As at 15 October 2026, Queensland has no state battery rebate. The Battery Booster program closed in May 2024 and nothing has replaced it. What Queenslanders do get is the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, worth roughly $3,460 to $3,640 off a 13.5 kWh battery installed before 31 December 2026, with no income test and no application. On top of that, the federal solar discount (STCs) takes about $1,710 to $1,800 off a 6.6 kW system in Brisbane. The only open state rebate is Supercharged Solar for Renters, which pays landlords up to $3,500 to put solar on a rental.
This guide is independent desk research, checked against Queensland and federal government sources. No installer or retailer paid to be mentioned.
Queensland solar rebates at a glance
| Program | What it covers | Worth | Status (15 Oct 2026) | Stacks with federal? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheaper Home Batteries Program (federal) | Home batteries paired with solar | About $258 to $272 per usable kWh on the first 14 kWh | Open. Steps down on 1 January 2027 | It is the federal program |
| Solar panel STC discount (federal SRES) | Rooftop solar under 100 kW | About $1,710 to $1,800 on 6.6 kW in Brisbane | Open. Steps down on 1 January 2027 | It is the federal program |
| Supercharged Solar for Renters (QLD) | Solar on rental houses, paid to landlords | $2,500, $3,000 or $3,500 by system size | Open, first in, first served | Yes, but batteries are not covered |
| Queensland state battery rebate | Nothing | $0 | No program open | Not applicable |
| Battery Booster (QLD) | Batteries, income tested | Was $3,000 or $4,000 | Closed 8 May 2024 | Not applicable |
| Hot water STCs (federal SRES) | Heat pump and solar hot water | Depends on model and zone | Open | It is the federal program |
| Electricity Rebate (QLD concession) | Power bills for eligible card holders | $399.47 a year | Open | Separate bill rebate |
How much you could save on a typical system
Here is an estimate for a Brisbane owner-occupier installing a 6.6 kW solar system and a 13.5 kWh battery (usable capacity) before 31 December 2026. It assumes an STC price of $38 to $40. STCs traded at $39.88 on 13 October 2026 according to Demand Manager’s spot price page, and the government Clearing House price is fixed at $40, but installers often pass on a little less.
| Item | Working | Estimated discount |
|---|---|---|
| Solar STCs, zone 3 | 6.6 kW x 1.382 x 5 years = 45 STCs | $1,710 to $1,800 |
| Battery STCs | 13.5 kWh x 6.8 = 91 STCs | $3,460 to $3,640 |
| Queensland state rebate | None for owner-occupiers | $0 |
| Total | About $5,170 to $5,440 |
If the house is a rental and the landlord qualifies for Supercharged Solar for Renters, add up to $3,500, taking total support to roughly $8,670 to $8,940. In Mount Isa or Longreach (STC zone 2) the solar line rises to about $1,900 to $2,000.
For context, our battery cost guide puts a 13.5 kWh battery at roughly $11,000 to $15,000 installed before the discount. This is an estimate, not a quote.
The Queensland battery rebate: the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program
If you searched for a QLD battery rebate, this is the one you will actually get. It is federal, administered by the Clean Energy Regulator, and runs from 1 July 2025 to 2030.
How it works. Your battery earns small-scale technology certificates (STCs). Your installer sells them and takes the value off your invoice. You do not apply to anyone.
What it is worth now. For batteries installed from 1 May to 31 December 2026, the factor is 6.8 certificates per usable kWh. Since 1 May 2026 the rate tapers with size:
| Usable capacity band | Share of the factor |
|---|---|
| Up to 14 kWh | 100 per cent |
| Above 14 up to 28 kWh | 60 per cent |
| Above 28 up to 50 kWh | 15 per cent |
| Above 50 kWh | Nothing |
At $38 to $40 per certificate, that means roughly:
- 10 kWh battery: 68 STCs, about $2,580 to $2,720 off.
- 13.5 kWh battery: 91 STCs, about $3,460 to $3,640 off.
- 20 kWh battery: 119 STCs, about $4,520 to $4,760 off.
The next cut. On 1 January 2027 the factor drops to 5.7, then keeps falling every six months to 2.1 in late 2030. A 13.5 kWh battery installed in January 2027 earns about 76 certificates instead of 91, roughly $570 to $600 less. The factor is set by your installation date, not the date you sign.
Who qualifies:
- Batteries of 5 kWh to 100 kWh nominal capacity, with certificates only on the first 50 kWh of usable capacity.
- The battery must be installed with new or existing rooftop solar. Grid-only batteries do not qualify.
- On-grid batteries must be capable of joining a virtual power plant. Joining one is not required.
- Approved battery and inverter (Clean Energy Council list) and an installer accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia.
- One supported battery system per premises.
- No income test. Households, businesses and community organisations are all eligible.
Source: Cheaper Home Batteries Program, DCCEEW and eligibility information, DCCEEW. Our state by state battery rebate guide compares Queensland with the states that do add a top up.
The solar panel STC discount
The federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme gives rooftop solar systems under 100 kW a point-of-sale discount through STCs. The number of certificates is system size x your postcode zone rating x deeming years left to 2030, rounded down. A system installed in 2026 gets 5 deeming years.
Most of Queensland, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and Cairns, is STC zone 3 (rating 1.382). Parts of the west and north west are sunnier zones, according to the Clean Energy Regulator’s postcode zone table:
| Zone | Example areas | 6.6 kW system | 10 kW system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 (1.382) | Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville | 45 STCs, $1,710 to $1,800 | 69 STCs, $2,622 to $2,760 |
| Zone 2 (1.536) | Mount Isa, Longreach, Charleville | 50 STCs, $1,900 to $2,000 | 76 STCs, $2,888 to $3,040 |
| Zone 1 (1.622) | Winton, Quilpie, Birdsville | 53 STCs, $2,014 to $2,120 | 81 STCs, $3,078 to $3,240 |
Zone boundaries follow postcodes, not regions. Far North Queensland’s coast is zone 3, the same as Brisbane.
On 1 January 2027 the deeming period drops to 4 years, so a 6.6 kW Brisbane system falls to about 36 STCs. Our STC explainer covers the mechanics.
Who qualifies: any household using an accredited installer and approved panels and inverter. No income test.
Source: Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, Clean Energy Regulator.
Supercharged Solar for Renters
Queensland’s only open state solar rebate is run by Queensland Treasury and processed by QRIDA (the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority). It opened on 12 December 2025 with $26.3 million for about 6,500 rentals.
| System size (lower of inverter or panel capacity) | Rebate |
|---|---|
| At least 3 kW but under 4 kW | $2,500 |
| At least 4 kW but under 5 kW | $3,000 |
| 5 kW or more | $3,500 |
The rebate cannot exceed what you paid for the system, including GST.
Who qualifies:
- A landlord who lives in Australia and owns the property as an individual. Trusts, self-managed super funds and companies are excluded.
- A house, duplex, townhouse or granny flat. Apartments are not eligible.
- Currently rented for $1,000 a week or less, individually metered, with no existing solar and not in an embedded network.
- A fixed-term lease with at least 8 months left when you lodge the final claim, and signed tenant consent.
- A system of at least 3 kW from a New Energy Tech Approved Seller, with a generation signalling device, designed and installed by accredited people.
- Up to 3 properties per landlord.
How to claim. Get a quote dated on or after 12 December 2025 and apply to QRIDA for conditional approval before installation. You then have 150 days to install, pay, update the lease and lodge the final claim. Batteries must be itemised separately and earn nothing here.
Stacking. The guideline caps the rebate at what you paid and does not exclude the federal STC discount. A battery added at the same time can still get the federal battery discount.
Applications close on a date to be posted on the program website or when funding runs out. As at 15 October 2026 the program was still listed as open.
Source: Supercharged Solar for Renters, qld.gov.au.
Hot water rebates in Queensland
There is no Queensland state rebate for heat pump or solar hot water as at 15 October 2026, and no retailer energy-saving certificate scheme like those in NSW and Victoria.
Eligible heat pump and solar hot water systems do earn federal STCs, based on the model and your zone, taken off the price by the installer. We compare the two in solar hot water versus heat pumps.
Concessions and help for low-income households
- Electricity Rebate. $399.47 a year (GST inclusive) for eligible Queensland Seniors Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card and Veteran Gold Card holders. Apply through your retailer.
- Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme. One-off help for households in a short-term crisis.
- Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme. For people whose medical condition requires air conditioning.
None of these pay for solar or batteries. The federal Household Energy Upgrades Fund offers discounted finance through participating lenders.
Sources: Electricity and gas rebates, qld.gov.au and Household Energy Upgrades Fund, DCCEEW.
Energex, Ergon, Solar Sharer and VPPs
We found no Energex or Ergon household battery incentive. Energex’s PeakSmart program was for air conditioners and is closed to new participants, and Ergon Retail’s battery page lists only the federal program. Two things are worth knowing:
- Solar Sharer. Since 1 July 2026, retailers in South East Queensland must offer an opt-in plan with free electricity from 11am to 2pm (up to 24 kWh a day) for homes with a smart meter. Ergon offers its own version, Tariff 12F, in regional Queensland. Check your evening rates before switching.
- Virtual power plants. Queensland has no state VPP payment like NSW or WA. Retailer VPPs operate in the Energex area with sign-up credits or event payments. See what a VPP is and whether to join one.
Sources: Energex PeakSmart, Ergon batteries, Solar Sharer Offer, energy.gov.au and Ergon Solar Sharer.
Programs that have closed
- Battery Booster. Up to $4,000 (households under $66,667 taxable income) or $3,000 (combined income of $180,000 or less), for batteries of at least 6 kWh with solar of at least 5 kW. Applications closed at 11:59pm on 8 May 2024, as SolarQuotes reported at the time, and the government page has been removed.
- Climate Smart Energy Savers. $300 to $1,000 back on efficient appliances, including heat pump and solar hot water. Closed by April 2024.
- Solar Bonus Scheme (44c). Closed to new customers since 2012. Existing members keep it until 1 July 2028 if they stay eligible.
Sources: Ministerial statement, 14 April 2024 and Solar Bonus Scheme, qld.gov.au.
Feed-in tariffs in Queensland
Queensland is split in two. In South East Queensland there is no regulated feed-in tariff, and retailers set their own rates. In regional Queensland the Queensland Competition Authority sets a flat rate each year. For 2026-27 it is 6.006c per kWh from 1 July 2026, down 31 per cent from 8.660c. Ergon Retail pays this rate.
Low export rates are why a battery can pay here. Compare retailer rates in our feed-in tariff tracker.
Source: Regional Queensland feed-in tariff 2026-27, QCA.
How to claim, step by step
- Check what applies to you. Owner-occupier: federal STCs plus the federal battery discount. Landlord: add Supercharged Solar for Renters. On the 44c tariff: speak to your distributor before changing anything.
- Get at least three quotes from businesses on the New Energy Tech Approved Seller list. Check the designer’s and installer’s accreditation yourself on the Solar Accreditation Australia website.
- Read the quote line by line. Look for separate STC lines for panels and battery, the battery’s usable capacity in kWh, model numbers and the install date. See how to compare solar quotes.
- Landlords only: get tenant consent and QRIDA conditional approval before signing for installation.
- Book the install. The installer handles grid connection with Energex or Ergon and creates the STCs.
- Keep the paperwork: itemised invoice, certificate of electrical compliance and warranties.
Watch out for
- Closed rebates still advertised. In October 2026 we found an installer page still describing Battery Booster as open, and a 2024 “$4,000 Queensland battery rebate” page on Google’s first page for “solar rebate qld”. If quoted a state battery rebate, ask for the qld.gov.au program page.
- The federal discount relabelled. Many “up to $4,000 QLD battery rebate” ads describe the federal discount. Make sure it appears once on your invoice, not as an extra.
- The 1 January 2027 step-down. Both the battery factor and solar deeming years fall. The rate follows the install date, and the Clean Energy Regulator has warned retailers not to promise dates they cannot meet.
- The 44c Solar Bonus Scheme. Adding a battery that exports, or upsizing your inverter, can cost you the 44c rate.
- Fake program sites. The Queensland Government warns that third-party websites imitate Supercharged Solar for Renters. Only trust pages ending in qld.gov.au.
FAQ
Is there a solar battery rebate in Queensland in 2026?
Not from the state. Nothing has replaced Battery Booster, which closed on 8 May 2024. Queenslanders get the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, worth about $258 to $272 per usable kWh on the first 14 kWh until 31 December 2026.
Is there a solar rebate in QLD?
Yes, but mostly federal. Every eligible system gets the STC discount, about $1,710 to $1,800 on a 6.6 kW system in Brisbane. The only state solar rebate is Supercharged Solar for Renters, for landlords.
How much is the battery rebate on a 13.5 kWh battery in Queensland?
About $3,460 to $3,640 if installed by 31 December 2026, based on 91 certificates at $38 to $40 each. From 1 January 2027 it falls to roughly $2,890 to $3,040.
Can I get the battery rebate if I already have solar?
Yes. Existing solar counts if it meets safety rules and the battery setup is VPP capable. A battery with no solar does not qualify.
Do renters qualify for solar rebates in Queensland?
Not directly. Supercharged Solar for Renters is paid to landlords, so tenants need their landlord to apply. Renters with a smart meter can choose a Solar Sharer plan themselves.
Is the Queensland Battery Booster coming back?
There is no sign of it. We found no household battery rebate in the 2025 Energy Roadmap or the 2026-27 Budget energy announcements. The roadmap’s small-scale measures were community batteries ($10 million) and Supercharged Solar for Renters.
Should I add a battery if I am on the 44c feed-in tariff?
Check first. The 44c rate runs until 1 July 2028, and batteries may only run when the 44c system is not generating, unless separately connected. Ask your distributor before changing anything.
Find an installer in Queensland
Browse Queensland solar companies or our top 10 Queensland solar installers. City guides: Brisbane solar installers and Townsville solar installers. Comparing hardware? See our battery reviews.
Other state guides: NSW, Victoria and WA.
About this guide
This is independent desk research by Solar Cobber. We checked every program against Queensland Government, Clean Energy Regulator, DCCEEW, QCA, Energex and Ergon sources on 15 October 2026. No installer, retailer or program was contacted or paid us. This is general information, not financial advice. Confirm details with the program or your installer before you sign. If you spot an error, tell us through our contact page.
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