Estimate the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program discount for a home or small-business battery. The program pays bonus small-scale technology certificates (STCs), deemed upfront and delivered as an install discount through your retailer.
Nameplate capacity of the battery being installed.
Estimated battery discount
$3,580
Battery STCs
92
Eligible weighted capacity
13.5 kWh
Is this for your own site, or do you run a solar business?
Estimate only. Final certificate counts, product eligibility and STC prices are determined by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) and your retailer. Confirm the current CER weighting before quoting a firm discount.
How the battery discount is calculated
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program creates bonus STCs for the usable capacity of an eligible battery, using a tiered weighting so larger batteries earn proportionally fewer certificates per kWh: 100% for the first 14 kWh, 60% for the next 14 kWh (14–28 kWh) and 15% for the next 22 kWh (28–50 kWh). Certificate creation is capped at 50 kWh of weighted capacity, and only batteries from 5 to 100 kWh nameplate, installed with new or existing solar of 100 kW or less, are eligible. The weighted kWh is multiplied by a period factor (set by the CER, stepping down every six months to 2030) and by the market STC price to reach the discount.
This is a federal scheme, separate from any state incentive. In NSW an apartment or business battery may also earn Peak Reduction Certificates under the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) — the two stack. The PDRS home battery activity (BESS1) is suspended outside the Home Energy Saver Discounts Program and government owned and managed sites. Try the NSW PDRS calculator, or estimate the solar panels' own certificates with the STC calculator.
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program does not pay the same rate per kWh all the way up. Usable capacity is weighted in three declining tiers, and certificate creation stops once the weighted capacity reaches 50 kWh.
Tier
Capacity band
Weighting
Tier 1
0–14 kWh
100%
Tier 2
14–28 kWh
60%
Tier 3
28–50 kWh
15%
Above cap
50–100 kWh
Not counted (capped at 50 kWh weighted)
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cheaper Home Batteries Program?
It is the federal battery incentive administered by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER). Instead of a cash rebate, an eligible battery earns bonus small-scale technology certificates (STCs) that are deemed upfront and passed on as an install discount by an accredited retailer or installer, the same delivery mechanism as solar STCs.
How does the tiered weighting work?
The battery’s usable capacity is weighted in three tiers: 100% for the first 14 kWh, 60% for the next 14 kWh (14–28 kWh), and 15% for the next 22 kWh (28–50 kWh). Certificate creation is capped once the weighted capacity reaches 50 kWh, so bigger batteries earn proportionally fewer certificates per kWh above that point.
What size battery qualifies?
Batteries from 5 kWh to 100 kWh nameplate (nominal) capacity are eligible, installed with a new or existing solar system of 100 kW or less. Batteries outside that range, such as larger commercial or industrial installations, receive no battery STCs under this program at all, not just a capped count.
Is this the same as the NSW battery rebate (PDRS)?
No. This is a federal scheme available Australia-wide. NSW also runs the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS), which pays Peak Reduction Certificates on top for apartment and business batteries that shift the evening peak. The two stack, so a NSW business can claim both. The PDRS home battery activity (BESS1) is suspended outside the Home Energy Saver Discounts Program and government owned and managed sites, so for most NSW households the federal program is the battery incentive.
Does the value change depending on when I install?
Yes. The CER publishes a weighting factor that steps down every six months from May 2026 through to the end of 2030, so installing earlier generally earns a larger discount for the same battery size.
Do I need new solar to claim the battery discount?
No. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program certificates are based on the battery’s capacity alone. Solar panels installed at the same time earn their own, separate STCs under the standard small-scale scheme.
How much is a battery STC worth?
STC prices float with the certificate market, similarly to solar STCs. The calculator starts from the current market default Amperage quotes with, which you can adjust under More options; confirm the current value with your retailer before quoting a firm discount.