ACT Govt. Sustainable Household Scheme
The ACT Government’s Sustainable Household Scheme is offering Solar loan up to $15,000* & extra $5,000* roof top solar rebate for eligible homeowners under Home Energy Support: Rebates For Homeowners Program, 30% Govt. Solar Battery Rebate Under Cheaper Home Batteries Program
Sustainable Household Scheme - July 1st 2023
Full scheme available now. The scheme will run until 2026, unless extended.
You might be able to get a loan to improve your home's energy efficiency. Reduce your environmental impact with solar panels, batteries and other products. Eligible home owners can borrow up to $15,000. You have up to 10 years to repay it*.
*Terms and Conditions apply.
Check Eligibility Now
About the program
This scheme provides zero-interest loans to help with the costs of energy-efficient upgrades. Brighte is our partner and loan provider for the scheme. If you're eligible, you can get a loan from $2,000 to $15,000. You can repay the loan over up to 10 years. The scheme is open to new applications for 5 years.
How it works
If you're eligible, you can get a loan from $2,000 to $15,000 to buy energy-efficient products. These include:
- rooftop solar panels
- household battery storage systems
- electric heating and cooling systems
- hot water heat pumps (HWHP)
- electric stove tops
- electric vehicles
- electric vehicle charging infrastructure
- installation costs for these products.
Over the life of the scheme, you can install one product or a bundle of products from the list of eligible products. Together, these can be valued at up to $15,000.
You may borrow more than $15,000 depending on your loan application credit check.
Your repayments will begin when you either:
- install the product or system and it is operational
- buy the electric vehicle.
You can apply for a loan under this scheme and a subsidy under another program, such as the Next Gen Energy Storage Program.
Check Eligibility
Buyers Guides
- Rooftop solar panels (PDF 2.6MB)
- Household battery storage systems (PDF 2.1MB)
- Electric heating and cooling systems (PDF 171KB)
- Hot water heat pumps (HWHP) (PDF 192KB)
- Electric stove tops (PDF 86KB)
- Electric vehicles (PDF 136KB)
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure (PDF 87KB)
Check Eligibility
Who can take part
It's open to residents of the ACT who either own a home or hold a current driving licence (when applying for a loan for an electric vehicle).
You must meet the scheme's eligibility criteria and Brighte's lending criteria. This includes attending a free one hour live online workshop. These workshops will help you with your energy efficiency choices.
To check if you're eligible, read:
The scheme will be open to eligible community groups soon so watch this space.
Cost
No establishment fees or account-keeping costs.
You can repay the loan early with no penalty fee. But if you fall behind in your loan repayments, the loan provider may charge a fee.
You must meet standard credit criteria for the loan. This includes a good credit history and the ability to repay the loan without hardship.
If you can't repay the loan, the loan provider will have hardship support to help you.
The loan provider must follow the responsible lending practices in the National Consumer Protection Credit Act2009.
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Why it's important?
The ACT is committed to net zero emissions by 2045. You can help us get there by installing and using energy efficient products. These loans will make it easier to switch to products that are better for the environment.
Home Energy Support: Extra Rebates for Homeowners
You may be able to get extra rebates for sustainable home upgrades. Improve home comfort, save money on energy bills, and reduce your environmental impact with rooftop solar systems, hot water heat pumps, reverse cycle heating and cooling systems, and better ceiling insulation. Eligible homeowners can apply for rebates of up to $5,000.
Check Eligibility
About the program
The program provides up to $5,000 in rebates for eligible homeowners to help with the upfront costs of installing energy efficient products and undertaking sustainable upgrades.
From 31 March 2022, eligible homeowners can access a rebate of up to $2,500 for the installation of rooftop solar. The program has an option to pay for the rest of the solar system with an interest-free loan.
An additional rebate of up to $2,500 will also be available soon for eligible homeowners to install:
- reverse cycle heating and cooling
- hot water heat pumps
- ceiling insulation
The maximum rebate amount per property is up to $5,000.
Check Eligibility
Cheaper Home Batteries Program
The $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program is now available to help more people install batteries.
Australia is a world leader in rooftop solar with more than 4 million rooftop solar PV systems, however only one in 40 households have installed batteries. The high upfront cost of batteries means installing batteries is out of reach for many households and businesses.
Australian households, businesses and community organisations can now get a discount of around 30% on the upfront cost of installing small-scale battery systems (5 kWh to 100 kWh).
The discount is:
- available for batteries connected to new or existing solar PV systems
- funded by the government to ensure no extra costs are passed on to consumers
- based on the battery’s usable capacity and the number of small-scale technology certificates the battery is eligible for
- going to be reviewed at least annually and will gradually decrease until 2030, in line with reducing battery prices.
Eligibility for the discount is subject to requirements in the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Cheaper Home Batteries Program) Regulations 2025 being met.
The program is administered by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) and the government is funding the discount.
The program is:
- helping participating households, businesses and community organisations reduce electricity bills by making the most of cheap and clean solar power by storing it for when it is needed
- lowering costs for everyone - not just those who install a battery – by reducing peak demand and creating a more stable electricity grid
- communicating responsibilities for retailers, installers and consumers to ensure batteries are bought and installed legally, safely and for permanent use.
