Brands get asked about one at a time: “Is Powerwall 3 VPP capable?”, “Is Sungrow VPP capable?”, and so on for BYD, AlphaESS, Sigenergy, GoodWe, Enphase and Fronius. The answers are close enough to give together, and the distinction that matters is model, not brand.
What VPP capable means
For the Cheaper Home Batteries Program (federal, from 1 July 2025), a battery must be VPP capable, on top of being a CEC-approved battery installed by an accredited installer. In practice that means the system can connect to a virtual power plant operator, typically over the internet, and respond to remote signals to charge or discharge. It does not require you to join a VPP. Joining is optional and has its own contract and payment terms.
Brand by brand
Industry sources have described Tesla Powerwall 3, Sungrow’s SBR and SBH ranges and BYD’s Battery-Box as eligible and VPP capable when installed by an accredited installer. The same position generally holds for the other brands people ask about: AlphaESS, Sigenergy, GoodWe, Enphase and Fronius all have battery models marketed for Australia, and what decides eligibility is whether the exact model, and where relevant its inverter pairing, appears on the Clean Energy Council approved battery list. That means:
- A brand can have eligible and ineligible models.
- A battery can be eligible with one inverter and not another.
- A model not yet listed, or removed, does not qualify however capable it is technically.
Our brand-by-brand page covers approval per model and the rebate maths, and the same usable capacity earns the same STCs from any brand.
Do not confuse program VPP with state VPP rules
The federal program only needs capability. Some state schemes need more. The WA battery scheme, for example, is reported to need the battery to be on the retailer’s supported list and to join a VPP. See stacking with the WA scheme before you assume the federal answer applies.
Installer claim requirements, whatever the brand
You asked for each brand separately, but the claim requirements are identical:
- The battery and any required inverter are on the CEC approved list at the install date.
- 5 to 100 kWh usable capacity, with up to 50 kWh counting towards STCs.
- An accredited installer, one battery per property, and compliance with AS/NZS 5139.
- The photo and evidence rules that applied from 1 March 2026.
- The factor on the install date (6.8 at the time of writing, stepping down to 5.7 on 1 January 2027 and 5.2 on 1 July 2027) and the tiers: first 14 kWh at 100%, 14 to 28 kWh at 60%, 28 to 50 kWh at 15%.
See how installers prove VPP capability and whether a battery must be VPP ready.
What this means for homeowners
Ask your installer for the model number and the listing in writing. If you do not want to join a VPP, ask what the battery’s remote connection means for your privacy and your internet set-up, since the capability needs connectivity even when you are not enrolled.
What this means for installers
Do not rely on brand reputation. Verify the model, record serials, and complete evidence at install. Our battery STC pillar, the battery submission guide and the installer guide set out the process, and the current rate is on /pricing/. When your files are ready, start trading.
Lists change, so verify against the CEC before every install.