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Solar Rebate in NSW

There’s a lot to love about NSW; beautiful beaches, iconic destinations, and the incredible sunny weather that makes it ideal for solar!

If you’re planning on getting solar in NSW, you need targeted info. That’s why we’re making it super easy for you to learn about the various solar rebates in NSW.

On this page we cover:

  • All the State Government solar rebates NSW has on offer
  • The Federal Gov STC incentive
  • NSW solar feed-in tariffs

It’s all the info you need to snap up every available solar rebate in NSW, so you get a winning deal on your system!

State Government Solar Rebates in NSW

Rebate Swap for Solar and Energy Efficient Upgrades

If you’re a NSW resident and currently receiving the Low Income Household Rebate (LIHR), you might be eligible to receive a free, fully installed, 3kW solar system from the NSW Government.

To access this solar rebate, NSW residents will generally need to trade in the $285 annual credit they receive on their energy bills through the LIHR in exchange for the new system, or other energy efficient upgrades.

What you qualify for depends on your living situation.

For homeowners

If you’re a homeowner-occupier you should qualify for a free 3kW solar system, but you’ll need to meet the following criteria:

  • Currently receive the Low Income Household Rebate
  • Agree to not receive the rebate for 10 years
  • Hold a valid concession card
  • Own and live in your own home
  • Not already have a solar system

The offer is available to most of Greater Sydney and select regional postcodes.

Click here to check if your postcode can access this solar rebate. More NSW postcodes will become available in the future.

For households not suitable for solar

If you receive the Low Income Household Rebate but don’t qualify for solar, you can still receive up to $4,000 toward energy efficient upgrades to your home after a free, no obligation energy assessment of your home.

Common upgrades include energy efficient:

  • Washer and dryers
  • Air-conditioners
  • Hot water systems
  • Window shading
  • Draught sealing

To be eligible you’ll need to:

  • Currently receive the Low Income Household Rebate
  • Agree to not receive the rebate for 10 years
  • Hold a valid concession card
  • Not be eligible or suitable for the rebate swap for solar offer

Land and Housing Corporation tenants

Those living in Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) properties will soon be able to access a free solar system install.

To be eligible you’ll need to:

  • Live in a suitable LAHC property
  • Currently receive the Low Income Household Rebate
  • Agree to not receive the rebate while you remain a tenant at the property
  • Hold a valid concession card

This offer opens soon.

Upgrade Your Hot Water System

If you’re thinking of upgrading to a solar hot water system or heat pump, then this rebate is for you.

Run as a part of the NSW Government’s Energy Saving Scheme, this offer is designed to make it easy to swap your old electric and gas hot water unit for a greener, more efficient model.

To access this solar rebate, NSW homeowners need to line up a couple of quotes from the list of approved suppliers. A minimum $30 (ex GST) co-payment is then made, after which your chosen supplier sends out a qualified electrician or plumber to install your system.

The more expensive the system the bigger the co-payment, and be prepared to pay for any additional plumbing or building works required to mount your system.

Federal Government Solar Incentive - STCs in NSW

State solar rebates are great, but in NSW they’re very targeted and aren’t available to everyone.

The main solar rebate for NSW homeowners shopping around for a system for their home is still the Federal Government STC incentive.

You may have heard this referred to as the ‘STC rebate’, but it’s really an incentive. Either way, it delivers a huge upfront discount to those installing solar in NSW. 

The size of your system, the year you install and which of the 4 ‘STC zones’ you live in all affect how much you receive from this solar rebate. NSW mostly falls under zone 3.

Here is an example of the STC solar rebate you could expect if you live in or around Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour or Byron Bay:

Estimated STC solar rebate in NSW zone 3.

Are There Any Incentives to Bring Down Solar Battery Prices in NSW?

There soon will be! Starting 1st November 2024, if you have rooftop solar, you’ll have the chance to tap into further incentives through the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS). These perks can help you install a residential battery and connect to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) to make the most of the solar energy you generate and lower your electricity bills.

Here’s how it works:

If you already have solar, you can get between $1,600 and $2,400 off the upfront cost of installing a battery, depending on its size.

You can also get an additional $250 to $400 just for connecting your battery to a VPP. You can claim this incentive twice, with a minimum of 3 years between claims.

If you don’t have solar yet, no worries! The incentive can be bundled into the cost when you get a new solar and battery system.

How to qualify:

You need to have rooftop solar installed and work with an approved supplier under the PDRS to set up your battery.

The incentives usually come as an upfront discount, so you won’t have to wait to see the savings. Since different suppliers offer various products and deals, you’ve got the freedom to shop around and find what suits you best.

Solar Rebates NSW – STC Calculator

Want to work out your federal solar rebate in NSW? Try our Solar Calculator. 

Just enter in your postcode to know: 

  • Estimated STC discount
  • Predicted payback period
  • Savings on your electricity bill with solar

NSW Solar Feed-in Tariffs

While it’s not a solar rebate, NSW homeowners can also receive feed-in tariffs (FiTs) to pump up their solar savings.

A FiT is a credit you receive on your bill from your electricity retailer in exchange for any excess solar energy fed back onto the grid.

In NSW, your FiT rate is set by your electricity retailer and can range from anywhere between $0.00 per kWh all the way up to $0.22 per kWh.

Current NSW solar feed-in tariffs are in the table below (double check each retailer’s website for specific T&Cs) or check out our main FiT page for even more info:

RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
Actew AGL 6.0c 15.0c
Amber Electric No Fixed Amount No Fixed Amount
Energy Australia 7.6c 7.6c
Energy Locals 0c 7.1c
Origin Energy 10.0c 20.0c*
Radian Energy 6.0c 6.0c
Red Energy 6.0c 6.0c
Simply Energy 8.0c 8.0c*
RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
1st Energy 6.0c 6.0c
AGL 5.0c 15.0c
Alinta Energy 8.0c 8.0c
CovaU Energy 5.5c 5.5c
Diamond Energy 0.0c 5.2c
Discover Energy 1.0c 10.0c
Dodo 5.0c 5.0c
Electricity in a Box 6.0c 6.0c
Energy Australia 6.6c 6.6c
Energy Locals 0.0c 10.7c
Ergon Energy 13.441c 13.441c
Future X Power 3.0c 3.0c
GEE Energy 0.0c 13.0c
GloBird Energy 1.0c 11.0c
Glow Power 7.0c 7.0c
Kogan Energy 0.0c 5.0c
Momentum Energy 0.0c 4.5c
Nectr 0.0c 3.85c
Origin Energy 5.0c 20.0c*
OVO Energy 0.0c 8.0c
Powershop 0.0c 5.0c
Radian Energy 7.0c 7.0c
Red Energy 1.0c 8.0c
Simply Energy 5.5c 5.5c*
Sumo 6.0c 6.0c
RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
1st Energy 6.0c 6.0c
ActewAGL 6.0c 15.0c
AGL 5.0c 15.0c
Alinta Energy 6.7c 6.7c
CovaU Energy 0.0c 5.5c
Diamond Energy 0.0c 5.2c
Dodo 6.2c 6.2c
Electricity in a Box 7.0c 7.0c
Energy Australia 7.6c 7.6c
Energy Locals 0.0c 5.0c
Future X Power 3.0c 3.0c
Gee Energy 0.0c 14.0c
GloBird Energy 1.0c 12.0c
Kogan Energy 0.0c 5.0c
Momentum Energy 0.0c 7.0c
Nectr 0.0c 4.4c
Origin Energy 7.0* 20.0*
OVO Energy 0.0c 8.0c
Powershop 0.0c 5.0c
Radian Energy 6.0c 6.0c
Red Energy 6.0c 12.0c
Simply Energy 5.5c 5.5c*
Sumo 5.5c 5.5c
Tango Energy 0.0c 0.0c
RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
Jacana Energy 9.13c 9.13c
Rimfire Energy 11.0c 11.0c
RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
1st Energy 8.0c 8.0c
AGL 5.0c 15.0c
Alinta Energy 8.0c 8.0c
CovaU Energy 5.5c 5.5c
Diamond Energy 0.0c 5.2c
Dodo 5.0c 5.0c
Energy Australia 8.5c 8.5c
Energy Locals 0.0c 5.0c
Future X Power 3.0c 3.0c
GloBird Energy 1.0c 1.5c
IO Energy 2.5c 33.0c
Kogan Energy 0.0c 5.0c
Lumo Energy 5.5c 5.5c
Momentum Energy 0.0c 3.5c
Nectr 0.0c 0.0c
Origin Energy 6.0c 20.0c*
OVO Energy 0.0c 8.0c
Powershop 0.0c 5.0c
Red Energy 3.0c 5.5c
Simply Energy 5.5c 5.5c*
Tango Energy 0.0c 0.0c
RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
1st Energy 10.87c 12.0c
Aurora Energy 10.869c 10.869c
Energy Locals 10.87c 10.87c
RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
1st Energy 4.9c 9.9c
AGL 4.9c 15.0c
Alinta Energy 4.9c 4.9c
CovaU Energy 4.9c 4.9c
Diamond Energy 0.0c 5.2c
Dodo 4.9c 4.9c
Energy Australia 4.3c 11.7c
Energy Locals 4.9c 5.0c
GloBird Energy 3.9c 4.9c
Kogan Energy 5.2c 5.2c
Lumo Energy 4.9c 5.5c*
Momentum Energy 5.4c 5.4c
Origin Energy 4.9c 20.0*
OVO Energy 4.9c 8.0c
Powershop 5.2c 5.2c
Red Energy 4.9c 7.0c
Simply Energy 4.9c 11.0c
Sumo 5.2c 5.2c
Tango Energy 4.9c 4.9c
RETAILER MIN FiT MAX FiT
Horizon Power 3.0c 10.0c**
Synergy 2.0c 10.0c**

Feed-in tariff rates are ‘cents per kWh exported’

While it’s important to maximise your solar rebate, NSW homeowners wanting long term returns need an electricity deal with a FiT that will work for them.

Energy Market lets you compare electricity plans with FiTs online, and switch in minutes. It’s a dead easy way to make the most of the solar energy you export.

FAQs

Yes! If you’re currently a recipient of the Low Income Household Rebate you might be eligible to receive a free 3kW solar system for your home, courtesy of the NSW Government. Jump up to our main Rebate Swap for Solar and Energy Efficient Upgrades section to find out more about this generous solar rebate in NSW.

The Federal solar rebate in NSW will vary depending on your ‘zone’ location, the size of your solar system, when your system was installed and the value of STCs at that point in time. You can easily calculate how big your solar rebate will be using our Solar Calculator. 

Luckily for NSW residents, there are a few rebates available to reduce the cost of solar panels in NSW. These include the Rebate Swap for Solar and Energy Efficient Upgrades, Federal Government STC incentive , as well as the Upgrade Your Hot Water System rebate. 

The Federal STC solar panel rebate in NSW is applied when you install your solar system, as long as you get your system through a CEC accredited installer who meets Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator (CER) requirements. Most installers will include this upfront discount into your solar quote and handle all the paperwork for you – phew! 

To access the Rebate Swap for Solar and Energy Efficient Upgrades, residents can apply through the dedicated rebate NSW government website here.

If you’d like to make the most of the ‘Upgrade Your Hot Water System’ rebate, you will need to ensure you go through an Accredited Certificate Provider (ACPs). For a full list of ACPs, check the website here. 

When you get solar panels in NSW you’re going to need to replace your traditional meter with a smart meter.

This is because your solar system both imports and exports electricity from the grid.

Quick, Lock In Your Solar Rebate! NSW Solar Installers Are Ready to Help Plan Your Solar System Right Now.

Now that you’re up to speed on solar rebates in NSW, it’s time to talk to an installer about getting your system!

Request 3 quotes from CEC accredited installers now and compare offers.

Rebates can save you heaps, but so does shopping around, so get to it!

Or, if you live in and around Sydney and want to continue your research, click the link below to get hyper-relevant info tailored to your city!

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