Solar & Hot Water Rebates

Solar and hot water rebates are a common subject when learning about energy efficiency options to upgrade your home.

When it comes to improving the energy efficiency and environmental impact of your home, solar and hot water rebates are often a key topic of discussion. These financial incentives play a crucial role in making renewable energy systems and energy-efficient technologies more accessible and affordable for homeowners.

Whether you’re considering a solar photovoltaic (PV) system to utilise free power from the sun, or a high-efficiency heat pump hot water system to reduce your reliance on traditional water heating methods, understanding the available rebates can significantly impact the overall cost and viability of your upgrade project.

In this post, we’ll learn a little bit about solar and hot water rebates, exploring how they work, the potential savings they can offer, and the steps you can take to claim these valuable incentives. By the end, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of how these rebates can help you achieve your energy efficiency goals and contribute to a more sustainable future for your home.

What are they?

Solar and hot water rebates are financial incentives offered by the government to encourage the adoption of renewable energy systems, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and solar hot water systems, as well as energy-efficient technologies like heat pumps.

How do they work?

The Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) are the mechanism through which these rebates are provided. Every eligible small-scale renewable energy system installed is assigned a certain number of STCs, based on the size and type of the system. These STCs can then be sold to a registered STC agent, who will pay the system owner a certain amount per STC.

Each STC is valued between $35-$40. The actual value per STC fluctuates like a stock between $35-$40. This means the true value of the rebate can vary.

How much will my rebate be worth?

When you purchase a system from a retailer like Urban Future, the price you pay will already include the value of the STCs. This means you’re effectively getting a discount on the actual cost of the system, as the STC value is factored into the final price.

As an example, the Enviroheat heat pump is worth 20 STC’s. So the Enviroheat heat pump rebate can be worth between $700 and $800.

Most companies offer $35 (the lowest), and sell the rebate to a 3rd party to make additional profit.

To keep everything transparent, Urban Future partners with Greendeal who offer us a fixed rate per STC of $38.5 at the time of this post. This allows us to provide our customer base with better pricing so that they can benefit from the additional savings, even if the STC value is worth less.

So now the Enviroheat heat pump rebate with Urban Future at $38.5 per STC would total $771, providing you with a larger discount than the average retailer.

How is a claim made with Urban Future?

Keeping it simple, the pricing advertised on all our eligible products will already include the value of the rebate discounted upon purchase.

After installation, you’ll either be sent a remote link requesting a digital signature via SMS or email depending on your preference. 

For solar PV installs the installer may present an app for you to sign on site.

To claim the rebate, you’ll need to sign over the rights to the STCs associated with your system to the STC agent that Urban Future partners with, at the time of this post it is Greendeal.

What does signing my rights away for STC’s really mean?

It sounds scarier than what is really means.
This is a common practice and doesn’t restrict you from doing anything with the system itself.

You still own the system, use the system as you see fit, replace it, or even install additional systems on your property and claim the rebates for those as well.

The key benefits of this process are:

1. Upfront cost reduction: The price you pay for the system is lower due to the STC value being factored in.
2. Transparency: Urban Future provides a fixed rate per STC, ensuring you receive a consistent predetermined value of the rebate.
3. Simplicity: The paperwork and administrative tasks are handled by the retailer and the STC agent, making the process straightforward for the customer.

By offering these rebates and incentives, the government aims to make renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies more accessible and affordable for homeowners and businesses, ultimately driving the transition towards a more sustainable energy future.

To learn more visit our Facebook or read more on our website.
https://www.facebook.com/urbanfuturewa
https://www.urbanfuture.com.au