Considering the effects of using electricity and other non-renewable sources of electricity on the environment and public health, people have started using alternative and renewable energy sources, such as solar power, to produce electricity. Solar panels and systems directly obtain energy from the sun and convert it into electricity and gas. Solar power is more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly than non-renewable energy sources. However, despite being cheaper than electricity, solar power is still a significant and luxurious investment for people. To make solar power more financially accessible, the Australian government has started incentives and schemes called solar rebates.
Solar rebates provide economic respite as they reduce your upfront costs. The Australian government offers programs and schemes to make solar energy more accessible to the citizens. The plans vary from state to state and depend on the eligibility criteria, but the government introduced them to provide financial aid to households switching to solar energy.
What Are Solar Rebates?
The Australian government provides financial incentives called solar rebates to its citizens to make generating solar power more manageable and accessible. Solar rebates cut down the overall cost of installing solar panels, which otherwise would have been quite expensive, considering that buying and installing solar panels can be costly.
These rebates allow Australian citizens to pay less while installing a solar system in their houses. The incentive provides discounts to households installing a solar panel by giving citizens vouchers and discount coupons depending on their solar panel size and geographical area. Residents can either sell or exchange the discount coupons for cutting down their overall installation expenses.
How Many Solar Rebate Schemes Does the Government Offer?
The Australian government provides two solar rebate incentives to Australian citizens:
Small-Scale Renewable Energy Incentive
The small-scale renewable energy incentive is the most popular scheme provided by the Australian government. People who install small-scale solar panels are eligible for small-scale energy certificates (STCs). STCs calculate the total amount of renewable energy the solar panel will produce in 15 years. People qualify for the certification upon installing their solar system to reduce the installation costs. Another eligibility criterion to receive an STC is your geographical location.
Feed-in Scheme
The second incentive offered by the government is a feed-in scheme. Less popular than the small-scale renewable energy scheme, the feed-in incentive reduces a couple of cents from the overall kilowatt-hour cost.
What Are the Various Solar Rebate Plans?
The Australian government provides various solar rebate plans:
State-wise Solar Rebates Plan
In addition to rebates on solar power, state-wise plans also offer rebates on other applications such as air conditioners, wind generators, hot water pools, etc.
NSW Solar Rebates Plan
The New South Wales (NSW) solar rebate plans offer financial assistance to people who help produce renewable energy. There are two schemes the NSW solar rebate plan offers: the Empowering Homes Program and the Solar for Low-Income Houses Program.
QLD Solar Rebates Plan
The Queensland (QLD) solar rebate plan provides financial incentives to households that installed solar panels from 2008 to 2012.
VIC Solar Rebates Plan
The Victoria (VIC) solar rebate plan provides multiple economic incentives to households, such as solar PV panels, solar batteries, and solar hot water.
SA Solar Rebates Plan
The South Australia (SA) solar rebate plan provides loans and subsidies to low-income households upon installing solar batteries.
Final Thoughts
With solar rebates, the Australian government provides financial help to households to make solar power more accessible. The Australian government offers multiple plans and schemes, depending on the size of the solar panel, geographical locations, and various other factors.
