Solar batteries are now eligible
The Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 have been amended to expand eligibility of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) to include solar batteries.
The Australian Government will fully fund the discount for solar batteries by purchasing small-scale technology certificates (STCs). This means no costs will be passed on to householders through energy retailers.
We expect demand for batteries to be high during the roll-out of the program. Consumers can expect that there may be longer than usual wait times for both ordering a new solar battery, or having a new solar battery installed.
Solar battery retailers and registered agents can expect delays in processing STCs while we establish our systems.
We have planned a measured and phased roll-out to make sure only certified products and accredited installers are involved.
The Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program will provide $2.3 billion in support for households and small businesses to reduce the cost of installing eligible small-scale solar batteries.
If you want to install a solar battery at your home or business, you may be able to get a discount on the purchase price of your system.
Under the SRES, eligible systems can claim small-scale technology certificates (STCs). Registered agents can help you get an upfront discount on the purchase price of your system if you assign your right to claim STCs to them. You can also choose to buy and sell STCs yourself.
Solar batteries allow households to store solar energy for use when it’s needed most – at night or during peak demand. This helps:
- lower electricity bills for participating households by reducing their need to buy electricity from the grid
- lower electricity bills for everyone by balancing electricity supply and demand across the whole grid
- reduce reliance on gas and network infrastructure
- support grid stability and disaster resilience
- reduce wholesale electricity prices as it reduces usage during peak times
- accelerate renewable energy uptake and carbon abatement.
Safety and consumer protections
The SRES has established compliance frameworks that have been extended to batteries. This allows us to continue supporting states and territories, so they can fulfil their obligations for leading electrical and safety regulation.
This includes:
- ensuring products are listed on the Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) approved products list
- requiring designers and installers of batteries to have the appropriate accreditation from Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA)
- requiring us to undertake inspections and share feedback and data, including insights on key learnings and risks, with state and territory authorities responsible for electrical safety and fair trading.
As with solar, we apply strict standards on where and how batteries are installed, and ensure certification of installers with the skills, training, and accreditation to install batteries safely.
Under the SRES, we have the authority to declare persons and products as ineligible for installation under the regulations. We can also take criminal or civil action.
We’re working closely with the SAA, the CEC, and state and territory electrical safety regulators to make sure our processes, inspections and infrastructure supports their roles in ensuring:
- products and installations are safe and meet standards for electrical safety
- the people designing, selling and installing solar batteries are qualified and properly accredited.
Solar battery installation
Solar batteries must be installed safely and in line with all relevant laws and standards.
Installations must comply with:
- all relevant state and territory laws, including electrical safety regulations
- Australian standards
- accreditation and supervision rules from SAA.
Only trained, licensed and accredited installers can complete or supervise battery installations. The installer must be accredited with SAA and use CEC approved products.
Solar battery owners must also receive written documentation about their solar battery and installation.
Consumer protections
Solar battery retailers and installers must comply with the laws we administer under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 and Australian Consumer Law when advertising, selling and installing solar batteries.
If these requirements are not met, the Clean Energy Regulator and the CEC can take compliance action. This may include removing a product or installer from the approved list.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and state and territory fair trading bodies will also be closely monitoring the roll-out of the program to ensure consumers are protected from any predatory market behaviour.
If you have concerns about a solar battery or installation, there are steps you can take. See Solar rooftop, battery and solar water heater complaints information.
Eligibility
Solar batteries must meet a range of requirements to be eligible under the program from 1 July 2025.
Installations before 1 July 2025
To be eligible, solar batteries must not have been connected, commissioned or tested as operational before 1 July 2025. The installation date is the date the electrical certificate of compliance (or equivalent) is signed.
Installers could begin installation work before this date, provided the system was not electronically connected, tested and certified.
Find out about temporary changes to maximum daily installations for installations roughed-in before 1 July 2025.
Eligible solar batteries must be between 5 kWh and 100 kWh in nominal capacity. The nominal capacity is the maximum amount of energy a battery can store at full charge. This is usually the capacity on the product label.
STCs can only be claimed for the first 50 kWh of a solar battery’s usable capacity. The usable capacity is the amount of energy that can be discharged and represents the power that a home or business can draw from the solar battery.
For example, a solar battery with a nominal capacity of 70 kWh and a usable capacity of 60 kWh may be eligible for STCs. However, STCs can only be claimed for up to 50 kWh.
If a solar battery is installed with an existing solar PV system, the existing solar PV system needs to be compliant with state and territory electrical safety regulations. The existing solar PV system doesn’t need to be on CEC’s approved product list.
Existing inverters
The existing inverter must either be currently listed on the CEC's approved inverter list, or if not listed, must not have been removed due to it being declared ineligible or delisted for safety reasons. The inverter must also be capable of participating in a virtual power plant (VPP).
If the inverter doesn’t meet these requirements, the inverter will need to be replaced. The new inverter must be on the CEC’s approved inverter list and be VPP-capable.
An eligible solar battery must meet relevant Australian standards (AS/NZS 5139:2019) and includes either:
- a single battery unit
- a group of batteries connected to operate as one battery.
Solar batteries installed without solar PV (which only store energy from the grid) will not be eligible.
A group of batteries are eligible for STCs if:
- they’re installed at the same time
- they meet the 5 kWh minimum
- the combined capacity is no more than 100 kWh.
All components must be CEC approved and installed in a single job. Only one solar battery system at a premises can claim STCs and the solar battery may only claim STCs if it is installed with a solar PV system with a capacity of 100 kW or less.
There are limitations to how many SRES-eligible installations (solar and/or batteries) can be commissioned per installer per day. See Solar Accreditation Australia requirements.
If you install additional batteries after your first claim, you’re not eligible to claim again. However, if you have an existing ineligible system that was installed before 1 July 2025, you may be eligible to claim for future installations made after 1 July 2025.
Additional battery capacity can be added to an existing system if:
the solar battery has not previously claimed STCs
the additional nominal capacity is at least 5 kWh, with the total nominal capacity of the system not exceeding 100 kWh, including pre-existing batteries.
See the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for more information about expanding existing systems.
Stackable battery systems are modules of battery cells that can be ‘stacked’ together without external wiring.
These modules are normally topped with an inverter, control unit or other component that helps the stack work as a single unit.
Adding battery modules to a stackable battery system is a normal practice and can be safe as long as the work is undertaken safely and manufacturer’s requirements and Australian Standards are met.
STCs can be claimed for new battery modules added to an existing stackable battery system where:
- the final configuration of the stackable battery system is on the CEC’s approved product list at the date of certification. If the battery management module, or another component no longer matches the current approved product, then the system is ineligible.
- the SAA accredited installer completes the installation and re-certifies the entire system, including the connection to the electrical installation, as safe, compliant and meeting all requirements. The installer is expected to identify and upgrade if any parts of the existing system required. There may be other jurisdictional requirements installers need to comply with such as inspections or notifications to Distribution Network Service Providers.
- the additional modules and existing system are compatible in all ways and are within manufacturer specifications to add modules in that way.
Any non-compliance of the final system, identified through a CER inspection or other means, will be considered the responsibility of the accredited installer or designer as appropriate. This applies to non-compliance for both added and existing components.
Claiming STCs
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Entering STC claims
When entering STC claims for stackable battery systems in REC Registry, you must:
- record the make and model of the solar battery as it's now installed and as listed on the CEC product list
- 'add a solar battery’ for each new battery module
- record the serial numbers of each new battery module
- record the nominal power output for the new battery modules only (not the entire system)
- record the usable power output for the new battery modules only (not the entire system)
- record the nominal capacity of the existing system (before you added the new modules) in the additional system information section.
STCs can only be claimed for new battery modules that are added. Claiming the whole capacity of the expanded battery system may be considered fraud or making false and misleading statements to the Commonwealth.
Agents are also required to confirm details and eligibility of the STCs they are creating.
A virtual power plant (VPP) is a network of small, distributed energy resources – like solar batteries – that are linked and controlled using smart software. Together, they behave like a single power plant.
To be eligible for STCs, an on-grid solar battery (including the inverter) must have the technical capability to participate in a VPP at the time of installation. See more about VPPs.
Properties more than 1 km from the grid
Off-grid solar batteries more than 1 km from the grid must be on the CEC’s approved product list. They don’t need to be VPP-capable.
Properties less than 1 km from the grid
Off-grid solar batteries less than 1 km from the grid must be on CEC’s approved product list and either:
- have written evidence from a Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP) that the cost to connect to the main grid is more than $30,000
- be VPP-capable (this helps future proof installations that might connect to the grid later).
You don’t need to provide written evidence if you choose a solar battery that is VPP-capable.
A DNSP’s written evidence must include that the total cost of connecting the unit to the main grid is more than $30,000. Noting that additional costs to extend the connection, such as to a building, are not included in the $30,000 amount.
Homeowners and retailers should consider the cost of each option before deciding on an approach.
Adding to an existing off-grid system
If adding a solar battery to an existing off-grid system, written evidence from your DNSP must be provided if the solar battery or inverter are not VPP-capable.
You may also be eligible for other battery programs in your state or territory when participating in our program. You must check your eligibility for claiming both as some programs may not be eligible if you're claiming STCs under the SRES.
We may share installation information with state and territory regulators to ensure compliance with their schemes.
See the department’s website for more information about eligibility.
Rebates and incentives
If you want to install a solar battery at your home or business, your retailer may offer a discount on the purchase price of your system.
Under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), eligible systems can claim small-scale technology certificates (STCs). Registered agents can help you get an upfront discount on the purchase price if you assign your right to claim STCs to them.
Once your battery is installed, you can also choose to sell some of the electricity back to the grid through a VPP, where your battery helps support the grid and delivers potential savings.
You can also choose to buy and sell STCs yourself.
STC Calculation
STCs are based on the usable capacity of your battery. In 2025, the discount rate is 9.3 STCs per kWh. This equates to around a 30% discount on the upfront cost of installing small-scale solar batteries.
Only the first 50 kWh of usable capacity are eligible for STCs.
Table 1: STC factors per kWh by year
| Year | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STC factor | 9.3 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 6.5 | 5.6 | 4.7 |
Installing solar batteries
Solar batteries must be installed with either an existing or new rooftop solar system. Find out more about installing rooftop solar.
Follow our step-by-step guide to find out everything you need to know about installing a solar battery. You can read the Solar Consumer Guide and check the Clean Energy Council’s guidance.
Understanding how much electricity you use, when you use it and what your future usage may look like can help determine if a battery is right for you. A battery allows you to store excess solar energy and use it later, which can lower your bills if you’re using electricity in the evening.
Virtual power plants (VPP) have the potential to support the grid by absorbing excess solar power generation and then discharging when energy demands peak. Participation in a VPP can also provide a financial benefit through higher feed-in tariffs paid to the battery owner.
When considering participation in a VPP, talk to your electricity retailer about the costs and benefits of different time-of-use tariffs, feed-in tariffs and whether you’ll be paid for exporting energy back to the grid. Knowing how you’re charged can help you get the most out of your battery.
Research which system best suits your needs. Solar battery retailers and installers can give you advice about different system types. Prices, warranties and system quality can vary.
We recommend you get multiple quotes and compare the systems being offered to you.
Here are some links that may help you:
- energy.gov.au's Solar Consumer Guide includes reasons to consider getting a battery and the different battery types that are available
- Your Home's guidance on batteries and inverters for information about how batteries work
- the NSW Government's household guide to solar batteries for information on installing a battery
- the South Australian Government’s Consumer and Business Services solar energy for buying guides and what to consider before signing a solar-related contract.
Check that your system is eligible under the SRES.
This ensures installation meets safety and regulatory standards. Once you've decided to install a solar battery, you need to find a retailer. For help choosing, you can use the New Energy Tech Consumer Code program.
You should ask your retailer for evidence that your new solar battery is CEC approved and meets Australian standards. This will help ensure your system's quality and performance. It also protects you as a consumer if there are problems after installation.
Once you've chosen a retailer and agreed to the quote, they will work with an installer to get your system installed. To be eligible under the scheme, the system must be installed by a qualified and accredited person. Make sure your retailer uses Solar Accreditation Australia accredited installers with the appropriate accreditation type for the system being installed. This ensures installation meets safety and regulatory standards.
See CEC’s consumer guidance for resources on renewable energy including solar batteries.
Find an approved seller.
Check your installers' accreditation.
On the day of installation, confirm your installer is the correct person for your installation and ask to see their accreditation and licence details.
If your installer is not on site for the whole installation, confirm they'll be on site for the:
- job setup
- mid-install
- commissioning.
After the installation is complete, check the system is in good condition and operating. Ask the installer for instructions on how to operate the system. If you're asked to sign paperwork, ensure you review and understand the documents before signing.
Contact your approved seller if you have concerns or a complaint about your installation. You can find their contact details on the invoice or contract from your installation.
Find out more about how to make a complaint about your solar retailer or installation.
See ACCC’s information about consumer rights.
After your system is installed, get someone to check it’s safe every year. Use a licensed electrician accredited by SAA.
It is important to have regular maintenance performed to ensure your system is:
- safe for those living close by
- safe for electrical workers
- performing well and saving you money on your power bills.
Ask your solar retailer or installer about a recommended maintenance schedule.
You may periodically check the solar battery:
- is free from vermin, dust and debris build up (follow manufacturer guidance or contact the manufacturer)
- has any signs of damage.
Never touch wiring or electrical components and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and maintenance.
Solar batteries may require firmware updates, system health checks and safety testing over time.
You can move your solar batter to a different location. You must:
- have a qualified electrician perform the removal and re-installation
- follow your power supplier's requirements about disconnecting and re-connecting to the electricity supply.
STCs are assigned to a property address, not a property owner. STCs are paid upfront with installation of the system. Second-hand systems are not eligible for STCs.
Your batteries won't be eligible to claim STCs if re-installed at a new property.
More information
To stay up to date, you can subscribe to our mailing list by signing up to our solar batteries mailing list.
Other pages that you may find helpful are:
- The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program
- Clean Energy Council’s Approved batteries
- Energy.gov.au’s Discounted batteries for households through the Cheaper Home Batteries Program