Solar Rebate — Tasmania | Your Green Future Begins Here

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 solar 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 energy systems are eligible for, the higher the value of your solar rebates.

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 power 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.

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 energy systems 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 2024

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 2024, you’d have a deeming period of 7.

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 power 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
• Supply
• Government 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 panel system (the equivalent of 82 STCs), for example, you’d have a rebate of roughly $3271.8.

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 for Solar Systems in TAS

The values above are calculated assuming that the solar system was installed in 2024 with a deeming period of 7 years, and the STC value is $39.90

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 power 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 from major and participating clean energy regulator parties.
• Your system should not be more than 100 kW.

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 how to install your solar system to meet Australian and New Zealand 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 incentives 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:

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 solar power systems so we can vouch for their honesty, skill, and professionalism.