The 2026 rebate is the best the program will offer from here, because the factor is scheduled to fall every six months. For an install completed between 1 May and 31 December 2026, the factor is 6.8 STCs per kWh of usable capacity.
How 2026 works
The rebate has three size bands. The first 14 kWh earns the full factor, the next 14 kWh earns 60 per cent, and the following 22 kWh earns 15 per cent. Batteries above 50 kWh usable still qualify but earn nothing beyond that point.
At a market price of $38 to $40 per certificate:
- 10 kWh: about 68 certificates, roughly $2,600 to $2,700
- 14 kWh: about 95 certificates, roughly $3,600 to $3,800
- 28 kWh: about 152 certificates, roughly $5,800 to $6,100
Eligibility in a sentence
You need a CEC-approved, VPP-capable battery installed by an accredited installer, paired with new or existing solar. It must be commissioned at a property that has not already used the rebate. The battery does not have to join a VPP, but it must be capable of doing so.
Timing in 2026
The factor depends on the install date. Anything commissioned on or before 31 December 2026 gets 6.8. After that it is 5.7, a cut of about 16 per cent. Installer calendars tend to fill in the last quarter, so lead times for approvals and stock matter. The January 2027 cut page covers the effect.
One 2026 example, start to finish
Take a 14 kWh battery commissioned in November 2026. The installer creates about 95 STCs at the 6.8 factor, sells them through a trader, and takes the value off your price. If the same battery were commissioned in January, the count would be about 79. The only thing that changed is the calendar, which is why the install date belongs in the contract.
What this means for you
Treat the rebate as a certificate discount, not a government payment. The STC price moves, and the final figure on your quote is what counts. The battery STC pillar explains the mechanics, how it works shows how installers turn certificates into cash, and the installer guide covers the full rules.