Queensland homeowners keep searching for a state battery rebate that no longer exists. Battery Booster closed in May 2024. What still cuts the invoice is the federal stack: solar STCs plus the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.
Source Energy Group, a residential solar and battery installer in South East Queensland (QLD electrical contractor licence ECL 1513399, ABN 66 692 934 035), applies those federal discounts at the point of sale. You do not lodge the certificate paperwork yourself when you assign STCs to us.
Last updated: September 2026. Figures below use Clean Energy Regulator and DCCEEW rules current after 1 May 2026. Exact dollar discounts move with the STC market price on the day certificates are assigned.
Is there still a Queensland battery rebate, or has Battery Booster closed?
Source Energy Group’s short answer for QLD homeowners: there is no current Queensland state battery rebate replacing Battery Booster for typical owner-occupier installs. Battery Booster stopped taking new applications in May 2024 after its funding round ended.
What QLD households use now is the national Cheaper Home Batteries Program (federal), administered through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme and the Clean Energy Regulator. Do not confuse that with older state flyers or with landlord-only solar programs.
How the federal solar STC discount works in QLD (2026)
Source Energy Group creates Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) for eligible rooftop solar under the SRES. In South East Queensland most postcodes sit in solar Zone 3 (zone rating 1.382). For a 2026 install the deeming period is 5 years.
Example (SEQ Zone 3, 6.6 kW, 2026): 6.6 × 1.382 × 5 ≈ 45.6 STCs (commonly quoted as about 45 STCs after standard rounding in the REC tools). Dollar value = STCs × the STC price your installer uses when assigning certificates.
| Item | Typical SEQ figure (2026) |
|---|---|
| System size | 6.6 kW |
| Zone rating (SEQ / Zone 3) | 1.382 |
| Deeming years (2026) | 5 |
| STCs (approx.) | ~45 |
| STC Clearing House price (CER, ex GST) | $40 per STC |
| Illustrative value at $40 | ~$1,800 |
Open-market STC prices sit at or slightly under the Clearing House. Your proposal should show the STC line item you are actually receiving. The deeming period drops by one year each 1 January, so waiting into 2027 reduces solar STCs for the same system size.
How much is the federal solar battery discount in QLD in 2026 (e.g. for a 10 kWh battery)?
Source Energy Group calculates battery support from the official Cheaper Home Batteries STC factor, not from outdated “per kWh cash” marketing.
Verified rules (CER / DCCEEW, from 1 May 2026):
- STC factor for installations 1 May 2026 – 31 December 2026: 6.8 STCs per kWh of usable capacity (was 8.4 for January-April 2026)
- Taper by size: 100% of the factor for the first 14 kWh usable; 60% for capacity above 14 up to 28 kWh; 15% for capacity above 28 up to 50 kWh
- STCs only on the first 50 kWh usable; nominal capacity window for eligibility is 5-100 kWh
- Government messaging remains “around 30%” off upfront cost for a range of systems; the precise dollars follow STCs × price
| Usable battery capacity | STCs (May-Dec 2026, ≤14 kWh band) | Illustrative $ at Clearing House $40 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | 10 × 6.8 = 68 STCs | 68 × $40 = $2,720 |
| 13.5 kWh | 13.5 × 6.8 = 91.8 → 92 STCs* | check REC calculator; ~$3,672 at $40 if 91.8 rounded per tool rules |
*Always confirm final certificate count in the REC Registry STC calculator for the exact usable kWh on the product datasheet. Rounding follows the registry, not a blog table.
DATA NOTE: Older web copy that quoted about $300-$311 per kWh reflected the pre-1 May 2026 factor (8.4 × ~$36-$37). That rate is stale for installs after 1 May 2026. At factor 6.8 and a $40 Clearing House price, the arithmetic ceiling is about $272 per usable kWh in the first 14 kWh band before any agent margin. Installer pass-through can be slightly lower if certificates trade below $40.
Solar + battery package example (SEQ)
Source Energy Group in South East Queensland often quotes a stacked package such as ~6.6 kW solar + ~10 kWh usable battery. Using the verified methods above (not invented rebate dollars):
- Solar STCs: ~45 (Zone 3, 2026) → illustrative ~$1,800 at $40 Clearing House
- Battery STCs: 68 (10 kWh × 6.8) → illustrative $2,720 at $40 Clearing House
- Combined illustrative certificate value: roughly $4,500 at $40 before confirming live market/agent rates on your quote
Your signed proposal itemises the discounts. We do not publish a fake “guaranteed government cheque” amount.
How do I apply – do I lodge forms myself?
Source Energy Group applies the federal discounts when you assign your right to create STCs to us as the registered agent path. In practice:
- You choose an eligible system and SAA-accredited battery installer path
- We size solar and/or battery to your bills and switchboard
- STC assignment and battery claim paperwork is handled at install / registration
- The discount appears as an upfront reduction (or as agreed on the contract), not as a form you send to Canberra
DCCEEW confirms consumers do not need to apply to the department or the CER for the battery discount when using an accredited retailer/installer. You can claim STCs yourself via the REC Registry instead, but most homeowners assign them.
Who is eligible – income test? existing solar? VPP enrolment?
Source Energy Group summarises federal battery eligibility for QLD homeowners as follows (always check CER for the full list):
- Income test: no federal household income test for Cheaper Home Batteries (unlike the closed QLD Battery Booster)
- Existing solar: allowed; battery can pair with new or existing PV (PV ≤100 kW)
- One battery claim per premises (NMI rules for grid-connected)
- Products: CEC-approved battery list; AS/NZS 5139; SAA-accredited installer with battery endorsement
- VPP: hardware must be VPP-capable for typical grid-connected sites; enrolment is optional
- Capacity: 5-100 kWh nominal; STCs only to 50 kWh usable
Is a battery still worth it with federal support only?
Source Energy Group’s view for South East Queensland: yes, when evening usage is high and feed-in tariffs are low. The federal discount lowers the sticker price. The real payback still comes from storing your own solar and avoiding peak grid rates. A VPP may add credits later. It is not required to make the hardware eligible.
Waiting has a cost: solar deeming years fall each January, and the battery STC factor steps down on the published CER schedule through 2030.
Eligibility checklist (homeowner)
- QLD home (or small business) with suitable switchboard and roof / existing PV
- Battery on the CEC approved list, sized to your load
- Installer SAA-accredited with battery endorsement; QLD electrical work under a licensed contractor (we trade as ECL 1513399)
- VPP-capable hardware if grid-connected (enrolment optional)
- STCs not already claimed for another battery at the same premises
- Quote shows solar STC and battery STC discounts as separate lines
Optional note for landlords
Source Energy Group flags a separate QLD program: Supercharged Solar for Renters (qld.gov.au), which offers eligible landlords support for solar on rental properties. It is not a battery rebate and must not be mixed into Battery Booster or Cheaper Home Batteries messaging. Check qld.gov.au for current landlord eligibility and rebate caps.
Frequently asked questions
Is there still a Queensland battery rebate, or has Battery Booster closed?
Source Energy Group confirms Battery Booster closed to new applications in May 2024. QLD owner-occupiers now rely on the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program plus solar STCs.
How much is the federal solar battery discount in QLD in 2026 (e.g. for a 10 kWh battery)?
Source Energy Group uses the post-1 May 2026 CER factor of 6.8 STCs per usable kWh in the first 14 kWh band. A 10 kWh usable battery earns 68 STCs. At the CER Clearing House price of $40 per STC (ex GST), that is an illustrative $2,720 before confirming the STC price on your quote.
How do I apply – do I lodge forms myself?
Source Energy Group lodges the STC path when you assign certificates to us. You should not need a separate homeowner application to DCCEEW or the CER for the standard installer discount route.
Who is eligible – income test? existing solar? VPP enrolment?
Source Energy Group notes there is no federal income test for Cheaper Home Batteries. Existing solar is fine. VPP-capable hardware is required for typical grid systems; VPP enrolment is optional.
Is a battery still worth it with federal support only?
Source Energy Group designs SEQ packages around your evening load and tariff. Federal support helps the upfront cost. Worth it when the battery displaces expensive peak imports; we show that on the free audit, not with invented rebate dollars.
Book Your Free Energy Audit for a South East Queensland quote with solar STC and battery STC discounts itemised under current CER rules.