What solar rebates can I actually get in Australia?

Solar is unusual among home improvements in that the financial support is published, checkable and specific, rather than something you have to infer from quotes. There are two layers.

The federal layer

The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme creates Small-scale Technology Certificates for eligible systems. In practice you almost never handle these yourself. The installer assigns them and the value appears as a discount on the quoted price. The dollar value moves with the market price of certificates and with the system's size and location, which is why quotes are usually presented as an already-discounted figure.

The state layer

State schemes are separate, means-tested, and change. Victoria publishes the clearest figures: a solar panel rebate of up to $1,400, plus an interest-free loan of up to $1,400 repaid at $29.17 a month over four years. Eligibility requires combined household taxable income under $150,000, reduced from $210,000 on 1 July 2026, and a property valued under $3 million.

Other states run different schemes with different structures, and some run none. Check your own state's energy department rather than assuming the Victorian figures apply.