If you’re considering adding solar panels to your home in Queensland, you’ll be glad to know that there are a number of rebates and incentives available to help reduce the cost of installing and running these systems.
But, just to set an example, installing a 6 kW solar system in Brisbane could get you about 2,700 dollars in rebates.
Solar panel rebates in Queensland depend on a few things, though, including how many small scale technology certificates (STCs) you’re getting, the current value of these STCs, and other things.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through all of that as well as another way you can save money on solar power. So, if you’re ready to harness the power of the sun, keep on reading!
How much is the current solar rebate in QLD?
In 2022, the current solar rebate in QLD depends on how many Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) you’re eligible for. The more STCs you can get, the higher your rebate.
That being said, how many STCs you’re eligible for depend on a few things:
- How large the system you’re installing is
- What zone in Queensland you’re in, and
- Your deeming period (the years left from the date you installed your solar panels to the start of 2030)
It’s a lot of jargon right now but we’ll get to all of those in a bit. For now, let me paint you a better picture. Here’s a comparison between STCs that you can get when you install a 6kW solar PV system versus a 10kW system in Brisbane:
- 6kW system = 74 STCs
- 10kW system = 124 STCs
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Wait, back up. What are STCs? How much are they worth?
STCs or Small-scale Technology Certificates are one of the country’s way of incentivizing the installation of systems that harness renewable energy, such as hydro, wind, and solar.
After installing solar power systems and gaining these STCs, you can then do either of 2 things:
- Ask your solar installer to get you an immediate discount on your purchase, or
- Sell your STCs in the open market or the clearing house
The worth of STCs are ever changing except in the clearing house.
The most common route that solar customers choose is the first one: getting an upfront discount from their solar installer to lessen the financial burden of installing solar panels.
However, you can also choose to hold your STCs and either look for a buyer in the open market or in the clearing house.
The value of your STC will mostly depend on the open market and it can either go up or down depending on the supply and demand (very similar to stocks, forex, and cryptocurrency). If there are more sellers than buyers, the value goes up. Naturally, it works vice versa.
On the other hand, selling your STCs in the cleaning house locks its price at $40.
Important tools you can use when figuring your rebates and STCs:
Simply calculate the number of STCs you’re eligible for and then multiply that with whatever the current market value for STCs are. The answer should serve as a precise estimate of how much solar rebate you’re in line for.
For example, let’s say that market value for STCs is at $38. Below is a list of probable rebates depending on the size of the solar systems installed in Queensland:
| Size of solar systems | # of STCs | Estimated solar rebate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | 12 STCs | $456 |
| 2 kW | 24 STCs | $912 |
| 3 kW | 37 STCs | $1406 |
| 4 kW | 49 STCs | $1862 |
| 5 kW | 62 STCs | $2356 |
| 6 kW | 74 STCs | $2812 |
| 7 kW | 87 STCs | $3396 |
| 8 kW | 99 STCs | $3762 |
| 9 kW | 111 STCs | $4218 |
| 10kW | 124 STCs | $4712 |
Whatever the case may be, you can always check the current value of STCs in the open market and make informed decisions.
You need a CEC-accredited installer to qualify for rebates
There are requirements your system has to meet before qualifying for STCs, including:
- It must meet Australian and NZ standards
- It must comply with regulations from local authorities
- It must not exceed 100 kW in capacity
- All components must be CEC-approved
- It must be installed by a CEC-accredited installer
Of these requirements, the most important one is that you hire a CEC-accredited installer. Why? Because these installers also have access to CEC-approved components, as well as knowledge about local regulations and the federal standards.
This is where we can help. We have a network of pre-vetted installers all around Australia. We trust them with our systems, so we’re sure they’re skilled and honest people who won’t rip you off. When you’re ready, we can get you 3 FREE quotes from them right away.
Are there other things that save me money on solar panels?
Yes, absolutely. The Queensland government has a solar feed-in tariff that solar customers can take advantage of if your energy provider is either Ergon Energy or Origin Energy.
A solar feed-in tariff is your energy retailer paying you whenever you feed the solar electricity that your system generates back to the grid. It’s a way for the government to encourage owners of solar systems to generate renewable energy that others can also use.
As of 2022-2023, the solar feed-in tariff for regional QLD is 9.3 cents per kilowatt hour (per the Queensland Government).
To be eligible for the feed-in tariff from the Queensland government, you’d need:
- A solar power system that does not exceed 30 kilowatts.
- A yearly electricity consumption of less than 100 MWh. Most homes only use a little over 4 MWh per year.
- Ergon Energy or Origin Energy as your energy provider if you’re connected to the Essential Energy Network.
- A solar system that’s also legally connected to the grid.
- No other solar power system in your home receiving solar feed-in tariffs.
In addition, you also should not be receiving any other tariff.
That being said, the prices of feed-in tariffs for solar systems have constantly gone down over the years. So much, in fact, that you would more likely save more money if you oriented your solar panels in a way that follows your energy usage patterns – even if it means generating less power overall.
Recommended: What direction your solar panels should face
Conclusion
Adding solar panels to your home is a great way to save money on your energy bills while also doing your part in saving the planet.
Your upfront QLD solar rebates will depend on how much STCs you can get as well as the current market value of these STCs. After installation, you could also gain some money through solar feed-in tariffs that are offered by the Queensland government for eligible owners.
