Would you like a rebate to help with the cost of installing solar panels or battery storage on your home? What about a rebate to install an energy-efficient heat pump? Free hot water powered by solar – how good would that be!
If you live in Victoria, there’s some good news. The state government is running a solar rebate scheme – called the Solar Homes Program – which is helping thousands of Victorian households access the benefits of solar power.
Both owner-occupiers and landlords can access valuable rebates to cut the cost of going solar.
But – the million dollar question is – are you eligible?
Fortunately, the eligibility criteria is very broad. That’s because the objective of the Solar Homes Program is to help as many Victorian households as possible install solar. In fact, the target is a massive 770,000 homes over 10 years!
In this article we’ll cover the main eligibility criteria for the various solar rebates. We’ll also run through common eligibility questions we get asked by our customers for those non-standard, trickier situations.
On this blog:
- Five eligibility criteria common to all Vic solar rebates
- Specific eligibility criteria for each solar rebate
- Solar panels rebate for homeowners
- Solar panels rebate for rental properties
- Solar battery rebate
- Hot water heat pump rebate
- Frequently asked questions:
- I’ve got an old solar panel system. Can I get a rebate to add more panels or get a new system?
- I’ve moved into a property that has solar panels. Can I get a rebate to add more panels?
- I want solar panels and a battery. Which rebate should I apply for?
- I’ve already got solar panels. Now I want a battery – can I get a rebate for it?
- I’ve already received a solar panels rebate. Can I get a rebate for a heat pump?
- I rent my home. What rebates can I apply for?
Five eligibility criteria common to all Vic solar rebates
No matter which solar rebate you apply for through the Solar Homes Program, you will need to meet five basic eligibility criteria that are common to each of the rebates. You can think of this as ‘first base’ eligibility criteria for the Victorian Solar Homes Program.
Eligibility criteria that apply to all Solar Vic rebates
- You are applying for an existing property (not one that is currently under construction).
- The property is valued at less than $3 million
- Your combined household taxable income is no more than $180,000 per year (based on your Australian Tax Office Notice of Assessment)
- The solar panels, battery or heat pump system is on the approved Solar Homes product list
- The solar system is purchased from an approved Clean Energy Council Solar Retailer and installed by a fully accredited installer
If you can tick each of the criteria in the above table, the next thing to check is whether you meet the specific eligibility criteria for the rebate you want to apply for.
Keep reading to find out what these are!
Specific eligibility criteria for each solar rebate
1. Solar panels rebate for homeowners
a. You don’t have solar panels on your home
If there aren’t any solar panels on your roof, the good news is you can apply for a solar panels rebate!
The only exception is for solar panel systems installed before November 1, 2009. If that’s you, you’re in luck. You can apply for a rebate too!
However, just a word of caution. Most of these early systems are still on the premium feed-in tariff (PFiT). The PFiT pays around 60c/kWh for solar exports (much higher than the current standard feed-in tariff which is only 5.2c/kWh). But the premium feed-in is finishing soon – November 1, 2024 to be precise.
If you upgrade your old system (or install a new one), you will lose your premium feed-in tariff and end up on the standard feed-in tariff. But if you use a lot of electricity, you may be better off financially with a new, bigger system even without the premium tariff.
Whether it’s worth upgrading to a new system will come down to the costs and savings associated with each option. We can run the numbers to help you make that decision – just get in touch!
And if you’re wondering how you can save more off your bills when the current feed-in tariff is so much lower, read this blog post: Why the Solar Feed-in Tariff Doesn’t Matter.
b. You haven’t already received a solar panels or battery rebate
You can apply for a solar panels rebate if you haven’t already received a solar panels or battery rebate from the Solar Homes Program.
This criterion applies to you as an individual. So, if you received a Solar Homes rebate for panels or battery storage for a previous home you lived in, you will not be eligible for another solar panels or battery rebate from the Program for your new home.
c. The property address has not received a Solar Homes rebate for panels or battery storage
The classic scenario here is that you’ve moved into a property that’s already got solar panels or a battery, and you’re wondering if you can get a rebate to upgrade the solar or add a battery.
To find out, you need to check whether the previous owner received a Solar Homes rebate for the installation. If they did, unfortunately you won’t be eligible for another solar panels or battery rebate. That’s because the Solar Homes Program is strict about allowing only one solar panels or battery rebate per property – regardless of who owns it.
d. Am I eligible for the interest-free loan from Solar Homes?
If you meet the eligibility criteria for the solar panels rebate, you will also be eligible for the matching interest-free loan provided that the electricity bill savings from your new solar panel system are more than the monthly loan repayments. This is something we can quickly work out if you get in touch.
2. Solar panels rebate for rental properties
A solar panels rebate is available to landlords to install solar panels on their rental property. The specific eligibility criteria for this rebate include:
- the property is currently tenanted with a rental agreement in place.
- the landlord and all renters sign the Solar Homes “Rental provider-Renter Agreement”
- tenants have a combined annual household income less than $180,000 per year
- the property address has not been the recipient of a rebate from the Solar Homes program
If the eligibility criteria are met for the solar panels rebate, the landlord can apply for an interest-free loan for the same value as the rebate. The only stipulation is they must provide a satisfactory credit report that is less than 12 months old.
3. Solar battery rebate
The specific eligibility criteria for this rebate include:
- Available to owner-occupiers, not rentals
- No solar battery currently installed
- At least 5kW of solar panels are currently installed – or you will install at least 5kW of rooftop solar at the same time as the battery.
- Neither you as the owner – nor the property address – have been the recipient of a Solar Homes rebate
- Pre-approval has been received from your network service provider (e.g. Powercor, AusNet) to connect a battery to the grid (this is something we’d organise for you)
- the owner/s agrees to receive information from their network provider about taking part in battery trials to maximise the value households get from them.
4. Hot water heat pump rebate
Generous rebates are available to reduce the upfront cost of a hot water heat pump or solar hot water system. In addition to the general criteria described above, you’ll need to meet these specific criteria:
- You’re the owner-occupier of the property
- The hot water system you want to replace is at least three years old
- You haven’t received a solar battery rebate from the Solar Homes Program
- You haven’t received a heat pump/solar hot water rebate from the Solar Homes Program
- Your property address hasn’t been the recipient of either a battery or hot water rebate
Frequently asked questions
FAQs relating to solar rebates available through the Victorian Solar Homes Program.
I’ve got an old solar panel system. Can I get a rebate to add more panels or get a new system?
Only if your solar system was installed prior to November 1, 2009.
I’ve moved into a property that has solar panels. Can I get a rebate to add more panels?
You can only get a solar panels rebate if the solar panels were installed before November 1, 2009.
I want solar panels and a battery. Which rebate should I apply for?
The solar battery rebate as it is worth more.
I’ve already got solar panels. Now I want a battery – can I get a rebate for it?
Yes, you can apply for a battery rebate if you haven’t already received a solar panels rebate from the Solar Homes Program.
You will however need to meet the other eligibility criteria for the battery rebate which includes having at least 5kW of solar panels already installed – or that you will have 5kW installed at the same time as the battery.
I’ve already received a solar panels rebate. Can I get a rebate for a heat pump?
Yes, if you meet the other criteria for the heat pump/hot water rebate.
I rent my home. What rebates can I apply for?
Your landlord can apply for a solar panels rebate for the rental property, with your explicit agreement.
Got a rebate question? Interested in getting a quote?
Rebates for Victorian households can shave thousands off the cost of going solar. In addition to the Victorian solar rebates, there are federal solar rebates as well which shave thousands of dollars off the cost of a typical solar panel system.
If you have any questions about rebates – either the Victorian or federal rebates – get in touch and we’ll be happy to help. We can also provide you with a customised quote so you can see exactly how much you could save with solar panels, a battery, or a hot water heat pump.
You can also contact the Solar Homes Program if you have any questions about the Victorian solar rebates.
Note: This post is correct as of August 2022 however eligibility criteria can change at any time so it is worth getting in touch for the latest information.
