Have you heard something about “the $1,400 solar rebate”? Here’s the real story
If you’ve been looking into solar lately, chances are you’ve seen headlines or ads shouting about the Solar Victoria rebate.
And while there’s still great value in this program, the details have changed and it’s easy to get confused about what’s still available, what’s not and how it all fits in with the other rebates we’ve been talking about.
Let’s break it down clearly, so you can plan your upgrades with confidence.
What is the Solar Victoria rebate?
This rebate is part of the Solar Homes Program, a state-based initiative helping Victorians reduce the cost of going solar.
It applies to:
- ✅ Solar panel systems
- ✅ Heat pump or solar hot water systems
- ❌ Battery systems (battery loan no longer available)
It provides:
- Up to $1,400 off solar panels
- Up to $1,400 off heat pump hot water (if Australian-made)
- An optional interest-free loan of $1,400 for solar panels
Who is eligible?
The rebate is means-tested, so you must:
- Have a combined household income under $210,000
- Live in a home valued under $3 million
- Not have already received a Solar Vic rebate for the same category
- Use a Solar Victoria-approved retailer and product
- Be the owner–occupier of the home
- Have not had solar installed in the last 10 years
What is no longer available?
- ❌ The battery loan has ended
- ❌ You can’t claim the rebate on solar twice (it’s once per property)
- ❌ If you’ve previously received the solar panel rebate, you can’t claim again for a second system—even if you upgrade
Here’s what you can still do
If you haven’t installed solar yet or have solar more than 10 years old, you could still claim:
- Up to $1,400 rebate for solar panels
- An optional $1,400 interest-free loan
- STCs in addition to the rebate (usually worth $2,000–$3,000)
- A separate rebate for hot water if you upgrade your system
You can also stack the Solar Vic rebate with:
- STCs (federal)
- VEECs (state-based)
- The Cheaper Home Battery Program (via STCs)
- Other solar vic rebates in the same home, as long as they’re in a different category
A quick example
Let’s say a homeowner in Woodend installs a 10kW solar system and upgrades their old electric hot water unit to an Istore heat pump.
They could claim:
- $1,400 Solar Vic rebate for solar panels
- $2,870 in STCs for the 10kW system
- $1,000 Solar Vic rebate for hot water
- $700 in STCs and $400 in VEECs for the heat pump upgrade
That’s around $6,400 in total support—all above board, fully stackable, and applied upfront.
Still confused? That’s normal
The Solar Vic program changes frequently, and the fine print can be hard to keep track of, especially if you’re juggling solar, batteries, hot water, heating, and planning ahead.
That’s what we’re here for.
Book your free onsite consult here or call us on (03) 5426 5522.
We’ll help you figure out:
- What you can still claim
- What order to do upgrades in
- And how to avoid common traps that lead to missed rebates or future regret
No sales pitch. Just real help from someone local who understands how this stuff works in your home, not just on paper.