Government Rebates for solar hot water
Why Rebate
Better for your bank balance and better for our world
Replacing your old electric water heater with a more efficient and sustainable hot water solution may save you money and help the planet too. It is important that all of us reduce our household carbon emissions to create a less polluted world, which is why the Federal and some State Governments are offering substantial rebates for a range of environmentally friendly hot water systems.
Rebates help more people convert to energy efficient hot water and increase our chances of adhering to internationally accepted emission levels (like the Kyoto agreement). We all need to do our bit to help reduce the impact we have on the world and if we can get financial assistance to do it, then there is no better reason... or time.
Compelling reasons to convert to energy efficient hot water today:
- Reduce your carbon emissions significantly by converting from an electric storage system to a solar or heat pump system.
- Significant running cost savings (versus a standard electric hot water system) may be achieved if installing a solar or heat pump system.
- Financial rebates are available at the moment, however can easily disappear overnight. The rebates on offer could mean that you end up paying less for an environmental system than if you purchased a standard hot water system. This means the money you end up saving on running costs, goes straight into your pocket.
- It is likely new legislation will be introduced in the next 3-5 years, which will ban traditional electric storage water heaters from being installed in domestic households. When this occurs, chances are some of the rebates currently on offer will be discontinued, so the smart choice is to install a more efficient hot water system in the next 12 months and capitalise on the rebates before they disappear.
The rebate
Federal Government $1000 or $600 Rebate
The Federal Government provides a further rebate of $1000 for the installation of solar or $600 for heat pump hot water systems to replace existing electric storage systems, in existing eligible homes. New home construction is specifically excluded. The rebate is offered for eligible systems installed on, or after 20 February 2010 until March 2012.
Interim program guidelines and application forms for the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme and the previous Solar Hot Water Rebate will be available shortly on www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency/solarhotwater
Installs Completed or Ordered Before 20th February 2010
For any installs that were completed or ordered prior to 20 Feb 2010, the eligible rebate amount was $1600 for Solar Hot Water systems, and $1000 for Heat Pump systems.. This can still be claimed as long as:
- written evidence of the order is received with the written application
- A receipt for a deposit or a copy of the suppliers order form is provided, where a quote is not sufficient evidence of an order.
In all cases final decisions regarding rebate eligibility will be made by the Government. Arrangements after 20 March 2010
IMPORTANT: All applications received from 20 March 2010 will be assessed for $1,000 for solar hot water and $600 for heat pump hot water systems, regardless of installation date.
NSW State Rebate
The NSW Government offers a rebate of $300 for five star, solar or heat pump hot water system installed when replacing an existing electric hot water system.
This rebate is in addition to the Federal rebates.
Eligibility
- Must replace an electric storage hot water system
- Be purchased and installed between 1 October 2007 to 30 June 2011
- Meet all relevant standards and local council requirements
- Not be used for non-domestic purposes such as heating a pool, spa or similar
- Be a new solar or heat pump hot water system that is eligible for at least 20 Renewable Energy Certificates
- Be installed by licensed plumber
- The total amount of NSW Home Saver Rebates a household can receive must not exceed $1500 per property.
- The five star gas, solar or heat pump system was not used to meet BASIX requirements (new homes do not comply).
The NSW Government is the only party able to pay this rebate. Its intention is to pay correctly received applications within 60 days by cheque or directly into a nominated bank account. This rebate cannot be debited at the point of sale.
How much is the NSW State rebate?
As of the 15th of January 2010 the rebate amounts for all hot water systems has changed.
- $300 for a gas hot water system with a 5 star or higher energy rating
- $300 for a solar or heat pump hot water system with 20 or more Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
