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Solar and Battery Rebates for Albury-Wodonga Homes (NSW and VIC)

Living on the border means your incentives depend on which side of the Murray you’re on. Here’s a plain-English summary of the main programs, checked in October 2026. We confirm your eligibility and apply discounts in your quote.

Federal Solar Discount: Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs)

Eligible solar systems installed by an accredited installer create STCs under the Australian Government’s Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. The value of those certificates is usually taken off your price upfront. The number of STCs depends on system size and location, and it reduces each year as the scheme winds down toward 2030.

Cheaper Home Batteries Program (Federal)

Eligible home batteries get a discount through STCs, based on the battery’s usable capacity. Changes took effect on 1 May 2026:

  • STC factor: 6.8 STCs per usable kWh for installs from 1 May to 31 December 2026, falling to 5.7 from January 2027 and then every six months after that.
  • Tapering by size: 100% of the factor for the first 14 kWh, 60% from 14 to 28 kWh, and 15% from 28 to 50 kWh. Batteries up to 100 kWh are eligible, but certificates are calculated only on the first 50 kWh.
  • Example (Clean Energy Regulator): a 40 kWh battery installed between May and December 2026 creates 164 STCs.

Your discount depends on the date the battery is installed and on the STC market price, so installing before a step-down can make a difference.

Victoria: Solar Homes Program (Wodonga, Wangaratta and North East VIC)

  • Solar panel rebate: up to $1,400 for eligible owner-occupiers, plus an optional interest-free loan of up to the same amount. Eligibility includes combined household taxable income under $150,000, property value under $3 million, and no solar installed at the address in the last 10 years. Rebates are released monthly.
  • Hot water: rebates for eligible heat pump and solar hot water systems.
  • Battery loans: Solar Victoria’s interest-free battery loan is closed to new applications. Use the federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount instead.

Next Generation Energy is a Solar Victoria authorised retailer, so eligible Victorian customers can claim the Solar Homes rebate when we install their system.

NSW (Albury, Corowa, Wagga Wagga and Southern NSW)

  • The earlier NSW battery installation discount is no longer available to households. The federal program replaces it.
  • NSW offers a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) incentive under the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme when you connect an eligible battery to a VPP. It can be combined with the federal battery discount.

Finance Options

NGE is an approved vendor for Brighte and Plenti, so you can spread the cost. Subject to lender approval and terms.

Rebate FAQs

Can I claim both NSW and federal battery discounts? No. NSW battery installation incentives don’t apply to batteries that receive the federal discount. The NSW VPP incentive can be combined with it.

Do I apply for the STC discount myself? No. It’s normally applied as a point-of-sale discount on your quote.

I live in Wodonga. Can I get the Victorian solar rebate? If you meet Solar Victoria’s eligibility criteria and use an authorised retailer, yes.

Will rebates go down? The battery STC factor drops every six months and the solar STC discount drops each year.

Sources: dcceew.gov.au (Cheaper Home Batteries), cer.gov.au, solar.vic.gov.au, energy.nsw.gov.au.

Get Started

Price your system online in a few minutes with our Build Your System tool, or call us on 02 6025 6695.

Visit us at 439 Wagga Rd, Lavington NSW 2641. Open Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Saturday by appointment, closed Sunday.

Finance available: NGE is an approved vendor for Brighte and Plenti, subject to lender approval and terms.