked internal data, partner-supplied.
Caveat:Median saving is typically lower than the mean. Customers who started on the most expensive plans see the largest savings; customers already on competitive plans may save little or nothing. We do not guarantee any specific saving.

"Up to 20 retailers compared"

Basis:Tucked compares plans from up to 20 participating Australian energy retailers. The exact number available to a given customer varies by postcode and energy type (electricity, gas, dual fuel).
Source:Tucked retailer panel, current as of last verification date.
Caveat:Tucked does not compare every energy retailer authorised in Australia. Customers can compare the full market via the Australian Energy Regulator's free Energy Made Easy service: https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au

"$221/yr loyalty tax (up to $408 in SA)"

Basis:ACCC Inquiry into the National Electricity Market, December 2025 update. Average difference between standing-offer and market-offer plans for households on legacy plans of 12+ months.
Source:Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Document title: 'Inquiry into the National Electricity Market, [year] Update'.
Caveat:Figure is the cohort average. Individual households may pay more or less than this premium depending on their specific plan and retailer.

"4 million Australian households are overpaying for power"

Basis:ACCC Inquiry into the National Electricity Market, December 2025 update. Estimate of households on legacy plans 12+ months old, where switching to the cheapest available market offer would save more than the cost of switching effort.
Source:Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

"60% of households are on the wrong plan"

Basis:Climate Council retail-energy review, February 2026. Estimate of households whose current retail plan is not the cheapest available plan for their actual usage profile.
Source:Climate Council. Document title: 'Australia's Retail Energy Market, [year] Review'.

Rebate amounts shown on the homepage map

The "up to $X,XXX" figures shown on the homepage rebate map are the maximum potential stacked rebate available in each capital city for an eligible household installing both solar and a battery in May 2026, before the next federal step-down. The stack assumes the household qualifies for the federal STC rebate, the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, and any applicable state scheme. Households installing solar only (no battery) will receive a smaller stack. Households installing in regional areas may see different STC values based on postcode zone.

Per-capital breakdown:

Sydney (NSW)up to $5,500

Federal STC (Zone 3, ~6.6kW): ~$2,600. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme with VPP enrolment: up to $1,100. Stack figure rounded down.

Brisbane (QLD)up to $5,200

Federal STC (Zone 2, ~6.6kW): ~$2,900. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. State scheme: minimal residential top-up at present. Stack figure rounded down to reflect typical eligible install.

Darwin (NT)up to $5,400

Federal STC (Zone 1, ~6.6kW): ~$3,200. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. State scheme: limited residential support. Stack figure reflects high STC value for Zone 1 sun rating.

Perth (WA)up to $5,100

Federal STC (Zone 2, ~6.6kW): ~$2,900. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. WA Residential Battery Scheme: variable, retailer-dependent. Stack figure reflects typical eligible install.

Adelaide (SA)up to $4,950

Federal STC (Zone 3, ~6.6kW): ~$2,600. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. SA Home Battery Scheme + VPP enrolment: up to $2,050. Stack figure rounded down.

Melbourne (VIC)up to $4,890

Federal STC (Zone 4, ~6.6kW): ~$2,400. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. Solar Victoria rebate (where eligible): up to $1,400 + interest-free finance. Stack figure rounded down.

Canberra (ACT)up to $4,780

Federal STC (Zone 3, ~6.6kW): ~$2,600. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. ACT Sustainable Household Scheme: 0% interest loan up to $15,000 (not a cash rebate but offsets upfront cost).

Hobart (TAS)up to $4,420

Federal STC (Zone 4, ~6.6kW): ~$2,400. Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (10kWh battery): ~$2,800. State scheme: limited residential support. Stack figure rounded down.

Important: These figures are the maximum potential stack for an eligible household. Actual rebate value depends on system size, postcode-specific STC zone, installation date, current STC certificate market price, state scheme allocation status, and credit approval where finance applies. The federal STC scheme reduces 1 January every year. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program reduces every 6 months (1 May and 1 November). Always confirm your specific eligibility and final dollar amount with a CEC-accredited installer before signing any contract.

"Up to $X" headline figure on /thanks/* pages

After a visitor submits the rebate quiz, the thank-you page renders "it looks like you've unlocked up to $X in 2026 solar rebates". The dollar figure is variant-aware, so a visitor who came via the solar-only quiz never sees a stacked solar + battery ceiling and vice versa. Source values live in lib/rebate.ts.

Solar-only thank-you (/thanks/)up to $5,100

Federal STC + applicable state solar scheme. Best-case stack assumes a household installing a 6.6kW+ system in a state with a generous solar top-up (eg WA at typical Zone 2 STC value plus state-level scheme). Most states' solar-only stack is lower (NSW/QLD/SA/TAS sit closer to $2,400-$3,200 federal STC alone). The visitor's actual ceiling depends on their postcode and install date. The specialist call confirms the exact number.

Battery-only thank-you (/thanks-battery/)up to $5,500

Federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program + applicable state battery scheme. Best-case stack assumes a mid-range ~20kWh battery system. Federal CHBP scales with capacity at roughly 30% off installed cost, so a 20kWh install at ~$15,000 attracts ~$4,500 in federal CHBP, stackable with NSW PDRS up to $1,100 or SA Home Battery up to $2,050. Smaller 10-13.5kWh batteries qualify for less in absolute dollars (federal CHBP alone is ~$2,800-$3,800 at that capacity). Steps down every 6 months on 1 May / 1 November.

Combined thank-you (/thanks-solar-battery/)up to $8,000

Federal STC + federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program + applicable state solar AND battery schemes. This is the full stack and matches the per-capital figures published on the homepage rebate map (Sydney up to $5,500, Brisbane up to $5,200, etc, with the highest stacked totals reaching $8,000+ in best-case state combos).

"Up to" is the operative qualifier. The figure shown is the maximum stacked ceiling for the visitor's variant. Individual households almost never hit the ceiling exactly. The specialist call within 1 business hour confirms the visitor's exact figure based on postcode, install date, and current STC certificate price.

Solar payback and savings claims used in articles

"3 to 7 year payback for an eligible Australian household"

Basis:Range derived from typical 6.6kW residential solar install ($5,500-$9,000 installed cost before rebates), federal STC rebate ($2,500-$3,500 depending on zone), state scheme stack where applicable, and average household bill savings of $1,500-$2,400/yr post-install.
Source:Component figures cross-checked against: Clean Energy Regulator STC rates, Solar Choice 2026 industry pricing report, AER Default Market Offer 2025-26.
Caveat:Payback period varies significantly by household. Households with low daytime usage, older inverters, or shaded roofs see longer payback. Households with EVs, large families, or high daytime usage see shorter payback.

"Battery savings of $730 to $1,680 per year"

Basis:Range derived from typical 13.5kWh battery storage capacity, average household evening usage of 6-12 kWh, current retail electricity peak price of 32-38c/kWh, current feed-in tariff of 4-12c/kWh. Saving represents the spread between previously-exported energy now stored for self-use vs sold to grid at low feed-in rates.
Source:Component figures cross-checked against: Australian Energy Regulator Default Market Offer 2025-26, retailer feed-in tariff disclosures, household consumption averages from AEMO Energy Demand Forecasting Methodology.
Caveat:Lower bound assumes modest evening usage and a generous remaining feed-in tariff. Upper bound assumes significant evening usage and a low feed-in tariff. Households also home during the day will see reduced battery savings because daytime solar is already being self-consumed.

"$30,000+ lifetime savings vs the grid"

Basis:Estimated cumulative bill savings over a 15-20 year battery + solar system operating life, assuming average annual savings of $1,500-$2,400 in years 1-5 (during loan repayment) and $1,800-$2,800 in years 6-20 (post-payback, accounting for forecast retail price increases).
Source:Forward-projection model using AER Default Market Offer historical trend (~6-9% nominal annual increase 2020-2025) extrapolated. Model is illustrative, not a guarantee.
Caveat:This is a forward-looking estimate. Actual lifetime savings depend on retail electricity price trajectory, feed-in tariff regime, household usage patterns, and equipment longevity. Battery capacity typically degrades 1-2% per year. Inverter replacement (~year 10-12) is not factored in.

Things we don't claim

  • We do not claim any specific household will achieve any specific saving. Every numeric figure on this site is an indicative range or cohort average.
  • We do not claim solar or battery storage is "free". Where you see "$0 upfront" or "no net cost", the cost is financed, not eliminated. Bill savings typically offset the loan repayment. Loan terms apply, credit approval applies. See this article for a full breakdown of how the financing actually works.
  • We do not claim to compare every energy retailer in Australia. The Tucked-powered comparison covers up to 20 participating retailers. The Australian Energy Regulator's free Energy Made Easy service (energymadeeasy.gov.au) covers the full market.
  • We do not guarantee that switching will save you money. If your current plan is already competitive, the recommended outcome may be to stay on it.

Who runs this site

Solar Incentives Australia is a solar and battery rebate advisory service. We help homeowners check their federal STC and Cheaper Home Batteries Program eligibility and connect them with vetted CEC-accredited local installers. We are not an installer. We are not an energy retailer.

The energy comparison and switching service shown on /homesavings/ is provided by our partner Tucked (tuckedup.com.au). Solar Incentives is paid a referral fee by Tucked when a customer completes a switch. The customer's energy plan price is not affected by this fee.

Cooling-off rights apply to all energy switches under the National Energy Retail Law (10 business days from contract acceptance).

Last verified: 15 May 2026. This page is re-checked quarterly. If you spot a figure that looks wrong or out of date, email support@solarincentives.com.au and we will verify within 5 business days.