Current Council and Government
Rebates & Incentives

Rebates and Incentives are often only offered for a period of time or until a funding pool is used up.
They change every 6-12 months with some being discontinued and new ones started.
To the best of our knowledge, the information below is current as at June 2025.

☀︎ Rooftop Solar

  • Solar: Small-Scale Technology Certificates (STC) Scheme

    Who is eligible?
    Australian residents & businesses

    Who funds it?
    Federal Government

    Details:

    The cost of rooftop solar installation in eligible households is reduced by about one third through the STC’s certificate scheme.

    Installers will likely claim the STC on your behalf lowering the price of the installation.

    Can also claim the Feed in Tariff.

    Savings:

    Roughly $400 per kW STC subsidy eg.
    $3,000 off a 6.6kW system,
    $4000 off a 10kW system
    (Note this is usually already included in all solar quotes & the value of the STCs is being reduced each year)

    Learn more

  • Solar for Apartment Residents


    Who is eligible?
    NSW residential owners corporations managing an eligible building.

    Who funds it?
    NSW Government

    Details:

    The grant covers 50% up to $150,000 per project to install rooftop solar on apartment complexes

    Note: applications close Dec 2025. Its a complicated process so start NOW!

    Help: WattBlock website, UTube videos and Whatsapp group.

    Savings:

    Up to $150,000 per apartment complex

    Learn More

Home Battery & VPP Connection

  • Illawarra Shoalhaven Community Renewables Program

    Who is eligible?
    Residents in Kiama, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and Wollongong council areas.

    Organised By
    The Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation (ISJO), on behalf of Kiama, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and Wollongong councils.

    Details:

    ShineHub has signed an agreement with our joint councils to co-ordinate a solar-battery bulk buy and Virtual Power Plant (VPP) for local homes.

    Savings:

    More information to be provided by Shinehub in public meetings in 2nd half of 2025

    Register you interest here

  • Cheaper Home Batteries Program

    Who is eligible?
    Australian residents & businesses

    Who funds it?
    Federal Government (via Clean Energy Regulator (CER))

    Details:

    Upfront discount of around 30% on the cost of installing a battery, subject to meeting eligibility criteria. 

    Batteries provide back-up power and shift electricity that is generated from rooftop solar PV systems during the day to supply evening peak electricity demand.

    The discount will generally be provided via solar and battery retailers and installers.

    Savings:

    About 30% discount on the upfront cost of installing eligible home battery systems in 2025. (Note this is usually already included in all battery quotes)

    Learn more

  • Connect to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)

    Who is eligible?
    NSW residents

    Who funds it?
    NSW Government

    Details:

    Up to $1,500 upfront payment when you connect your home battery to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP).
    - between $400 and $550 for a 10 kWh battery 
    - between $1,000 and 1,500 for a 27 kWh battery. 

    The payment is generally provided by the VPP operator.

    Virtual Power Plants are connected groups of solar batteries that allow excess stored power to be shared during times of peak demand. There is no extra physical connection. 

    Participating in a Virtual Power Plant can help you: 
    - make money selling your battery’s excess stored electricity
    - pay your battery off faster 
    - support the grid during peaks in demand to keep power costs down, the lights on, and decrease NSW’s reliance on fossil fuels. 

    Savings:

    One-off payment of up to $1,500 when you sign up to a VPP.

    Learn more

◎ Electric Vehicles

  • Car Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) For Small Business

    Who is eligible?
    Australian businesses & employees

    Who funds it?
    Federal Government

    Details:

    For employees who can purchase a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) through their employer through a novated lease, no Fringe Benefit Tax will be applied for EVs under $85,000.

    Novated Lease is where the car payments and costs of running your new EV (such as tyres, servicing, insurance and registration) are bundled together and deducted from your pay before tax by your employer saving you money that you would have paid in tax.

    You also don’t have to pay GST, saving another 10% on vehicle costs.

    Savings:

    Compared with a traditional 5 year novated car lease, you could save up to $20,000 for an EV novated lease.

    Learn more

  • Luxury Car Tax Rate Threshold

    Who is eligible?
    Australian residents

    Who funds it?
    Federal Government

    Details:

    • Luxury Car Tax threshold has been increased.

    • For ‘fuel-efficient vehicles’ (any model with less than 7.0L/100km combined fuel consumption, including EVs), LCT will apply on models priced beyond $89,332.

    Savings:

    Buyers of certain standard vehicles which are priced above the old and new LCT thresholds will pay up to $1520 less in tax, while buyers of fuel-efficient vehicles could save up to $1324.

    Learn more

〰 Hot Water, Airconditioning, Cooking & Lighting

  • Energy Savings Scheme

    Who is eligible?
    NSW residents

    Who funds it?
    NSW Government

    Details:

    Via the Energy Saving Scheme eligible households to replace their old water heaters with more energy-efficient models.

    Choice of approved models and installers.

    You need to pay a minimum $30 but may get up to $2000 off the price of a heat pump hot water system.

    To be processed by the installer (not all installers are registered with the ESS scheme so check first)

    Savings:

    You can receive around $600/STC subsidy from federal government which is combined with an additional $500 NSW government subsidy when replacing gas hot water system, or $1000 extra NSW gov subsidy when replacing electric hot water system.

    Learn more

  • Energy Savings Scheme

    Who is eligible?
    NSW businesses

    Who funds it?
    NSW Government

    Details:

    Subsidised replacement and upgrades to lighting, heating, aircon, ventilation, motors, fans, pumps, compressed air systems, refrigeration, power systems, hot water, steam systems and furnaces.

    Incentive payments vary with a minimum $250 co-payment requirement.

    Savings:

    You can receive around $600/STC subsidy from federal government which is combined with an additional $500 NSW government subsidy when replacing gas hot water system, or $1000 extra NSW gov subsidy when replacing electric hot water system.

    Learn more

  • No Interest Loan Scheme

    Who is eligible?
    Australian low income residents

    Who funds it?
    Federal Government (administered by Good Shepherd)

    Details:

    • Good Shepherd is a government-funded charity supporting women and families. The No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS) offers individuals and families on low incomes access to safe, fair and affordable loans for purchasing appliances and some other essential household expenses.

    • The NILS scheme offers loans of up to $1500 for essential goods and services for people that have a health care card/pension card or earn less than $45,000 a year after tax, $60,000 after tax for joint applicants or people with children

    Learn more

Other things to note:

  • There are also a range of rebates available across Australia for help with energy bills (eg for seniors, family benefit recipients, medical support, vulnerable households). Find out more.

  • You can get a home energy efficiency assessment and rating for free from the Federal Government. Find out more.

  • Rebates listed above current as of June 2025