A battery qualifies for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program when four things line up: the product is on the approved list, it has between 5 and 100 kWh of usable capacity, it can connect to a virtual power plant (VPP), and an accredited installer fits it at a property that has not already claimed. Miss any one and the discount, which arrives as small-scale technology certificates (STCs), does not.
The people who get caught are rarely the ones who ignore the rules. They are the ones who check the headline and miss a detail: nominal kWh instead of usable, a variant that is not on the list, a second battery at an address that has already claimed. This article walks through each test so you can run it before a deposit is taken. Rules in this area change, so anything marked “at the time of writing” should be confirmed with the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
The eligibility tests at a glance
| Test | What the program asks for (at the time of writing) | Where it usually goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Battery model on the Clean Energy Council (CEC) approved list for the program | Variant or firmware version not listed |
| Capacity | 5 kWh to 100 kWh usable; discount applies to the first 50 kWh | Datasheet nominal kWh used instead of usable |
| VPP capability | The battery must be able to connect to a VPP | Assuming capability without checking the model |
| Installer | Accredited installer, work done to the applicable standards | Accreditation lapsed or wrong class |
| Property | One eligible battery per property | Prior claim at the address |
| Timing | Installed on or after 1 July 2025 | Install date versus contract date confusion |
The battery itself
The battery has to be a model the program recognises. The CEC maintains the approved list, and it is the list that counts, not a manufacturer’s own statement that a product is “eligible”. Check the exact model and, where the list distinguishes them, the variant.
Capacity is the second filter. The program covers batteries from 5 to 100 kWh of usable capacity. Usable is the figure that matters, and it is routinely lower than the nominal number on a sales brochure. A battery sold as “13.5 kWh” may have a usable rating of 13.5 or 12.8 depending on the product, and the certificate maths runs off the usable figure.
Only the first 50 kWh of usable capacity earns certificates. A 70 kWh commercial-scale install is allowed, but 20 kWh of it sits outside the discount. From 1 May 2026 the certificate factor also tapers by size band, which we cover in what changed in 2026.
VPP capability
The VPP requirement catches people because it sounds like a commitment. It is a capability test. The battery must be able to connect to a virtual power plant. It does not oblige the household to join one. Whether to join is a separate decision, covered in should you join a VPP for the battery rebate.
For installers, the practical step is to confirm the capability for the specific model and keep the evidence on the job file, because it is one of the items a reviewer may ask about.
Who can install
The installation must be done by an accredited installer, working to the standards that apply to battery systems. The accreditation is checked against the person who signs the paperwork, so a lapsed accreditation or one that does not cover battery work is a problem even if the installation itself is perfect.
Homeowners should ask for the installer’s accreditation details before signing and confirm that the quote shows the discount as a separate line.
Who can receive the discount
Households, small businesses and community groups can all claim, provided the property meets the one-battery rule. The program is not means-tested. The discount is passed on through the price of the battery: the customer assigns the STCs to the installer or their trader, and the invoice reflects the value.
If the property already has a battery that claimed under the program, a second one at the same address will not earn certificates. Ask the customer directly, and check the paperwork they hold.
Existing solar, new solar, or no solar
A battery can go in alongside new solar or be added to an existing system. If the solar was installed years ago, the battery claim is independent of it. That said, the electrical side matters. A system with an older inverter may need work before a battery can be connected, and the network operator (DNSP) approval has to match what is actually installed.
Timing
The program started on 1 July 2025 and runs to 2030, with the certificate factor stepping down on a set schedule. Eligibility does not change with the date, but the value does: installing after a step-down earns fewer certificates for the same battery. The date that counts is the installation date, not the sale date.
What a reviewer checks
Once the job is lodged, the claim is tested against the same list: product, capacity, installer, property history, and evidence. The documents that prove it are the signed STC assignment form, serial and installation photos, and the compliance paperwork. The battery submission guide lays out each item, and our top claim rejection reasons shows where the common errors come from.
Edge cases we see
- Home battery for a business. Small businesses can claim, but a battery above 100 kWh usable is outside the program, and only the first 50 kWh earns certificates. Check the size before you promise a discount.
- Rental properties. The property rule is one battery per property, regardless of who owns it. A landlord and a tenant cannot each claim at the same address.
- Replacing a failed battery. If a battery under the program is replaced, ask the CER how the replacement is treated before you quote a second discount.
- Batteries bundled with solar in one product. All-in-one units can be eligible, but the battery component still has to be on the approved list with its usable capacity listed.
- Aggregated or three-phase systems. Several modules sold as one system count towards a single capacity figure. Add the usable capacity across modules, then check the total against the 100 kWh ceiling.
None of these is exotic. They come up often enough that a short note in your quote process saves a conversation later.
What to do next
- Homeowners: ask your installer for the approved-list entry and the usable capacity in writing, and confirm nothing has been claimed at your address.
- Installers: add an eligibility checklist to your quote process and keep a copy on file for every job.
- Both: read the full battery STC overview and check the current rules with the CER before you commit.
If you are an installer and want a trader that checks these items before lodgement, talk to the desk or see how it works on the battery STC page.