South Australia Battery Incentives
South Australian households and small businesses now have a game-changing opportunity to reduce energy bills and take control of their power use with two major battery rebate programs: The Cheaper Home Batteries Program and the Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS). Together, these initiatives deliver unprecedented savings: up to 30% off battery installation costs and a cash rebate of up to $2050, when batteries are connected to approved Virtual Power Plants (VPPs).
By pairing upfront discounts with rebates for cutting peak demand, these programs make battery storage affordable and a smart move toward lower bills and energy independence.
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program
| Battery Type | Battery Capacity (kWh) | STCs Created | Rebate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | 13.5 | 125 | $4,750 |
| AlphaESS SMILE | 5.04 | 46 | $1,748 |
| LG RESU 10 | 9.8 | 91 | $3,458 |
Connection of a New or Existing Battery to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)
| Battery Type | Battery Capacity (kWh) | Priority Group Rebate | Non-Priority Group Rebate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | 13.5 | $880 | $670 |
| AlphaESS SMILE | 5.04 | $290 | $220 |
| LG RESU 10 | 9.8 | $590 | $450 |
Partner with us
Installers, if you want to tap into this growing opportunity and help homes and businesses unlock thousands in battery rebates, partner with MAC for fast payments, expert support and access to over 20 rebate programs nationwide. Our new streamlined platform is launching soon to make the process even easier.
What is the Cheaper Home Batteries Program?
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is a $2.3 billion National initiative. It offers Australians a substantial upfront discount of approximately 30% on the installation of eligible home and business battery systems. This program aims to make battery storage more accessible, allowing households and businesses to store excess solar energy for use during peak times or when the sun isn't shining.
How Does It Work?
- Under the program, battery installations create Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) based on the system’s usable storage capacity.
- Each certificate represents an expected amount of clean energy generation and storage over time.
- These certificates can be sold by the installer (who must be accredited) and the value is usually passed on to the customer as an upfront discount off the battery installation cost.
Who is eligible?
- Eligible battery size: 5–100 kWh of nominal capacity
- Homeowners, small businesses, and community facilities with new or existing rooftop solar systems
- The battery must be paired with either a new or existing solar system
- A battery can be added to an existing system if it meets all eligibility requirements
- Each address is eligible for one battery system only
- Batteries must be installed and certified (with a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work) on or after 1 July 2025
- Batteries installed before 1 July 2025 may still be eligible if they are tested and certified on or after that date
- The battery must be listed on the Clean Energy Council’s approved product list and, if grid-connected, must be capable of participating in a Virtual Power Plant (VPP). Check battery eligibility here
- This rebate is not means-tested.
Battery Rebate Calculator
- Notes on the discount:
- Discount value: Up to $353 per usable kilowatt-hour (kWh), minus the cost of certificate registration. This equates to roughly 30% off the total battery cost
- Discount applies only to the first 50 kWh of usable capacity, providing up to $17,670 in potential discounts
- The rebate value will decrease each year until the program ends in 2030.
South Australia VPP Incentives
What is the Scheme (REPS)?
The Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS) is a South Australian Government initiative aimed at improving energy efficiency for households and businesses. REPS is designed to cut peak energy demand and support a more flexible, dynamic energy market across South Australia.
It offers incentives to help reduce energy use and lower energy bills. As part of the scheme, you may be eligible for a cashback reward when you connect your battery to an approved Virtual Power Plant (VPP).
How Does It Work?
- Check your eligibility by clicking here.
- Complete and submit the application form.
- The REPS team will review your application to ensure it meets all program requirements.
- If successful, you’ll receive a confirmation and an Activity Record (required under REPS). This information is also sent to your energy retailer for confirmation.
- Payment is made to you via bank transfer.
Who is eligible?
Batteries connected to a VPP must meet the following criteria to be eligible to claim the rebate:
- Your battery/s are intended for use in residential or small business premises in South Australia
- You have not previously received a rebate for this activity under the SA REPS at the address where the battery is installed in the past three years
- Your battery/s are connected to a VPP approved under the REPS in South Australia
- Your battery/s must have first been connected (onboarded) to an approved VPP during this calendar year.
- Your battery/s were installed by an accredited CEC retailer and installer
- The rebate application must be lodged using the date the VPP connection took place
- It can be an existing battery installation or new battery installation
- VPP connection must be to the battery in use at the address on the application
- Claiming more than 1 battery is allowed but maximum rebate is achieved at a total of 28kWh of battery capacity
VPP Rebate Calculator