Battery jobs carry more money per claim than most solar jobs, and more scrutiny. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program has been running since 1 July 2025, and the paperwork is where installers tend to trip. The form must tie the owner’s agreement to a specific battery at a specific address.
What the battery form must show
- Owner and address. As for any STC claim, exactly matching the registry.
- Battery details. Brand, model, serial number and usable capacity in kWh. The eligible range is 5 to 100 kWh usable, with up to 50 kWh eligible.
- VPP capability. The product must be VPP-capable and CEC-approved. Record the model so it can be checked against the list.
- Installer details. Name and SAA accreditation. See SAA battery accreditation requirements.
- The assignment. A statement that the owner assigns the right to create the STCs.
- Value passed on. The discount at the point of sale.
- Signature and date.
The numbers at stake
At the time of writing the STC factor is 6.8 per kWh of usable capacity for 2026 installs, stepping down to 5.7 on 1 January 2027 and 5.2 on 1 July 2027 (the factor now steps every six months to 2030). A 10 kWh battery therefore earns 68 STCs this year, and 57 after the change, a drop of 11. The discount at launch was roughly 30 per cent. Our Cheaper Home Batteries installer guide works through the maths.
Common faults
- Nominal capacity recorded instead of usable.
- A model that is not on the approved list.
- A second battery on the same property.
- Evidence that does not match the form. See the battery submission guide.
From the desk: confirm the property has no previous battery claim before you quote. Finding out at lodgement is expensive.
Pairing with solar
When a battery is installed alongside a new solar system, you will have two forms, or a combined form with separate sections. Either is fine, provided each product’s details are complete and the claims can be traced back to the right equipment. Keep them together in the job file so the story is easy to follow.
What this means for installers
Use a battery-specific template and keep it aligned with your photos. The battery STCs pillar explains the program and how it works shows the claim flow. For a generic starting point, see the STC assignment form template.