The Cheaper Home Batteries Program has changed what installers sell. A battery that was a premium add-on is now a mainstream quote, and the discount that makes it affordable is paid through certificates that you create. That is where this guide starts.
Details in this area move. Anything marked “at the time of writing” should be confirmed against the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water before you quote.
What the program is
The federal program gives households, small businesses and community groups an upfront discount on an eligible home battery. The discount is delivered by creating STCs for the battery, which the installer then assigns to a trader. The customer sees a lower price on the invoice, and you receive the value of the certificates.
That is why batteries are an installer’s cash-flow event as much as a sales one. You carry the discount until your certificates are paid, so how quickly your trader settles matters a lot. See how long STC payment should take.
Eligibility, at the time of writing
For a battery to create certificates under the program:
- Product: the battery must be on the Clean Energy Council (CEC) approved list for the program, and be a model the CER recognises.
- Capacity: between 5 kWh and 100 kWh of usable capacity.
- Discount cap: up to 50 kWh of usable capacity is eligible for the discount. Larger systems can be installed, but only the first 50 kWh earns certificates.
- VPP capable: the battery must be able to connect to a virtual power plant. This is a capability requirement, so confirm the specific wording for each product.
- Accredited installer: installation by a CEC-accredited installer, using approved products, in line with the applicable standards.
- One per property: one eligible battery per property under the program.
- Existing solar: a battery can be added to an existing solar system. It does not have to be installed with new panels.
Remember the usable-versus-nominal point. Datasheets often list both, and it is usable capacity that counts. It is also one of the most common reasons a claim goes back for correction.
How the STC discount is calculated
Broadly, the number of certificates is based on the battery’s usable capacity in kWh, multiplied by a factor set by the scheme, applied up to the 50 kWh cap. The factor is not fixed. At the time of writing, it steps down on 1 January each year as the program runs towards 2030.
The practical consequences:
- A battery installed in one year earns more certificates than the identical battery installed the next.
- Quotes that straddle 1 January need care. The date that counts is the installation date, not the date of the quote or the sale.
- Your price to the customer should be able to move with the discount, which is easier if you are not guessing at the certificate value.
We cover the equivalent effect for solar in what changes in January. The mechanism is different, but the lesson is the same: plan around the calendar.
A simple illustration
These numbers are purely illustrative. Suppose a 10 kWh usable battery is eligible and the factor in force creates a certain number of STCs per kWh. Multiply the usable kWh by that factor to get the certificates, then by your rate per STC to get the dollar value. Next year, the factor drops, so the same battery produces fewer certificates and the discount on the customer’s invoice shrinks. Use the figures from the CER for your installation date rather than working from last year’s table.
What to lodge
A battery claim is only as strong as its paperwork. The desk will want:
- The signed STC assignment form, with the customer’s details and signature
- The installation photos, showing the battery, serial number, and installation location
- The CEC-approved battery model and serial
- Usable capacity as listed for the model
- The compliance certificate or equivalent electrical documentation
- Evidence of VPP capability where the product requires it
- Installer accreditation details
Our battery submission guide goes line by line through what each of these should look like, and the photo requirements cover the images.
Common rejections
The same handful of issues account for most battery claim problems.
- Nominal versus usable capacity. The claim lists the headline kWh rather than the usable figure.
- Product not on the approved list. The model, or a specific variant, is not eligible for the program.
- Blurry or missing serials. The serial in the form does not match one that can be read in a photo.
- Missing DNSP approval. The network approval for the connection is absent or does not match the system.
- Unsigned or incomplete assignment form. Without a valid assignment, you cannot transfer the certificates.
- Installation date outside the correct period. The certificate factor depends on the date.
- More than one battery claimed per property. Check history before quoting.
There is more detail on the paperwork side in top STC claim rejection reasons, and most of the list applies to batteries as well as solar.
Why a pre-check helps
Battery jobs are higher value, so a bounced claim costs more. A pre-check desk looks at the claim before it is lodged and catches the capacity, serial and form issues described above. Our compliance desk reviews every claim before lodgement, which is how we catch problems before they cost you time. Details are on the battery STC page.
Quoting well in a changing program
A few habits keep installers out of trouble.
- Quote with the certificate value you will be paid, not an optimistic one.
- Put the installation date in your job record and confirm it against the certificate factor in force.
- Check eligibility before the deposit is taken, not after.
- Keep your accreditation and product approvals current.
- Settle with a trader who pays within a day, so the discount you carry does not stretch your cash.
If you want rate and settlement terms for battery certificates, see the pricing page, or talk to the desk about your first battery claim.