PRCs, Peak Reduction Certificates, are created under the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS), which sits next to the Energy Savings Scheme. They reward actions that cut demand when the grid is stretched, such as connecting batteries to virtual power plants and installing efficient cooling.
The price
Market reports put the PRC price at about $3 in 2026 (reported). That is low compared with other certificates and there is no official price: it is set by trades between accredited certificate providers and the entities that need them.
| Certificate | Reported level |
|---|---|
| PRC | about $3 |
| ESC | about $29 (late Sept 2026) |
| STC | roughly $38 to $40 |
| VEEC | about $85 to $95 in 2026 |
Why PRCs are cheap
A PRC is denominated per kilowatt of peak demand reduction, but each activity can create a large number of them, and the market has traded at a low level. A low price per certificate is not a low value per job, since the number created is what counts. The number depends on the method, the battery or product and its capacity.
What PRCs fund
- BESS2: the VPP incentive for residential batteries connected to an approved VPP. See BESS1 and BESS2.
- BESS3, BESS4 and BESS5: commercial battery activities from 1 September 2026. See the NSW commercial battery answer.
- Efficient air conditioning and other peak-reduction measures.
Reading a PRC-based quote
The customer’s discount is typically PRC count x the provider’s price, less the provider’s costs. When the market price is about $3, a few percent change in the price is small in dollars but the provider’s costs are fixed, so margins can be thin. Ask the provider how it prices certificates, whether it uses a fixed rate and how long it takes to settle.
How to track the price
There is no official PRC price, so use more than one source: broker updates, your accredited certificate provider’s quote and any published market commentary. Check the date on any figure, since certificate prices can move materially over a few weeks.
PRCs and the bigger picture
A low PRC price does not make the scheme pointless. It means the incentive is set mostly by volume and design rather than by market spikes, which makes it steadier to quote, if less exciting.
What this means for installers
Treat PRC income as a bonus on top of the federal discount, not a basis for pricing. If you install batteries in NSW, the key federal numbers are in the battery STC pages, and the NSW pillar at ESCs and PRCs covers the scheme. See pricing for STC and VEEC rates, and the PRC price explainer for background.