The short answer
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program takes around 30% off an eligible home or small-business battery. It's worked out on usable capacity: about $250 per kWh for the first 14 kWh today, less above that. It comes off your quote, and a battery installed by 31 December 2026 gets more than the same battery installed from 1 January.
What the rebate is
Since 1 July 2025, the federal government has discounted home, small-business and community batteries through the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. It applies in every state and territory, on top of anything your state offers.
It isn't a cheque you claim later. Your battery earns certificates when it's installed, your installer claims them, and the value comes straight off your quote.
How much you get
The rebate is worked out on your battery's usable capacity, in three steps. The first 14 kWh gets the full rate, 14 to 28 kWh gets 60% of it, and 28 to 50 kWh gets 15%. Above 50 kWh there's nothing more.
So most of the rebate comes from the first 14 kWh. A bigger battery still gets more in total, just less for each extra kWh.
| Usable capacity | Installed by 31 December | Installed from 1 January | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | $2,500 | $2,110 | $390 |
| 13.5 kWh | $3,380 | $2,850 | $530 |
| 16 kWh | $3,800 | $3,210 | $590 |
| 20 kWh | $4,400 | $3,720 | $680 |
| 28 kWh | $5,600 | $4,730 | $870 |
| 40 kWh | $6,050 | $5,120 | $930 |
Why 31 December matters
The rate is set by the date your battery is installed, and it drops every six months until the program ends in 2030. The next drop is on 1 January 2027, from 6.8 certificates per kWh to 5.7: about $250 per kWh down to about $211.
On a 14 kWh battery that's around $550 less. If you've decided on a battery, getting it installed by 31 December keeps the bigger rebate.
Work out your savingsWho qualifies
- Homes, small businesses and community buildings connected to the grid
- A new battery, with or without new solar, including one added to the solar you already have
- A battery on the Clean Energy Council's approved list that can connect to a Virtual Power Plant
- Installed by an installer accredited with Solar Accreditation Australia, and sold by a retailer signed up to the New Energy Tech Consumer Code
What your state adds
NSW adds a one-off payment for joining a Virtual Power Plant. The ACT lends the rest at 3% through the Sustainable Household Scheme. Queensland and Victoria have no state battery rebate, though Victoria's Solar Homes rebate still takes up to $1,400 off panels.
Rebates in NSW
