Schemes to look into, by state
| Where | What it is | Conditions to check | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Homes | Victoria | A rebate | Owner-occupier, property under $3 million, household income under $150,000, old system at least 3 years old |
| Victorian Energy Upgrades | Victoria | A discount | A minimum payment applies to certain upgrades |
| Energy Savings Scheme | NSW | A discount | Amounts are indicative, and you make a minimum payment |
| STCs | Australia-wide | Certificates, often taken as a discount | Model on the register: heat pump under 425 L, solar under 700 L |
| Sustainable Household Scheme | ACT | A loan | $2,000 to $20,000 at 3% interest |
| Home Energy Support | ACT | A rebate | Eligible concession card, and you own and live in the home |
| REPS | SA | A scheme with a water heating activity | Open to all South Australians, whatever their energy retailer |
Work through it in order
Find your state in the table
Note each scheme listed for your state, then add STCs, which are federal.
Check who owns and lives in the home
Solar Homes and Home Energy Support both need you to own the home and live in it. Landlords and tenants can cross those two off.
Look at the old system and the new one
Some conditions are about what you're replacing, like the Solar Homes rule on the old system's age. Others are about what goes in, like the STC size limits and the register.
Confirm with the scheme
Read each scheme's own conditions before you rely on it. Only the scheme can approve you.
Before you sign anything
Confirm every condition with the scheme itself before you sign anything. Solar Homes is worked out after other discounts, so a Victorian quote should show those discounts first. The rebate is 50% of the purchase price, up to $1,000, or up to $1,400 for products eligible under the locally made incentive.
In NSW, ask for a quote that confirms the Energy Savings Scheme discount is included. In the ACT, don't accept a quote for Home Energy Support until the ACT Government has pre-approved your application.
Solar Homes requires you to be the owner-occupier of the home, so a rental you own falls outside it. Victorian rentals have their own minimum standards instead.
Nobody can promise you'll pay nothing
Victorian Energy Upgrades requires a minimum payment for certain upgrades, and the NSW Energy Savings Scheme requires one too. If a caller or a website says otherwise, treat it as a warning sign.
Queensland, WA, Tasmania and the NT
The state schemes in the table run in Victoria, NSW, the ACT and South Australia. STCs are federal, so they can apply in Queensland, WA, Tasmania and the NT as well.
In those four, ask the plumber about STCs, then look at your state or territory government's energy pages for anything it runs itself. Queensland readers can start with our Queensland page, and rebates by state has more on each scheme in the table.
When you know what could apply, we match you with one plumber who specialises in hot water to quote the job.