Off-grid solar is not a loophole or an exception. The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme covers systems that generate at the premises where they are installed, whether or not they connect to the grid. What changes with a stand-alone power system is who is allowed to install it and how the evidence is collected.
What qualifies
- Size: under 100 kW, with annual output below 250 MWh. Above 100 kW, see the mid-scale solar page.
- Products: panels and inverter on the Clean Energy Council approved list at the time of installation. The inverter must be suitable for off-grid use.
- Installer: designed and installed by someone holding the appropriate SAA accreditation. A grid-connect accreditation alone is not enough. See what SAA accreditation involves.
- Structure: a lived-in or otherwise genuine point of use, such as a house, cabin or homestead. Whether a particular outbuilding or pump qualifies is covered on the shed and garage page and the bore pump page.
How many STCs
There is no separate off-grid multiplier. The calculation is kW x zone rating x deeming period. For a 2026 install the deeming period is five years, so a 6.6 kW system earns 53 STCs in zone 1, 50 in zone 2, 45 in zone 3 and 39 in zone 4. At the time of writing, STC spot has been roughly $38 to $40, and the STC calculator will give the exact number for any postcode.
SAPS and SA Power Networks
A “stand-alone power system” can also be a network-owned solution, such as a SAPS that a distributor installs to replace a long power line. That is a network asset and does not create STCs for the homeowner. A customer-owned system on a South Australian property that happens to be off the SA Power Networks grid is treated like any other off-grid installation: it needs SAA accreditation and CEC-approved products.
Is there an off-grid rebate in 2026?
The reliable federal incentive is the STC. Batteries added to an off-grid solar system are a separate question, because the Cheaper Home Batteries Program has its own rules; see stand-alone power system battery STCs. State programs for remote power have opened and closed, and the NT battery scheme is closed, so verify any state offer with the department that runs it.
What this means for installers
The risk on off-grid jobs is paperwork, not the formula. Make sure the accreditation type matches the work, keep the design documents with the job, and capture the same photo evidence as a grid-connected install; the photo requirements guide lists them. Remote sites often mean unreliable phone signal, so take photos with location data switched on before you leave.
Ready to turn the certificates into cash? See how STC trading works and current rates.