Cheaper Home Batteries Program: Around 30% Off a Home Battery
The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program gives homes and small businesses an upfront discount on eligible batteries installed with new or existing solar. For typical home battery sizes the discount works out at around 30% of the installed cost, and it is taken off your quote at the point of sale, so there is no claim form to fill in.
Silicon Solar is a CEC Approved Solar Retailer and installs rebate eligible batteries from brands including GoodWe, Sungrow, FoxESS, Sofar, PotisEdge and BYD. We confirm your eligibility, size the battery to your usage and apply the discount for you.
How the Battery Discount Is Calculated
The discount comes from Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). Your installer creates STCs based on the battery’s usable capacity, and their value is passed on to you as a price reduction. Since 1 May 2026 the number of certificates depends on battery size:
| Usable battery capacity | Discount applied |
|---|---|
| First 14 kWh of usable capacity | Full STC rate |
| From 14 kWh up to 28 kWh | 60% of the STC rate |
| From 28 kWh up to 50 kWh | 15% of the STC rate |
| Above 50 kWh | No additional STCs |
For installations from May to December 2026 the rate is 6.8 STCs per kWh. It steps down every six months, reaching 2.1 STCs per kWh in the second half of 2030. The dollar value also moves with the STC market price, which is why we confirm your exact discount in writing on your quote.
What this means for you: batteries up to about 14 kWh usable receive the highest discount per kWh, and installing sooner rather than later locks in a larger discount.
Who Is Eligible?
Battery Eligibility Requirements
- The battery must be on the Clean Energy Council approved battery list and installed to AS/NZS 5139
- It must be new and between 5 kWh and 100 kWh nominal capacity
- It must be installed with a solar system of up to 100kW, either new or existing
- Grid connected batteries must be virtual power plant (VPP) capable, although joining a VPP is your choice
- Installation must be done by an installer accredited with Solar Accreditation Australia, with a battery endorsement
- One battery per premises is eligible, and it must stay installed until the end of 2030 or the end of its warranty, whichever is later
We check every requirement before you sign, so there are no surprises.
Is a Battery Worth It for Your Home?
A battery stores surplus solar from the middle of the day so you can use it in the evening, when grid power costs the most. It is usually worth it if you:
- Use a lot of electricity after sunset
- Export a large share of your solar for a low feed-in credit
- Want backup power for essential circuits during outages
- Plan to charge an EV or join a virtual power plant
See our hybrid solar and battery systems for how solar and storage work together.
Frequently Asked Questions
For typical home battery sizes the discount is around 30% of the installed cost. From May to December 2026 the rate is 6.8 STCs per kWh for the first 14 kWh, with reduced rates for larger batteries. The dollar amount depends on the STC market price, and we confirm it on your quote.
Yes. Batteries added to existing solar systems are eligible, as long as the battery and installation meet the program requirements.
No. The discount is applied at the point of sale. As your installer, Silicon Solar handles the STC paperwork for you.
Since 1 May 2026, the first 14 kWh of usable capacity receives the full rate, so batteries around that size get the highest discount per kWh. Larger batteries still receive a discount on additional capacity, at lower rates.
Yes. The STC rate steps down every six months until the end of 2030, so installing earlier means a bigger discount.
No. Grid connected batteries must be VPP capable to qualify, but joining a VPP is optional.
Check Your Battery Discount
Find out exactly what discount your home or business qualifies for with a free battery assessment from our team.
Program details are based on the Clean Energy Regulator’s published rules for installations from 1 May 2026 and may change. We confirm current eligibility and discounts on every quote.