Obtaining a $4174 rebate for a home battery storage system via the state government’s Solar Homes program sounds like a terrific incentive to become more energy independent. However the MASH Bulk-Buy team is hearing that quite a number of its participants are finding it hard to get a rebate due to their limited availability (40 every two weeks for the whole of Victoria) and the fact that they are allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis each time that they are released.
Another cause of frustration is that if you miss out on one allocation, you have to apply all over again.
A bulk-buy participant has just emailed the MASH team to say:
“Regarding solar battery rebates, it seems to me that only those with fast internet speeds have a chance of obtaining one. We have slow internet, and I was unable to record my details in time during the last two offers. It seems a patently unfair process. I have written to the Minister but have had no response yet. Solar Victoria had no solution and basically ignored the issue. Not impressed. It’s a competition between people with fast internet only.”
And that’s not the only comment of this type that we’ve received.
Let us know your experience
“If you have experienced a problem with the battery rebate, please let us know by emailing jo@cvga.org.au,” said Jo Kaptein, organiser of the MASH and Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buys. “We will be having a Zoom meeting with Maree Edwards, State Member for Bendigo West about our bulk-buy programs and we will raise with her any of the issues that people might like to share about the battery rebates.”
Note: Despite the limited supply of battery rebates, 26 bulk-buy participants have been able to obtain a $4174 battery rebate from Solar Victoria in the last 2-3 months which have reduced the cost of their Tesla Powerwall 2 battery installation by around 30%. To learn more about the Powerwall 2 – check out the information on this page – or register for our next online battery info meeting on 1 September, 5-6pm.
For more information about the MASH and Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy programs, visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274. MASH is owned and managed by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation based in Castlemaine that works with 13 councils in central and north western Victoria on projects that help move our region towards a clean energy future.