South Australian homes get the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program. It's paid through small-scale technology certificates (STCs), so an accredited installer applies it on your quote and you don't claim anything. The first 14 kWh of usable capacity gets the full rate, 14 to 28 kWh gets 60%, 28 to 50 kWh gets 15%, and nothing above 50 kWh. The rate drops every January and July.
- The SA battery rebate is the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, applied on your quote via STCs.
- Full rate for the first 14 kWh, 60% to 28 kWh, 15% to 50 kWh, nothing above 50 kWh.
- Estimated at about $258 per kWh for the rest of 2026 and about $217 from 1 January 2027, at about $38 per STC.
- The install date counts, not the quote date.
- You need an approved, VPP-capable battery and an accredited installer.
Our calculator shows the figure before and after 1 January 2027.
How the battery rebate works
When an eligible battery is installed, it creates small-scale technology certificates (STCs) based on its usable capacity. Those certificates have a market value, and that value comes off your price.
You don't fill in a form or wait for a refund. Your installer claims the certificates and shows the discount as a line on your quote. That's why it's sometimes called a point-of-sale discount.
The old SA Home Battery Scheme has closed, so the federal program is the main one to know about. Some energy retailers offer their own virtual power plant (VPP) incentives, but those are separate deals with the retailer.
The rebate is tiered by battery size
For batteries installed from May 2026, the rebate is worked out in bands of usable capacity:
| Usable capacity | Rebate on that band |
|---|---|
| Up to 14 kWh | Full rate |
| Over 14 kWh up to 28 kWh | 60% of the full rate per extra kWh |
| Over 28 kWh up to 50 kWh | 15% of the full rate per extra kWh |
| Over 50 kWh | Nothing on the extra capacity |
So the first 14 kWh gets the most support. A bigger battery still gets some rebate, just less for each extra kWh.
Send us a recent bill. We'll call to talk it through, then send a free, itemised quote with the battery sized to your overnight use and the rebate shown.
How much is it worth? Worked examples
The full rate is 6.8 STCs per usable kWh for the rest of 2026, dropping to 5.7 STCs per kWh from 1 January 2027. At an assumed $38 per STC, that's about $258 per kWh now and about $217 per kWh from January. STC prices move, so treat the dollar figures as estimates. We confirm the exact figure on your quote.
Using those estimates, with certificates rounded down, here's roughly how the tiers play out:
| Usable capacity | Estimated rebate, rest of 2026 | Estimated rebate, from Jan 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | About $2,580 | About $2,170 |
| 13.5 kWh (one Powerwall 3) | About $3,460 | About $2,890 |
| 14 kWh | About $3,610 | About $3,000 |
| 16 kWh | About $3,910 | About $3,270 |
| 20 kWh | About $4,520 | About $3,800 |
| 24 kWh | About $5,170 | About $4,330 |
| 27 kWh (two Powerwall 3) | About $5,620 | About $4,710 |
| 28 kWh | About $5,780 | About $4,830 |
For a 20 kWh battery in 2026: the first 14 kWh at 6.8 is 95.2 STCs, then 6 kWh at 60% (4.08 each) adds 24.48, for 119.68. That's rounded down to 119 STCs, or about $4,520 at $38 each. From January the same battery gets 100 STCs, about $3,800. So you get about $610 less on the first 14 kWh, and about $720 less on a 20 kWh battery all up. These are estimates at about $38 per STC, not quotes.
Want a figure for your own battery size? Use our battery rebate calculator.
When the rebate drops
The rate steps down every January and July through to the end of 2030. The next drop is 1 January 2027.
The install date is what counts, not the date you signed the quote. If you want the 2026 rate, the battery has to be installed before 1 January 2027. If timing matters to you, get your quote early so there's room to book the install before the drop.
Who's eligible
- Homes can get it, and some small businesses and community organisations may be eligible too. We'll confirm eligibility on your quote.
- New batteries or batteries added to existing solar both qualify. See our guide on adding a battery to existing solar.
- The battery must be on the approved product list and be capable of joining a VPP. Joining one is optional.
- The installer must be accredited. In Australia that's now Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA). A standard electrical licence on its own isn't enough. NG Elec is SAA accredited and a New Energy Tech Consumer Code approved seller.
The rebate covers the battery. It doesn't pay for things like a switchboard upgrade, extra panels or backup circuit wiring, so those show as separate lines on an honest quote.
How to get the rebate without hold-ups
- Check the installer's accreditation. Ask for their SAA accreditation and whether they're a New Energy Tech Consumer Code approved seller. If they can't show it, the battery won't create certificates.
- Make sure the rebate is on the quote. It should be a clear line item with the usable capacity it's based on, not a vague "rebate included".
- Sort the switchboard early. If your board needs work before the battery goes in, find out at the quote stage so it doesn't push the install past a step-down date.
- Have your bill and meter details handy. They help us size the battery properly and get SA Power Networks approval moving.
- Read any VPP offer separately. Joining is optional, so compare the retailer's terms on their own merits.
Want real numbers? Our solar battery installs page explains what we do, or send us a bill and we'll put the rebate on an itemised quote.
Should the rebate change what size you get?
Not on its own. Size the battery to your evening and overnight use first. For a lot of SA homes that lands somewhere between 10 and 20 kWh, which sits nicely in the full-rate and 60% bands.
If you need more for blackout backup, an EV or a big household, going bigger can still make sense. We show you the cost per kWh after the rebate so you can decide with real numbers. Our battery sizing guide walks through how to work out your overnight use.
The rebate and Solar Sharer work together
The rebate cuts what you pay for the battery. Separately, since 1 July 2026 SA retailers must offer at least one Solar Sharer plan with free grid power from midday to 3pm, capped at 24 kWh a day. With both, the battery can top up free in winter or on cloudy days, or when the solar is small, then run the house through the evening. We can set the charge schedule up when we commission it. Those plans usually have higher supply and peak charges, so compare the total cost. More in Solar Sharer free power.