Potential for solar energy in Canberra
Canberra is one of the best places in Australia to go solar. It gets plenty of sunshine, and the ACT Government and the Australian Government both offer rebates, discounts and low-interest loans that cut the upfront cost of solar panels, home batteries and electric upgrades.
The catch is that these programs change often, and several popular ones have closed or changed their rules. This guide covers what is actually available to ACT homeowners in 2026, who qualifies, and how the incentives stack together and make your home more sustainable.
Quick summary: solar and battery incentives in the ACT (2026)
- Home Energy Support Program (ACT): rebates of up to $5,000 for eligible concession card holders, including up to $2,500 for rooftop solar.
- Sustainable Household Scheme (ACT): loans of $2,000 to $20,000 at 3% interest for batteries, heat pumps, EVs and other electric upgrades. Solar panels on their own are not eligible.
- Cheaper Home Batteries Program (federal): a discount of roughly 30% on average off an installed home battery, applied at the point of sale.
- Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (federal): an upfront discount on rooftop solar panels through small-scale technology certificates (STCs), until 2030.
- Solar feed-in tariffs: get paid by your electricity retailer for the solar power you export to the grid.
- Next Gen Energy Storage Program: closed in 2023. No longer available.
Why Canberra is a great place for solar
Canberra has high solar exposure all year, including cold, clear winter days. That makes rooftop solar a strong investment for most detached homes in the region.
The ACT has also been powered by 100% renewable electricity since 2020, one of the first places in the world to reach that. The government’s focus is now net zero emissions by 2045, which means moving homes off gas and onto efficient electric appliances powered by solar and batteries.
For anyone building new, this matters. Since 8 December 2023, new homes in most parts of the ACT can’t be connected to the gas network, so every new Canberra home is all-electric. Solar panels and a battery are the natural way to keep the running costs of an all-electric home down.
Home Energy Support Program (ACT solar rebate for concession card holders)
The Home Energy Support Program is the ACT Government’s main solar rebate. It is for homeowners with an eligible concession card and offers up to $5,000 in total:
Rooftop solar: 50% of the cost, up to $2,500
Other energy upgrades: 50% of the cost, up to $2,500, for reverse-cycle heating and cooling, hot water heat pumps, evacuated tube solar hot water, electric stovetops and ovens, or ceiling insulation
Who is eligible for the Home Energy Support Program?
You must:
Live in the ACT and own the home where the upgrade is installed
Hold an Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card, a DVA Gold Card or an Australian Government Health Care Card
Complete a free online Everyday Climate Choices workshop
Meet the unimproved value (UV) limits: $750,000 for freestanding homes, units and dual occupancies, and $300,000 for unit-titled multi-storey apartments
Can you combine the rebate with a loan?
Yes. Eligible homeowners can also get a zero-interest loan of up to $10,000 through Brighte to cover the remaining cost after the rebate. Check the latest conditions before applying.
Sustainable Household Scheme (low-interest loans for batteries and electric upgrades)
The Sustainable Household Scheme helps Canberrans pay for energy upgrades over time. Since 2021 it has settled more than $290 million in loans, and more than half of this financial year’s applications have been for home batteries.
How the Sustainable Household Scheme loan works
- Loan amount: $2,000 to $20,000 for new applicants (previous participants are capped at $15,000 in total)
- Interest rate: 3% fixed for households
- Repayment term: up to 10 years
- Fees: no establishment or account-keeping fees, and no penalty for early repayment
- Lender: Brighte, in partnership with the ACT Government
Concession card holders may be able to get a zero-interest loan instead, through the Home Energy Support Program above.
What can you buy with a Sustainable Household Scheme loan?
- Home battery storage systems
- EV charging equipment
- Reverse-cycle heating and cooling
- Hot water heat pumps and evacuated tube solar hot water
- Electric stovetops
- New and used electric vehicles, electric motorbikes and e-cargo bikes
- Ceiling insulation
Important: rooftop solar panels on their own are no longer eligible under this scheme. If you’re a concession card holder, the Home Energy Support Program covers solar. If not, the federal STC discount below is the main incentive for solar panels.
Sustainable Household Scheme eligibility
You’ll generally need to be an ACT homeowner, meet Brighte’s credit criteria and attend a free one-hour live workshop, online or in person. Each product category has its own eligibility rules, so check the current scheme guidelines on the Climate Choices website.
ACT solar battery rebates: the Cheaper Home Batteries Program
The ACT’s own battery rebate, the Next Gen Energy Storage Program, has closed. Canberra homeowners can still get a significant discount on a home battery through the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program.
How the federal battery discount works
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program started on 1 July 2025. Your accredited installer applies the discount at the point of sale, so it comes straight off your quote and you don’t claim it back later. The government’s aim is an average saving of around 30% on an installed battery.
The program changed on 1 May 2026:
- The discount is now tiered by battery size. Batteries up to 14 kWh of usable capacity get the full rate, 14–28 kWh gets a reduced rate, and 28–50 kWh gets a smaller rate again. Capacity above 50 kWh gets no discount.
- The discount steps down every six months until the program ends in 2030, so the sooner you install, the larger the discount.
Who can get the federal battery discount?
- Homeowners, small businesses and community organisations, including new homes
- The battery must be installed with a new or existing rooftop solar system at the same property
- Battery size between 5 and 100 kWh
- The battery must be installed under the supervision of a Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accredited installer
- Grid-connected batteries must be VPP-capable (able to join a virtual power plant), though joining one is optional
In the ACT, you can pay the remaining cost of a battery with a Sustainable Household Scheme loan. The discount and the loan used together are one of the most affordable ways to add battery storage in Canberra.
Why add a battery to your solar?
Solar panels produce the most power in the middle of the day, when many households use the least. A battery stores that extra energy so you can use it in the evening, overnight and on cloudy days instead of buying power from the grid. Using your own stored solar is usually worth much more than exporting it for a feed-in tariff.
A battery can also keep essential circuits running during a blackout, but only if the system is set up with backup power. A standard grid-connected solar system without a battery switches off during a power outage for safety.
H2: Federal solar panel rebate: small-scale technology certificates (STCs)
The main national incentive for rooftop solar panels is the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. When you install an eligible system (up to 100 kW for homes), it earns STCs based on how much electricity it is expected to generate until the scheme ends in 2030.
Most homeowners never deal with the certificates directly. You sign them over to your installer, who takes their value off your quote. Because the number of certificates falls each year as 2030 approaches, the discount gets a little smaller every year.
H2: Solar feed-in tariffs in the ACT
When your solar produces more power than your home is using, the extra goes back to the grid, and your electricity retailer can pay you a feed-in tariff for it.
In the ACT, feed-in tariffs are voluntary and not regulated. Each retailer sets its own rate, and rates vary a lot between plans. A high feed-in tariff doesn’t always mean the cheapest plan overall, so compare the whole offer, including what you pay for power, using the government’s Energy Made Easy website.
Because feed-in rates are usually well below what you pay to buy electricity, most Canberra households now get more value from using their solar power themselves, or storing it in a battery, than from exporting it.
Solar incentives for apartments, renters and landlords in the ACT
- Apartments: the ACT Government’s Solar for Apartments Program has offered owners corporations up to $100,000 per complex for shared rooftop solar, half as a grant and half as a zero-interest loan. Check with the program whether funding is currently available.
- Landlords: the Home Energy Support rebates for rental providers are no longer taking applications. ACT rental properties must meet minimum energy efficiency standards, including ceiling insulation, by 30 November 2026, and low-interest loans for insulation upgrades are available to eligible rental providers.
- Renters: renters should speak with their landlord. The Climate Choices website also lists programs for renters.
Next Gen Energy Storage Program (now closed)
You may still see the Next Gen Energy Storage Program mentioned online. It ran from 2016 and funded 5,000 home and business battery installations across Canberra, helping give the ACT one of the highest household battery densities in the world. It reached its target and closed in 2023.
It is no longer accepting applications. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program and the Sustainable Household Scheme loan are the options to use now.
Building a solar-ready, energy-efficient home with ABM Homes
The cheapest time to plan for solar and batteries is before your home is built. Roof orientation, pitch, space for panels and a good spot for a battery and inverter can all be designed in from day one, instead of being fitted around a finished roof later.
ABM Homes has been building energy-efficient homes across the ACT and NSW for years, including our Arise display home at the Whitlam Display Village in Canberra.
Whether you’re building a custom home, looking at a house and land package or planning a knockdown rebuild, our team can help you design a home that makes the most of solar and today’s energy incentives.
Call us or contact our team to start planning your energy-efficient home.
Rebates and eligibility rules change regularly. Always check the current conditions with the ACT Government or your installer before you buy. This guide is general information, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still get government rebates for solar panels in Canberra?
Yes. Every eligible system gets the federal STC discount at the point of sale. Concession card holders can also get up to $2,500 off rooftop solar through the ACT Home Energy Support Program.
Is there a battery rebate in the ACT?
The ACT’s own battery rebate (Next Gen) has closed. Canberra homeowners can use the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which gives an average discount of around 30%, and pay the rest with a Sustainable Household Scheme loan.
Is the Sustainable Household Scheme interest-free?
Not for most households. Standard loans now have a 3% fixed interest rate. Eligible concession card holders may be able to get a zero-interest loan through the Home Energy Support Program.
Does the government pay you for solar energy?
The government doesn’t pay you directly, but your electricity retailer can pay you a feed-in tariff for the power you export. In the ACT, retailers set their own rates, so it pays to compare.
How do I claim a solar rebate?
For STCs and the battery discount, your accredited installer applies the saving to your quote. For the Home Energy Support Program and Sustainable Household Scheme, you apply through the ACT Government’s Climate Choices website and complete the required workshop first.