Renewable Energy Certificates.
Australia is divided up into zones based on how much renewable energy can be generated by a solar panel in a given area.
A system installed in Melbourne or Hobart (zone 4) receives fewer STCs than the same sized system installed in Sydney (zone 3) or Darwin (zone 2). This is because Melbourne and Hobart receive less sunshine, so less solar energy is produced by the system.
You can use the REC Registry calculator to determine your approximate level of subsidy.
The table below shows the level of financial support available from STCs on solar PV systems in the major capital cities of Australia.
Average Daily Solar Energy Production.
| City | 1kW system | 1.5kW system | 2.0kW system | 3.0kW system | 4.0 kW system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 3.9kWh | 5.85kWh | 7.8kWh | 11.7kWh | 15.6kWh |
| Melbourne | 3.6kWh | 5.4kWh | 7.2kWh | 10.8kWh | 14.4kWh |
| Brisbane | 4.2kWh | 5.4kWh | 8.4kWh | 12.6kWh | 16.8kWh |
| Adelaide | 4.2kWh | 6.3kWh | 8.4kWh | 12.6kWh | 16.8kWh |
| Hobart | 3.5kWh | 5.25kWh | 7.0kWh | 10.5kWh | 14.0kWh |
| Perth | 4.4kWh | 6.6kWh | 8.8kWh | 13.2kWh | 17.6kWh |
| Darwin | 4.4kWh | 6.6kWh | 8.8kWh | 13.2kWh | 17.6kWh |
Data Source: PV-GC spread sheet based on the CEC Design Guidelines.
STC’s and Solar Credits.
The Solar Credits program is based on the Renewable Energy Certificate system, but with a certificate multiplier incentive offering up to 3 x the usual number of STCs issued for solar power systems up to 1.5kW.
The table below shows the level of financial support available from Solar Credits on solar power systems in the major capital cities of Australia:
| City | Number Of Solar Credits Due |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | $2170 (62 STCs x $35) |
| Brisbane | $2170 (62 STCs x $35) |
| Canberra | $2170 (62 STCs x $35) |
| Darwin | $2415 (69 STCs x $35) |
| Hobart | $1855 (53 STCs x $35) |
| Melbourne | $1855 (53 STCs x $35) |
| Perth | $2170 (62 STCs x $35) |
| Sydney | $2170 (62 STCs x $35) |
Environmental Upgrade Agreements For Landlords of Commercial Buildings.
Did you know that you can upgrade your building and you may be eligible for assistance under the Environmental Upgrade Agreement from the NSW State Government.
Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUAs) now make it easier to access finance for environmental improvements to existing commercial, industrial, strata scheme and large multi-unit residential buildings in NSW.
Under this agreement, a finance provider lends funds to a building owner for water, energy and other environmental upgrades, and this low-risk loan is repaid through a local council charge on the land.
Tenants of commercial buildings can be asked to contribute to the costs. However, these additional costs must be offset by their reduced energy and water bills.
