Federal – Solar Hot Water rebate & STCs

Rebate type Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme
Eligible renewable technology/item Solar hot water systems
Applicable sector Households
Rebate amount $1000 for Solar hot water systems and $600 for heat pump systems
Additional information The Prime Minister announced on 27th January 2011 that as part of the response to the flood disaster the Government will redirect projected surplus funding from the Solar Hot Water Rebate program. These surplus funds have become available as a result of lower than anticipated levels of demand for the Solar Hot Water Rebate in 2010. Enough money remains within the program to support current rebate demand levels. All Solar Hot Water Rebate applications will continue be processed as normal. Depending on future levels of demand, eligible households will still be able to access the Rebate in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 Financial Years.
Contact information For further details on the rebate program phone 1800 808 571 or go to http://www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency/solarhotwater/index.html

Rebate type Federal Government Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) Small Technology Certificates Scheme (STCs).
Eligible renewable technology/item Solar hot water systems
Applicable sector Households
Rebate amount Depends on the size, type and what the solar hot water system is replacing as well as your geography (climatic zone). This will in turn determine how many Small Technology Certificates (STCs) you can receive from the government. STCs are certificates issued by the government which electricity retailers will buy in order to fulfill their STCs liability. These certificates represent the contribution of businesses to their greenhouse emission reductions under the Federal Government’s Mandatory Renewable Energy Act. According to the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER), you can expect anywhere between 10 and 64 STCs per solar hot water system. Buy-back price for STCs is dependant on who you sell your STCs to and what sort of system you are purchasing. This can vary the values of your individual STCs from $10- $50 each.
Additional information Eligibility for STCs on a solar hot water systems only include systems that replace electrically heated hot water systems. Each STC is representative of 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of displaced electrical hot water generation. The STCs is a certification system administered by the federal government designed to displace electrically heated hot water systems, hence the STCs system is not strictly a rebate program. You are required to register to create STCs through ORER and you are to negotiate a price through the retailer you are selling them through. Often this will be streamlined such that when eligible for STCs you can sell your certificates (effectively) back through the manufacturer of your solar hot water unit.
Contact information For further details and to assess your eligibility for STCs please visit the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator: www.orer.gov.au/index.html