Topic
Hot water and heat pump STCs
48 pages, one place. Start with the quick answers, go deeper with the articles.
In depth 9
- Best heat pump hot water system in Australia: how to chooseThere is no single best heat pump hot water system. Use this specification checklist, sizing guide and incentive check to pick the right one for your …
- Heat pump hot water STCs explained for plumbersHow STCs for air-source heat pumps work: CER-registered models, climate zones, deeming, what to collect on site, illustrative counts and the VEEC over…
- Heat pump rebate NSW 2026: STCs, ESCs and PRCsHow a NSW heat pump hot water upgrade is supported in 2026: federal STCs, Energy Savings Scheme ESCs, where PRCs fit, a worked quote and what to ask.
- Heat pump rebate stack: STCs, VEU and Solar VictoriaHow a Victorian heat pump hot water upgrade can combine federal STCs, a VEEC discount and a Solar Victoria rebate, with the order of operations and a …
- Heat pump rebate Victoria 2026: STCs, VEECs, how to chooseWhat changed for Victorian heat pump hot water in 2026: STC and VEEC pricing, the $150,000 Solar Victoria income cap, and three household scenarios wo…
- Heat pump vs solar hot water: costs, climate and incentivesHeat pump or solar hot water? Compare how each works, where each suits, running costs, the incentives (STCs, VEECs in Victoria) and a simple decision …
- Which hot water systems are eligible for STCs?Which solar and heat pump water heaters create STCs, what the CER register decides, how replacement type and zone change the count, and what ineligibl…
- Solar hot water rebate: what you can still claimSolar hot water systems still earn federal STCs and may qualify for state incentives. How solar thermal compares with a heat pump, and how to read the…
- Solar hot water rebate in Australia 2026: state by stateWhat a solar hot water system can still claim in 2026: federal STCs everywhere, state certificate schemes where they exist, and how to compare with a …
Quick answers 38
- How to check hot water STC eligibility using the CER registerSearch the Clean Energy Regulator's register of solar water heaters for the exact model, then read the STC figure for your zone and install date. If t…
- How to claim STCs on a heat pumpTo claim STCs on a heat pump, check the model is eligible, get the owner's signed assignment, install and photograph the job, create the claim in the …
- How much does a heat pump hot water system cost after STCs?After the STC discount, an installed heat pump commonly lands in the low-to-mid thousands, but the number depends on the model, size, zone, install co…
- How to start a heat pump installation business and make STCs payYou need the plumbing and electrical licences your state requires, a source of registered heat pump models, a repeatable STC claim process and enough …
- Heat pump hot water rebate in AustraliaA heat pump hot water system can earn STCs under the federal small-scale scheme, delivered as a discount on your quote. Some states add their own ince…
- Heat pump hot water STCs for installersEligible air-sourced heat pump water heaters earn STCs, which the installer creates in the Clean Energy Regulator registry after the job and sells to …
- Heat pump hot water STCs by zone: zone 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5For heat pump hot water systems the Clean Energy Regulator uses five postcode zones, based on regional climate. Zone 1 to zone 5 each give the same re…
- Do heat pump suppliers and wholesalers offer an STC discount?Some suppliers and wholesalers offer to take the STC assignment, claim the certificates and discount the stock price. It can help cash flow, but you g…
- What photos and serial numbers do heat pump STC claims need?Photograph the installed unit, the data plate, the serial number on the tank and outdoor unit, the install location, and the old system before removal…
- Can heat pump STCs be claimed on a new build, granny flat or rental?Yes, in most cases. STC eligibility follows the registered heat pump model and the installation, not the type of building. New builds, granny flats an…
- Do you need a plumbing compliance certificate for heat pump STCs?Where your state requires a plumbing compliance certificate for the work, include it in the claim evidence. Victoria, NSW and Queensland each use thei…
- Am I eligible for a heat pump rebate?You may be eligible if you are installing an approved heat pump water heater through an accredited installer, in a home where the rules apply. The inc…
- Heat pump rebates in QLD, SA, WA, Tas, ACT and NT in 2026In every state and territory the federal STC discount applies to eligible heat pumps. Queensland, WA, Tasmania and the NT have no widely available ded…
- Heat pump STC assignment form: what it needs to sayA heat pump STC assignment form records the owner, the address, the unit and the transfer of the right to create certificates to the installer. It mus…
- What paperwork does a plumber need for heat pump STCs?A plumber needs a signed STC assignment form from the owner, the state plumbing compliance certificate, an invoice with the serial number, and a photo…
- How long do you have to claim STCs on a heat pump?STCs generally must be created within 12 months of the installation date. Lodge much sooner, because the certificate count depends on the deeming peri…
- What are heat pump STC clawbacks, audits and fraud risks?A clawback happens when certificates already paid for are found invalid, usually after an audit of evidence, eligibility or the install. Honest errors…
- Do heat pump STCs reduce every year? The 10-year deeming mythYes. The regulator's register works from a 10-year system life, but the STC count is then scaled by a factor tied to the install year: 0.5 for 2026, 0…
- Is the heat pump STC discount going down in 2027 and when does it end?Yes, the number of STCs per install falls each year because certificates are created up front to the end of the scheme on 31 December 2030. There is n…
- How does the STC discount show on a heat pump quote?The STC discount is a line that reduces your price, because you assign the certificates to the installer. It is lower than expected when the certifica…
- Can you stack heat pump STCs and ESCs in NSW?Often, yes. A NSW heat pump can earn federal STCs and, where the activity qualifies, ESCs under the Energy Savings Scheme. Whether both apply depends …
- What licence or accreditation do you need to install heat pumps for STCs?Heat pump and solar hot water STCs are tied to being correctly licensed under state rules, usually a plumbing licence plus electrical work by a licens…
- Choosing a heat pump STC traderA heat pump STC trader buys the certificates you create from hot water installs. Compare published rates, settlement speed, fees, whether they pre-che…
- Who buys heat pump STCs and how fast do traders pay installers?Registered certificate traders and aggregators buy heat pump STCs, and many ultimately sell to liable energy retailers. Payment time ranges from a day…
- Can you claim STCs and VEECs on the same heat pump?Often yes in Victoria, but only if the product and install meet both programs' rules. STCs come from the federal small-scale scheme and VEECs from Vic…
- How do heat pump VEECs work in Victoria?In Victoria, installing a qualifying heat pump water heater under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program can create VEECs for an accredited provider. E…
- Which heat pumps are eligible for STCs? Size limits, zones and brandsNo, not every heat pump is eligible. An air source heat pump water heater must be on the Clean Energy Regulator's register, be under 425 litres, be ne…
- How many STCs does a solar hot water system get? Tank size and zonesA solar water heater's STC count comes from its registered model, one of four postcode zones and the install year, with a factor of 0.5 for 2026. Tank…
- How many STCs does a heat pump hot water system get in 2026 and 2027?There is no single number. A heat pump's STCs come from its registered model, your postcode zone and the install year, and the count is usually in the…
- How many STCs for a heat pump hot water system?There is no single figure. A heat pump's STC count depends on its registered model, the climate zone of the address and the installation type, and is …
- How much is a heat pump hot water system after rebate?The price after rebate is the installed cost minus the STC discount and any state incentives. Because STC counts vary by model and zone, ask your inst…
- Is a replacement heat pump eligible for STCs?Yes. A registered air source heat pump that replaces an existing electric or gas hot water system can earn STCs, the same as a new installation. The c…
- What solar hot water rebates are available in Victoria?Victorians installing a solar hot water system may be able to claim federal STCs, and in some cases VEECs through Victorian Energy Upgrades or a state…
- How do you choose an STC trader for solar hot water?Choose a trader that regularly settles hot water and heat pump STCs, not only solar PV, and ask how their compliance desk checks product codes, serial…
- Solar hot water STCs for installersEligible solar water heaters earn STCs based on the registered model's performance and the climate zone of the install. The installer creates the cert…
- Solar hot water vs heat pump: which earns more STCs?Neither earns more by type. STCs come from each model's registered figure, your zone and the install year, and both follow the same 2026 to 2030 step-…
- What makes a solar water heater eligible for STCs?A solar water heater is eligible when the model is on the Clean Energy Regulator's registered product list, it is installed by an eligible installer, …
- Do gas boosted, electric storage and instantaneous hot water earn STCs?Gas boosted solar hot water systems can earn STCs if the solar water heater model is registered. Standard electric storage and instantaneous gas or el…
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