Understanding the Queensland Solar Battery Rebate

Published On: February 27th, 2024|8 min read|

As its name suggests, the Sunshine State has no shortage of available solar energy – and with over one million Queensland homes already equipped with rooftop solar, it’s safe to say that Queenslanders are soaking up the solar lifestyle. For many, the next step after solar is battery storage – a widely appreciated technology that can help homes power through blackouts, and could significantly reduce household power bills.

If you’re at that stage – looking to get the most out of your solar and start your battery storage journey – you might be interested to learn about Queensland’s newest solar incentive.

Earlier this year, Queensland announced a Solar Battery Rebate known as the Battery Booster Scheme. Under the scheme, eligible Queenslanders are able to receive a rebate when purchasing a solar battery system.

So, what’s the rebate about, who is eligible, and what do you need to do to get started with your own solar battery storage system under the scheme?

The Basics of the Solar Battery Rebate QLD

The Queensland Solar Battery Rebate was set in motion by the Queensland Government under the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan. Its purpose, according to the official Battery Booster website, is to showcase Queensland’s commitment to a sustainable future, and to encourage Queenslanders to embrace renewable energy through solar and battery systems.

To claim a solar battery storage system under the QLD Solar Battery Rebate, Queenslanders need to meet certain eligibility criteria, while also needing to follow the scheme’s specific instructions for their claim. But, as intimidating as the scheme’s instructions could seem to some, there are several resources available to homeowners aimed at making their experience with the QLD Battery Scheme as easy as possible.

According to the Queensland Government’s information on the QLD Solar Battery Rebate:  “the scheme is now open, and will remain so until funding is exhausted,” so if you’re interested in the scheme, it’s better to get in sooner rather than later while funding is available.

How Much is the Solar Battery Rebate?

The standard QLD Battery Rebate is advertises as “up to $3,000”. This rebate is available to all applicants who meet eligibility requirements, including:

  • Receive a quote from the retailer of an Approved Battery System or an Approved Installer.
  • Have a combined household taxable income of $180,000 or less for the most recent financial year.
  • Be able to prove that you are the individual owner of a residential premises.
  • Provide proof that you haven’t previously received a rebate under this scheme (as it is limited to ‘one per residential premises or lot’).

For households where the highest income earner has earned $66,667 or less in the most recent financial year, the rebate is bumped up to $4,000 on a ‘low income’ basis, based on additional eligibility criteria. Unfortunately, households with a combined income of over $180,000 seem to be ineligible for the rebate at this time.

For those who meet the criteria, conditional approval will be granted after an application has been submitted. After this point, more specific criteria will need to be met in order to move the process forward. This included Approved Battery Systems, Approved Installers, and an approved installation.

Approved Battery Systems

The QLD Battery Rebate requires an Approved Battery System (with a capacity of at least 6kWh) to be installed by an Approved Installer. This is a very important step in the process of claiming your rebate, so research is crucial.

The Queensland Government’s Approved Battery System list is independently compiled by government industry sources and renewables experts. Battery systems that are deemed to be compliant, safe, and appropriate for adding to a solar setup are included on the list to help homeowners make a safe and informed decision about their new solar battery system under the QLD Battery Rebate.

It’s important to note that while there are several battery systems on the market, they may not all be an Approved Battery System under the scheme. The Approved Battery System list is updated regularly, so it’s good to check back regularly and keep up with the ‘who’s who’ of Approved Battery Systems.

The most important part of the QLD Battery Rebate is for homeowners to remember that the first step to receiving the QLD Battery Rebate is to get a quote on an Approved Battery System from an Approved Installer. Purchasing a battery system now and applying for the rebate later will unfortunately render you ineligible. So, how do you know which installers are approved?

Approved Installer List

The Queensland Government has compiled a list of installers that have met the requirements to (regarding safety, licensing and accreditation) to be approved under the scheme. Overall, as long as your new battery storage system is installed by someone who is active on the Approved Installer List, you can consider yourself as having fulfilled this part of the requirement for the QLD Battery Rebate.

Once your Approved Battery System is installed by an Approved Installer, you can move forward with the process of claiming your QLD Battery Rebate, and an additional step in this process may include inspections.

According to the Queensland Government, “all systems installed under this program may be inspected by a department-appointed inspectorate to ensure they meet applicable technical and safety standards. The inspectorate will identify and report on any safety risks and non-compliance.”

These inspections will ensure that your system is operational and safe, while also ensuring Approved Installers are installing battery systems appropriately. In a case of non-compliance, or additional issues, an installer may be added to the Removed Installer List.

Removed Installer List

The Removed Installer List is compiled by the Queensland Government to indicate when an Approved Installer is no longer considered ‘approved’. To appear on the Removed Installer List, an Approved Installer will have:

  • Withdrawn from the program.
  • Declared that it’s no longer operational (or otherwise be experiencing something administrative which is significant enough that they’re placed on the Removed Installer List).
  • Completed an installation that is deemed to be unsafe or ‘repeatedly sub-standard’ upon review by official bodies.
  • Have an accreditation or license that has expired.

It’s important for homeowners to keep track of the Removed Installer List while they are working to claim the QLD Battery Rebate.

QLD Battery Rebate FAQs

Yes! Redback Technologies is registered as an Approved Battery System for our Smart Battery Systems, as well as our Smart Hybrid Systems, and Smart 3-Phase Hybrid Systems. You can also verify our registration on the Approved Battery System list.

The first step of the program is to get a quote for a battery from an approved battery system (like a Redback battery). You can do that here. From there, you can follow the official instructions to claim your rebate (including using an Approved Installer and providing necessary documentation) as indicated on this official Queensland Government document. Redback Technologies is proud to work with a number of Approved Installers throughout Queensland.

You can contact officials about the QLD Battery Rebate on 13 QGOV (13 74 68). If you have questions on Redback Technologies batteries and their suitability for your home, feel free to submit an enquiry here, and we will put you in touch with one of our third-party installers who can address all of your questions.

If you have a preferred installer, they can apply to feature on the Approved Installer List, however it’s essential to note that you may compromise your QLD Battery Rebate if installation takes place prior to them being officially declared as an Approved Installer.

The Queensland Government has outlined eligibility criteria here, or you learn more about the scheme here.

e Queensland Government’s advice and guidelines to give yourself the best chances of being approved for your QLD Battery Rebate.

Official literature dictates that homeowners must follow the QLD Battery Rebate’s specific criteria in order to successfully claim their rebate, and will not be eligible for a rebate if this process isn’t followed. You can learn more here.

For those looking to embark on the exciting journey of solar storage, the QLD Battery Booster scheme provides a shining beacon for affordable renewable energy sources. Redback Technologies will endeavour to keep this blog post updated as new information becomes available on the QLD Battery Rebate. 

There are several intricacies to the QLD Battery Rebate scheme that have not been covered in this blog post, and this post should by no means be considered a single source of truth on the Battery Booster Scheme.

For more comprehensive information, homeowners can consult the following sources: