Moving house or looking to purchase an investment property? Have you already claimed the Victorian solar rebate on your current home? You may be wondering whether you can claim the rebate again. The Victorian Solar Homes Program has been incredibly successful since its establishment in 2018. As of February 2024, 326,621 Victorian homes have had solar installed and that figure increases in the thousands each month. Let’s take a look at whether you can claim the rebate more than once.
What is the Victorian Solar Homes Program?
Introduced by the Andrews government, the Solar Homes Program set out to incentivise the uptake of solar across Victoria. Along with the federal STC program, homeowners can currently claim up to $1,400 off the purchase of a new solar system. The program also oversees interest-free loans up to $1,400.
The current eligibility criteria for the rebate are:
- You must be the homeowner residing in a pre-existing property or overseeing the construction of a home where the solar system is to be implemented.
- The total household taxable income of all homeowners should not exceed $210,000 annually.
- The property’s assessed value should be below $3 million, or in the case of a home under construction, it should be projected to be valued under $3 million upon completion.
- The property address must not have previously benefited from a solar panel (PV) rebate through the Solar Homes Program.
- The property must not have had a solar panel (PV) system installed within the past decade.
Can I get the Solar Homes Rebate if I have already claimed it on another home?
The simple answer is YES! The program updated its terms and conditions recently to allow multiple claims for the rebate. The new home will also be eligible for other rebates and incentives, such as the interest-free loan, hot water rebate, and battery loan scheme.
Do I have to live in the new house to claim the rebate?
One very important caveat of multiple claims of the Solar Homes Program is that you MUST reside in the home that you are claiming for. This means that investment properties that will not be owner-occupied will NOT be eligible for the rebate. While this may put a spanner in the works for any rental properties you own, your system will still be eligible for STCs and receive a discount off the purchase price of the system.
Can renters apply for the Solar Homes Program?
Renters can apply for the rebate and loan through their landlord. Renters are advised to discuss the installation of solar with their landlord to settle on payment (who pays for what), ongoing financial benefits from the solar (who will receive the feed-in tariff, for example), and ongoing ownership of the solar system (what happens once the tenants leave should they pay for the system).
What other rebates and incentives are available for homeowners in Victoria?
Victorians are definitely spoiled when it comes to incentives to go solar and install other renewable energy products.
Solar PV Loans
Along with the Solar PV Rebate of $1,400, homeowners can apply for an interest-free loan of up to $1,400 for their solar system. This loan is paid off over 4 years. The eligibility criteria are much the same as the rebate portion of the Solar Homes Program and you do not require any collateral to apply. A credit check is required to apply for the loan.
Hot Water Rebate
Gas and electric hot water systems replaced with heat pumps or solar hot water systems may be eligible for a rebate of up to $1,000. The following are the current eligibility criteria for the program:
- You must be the owner-occupier of an established property where the system is intended for installation.
- The collective household taxable income of all owners must not exceed $210,000 annually.
- The property’s assessed value should be under $3 million.
- The property address must not have previously claimed a hot water rebate or a solar battery rebate under the Solar Homes Program.
- The hot water system slated for replacement must have been purchased at least three years prior to the current date.
Solar Battery Loans
Solar Victoria’s solar battery loans aim to alleviate the initial expense associated with installing a solar battery, allowing repayments to be spread out over a four-year duration. The application procedure consists of two phases: an initial eligibility assessment followed by a financial evaluation
In the fiscal year 2023-24, there are 4,500 interest-free loans offered, each providing up to $8,800 in assistance.
Eligibility criteria:
- You must be the owner-occupier of an established property where the system is intended for installation.
- The collective household taxable income of all owners must not exceed $210,000 annually.
- The property’s assessed value should be under $3 million.
- The property address must not have previously benefited from a solar battery rebate.
- The property must either possess a solar panel system with an inverter capacity of 5kW or greater, or it will have one installed concurrently with the solar battery setup.
- The energy storage solution must have a capacity of 6kWh or more and must be listed on Solar Victoria’s battery product list. Additionally, the property should not have an existing energy storage system.
- Prior approval from your Distributed Network Service Provider (DNSP) is required to safely connect a battery to the grid.
- The owner(s) must consent to receive information from their Distribution Network Service Provider regarding participation in battery trials aimed at maximising household benefits.
Victorian Energy Upgrades program
The Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program assists residents in Victoria in lowering their electricity expenses and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Since its inception in 2009, the program has aided more than 2 million households in enhancing their appliances and equipment. These products encompass lighting, space heating and cooling, water heating, and draft sealing.
Eligibility and the amount you will receive as a discount varies from product to product. For a full list of eligible products and their corresponding discounts, please visit the VEU website.
Conclusion
The Victorian government have made it a lot cheaper to go solar on your new home! Energy Matters is here to make the journey easier for you too! Complete our quick form and we’ll connect you with local installers in and around Melbourne who will provide you with FREE quotes for solar, batteries, and more. This service is 100% free and obligation-free. Go solar with peace of mind!
