Energy rebates
Victorian energy rebates for Melbourne homes: VEU and bill help (2026)
As of 2 November 2026, an eligible Melbourne household can get Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) discounts on efficient appliances and insulation, a Solar Homes rebate of up to $1,400 on solar panels, a hot water rebate, bill concessions and, with a smart meter on any of the five networks that serve Melbourne, free power from 11 am to 2 pm every day on the Midday Power Saver.
The $100 Power Saving Bonus closed on 31 March 2026, and no new round has been announced. Household solar support moves into VEU from 1 July 2027. For panels and batteries, see solar and battery rebates.
Updated
Victorian energy rebates at a glance
The Victorian Government and federal programs open to Melbourne households on 2 November 2026, the federal free-power offer people often ask about, and the ones that have closed. Each name links to the page or section that covers it. Changes that are announced but not in force yet are listed separately.
| Program | Run by | What you get | Who qualifies | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midday Power Saver | Victorian Government; prices set by the Essential Services Commission from 1 July 2027 | Free electricity from 11 am to 2 pm every day, on a time-of-use plan with slightly higher rates at other times. Up to 24 kWh a day free. The Victorian Government estimates savings of $149 to $428 a year for households that shift 5% to 30% of their use into the window. | Households with a smart meter. Retailers with 1,000 or more household customers must offer it | In force since 1 October 2026 | Essential Services Commission; Midday Power Saver Pricing Order 2026; Victorian Government (savings estimate) |
| Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) | Victorian Government; run by the Essential Services Commission | Discounts on energy-efficient products such as heat pump hot water, reverse cycle air conditioning and ceiling insulation. Varies by product and provider. | Households and businesses, through an accredited provider | In force | Essential Services Commission |
| Solar Homes panel rebate and loan | Solar Victoria | A rebate on solar panels, with an optional interest-free loan. Up to $1,400, plus a loan of up to $1,400. | Owner-occupiers (or owners building a home) with a combined taxable income under $150,000 and a home worth under $3 million | In force, until 30 June 2027; then solar support moves into VEU | Solar Victoria |
| Solar Homes hot water rebate | Solar Victoria | A rebate on an eligible heat pump or solar hot water system. Up to $1,000, or up to $1,400 for an eligible locally made product. | Owner-occupiers with a combined taxable income under $150,000 and a property worth under $3 million, replacing a system at least 3 years old | In force | Solar Victoria |
| STCs for solar panels | Clean Energy Regulator (federal) | An upfront discount on solar panels, paid in small-scale technology certificates. Depends on system size, postcode and install year. | Anyone installing an eligible system with an accredited installer | In force; falls every 1 January; 2030 is the last year | Clean Energy Regulator |
| Cheaper Home Batteries Program | DCCEEW and the Clean Energy Regulator (federal) | An upfront discount on a home battery, paid in STCs. A discount of around 30%. | A new approved battery of 5 to 100 kWh, installed by an accredited installer; one claim per property | In force; steps down every six months to the end of 2030 | DCCEEW |
| Annual Electricity Concession | Victorian Government (Department of Families, Fairness and Housing) | A discount on your electricity bill, all year. Can include 17.5% off your electricity bill. | Households with an eligible concession card | In force | Victorian Budget 2026–27 Overview; Essential Services Commission |
| Utility Relief Grant | Victorian Government (Department of Families, Fairness and Housing) | A grant to help pay an electricity bill you can’t pay. Set by the department. | Holders of a pensioner concession, health care or veterans’ affairs gold card, or a low-income household, who can’t pay their bill | In force | Essential Services Commission; Premier of Victoria (May 2025) |
| Energy Assistance Program | Victorian Government | Free one-on-one help from an energy advocate with bills, concessions and retailers. Free advice, not a payment. | Concession card holders, or anyone struggling or expecting to struggle to pay an energy bill | In force | Victorian Energy Compare; Victorian Budget 2026–27 Overview; Premier of Victoria (May 2025) |
| Solar Sharer Offer | Australian Government; prices set by the Australian Energy Regulator | Three free hours of electricity in the middle of the day. Up to 24 kWh a day free. | Households with a smart meter in Default Market Offer regions | Not offered in Victoria. In force since 1 July 2026 in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland | Australian Energy Regulator (Energy Made Easy); Energy Consumers Australia |
| $100 Power Saving Bonus | Victorian Government | A one-off payment towards power bills. $100 per household. | Concession card holders | Closed 31 March 2026 | Victorian Energy Compare |
| Energy Bill Relief Fund | Australian Government | Credits on electricity bills. Credits applied to bills from July 2024 to December 2025. | Eligible households and small businesses | Closed 31 December 2025 | Federal Financial Relations (Treasury) |
| Solar Victoria battery loan | Solar Victoria | An interest-free loan for a home battery. No longer offered. | No new applicants | Closed; existing loans are still repaid | Solar Victoria |
The Midday Power Saver in brief
Since 1 October 2026, retailers with 1,000 or more household customers must offer the Midday Power Saver to households with a smart meter. Electricity used from 11 am to 2 pm every day is free, up to 24 kWh, and rates at other times are a little higher. You normally opt in with your retailer, and you can withdraw within 10 business days with no fee. From 1 July 2027 the Essential Services Commission sets the free hours and prices each year (Essential Services Commission). Whether it saves you money depends on how much of your use you can move into the window.
Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU)
Victorian Energy Upgrades gives homes and businesses discounts on energy-efficient products. Accredited providers install the products and create Victorian energy efficiency certificates (VEECs), one for each tonne of greenhouse gas the upgrade avoids; large energy retailers must buy those certificates each year, which pays for the discount. The Victorian Government designs the program and the Essential Services Commission runs it. The discount varies by product and provider: in the Commission’s words, it “varies depending on the market activity and certificate price”.
What it covers for homes
- heat pump or electric-boosted solar hot water, replacing an electric or gas system
- high efficiency (reverse cycle) air conditioners for heating and cooling
- gas heating ductwork upgrades
- window replacement or retrofit, and weather sealing
- induction cooktops
- water-efficient shower heads
- ceiling insulation
Ceiling insulation became available to all eligible homes on 1 October 2026. Several activities swap a gas appliance for an efficient electric one, such as a heat pump in place of a gas water heater. The full activity list is on the Commission’s website.
How to get a VEU discount
- Check that the provider is accredited on the Commission’s public registry (the Accredited Persons report). The Victorian Government’s VEU pages for homes have more on the program for households.
- Get a written quote that shows the VEU discount, the price you pay and who installs it.
- The provider installs the product and takes the discount off your price. Work can only start once you agree.
Providers can’t cold-call you (since 1 May 2024) or knock on your door (since 1 August 2024) unless you have agreed to it, and they must not claim to be from the VEU program, the Commission or the Government. If one does, report it. Getting a solar offer at the door? See how to choose a solar installer.
Household solar support moves into VEU from 1 July 2027
Solar Victoria has announced that support for households to install solar panels moves into VEU from 1 July 2027. The Solar Homes panel rebate and loan stay in place until 30 June 2027. The new VEU residential solar activity is still being designed: Solar Victoria hasn’t said what it will pay or whether batteries will be part of it, and we’ll update this page when it does (Solar Victoria, 21 October 2026).
Until the VEU solar activity exists, no installer can take a VEU discount off a home solar system or battery. Every federal rebate your home qualifies for comes off a solar quote instead.
Businesses already have a VEU solar activity: the Commission’s commercial and industrial solar PV activity covers systems of 30 kW to 200 kW at non-residential sites. More on commercial solar.
VEU, Solar Homes and STCs: how they differ
- VEU (Victorian, run by the Essential Services Commission): a discount from an accredited provider, paid for by certificates energy retailers must buy; for homes today, efficient appliances and insulation, not solar.
- Solar Homes (Solar Victoria): a rebate of up to $1,400 on solar panels, with an optional interest-free loan, for eligible owner-occupiers until 30 June 2027. The Solar Homes rebate
- STCs (federal, Clean Energy Regulator): a discount on solar panels for anyone, set by system size and postcode, that falls every 1 January until 2030. STC calculator
Hot water: VEU plus the Solar Homes rebate
Solar Victoria’s hot water rebate pays 50% of an eligible heat pump or solar hot water product, up to $1,000, or up to $1,400 for an eligible locally made product. It is worked out after the VEU and STC discounts, so the two stack. It is for owner-occupiers whose combined taxable income is under $150,000, with a property worth under $3 million, replacing a system at least 3 years old, through an authorised hot water retailer.
Solar and battery rebates
Solar panels and batteries have their own rebates, covered in full on our solar rebates page with a calculator:
- STCs: the federal discount on solar panels, which your installer takes off the price. How STCs work
- Cheaper Home Batteries Program: the federal discount of around 30% on a home battery. Battery rebate
- Solar Victoria panel rebate: up to $1,400, with a matching interest-free loan, approved before installation. Eligibility and how to apply
Victoria has no battery rebate at the moment: Solar Victoria’s battery loan is closed to new applications. Exported solar earns a feed-in tariff from your retailer, and there are other ways to pay for a system.
Solar Victoria only pays its panel rebate through retailers on its authorised retailer list. Ask us about your eligibility when we quote.
Concessions and help paying a power bill
- Annual Electricity Concession: a discount on your electricity bill all year for households with an eligible concession card. The Victorian Budget 2026–27 Overview says concessions can include a 17.5% reduction on electricity bills. To claim it, give your card details to your retailer (Essential Services Commission). The cards it covers and the details are on the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing’s page.
- Utility Relief Grant: a grant to help pay an electricity bill you can’t pay, for concession card holders and low-income households (Essential Services Commission; Premier of Victoria). Your retailer must complete the application for you if you ask. The amount and the exact criteria are set by the department.
- Energy Assistance Program: free one-on-one help from an energy advocate with your bills, concessions and retailer, for concession card holders and anyone struggling or expecting to struggle to pay. Call 1800 161 215, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, except public holidays (Victorian Energy Compare). The Victorian Budget 2026–27 Overview includes funding for it. More on the Energy Assistance Program page.
- Payment help from your retailer: if you’re behind on a bill, your retailer must offer you assistance, such as more time to pay (Essential Services Commission). If it doesn’t, the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria handles complaints for free on 1800 500 509.
- Federal Energy Bill Relief Fund: ended. Its bill credits covered 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025 (Treasury). We found no credit announced for 2026–27.
Is there a Power Saving Bonus in 2026?
No. As of 2 November 2026, no new round has been announced. There have been five rounds since 2018. The last, a $100 payment for concession card holders, opened on 25 August 2025 and closed to new applications on 31 March 2026 (Victorian Energy Compare). The concessions above are open all year.
Victorian Energy Compare, the Victorian Government’s free comparison site, shows every generally available plan for your address, so you can check whether another plan beats yours.
Announced but not yet in force
Dated changes from official sources. None of these applies yet; the table above shows what is in force today.
| From | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | Federal STCs for solar panels fall to 4 years of deeming, and the Cheaper Home Batteries Program factor steps down to 5.7 STCs per kWh. | Clean Energy Regulator; DCCEEW (our rebates page) |
| 1 July 2027 | The Essential Services Commission starts setting the Midday Power Saver’s free hours and maximum prices for each zone, every year and at least 30 days before they apply, and can change the 24 kWh free-use cap. Until then the free hours are 11 am to 2 pm. | Midday Power Saver Pricing Order 2026 |
| 1 July 2027 | Household solar support moves from Solar Victoria into the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. The current Solar Homes panel rebate and loan stay in place until 30 June 2027; the new VEU solar activity is still being designed. | Solar Victoria, 21 October 2026 |
How to check what you can get
- Check your bill. It shows your distribution zone and your current plan. Not sure you have a smart meter? Here’s how to tell, or ask your retailer.
- Compare plans on Victorian Energy Compare, including the feed-in tariff if you have solar.
- Ask your retailer about the Midday Power Saver and what it would cost you on your own usage. How the free hours work
- Claim your concessions. Give your concession card details to your retailer, and ask about a Utility Relief Grant if you can’t pay a bill.
- Replacing hot water or heating? Use an accredited VEU provider, and check the Solar Homes hot water rebate.
- Thinking about solar or a battery? Get a quote with every federal rebate your home qualifies for taken off the price.
Victorian energy rebates: your questions
What is the Victorian Energy Upgrades program and who can use it?
Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) is a Victorian Government program that gives households and businesses discounts on energy-efficient products, such as heat pump hot water, reverse cycle air conditioners, induction cooktops and ceiling insulation. You get the discount from an accredited provider, who takes it off the price. The amount varies by product and provider.
Can I get a VEU rebate for solar panels or a battery?
Not for a home yet. VEU has no residential solar panel or battery activity: household solar support moves into VEU from 1 July 2027, and the new solar activity is still being designed. Until 30 June 2027, eligible owner-occupiers can use the Solar Homes panel rebate and loan, alongside the federal STCs and battery rebate. Businesses can already get VEU support for solar systems of 30 kW to 200 kW. The Solar Homes rebate
What is a VEEC, and how does it pay for a VEU discount?
A VEEC is a Victorian energy efficiency certificate. An accredited provider creates them when it installs an eligible product, one for each tonne of greenhouse gas the upgrade avoids, and large energy retailers must buy and surrender a set number each year. That pays for the discount, which is why the Essential Services Commission says the discount varies depending on the market activity and certificate price.
How do I find a VEU accredited provider?
Check the Essential Services Commission’s public registry: its Accredited Persons report lists the providers accredited under VEU. Then get a written quote that shows the VEU discount and the price you pay. Providers can’t cold-call you or knock on your door unless you agreed to it, they must not claim to work for the program or the Government, and work can only start once you consent. How to get a VEU discount
Is the Power Saving Bonus still available?
No. The $100 Power Saving Bonus closed to new applications at 11.59 pm on 31 March 2026, and as of 2 November 2026 no new round has been announced. Concession card holders can still claim the annual electricity concession through their retailer, and the free Energy Assistance Program helps anyone struggling to pay a bill. Help paying a power bill
Are Victorian energy rebates means-tested?
Some are. The Solar Homes panel and hot water rebates are for owner-occupiers whose combined taxable income is under $150,000 and whose property is worth under $3 million. The annual electricity concession is for eligible concession card holders. The Utility Relief Grant is for card holders and low-income households who can’t pay their bill. The Midday Power Saver has no income test: it is for households with a smart meter.
Putting Victoria’s rebates to work in a Melbourne home
Most of metropolitan Melbourne is in STC zone 4, where a 6.6kW solar system installed this year earns 39 federal STCs; in the zone 3 postcodes of some northern and western suburbs the same system earns 45. Both counts fall every 1 January until 2030, so the install date matters too (Clean Energy Regulator).
On top of the STCs, an eligible Melbourne owner-occupier can still apply for the Solar Homes panel rebate of up to $1,400, through an authorised solar retailer, until 30 June 2027. From 1 July 2027, household solar support moves into VEU, and the new VEU solar activity is still being designed (Solar Victoria).
Planning solar or a battery?
Free inspection, no obligation. Every federal rebate your home qualifies for comes off before you see the price.
Talk to us about solar and rebates
Locally owned, locally installed. Call, email, or send the form and we’ll come out and inspect the property.
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Mount Waverley, VIC 3149