Ahead of the Australian federal election, the incumbent labour government introduced a key election promise: if re-elected, they would enact a rebate scheme for solar home batteries.

The burning question for many is of course ‘what’s in it for me?’.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, homeowners will be able to purchase eligible solar batteries for their homes with an approximate 30% rebate on upfront battery purchase and installation costs.
• The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is targeted to commence from 1 July 2025, and will end in 2030.
• The rebate can apply to eligible solar batteries installed before 1 July 2025, as long as they are kept ‘switched off’ until that date.
• Eligible batteries must be Virtual Power Plant (VPP) ready, with a minimum battery size of 5 kWh.
• The maximum battery size claimable for the rebate is 50 kWh. While you can install battery systems with a size of up to 100 kWh, you will not be able to claim for more than 50 kWh.
• The rebate applies to homes—but also community facilities and small businesses.
• Only one battery rebate is permitted for each property.
• Existing battery owners seeking to upgrade to a new battery can still benefit from the rebate.
• Solar batteries must be connected to a solar power system.

Is it really a 30% rebate on purchase and installation costs?

The amount you receive through the rebate will be calculated based on $372 per kWh (minus any fees) of usable battery capacity (usable capacity is what’s normally referred to as battery size). This means the rebate on purchase and installation costs may not be 30% exactly, but the calculation is intended to be close to the mark.

Total price will naturally depend on the brand and type of solar battery selected, as well as other factors that can impact installation costs.

So, what happens next?

All eyes now turn to the imminent federal election on 3 May, and whether—if successful—the labour government will follow through with the battery rebate scheme (and if they do, whether there will be any changes to it).

In the meantime, if you’re hoping to take advantage of the promised rebate, start the conversation with our solar experts today to ensure your property is solar battery ready.

We can supply and install a range of leading solar systems and batteries from trusted brands such as SolarEdge, Tesla, and more.

For help with understanding what labor’s solar battery rebate means for you and how you can otherwise take advantage of the many power saving and bill reducing benefits of solar batteries, talk to our experienced solar team today.

Call us on 0423 366 428 or enquire online.