Venergy Solar Blog

Government Solar Incentives

Government incentives in the form of Small-scale Technology Certificates or STCs help reduce the upfront cost of installing your solar PV system. STCs are an electronic form of currency and are allocated to you when you install a solar PV system.

One STC is equivalent to one megawatt-hour of electricity generated by your solar PV system. The price of STCs changes depending on market conditions. The total level of financial incentive you receive is determined by a variety of factors, including the location and size of the solar PV system and the price of STCs at the time the system was installed.

There are two ways you can receive the financial incentive for your STCs:

  1. Assign your STCs when you purchase your solar PV system to Venergy or a registered agent in exchange for a financial benefit, which may be in the form of a delayed cash payment or upfront discount on your solar PV system (most customers take this option), or 
  2. Create the STCs yourself by finding a buyer and then selling and transferring them in the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Registry. For more information, contact the Clean Energy Regulator.

How much will my STCs financial incentive be?

Australia is divided up into various zones based on how much renewable energy can be generated by a solar panel in a given area. The same size system installed in Melbourne or Hobart (zone 4) receives fewer STCs than those installed in sunny Sydney (zone 3) or Darwin (zone 2), where systems can produce more energy. 

You can use the REC Registry calculator on the Clean Energy Regulator’s website to determine your approximate level of subsidy.

STC Incentives

CityZoneRatingSystem SizeDeeming Period
(2021)
Total STC
Entitlement
Total Incentives
Adelaide31.3823kWx10 (years)=41$1476 (STCs x $36)
Brisbane31.3823kWx10 (years)=41$1476 (STCs x $36)
Canberra31.3823kWx10 (years)=41$1476 (STCs x $36)
Darwin21.5363kWx10 (years)=46$1656 (STCs x $36)
Hobart41.1853kWx10 (years)=35$1260 (STCs x $36)
Melbourne41.1853kWx10 (years)=35$1260 (STCs x $36)
Perth31.3823kWx10 (years)=41$1476 (STCs x $36)
Sydney31.3823kWx10 (years)=41$1476 (STCs x $36)

Zone rating x rated power output (3kW) x deeming period (10 years) = total STC entitlement. Figures based on an STC rate of $36. This is an approximate rate and the STC price will vary.  The deeming period will decline by one from 1 January each year. These figures are current as of 19 March 2021. For more information, contact the Clean Energy Regulator.

To find more about the government solar incentives and to receive a free, no-obligation consultation, give us a call on 1800 836 374.

Request a Free Quote