Solar power is emerging as a leading renewable energy solution in Australia’s shift towards cleaner and more sustainable sources. Tasmania, in particular, has a couple of incentives that make installing solar panels cheaper.
These incentives include rebates in the form of small-scale technology certificates, as well as feed-in tariffs.
Let’s talk about both of them. Tap on any of the bullets below to jump sections.
- Small-scale technology certificates, STCs (federal government rebates)
- STC Value
- Eligibility requirement
- Feed-in tariffs (FiTs)
Small-scale technology certificates (STCs)
Small-scale Technology Certificates, commonly referred to as STCs, are tradable certificates associated with renewable energy generation, including solar hot water systems, wind and hydro systems, and, of course, solar panels.
The more STCs your solar panels are eligible for, the higher the value of your rebate.
That being said, the number of STCs you can get will depend upon the following:
- The size of your solar system,
- Your zone rating, and
- Your deeming period
Let’s talk about each one.
Solar system size
Put simply, larger solar systems are eligible for more STCs.
For example, a 10 kW solar system will receive more STCs (and therefore more solar rebates too) than a 1 kW solar system.
The caveat, albeit minor, is that your solar panels can’t exceed 100 kW. This isn’t a big problem since most Australian homes will generate enough solar power with just a 6 kW system.
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Zone rating
All of the states and territories in Australia are categorized as zones based on solar radiation levels. The lower your zone’s number, the more STCs you can get.
That being said, Tasmania‘s STC zone rating is 4. Compared to locations that fall under zones 1, 2, and 3, Tasman’s zone 4 rating means that it receives less solar radiation — and therefore produces less solar power per solar panel.
Does this mean installing solar panels in Tasmania isn’t worth it?
No, it definitely still is.
For one, solar panels are the cheapest they’ve ever been regardless of zone rating. Not to mention the massive reduction in your electricity bill.
Recommended: Why solar panels are worth every dollar in 2023
Deeming period
Deeming period refers to how many years there are between your solar panels’ installation date and 2030. So, if you installed your solar panels in 2023, you’d have a deeming period of 8.
Naturally, this number goes down the closer you get to 2030.
That being said, the higher your deeming period, the more STCs you can get for your solar system.
This is Australia’s way of telling us to switch to solar power ASAP.
Your rebate also depends on the current value of STCs
The value of Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) can fluctuate based on several factors, such as:
- Demand
- upply
- overnment policy
- Market condition, and more!
As of writing, the value of STCs is $39.90. So, if you wanted to install a 10 kW solar system (the equivalent of 94 STCs), for example, you’d have a rebate of roughly $3750.
If you want to check the current value of STCs as well as how many STCs your system is eligible for, you can check the Green Energy Markets and the government’s free STC calculator.
For your reference though, here are sample savings profiles that you can quickly check:
Sample savings profiles (based on system size and current STC value)
There’s a criterion you need to pass before you’re eligible to get rebates
Don’t worry, it’s not a hard criterion to pass. All you need is the following:
- Your solar system needs to be installed by a CEC-accredited solar installer
- Your system’s components need to be CEC-approved
- Your system needs to pass Australian and NZ standards
- Your system needs to comply with all regulations, both local and other regulatory bodies
- Your system should not be more than 100 kW
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The most important criterion is hiring CEC-accredited installers
Why? Because everything else on that list will be taken care of if your solar panel installers are accredited by the CEC (Clean Energy Council).
CEC-accredited solar installers will know all about the CEC-accredited components – from panels, and inverters, to solar batteries. They also know to install your solar system to meet Australian and NZ standards.
And, particularly if you hire someone who operates near you, he/she should be well aware of local regulations.
For the size of your solar system, we have a written guide to help you out. But, truthfully, it’s best if you speak directly with a professional. With our network of pre-vetted pros, we can help you get in touch with CEC-accredited installers right away.
Recommended: How to choose a solar installer
Electricity feed-in tariffs – More incentives!
Feed-in tariffs (FiT) are the other incentive available to Tasmanians. This is payment from the power companies, to you, for feeding your excess solar power to the grid.
The value of these tariffs varies from retailer to retailer, though, so make sure you check with your power company.
But, to give you an idea, here’s a breakdown of some of the leading energy retailers in Tasmania:
- Aurora Energy offers a standard feed-in tariff to all its customers with a single-phase connection of up to 10kW or a 3-phase solar system of up to 30 kW at 8.47 cents per kWh
- Energy Locals offers a single feed-in tariff of 8.9 cents per kWh
- 1st Energy offers a standard FiT of 8.9 cents per kWh
Needless to say, the value of these feed-in tariffs is absurdly low especially compared to the price of buying electricity. Yes, you can still save some money if you take advantage of FiTs but, truly, a better way to maximize your savings is to use as much of your solar power as you can (e.g. through solar battery storage).
Recommended: What are solar batteries and how do they work?
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Tasmania solar rebates all come down to how many STCs (small-scale technology certificates) your solar system is eligible for. The more STCs you get, the higher your rebates.
But, before you can get STCs, you must first pass the criteria. One of those (and the most vital) is that you hire a CEC-accredited solar installer. That’s where we come in.
We have a network of pre-vetted solar installers that are ready to give you 3 FREE quotes right away. We trust them with our own systems so we can vouch for their honesty, skill, and professionalism.
