Step-down schedule
Every date the battery rebate falls, to the end of 2030
The federal rebate is paid in certificates, and the number of certificates per kilowatt-hour falls on 1 January and 1 July every year until the scheme ends.
Updated
The next fall is on 1 January 2027: from 6.8 to 5.7, about 16% less for every battery, whatever its size.
STC factor by install date
| Installed | Dates | STCs per kWh | Change | First 14 kWh, $ per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May–Dec 2026 | 1 May 2026 –31 Dec 2026 | 6.8 | −19% | $272.00 |
| Jan–Jun 2027 | 1 Jan 2027 –30 Jun 2027 | 5.7 | −16% | $228.00 |
| Jul–Dec 2027 | 1 Jul 2027 –31 Dec 2027 | 5.2 | −9% | $208.00 |
| Jan–Jun 2028 | 1 Jan 2028 –30 Jun 2028 | 4.6 | −12% | $184.00 |
| Jul–Dec 2028 | 1 Jul 2028 –31 Dec 2028 | 4.1 | −11% | $164.00 |
| Jan–Jun 2029 | 1 Jan 2029 –30 Jun 2029 | 3.6 | −12% | $144.00 |
| Jul–Dec 2029 | 1 Jul 2029 –31 Dec 2029 | 3.1 | −14% | $124.00 |
| Jan–Jun 2030 | 1 Jan 2030 –30 Jun 2030 | 2.6 | −16% | $104.00 |
| Jul–Dec 2030 | 1 Jul 2030 –31 Dec 2030 | 2.1 | −19% | $84.00 |
The department’s Table 1 sets the STC factor at 6.8 for May to December 2026, then 5.7, 5.2, 4.6, 4.1, 3.6, 3.1, 2.6 and 2.1 for each half-year from January 2027 to December 2030. “The discount that you are entitled to is determined by the STC Factor on the date the battery is installed.” (DCCEEW, checked )
The Clean Energy Regulator publishes the same factors on its solar batteries page. (Clean Energy Regulator, checked )
The rebate for each battery size, by install date
Dollars at the $40 Clearing House price, after the size taper and rounding down to whole certificates. Use the usable capacity on your battery’s datasheet, not the nominal figure on the label. For a named battery, see the battery list.
Federal rebate by usable capacity and install period
| Usable kWh | May–Dec ’26 | Jan–Jun ’27 | Jul–Dec ’27 | Jan–Jun ’28 | Jul–Dec ’28 | Jan–Jun ’29 | Jul–Dec ’29 | Jan–Jun ’30 | Jul–Dec ’30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kWh | $1,360 | $1,120 | $1,040 | $920 | $800 | $720 | $600 | $520 | $400 |
| 10 kWh | $2,720 | $2,280 | $2,080 | $1,840 | $1,640 | $1,440 | $1,240 | $1,040 | $840 |
| 13.5 kWh | $3,640 | $3,040 | $2,800 | $2,480 | $2,200 | $1,920 | $1,640 | $1,400 | $1,120 |
| 16 kWh | $4,120 | $3,440 | $3,160 | $2,760 | $2,480 | $2,160 | $1,880 | $1,560 | $1,240 |
| 20 kWh | $4,760 | $4,000 | $3,640 | $3,200 | $2,880 | $2,520 | $2,160 | $1,800 | $1,440 |
| 25 kWh | $5,600 | $4,680 | $4,280 | $3,760 | $3,360 | $2,960 | $2,520 | $2,120 | $1,720 |
| 30 kWh | $6,160 | $5,160 | $4,720 | $4,160 | $3,720 | $3,240 | $2,800 | $2,360 | $1,880 |
| 40 kWh | $6,560 | $5,480 | $5,000 | $4,440 | $3,960 | $3,480 | $3,000 | $2,480 | $2,000 |
| 50 kWh | $6,960 | $5,840 | $5,320 | $4,720 | $4,200 | $3,680 | $3,160 | $2,640 | $2,120 |
Why big batteries lose less in dollars per kWh
Since 1 May 2026 the factor is applied in full only to the first 14 kWh of usable capacity. Each kilowatt-hour from 14 to 28 earns 60% of it, from 28 to 50 earns 15%, and anything above 50 earns nothing. So a step-down takes the most from the first 14 kWh, where every battery has its capacity.
“From 0 kWh up to 14 kWh (inclusive): STC Factor applied at 100%. Every kWh greater than 14 and up to 28 kWh (inclusive): STC Factor applied at 60%. Every kWh greater than 28 and up to 50 kWh (inclusive): STC Factor applied at 15%.” Partial certificates are rounded down. (DCCEEW, checked )
What each kilowatt-hour is worth, now and from 1 January 2027
| Band | May–Dec 2026 | Jan–Jun 2027 | Lost per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 14 kWh (100%) | $272.00 | $228.00 | $44.00 |
| 14 to 28 kWh (60%) | $163.20 | $136.80 | $26.40 |
| 28 to 50 kWh (15%) | $40.80 | $34.20 | $6.60 |
A 10 kWh battery sits wholly in the first band, so it loses $440 on 1 January 2027. A 40 kWh battery has four times the capacity but loses only $1,080, because two-thirds of it earns the reduced rates.
What happened before the last change
The rules last changed on 1 May 2026, when the taper started. The regulator’s figures show what a deadline does to the market: a rush of installs in the final month, weighted to the largest batteries, then smaller systems once the new rules applied.
By the end of June 2026, 78,000 batteries installed in April alone had been approved, against an average of about 40,000 a month over the program’s first nine months. Average battery size fell from 36 kWh in April to about 23 kWh in May and June. (Clean Energy Regulator, checked )
Installation rates on April weekends and public holidays were higher than anywhere else in the program, as installers worked to finish jobs before the revised settings took effect on 1 May. (Clean Energy Regulator, checked )
If you plan to install before 1 January 2027, the practical deadline is earlier than the date suggests: the Christmas and New Year break falls in the last weeks of the period, and the battery has to be installed and certified, not just ordered.
The date that counts
A battery is treated as installed, and able to create certificates, from the date its certificate of electrical compliance (or the state or territory equivalent) is issued. Certificates must then be created within 12 months. (DCCEEW, checked )
The discount is reviewed at least once a year, and the department says it may amend the STC calculation if battery costs fall enough that the discount exceeds 30% for most batteries or particular sizes. (DCCEEW, checked )
We check the schedule against both the department and the regulator before each step-down and update the date at the top of this page when we do.
Questions
When does the battery rebate next drop?
On 1 January 2027 the STC factor falls from 6.8 to 5.7, about 16% less for every battery. A 13.5 kWh battery goes from $3,640 to $3,040 at $40 a certificate.
Does the date I sign the contract lock in the rate?
No. The factor is set by the date the certificate of electrical compliance is issued for the installed battery. Signing or paying a deposit before a step-down doesn't lock in the higher rate if the installation is certified after it.
Can the schedule change?
Yes. The department reviews the settings at least once a year and has said it may change the STC calculation if battery prices fall far enough that the discount exceeds about 30%. The table on this page is the published schedule as at the date shown, and we re-check it before every step-down.
What happens after 2030?
The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme ends with 2030. The regulator's own calculator returns zero certificates for a battery installed on or after 1 January 2031.