Solar & batteries
Solar is the one area of Australian home improvement with genuinely published, checkable financial support. Federal certificates and state rebates both have published values and eligibility rules, so these answers use real figures rather than estimates.
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Questions
- What solar rebates can I actually get in Australia?A federal discount delivered through Small-scale Technology Certificates applies nationally and is normally taken off the quoted price, and some states add their own rebate on top. Victoria publishes up to $1,400 plus an interest-free loan of the same amount.5 sources cited
- Is there a rebate for a home battery?Yes. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program discounts around 30% of the upfront cost of batteries from 5 kWh to 100 kWh, with the discount tapering above 14 kWh since 1 May 2026.4 sources cited
- What accreditation does a solar installer need?Accreditation with Solar Accreditation Australia, which took over from the Clean Energy Council on 29 February 2024. Without it, your system cannot generate the federal certificates that fund the discount.5 sources cited
- What happens to my solar when the power goes out?A standard grid-connected solar system shuts down in a blackout and produces nothing, even in full sun. That is a mandatory safety feature, and only a battery with dedicated backup capability changes it.4 sources cited
- How does the federal solar rebate actually work?It is not a rebate paid to you. The system generates small-scale technology certificates which the installer assigns to themselves and takes off the price, so it appears as an upfront discount on the quote.4 sources cited
- What state solar and electrification rebates exist?State support is separate from the federal certificate scheme and varies a great deal. Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT each run their own published programs, and several states offer none for solar panels.5 sources cited
- What is a feed-in tariff and why has mine dropped?A feed-in tariff is what your retailer pays for exported solar. Rates have fallen across Australia because midday exports are abundant, which shifts the value of solar toward using your own generation rather than selling it.4 sources cited
- Should I heat my hot water with solar instead of exporting it?Often yes, because a hot water tank is cheap thermal storage. Using surplus solar to heat water avoids paying retail rates at night and earns far more than exporting the same energy.5 sources cited
- Can I run my air conditioner off solar during a blackout?Only if the system was specifically installed with backup capability and a dedicated backup circuit. A standard solar and battery installation shuts down in a blackout unless backup was designed in.4 sources cited
- How long do solar panels and inverters actually last?Panels typically carry performance warranties around 25 years and degrade slowly. String inverters are the shorter-lived component, commonly warranted for five to ten years, and are usually the first replacement.5 sources cited
- Why is my solar producing less than it used to?The usual causes in order are soiling, new shading, an inverter fault, and export limiting by the network. Panel degradation is real but far too slow to explain a sudden drop.5 sources cited