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Get Onboard to Generate STCs.
Get your business onboard with Ecovantage and create STCs for your solar PV and battery installations today.
Home Battery Incentive.
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is an Australian Government program designed to help Australian households and small businesses maximise the energy generated through their rooftop solar, incentivised by a discount on the cost of installing battery systems.
The Program started on 1 July 2025 and will run until 2030.
Discounts through Incentives.
This new incentive is administered under the existing Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), utilising Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs).
To generate STCs to pass on to your customers, an AP/ACP such as Ecovantage is required to verify the installation, create the certificates and monetise them. Onboard with us today >
Battery STC Calculator.
Battery STC Estimate
5 day payment
$
20 day payment
$
Enter the usable capacity (number only) of the battery to get an estimate of your STC payment for batteries installed between 1 January 2026 and 30 April 2026.
Payment made post Ecovantage audit pass.
Assuming 1,000 STCs are processed per month. For businesses estimating under 1,000 or over 5,000 STCs per month, please contact us for individual quoting.
Payment values subject to change.
How is the Incentive Calculated?
The numbers of STCs the system is eligible for is reflective of the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of usable capacity in the battery system. Under the SRES, the number of STCs will gradually decrease until 2030.
STCs are only available for the first 50 kWh. The rate until 30 April 2026 will be 8.4 STCs per kWh, equivalent to around $335 per kWh (subject to certificate generation fees and STC market prices).
The STC factor will reduce every 6 months, and from 1 May 2026, the STC factor will vary depending on battery size. Please refer to the following table >
Rotate phone for best view
| Year |
Period |
STCs |
||
| Up to 14kWh | 14-28kWh | 28-50kWh | ||
| 2026 |
January – April | 8.4 | 8.4 | 8.4 |
| May – December | 6.8 | 4.08 | 1.02 | |
| 2027 |
January – April | 5.7 | 3.42 | 0.855 |
| May – December | 5.2 | 3.12 | 0.78 | |
| 2028 |
January – April | 4.6 | 2.76 | 0.69 |
| May – December | 4.1 | 2.46 | 0.615 | |
| 2029 |
January – April | 3.6 | 2.16 | 0.54 |
| May – December | 3.1 | 1.86 | 0.465 | |
| 2030 |
January – April | 2.6 | 1.56 | 0.39 |
| May – December | 2.1 | 1.26 | 0.315 | |
Eligibility Criteria.
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The battery must be included on the CEC approved battery list. |
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A single solar system with a total nominal capacity of 5 kWh to 100 kWh. The nominal / usable capacity is the maximum amount of energy that can be stored at full charge. |
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The system must not have previously received a discount under this program. |
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The battery’s usable capability is used to calculate the STC volume, and can be claimed for the first 50 kWh of usable capacity, even if the system is larger. |
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The battery needs to be installed with a new or existing solar PV system. |
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The system must have VPP connectability. |
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The system is considered ‘installed’ when a certificate of electrical compliance (or equivalent) is signed, confirming it complies with the relevant electrical safety regulations. |
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The program is intended for residential small-scale battery systems – electric vehicles are not considered eligible batteries for this program. |
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The battery system must be configured as a single Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) unit, whether it comprises a single battery unit or a system of modular batteries. |
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Additional capacity added to an existing battery system could be eligible if it has not previously received a discount under the program, and the additional capacity is at least 5 kWh and the total upgraded capacity does not exceed 100 kWh. |
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Battery systems supported under the program can be installed either on or off-grid. On-grid systems need to be capable of being connected to a VPP, but does not need to be connected. |
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The owners of the battery at the premises (including those within embedded networks) will be the eligible owners of the STCs generated. Further guidance from the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) will align with existing advice. |
Source: DCCEEW
Compliance Requirements.
In addition to the above, further compliance requirements have also been detailed. Installers must adhere to the following commissioning and installation standards:
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Commissioning Limits (July): For July, installers are permitted to commission a maximum of two (2) battery systems AND two (2) solar systems per day. |
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Commissioning Limits (August Onwards): From August onwards, daily commissioning limits revert to:
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Installation Date: The installation date is defined as the Date of Testing/Certification on the Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES). This date must not be prior to July 1st. |
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Submission Window: Projects must be submitted within a 12-month window from the completion of the installation date. |
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Accredited Installer: Installation must be performed by a battery installer accredited under Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA). |
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Regulatory Compliance: All installations must comply with relevant state or territory government requirements concerning electrical wiring and safety, work health and safety, and the siting of the unit. |
More detailed information from DCCEEW regarding required documentation can be found here: Intended Eligibility for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.
Australia’s Most Versatile ACP.
Ecovantage specialises in creating, trading, and supplying all energy certificates, including STCs. We assist you in balancing the financial and environmental scales for each project.
Ecovantage provides an end-to-end service, from site audits and project management, through to generation and monetisation of the created certificates.
The treatment of certificates is based on the financial and carbon goals of each organisation. The options available are presented with their relevant outcomes on both fronts, to ensure your decision is an informed one. Ecovantage generates and trades certificates as an authorised provider through the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
BESS2 Questions, Answered.
Everything you need to know about the NSW PDRS VPP battery incentives, in one place.
NSW Battery IncentivesCertificates Available Under this Scheme.
Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) are a tradeable certificate in Australia’s renewable energy market. They are part of the federal government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme, which aims to promote the uptake of renewable energy sources.
1 STC represents 1 MWh of calculated energy either generated by a renewable energy source, or displaced by the installed system, which is the case for batteries.
The quantity of STCs is calculated based on the location of the system, the electricity generated or displaced, and the years left in the scheme until it ends in 2030.
At Ecovantage, we consistently analyse market activity, creation metrics, policy changes, and consultation releases in conjunction with wider landscape activity. Below is the weekly price tracking of STC prices.
Sign up here to receive Market Updates and spot prices delivered to your inbox every Friday.
Onboard with Ecovantage Today.
If you install solar PV or batteries and want to partner with us to create your STCs quickly and easily, complete the onboarding to get set up.
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