Compare solar: feed-in tariffs, rebates and batteries
Rooftop solar saves you money in two ways: every kilowatt-hour you use as it is generated is one you do not buy from the grid, and every kilowatt-hour you export earns a feed-in tariff. Because feed-in tariffs are now a fraction of what you pay for grid power, the first matters far more. Solar pays best for households that use a good share of their power in daylight.
This page covers the official feed-in tariff rules in each state for 2026–27, the federal rebates for panels and batteries, and what to check before you sign a quote.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team · Last reviewed
How solar actually saves you money
Picture each kilowatt-hour your panels produce. If you use it at that moment, it saves you your full import rate, which on most plans is several times the feed-in tariff. If nobody is using power, it goes to the grid and earns the feed-in tariff instead. A system's value is therefore mostly about the share of its output you use yourself, known as self-consumption.
That changes how you should size and use a system. A larger system still produces more to export, and exports still earn something, but the extra panels earn at the lower rate. Shifting flexible loads into the middle of the day, such as a timer on the dishwasher, washing machine, pool pump or a heat pump hot water system, lifts the return from the panels you already have.
It also means the right electricity plan matters. A plan with a high feed-in tariff sometimes carries higher usage rates or supply charges. For a household that exports little, a lower usage rate usually beats a higher feed-in rate. Compare both together on your own figures.
What size solar system do you need?
Size a system to how much power you use while the sun is up, then check what your roof and your network's export limit allow. The Clean Energy Regulator's zone ratings give a fair yearly figure for what each kW produces where you live, and they are what the solar rebate is based on. The average small-scale system installed in the June quarter of 2026 was 10.5 kW.
| Zone | Rating (MWh a year per kW) | 6.6 kW system | 10 kW system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 (for example Alice Springs) | 1.622 | 10,705 kWh (29 a day) | 16,220 kWh (44 a day) |
| Zone 2 (for example Darwin) | 1.536 | 10,138 kWh (28 a day) | 15,360 kWh (42 a day) |
| Zone 3 (Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra) | 1.382 | 9,121 kWh (25 a day) | 13,820 kWh (38 a day) |
| Zone 4 (Melbourne, Hobart) | 1.185 | 7,821 kWh (21 a day) | 11,850 kWh (32 a day) |
Take 6.6 kW against 10 kW in Sydney. The 6.6 kW system is deemed to produce about 9,100 kWh a year, already about twice the 3,900 to 4,900 kWh the AER assumes for a standard NSW household; the 10 kW system about 13,800 kWh. Because exports now earn only a few cents a kWh, the extra 3.4 kW mostly pays off if you add daytime use, such as an electric vehicle, a heat pump hot water system or a battery. Otherwise the bigger system mainly adds exports.
Is 10 kW enough to run a house? Over a year, usually more than enough in energy terms, but solar produces nothing at night and less in winter, so without a battery you still buy evening power from the grid. To count panels, divide the system's rating by each panel's: 6.6 kW of 440 W panels is 15 panels.
What size solar system do you need for your own usage? The calculator below works it out from the average daily use on your bill and your zone, and shows how a 6.6, 10 and 13.2 kW system compare with a year of your use.
Solar system size calculator
Enter your average daily use from a bill and your zone. You get the system size that matches a year of your use, using the Clean Energy Regulator's zone ratings, and how common sizes compare.
To match 5,840 kWh a year in Zone 3 (Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra)
4.3 kW
Each kW is rated at 1,382 kWh a year here, about 3.8 kWh a day on average; that is about 10 panels of 440 W.
| System | Rated yearly output | Against your yearly use |
|---|---|---|
| 6.6 kW | 9,121 kWh | 156% |
| 10 kW | 13,820 kWh | 237% |
| 13.2 kW | 18,242 kWh | 312% |
A yearly match is not the whole story. Solar produces nothing at night and less in winter, so without a battery you still buy evening power; and output above what you use is exported at a feed-in tariff of a few cents. The inverter is often smaller than the panels (a 6.6 kW system with a 5 kW inverter is common), but if the panels exceed the inverter maker's specifications the system can't get the solar rebate. Your distributor also sets connection and export limits. Zone ratings: Clean Energy Regulator, postcode zone ratings for solar PV systems; sizing guidance: energy.gov.au, Size your solar system. For a detailed estimate with your roof and meter data, try SunSPOT, the free not-for-profit calculator energy.gov.au links to.
Solar feed-in tariffs by state
In most of the country the feed-in tariff is set by your retailer, and it varies widely between plans. Some states set a minimum retailers must pay, some publish a non-binding benchmark, and where a single government retailer dominates, the government sets the rate. This table shows the official position in each state and territory.
| State | Who sets the rate | Official figure for 2026–27 |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Retailers. IPART publishes a non-binding benchmark. | Benchmark 3.4–6.5 c/kWh all day; up to 17–33 c/kWh in the evening peak on time-of-day plans, depending on network |
| Victoria | Retailers. The minimum feed-in tariff was abolished from 1 July 2025. | No minimum; rates cannot be below 0 c/kWh |
| South-east Queensland | Retailers | No regulated rate |
| Regional Queensland | Queensland Competition Authority | 6.006 c/kWh flat (down 31% from 8.660 c/kWh) |
| South Australia | Retailers. ESCOSA stopped setting a minimum from 1 January 2017. | No regulated rate |
| ACT | Retailers. Feed-in tariffs are voluntary and unregulated. | No regulated rate |
| Tasmania | Tasmanian Economic Regulator (minimum) | 9.276 c/kWh minimum (up 5.6%) |
| Western Australia | WA Government (Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme) | Synergy: 10 c/kWh 3pm–9pm, 2 c/kWh at other times |
| Northern Territory | Jacana Energy (regulated retailer) | 9.33 c/kWh anytime; 18.66 c/kWh 3pm–9pm with a smart meter |
The detail, including time-varying rates and how export limits work, is in oursolar feed-in tariff guide.
Solar and battery rebates in 2026
The main federal support for rooftop solar is the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. Your system earns small-scale technology certificates (STCs), which the installer usually takes off the price in exchange for the right to sell them. Since 1 July 2025 the same mechanism has discounted home batteries under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. Some states add their own loans or rebates.
| Program | Where | What it offers | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (STCs) | Australia-wide | Certificates for solar panels and solar hot water, usually taken off the quoted price. A system installed in 2026 earns 5 years of deemed output. | Open; deeming period falls each year until the scheme ends in 2030 |
| Cheaper Home Batteries Program | Australia-wide | Around 30% off an eligible battery (5–100 kWh nominal capacity) installed with new or existing solar, delivered through STCs. | Open; 6.8 STCs per usable kWh to December 2026, then 5.7; smaller rate above 14 kWh |
| Solar Homes solar panel rebate | Victoria | Up to $1,400, with an optional matching interest-free loan, for eligible owner-occupiers. | Open; battery loans closed |
| Virtual power plant incentive (PDRS) | NSW | An upfront payment for connecting a battery of up to 50 kWh to a virtual power plant. | Open; the NSW battery installation discount for households has ended |
| Home Energy Saver | NSW | Zero-interest loans up to $15,000 for upgrades such as solar and batteries; a discount of up to $4,000 for lower-income households. | Loans open; discount not yet open |
| Sustainable Household Scheme | ACT | Loans up to $20,000 at 3% interest for batteries and other upgrades. | Open |
| WA Residential Battery Scheme | Western Australia | Rebate of up to $1,300 (Synergy) or $3,800 (Horizon Power), plus no-interest loans for eligible households. VPP participation required. | Open until 100,000 rebates are paid |
| Energy Saver Loan Scheme | Tasmania | Interest-free loans for energy upgrades. | Closed 1 September 2025 |
| Home and Business Battery Scheme | Northern Territory | $400 per usable kWh, up to $12,000. | Closed to new grants: funding cap reached |
How the certificates are calculated, and what is available in your state, is in oursolar rebates guide.
Is a battery worth adding?
A battery stores solar you would otherwise export and lets you use it in the evening. Each kilowatt-hour it delivers saves the gap between your import rate and your feed-in tariff, so it pays best when that gap is wide, your evening usage is high and you have spare solar most days. The federal discount has brought prices down, which shortens the payback, but it does not change how much a battery can save a household that uses little power at night.
Our guide onwhether solar batteries are worth itsets out the calculation step by step, using your own bill rather than an average.
The downsides of rooftop solar
Solar still pays for many households, but it has real limits worth weighing before you sign a quote.
- Feed-in tariffs are low and fallingIPART's all-day benchmark for NSW fell from 4.8–7.3 c/kWh in 2025–26 to 3.4–6.5 c/kWh for 2026–27, and regional Queensland's regulated rate fell 31%. Exported solar earns a few cents a kWh.
- Exports can be limited or chargedNetworks may charge for exports at busy times above a free threshold and limit how much a system can export. In South Australia every new inverter has had to support dynamic export limits since 1 July 2023.
- Not every roof suitsOrientation, pitch and shading decide output, and renters and apartment owners need the owner's or owners corporation's consent.
- The rebate shrinks every yearA system installed in 2026 earns five years of deemed output in certificates, one installed in 2027 earns four, and the scheme ends in 2030.
- Installer quality variesThe rebate needs a Solar Accreditation Australia accredited installer; a New Energy Tech Consumer Code signatory gives extra protections on sales and warranties.
- Solar does nothing at nightEvening and overnight use still comes from the grid unless you add a battery, which is a separate decision with its own payback.
Why are people getting rid of their solar panels?
We haven't seen official figures on how many households remove solar, so treat claims about it with care. The reasons on the record are practical: energy.gov.au puts the average life of a string inverter at 10 to 15 years against 20 to 30 for panels, so inverters often need replacing first; the generous early feed-in tariffs are ending, such as South Australia's 44 c/kWh distributor payment for households who joined between 2008 and 2011, which stops on 30 June 2028; and feed-in rates are now a few cents a kWh. Upgrading to a bigger system can also mean new panels with a new inverter. The Australian Government is funding a $24.7 million National Solar Panel Recycling Pilot to plan a future recycling scheme.
Five things to check before you go solar
Your daytime usage
Solar saves the most on power you use as it is generated. Households at home in the day, or who can run the dishwasher, washing machine, pool pump or hot water in daylight, get more from each panel.
Your roof
Orientation, pitch, shading and usable area decide how much a system can produce. North-facing is best; east and west still work and spread output across the day.
Your network's export rules
Your distributor may limit how much you can export, and some charge for exports at busy times. The installer applies for connection approval; ask what export limit applies.
Your electricity plan
The feed-in tariff, and the usage rates you still pay at night, both change the return. A solar household should compare plans on both.
Who installs it
Rebates require an accredited installer. Check the retailer's warranty terms and whether it has signed the New Energy Tech Consumer Code.
Renting or living in an apartment
Rooftop solar needs the owner's consent, and in a strata building the owners corporation's too. If that is not on the cards, the quickest saving is usually a better electricity plan. Some retailers also sell plans with free or very cheap power in the middle of the day, which lets you benefit from the daytime solar glut without panels of your own. Ourenergy comparison hub explains how to compare plans on your own usage.
Solar rules in your state
Each state page covers the feed-in tariff rules, the distributors and the concessions that apply there.
Solar guides
Solar FAQs
What is the current solar feed-in tariff?
It depends on your state and your retailer. Most states let retailers set their own rate. The official figures for 2026–27 are a 9.276 c/kWh minimum in Tasmania, a regulated 6.006 c/kWh in regional Queensland, and a non-binding 3.4–6.5 c/kWh benchmark in NSW. Victoria no longer has a minimum.
Are solar feed-in tariffs worth it?
Feed-in tariffs are now small compared with what you pay for grid power, so the main value of solar comes from using the power yourself. A feed-in tariff still matters, but compare it together with the plan's usage rates: a high feed-in rate on a plan with high usage rates can leave you worse off.
How much is the solar rebate in 2026?
The federal support comes as small-scale technology certificates. The number depends on your system's size, your location's zone rating and the installation year; a system installed in 2026 is credited with 5 years of output. The installer normally takes their value off the price. Use the Clean Energy Regulator's calculator for your postcode, and add any state rebate you qualify for.
Is a solar battery worth it?
It can be when your evening usage is high, your feed-in tariff is low and you have spare solar most days. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program has cut upfront prices by around 30%, but a battery still only saves the gap between your import rate and your feed-in tariff on each kWh it shifts. Work it through with your own numbers before buying.
Do I need an accredited installer to get the rebate?
Yes. To create certificates, the system must be designed and installed by a Solar Accreditation Australia accredited installer, and use panels, inverters and batteries on the Clean Energy Council's approved list. Buying from a New Energy Tech Consumer Code signatory is voluntary but gives you extra protections.
What is the Solar Sharer Offer?
Since 1 July 2026, retailers with more than 1,000 customers in NSW, south-east Queensland and South Australia must offer a plan with three hours of free electricity in the middle of the day, capped at 24 kWh. It needs a smart meter, is opt-in, and does not require solar panels. Victoria's equivalent, the Midday Power Saver, started on 1 October 2026, with free power from 11am to 2pm.
Is 10kW of solar enough to run a house?
Over a year, usually more than enough in energy terms: the Clean Energy Regulator credits a 10 kW system in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth or Canberra with about 13,800 kWh a year, against the 3,900 to 4,900 kWh the AER assumes for a standard household. But solar produces nothing at night and little in winter, so without a battery a house still needs the grid in the evening.
What is the 20% rule for solar?
There is no official 20% rule for solar in Australia: no regulator or rebate program sets one, so ask anyone quoting it what they mean. The limits that do apply are your roof, your distributor's connection and export limits, and the inverter: energy.gov.au notes the inverter is often smaller than the panels (a 6.6 kW system with a 5 kW inverter is common), but if the panels exceed the inverter maker's specifications the system can't get the solar rebate.
Why are people getting rid of their solar panels?
We haven't seen official figures on how many households remove solar. The reasons on the record are inverters wearing out long before the panels (energy.gov.au puts string inverters at 10 to 15 years and panels at 20 to 30), the early premium feed-in tariffs ending (SA's 44 c/kWh distributor payment for households who joined between 2008 and 2011 ends on 30 June 2028), and feed-in rates falling to a few cents. An upgrade to a bigger system can also mean new panels with a new inverter.
Is it worth getting solar panels in Australia?
For many households, yes, if you use a good share of the power while the sun is up. Each kWh you use yourself saves your full usage rate, which on 2026–27 standing offers is capped at between about 26 c and 42 c/kWh depending on the zone, while each kWh you export earns a feed-in tariff of a few cents in most states. Size the system to your daytime use and check the numbers with the calculator on this page.
How many solar panels are required to run a house?
Work from the system size, not the panel count. Divide the system's rating by each panel's rating: for example, a 6.6 kW system built from 440 W panels needs 15 panels. What size you need depends on how much power you use while the sun is up, your roof and your network's export limit.
What are the disadvantages of solar panels?
Feed-in tariffs have fallen to a few cents per kWh in most states, networks can limit or charge for exports at busy times, not every roof suits panels, the federal rebate shrinks every year to 2030, and installer quality varies. Solar pays best when you use a good share of what it generates.
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