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What happens to my battery rebate if my battery is installed after 1 January 2027?

The federal Cheaper Home Batteries rebate falls in steps, and the step that applies is the one on the day your battery is installed. Install from 1 January to 30 June 2027 and the factor is 5.7 instead of 6.8; from 1 July 2027 it is 5.2. You do not apply for it: we take it off at point of sale.

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The factors, by install date

  • Installed from May to 31 December 2026: 6.8
  • Installed 1 January to 30 June 2027: 5.7
  • Installed 1 July to 31 December 2027: 5.2
  • It keeps stepping down every six months after that.

The factor is the number of certificates (STCs) created per kWh of usable battery capacity. An illustration with certificates, not dollars: a 10 kWh usable battery creates about 68 certificates at 6.8 and about 57 at 5.7. What each certificate is worth in dollars moves with the market, so your proposal shows your own figure.

What counts as “installed”

The government says a battery is considered installed, and so eligible to create certificates, from the date a certificate of electrical compliance (or the state equivalent) is issued. That is the date that sets your factor, not the date you ask for a quote or sign. A job that is signed in December but only completed in January gets the January factor.

How long the steps before install take

An honest job takes time: the free energy assessment from your power bills, the design, a face-to-face site visit, and the Essential Energy connection application, which has to be approved before install. We tell you straight whether an install before a step-down is realistic. We will not skip the site visit or rush the design to beat a date.

What does not change

  • You still need an eligible battery on the approved list, installed by a Solar Accreditation Australia accredited installer with the right endorsement.
  • It works with new or existing solar, and one battery claim is allowed per property.
  • We handle the paperwork. Larger batteries are tapered: the full factor applies to the first 14 kWh, with reduced rates above that.

If you were going ahead anyway, an earlier install keeps the higher factor. If you are not sure yet, the right size and a proper install matter more than the date. See the full step-down page, federal battery rebate step-down, and try the battery rebate calculator.

Why locals choose us

  • Our own in-house team designs every system and does every install. 25 years in solar and large commercial electrical work. No subcontractors.
  • A face-to-face site visit before every install: compliant battery position, switchboard and RCBO check, no surprises on the day.
  • SAA-accredited installer and Sigenergy-approved, with a 25-year workmanship warranty on our installation work.

Questions we get asked

Is the rebate worked out when I sign or when it is installed?

When it is installed. The factor on your install date applies, which the government defines by the date of the certificate of electrical compliance.

How much will I lose by installing in January?

The factor drops from 6.8 to 5.7 per usable kWh, so the same battery creates fewer certificates. The dollar value depends on your battery size and the certificate price, which your proposal shows.

Can you promise an install before 1 January?

No, and we will not promise one. We tell you honestly whether the steps before install, including the grid application, can be done in time.

Is the solar rebate changing too?

Solar STCs also step down each January. If you are doing solar and a battery together, both are built into your proposal.

Sources

Last checked 7 October 2026. Only the manufacturer’s, the network’s or the government’s own documents are used; app menus and defaults change between models and versions, so if your screen looks different, call us rather than guess.

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