Battery STCs created under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program are ordinary small-scale technology certificates. They sit in the same pool as solar and hot water STCs, so the price is the same market price.
What the number looks like
At the time of writing the spot market has been roughly $38 to $40, and the Clean Energy Regulator clearing house will buy at $40, which acts as a ceiling. Because a 14 kWh battery generates around 95 STCs at the 2026 factor, each dollar on the price is about $95 on a single job. A 28 kWh battery is around 152 STCs, so the spread between two traders matters quickly.
Why trader rates sit below spot
An installer rarely receives the full $40. The trader buys the certificates, bears the registry and compliance work, and takes on price risk between purchase and sale. The difference between spot and the paid rate is where most of the competition between traders happens, alongside speed of payment and how reliably claims clear. Compare rates alongside settlement time, because a slightly higher rate that pays in ten days can cost more in cash-flow than a slightly lower rate that pays in one.
Our published buy rates are on the pricing page, and the what is an STC worth article explains the mechanics behind the number.
Locking the price against the market
The practical risk is the gap between install day and the day the rate is fixed. If a trader floats the price until approval, a dip in the market lands on you. If the rate is locked when a complete claim is lodged, you know the dollar value of a 95 STC job on the day you finish it, which makes quoting far easier.
What this means for installers
Price your battery quotes with a conservative STC rate and a known settlement date. Revisit it when the factor changes, since the cuts to 5.7 (1 January 2027) and 5.2 (1 July 2027) reduce the certificate count even if the price holds. Link your quote to the factor and the rate lock date, not to a hopeful spot price. Start trading when you want a rate in writing, and read the battery STC pillar for the full process.