It will be ‘first-in-best-dressed’ when it comes to getting one of the Victorian solar rebates on July 1. That’s because the state government has changed its solar rebate scheme to cap the number of solar panels rebates to about 3,300 homes each month, with a further 166 rebates for landlords and renters.
Applications need to submitted through an online portal on the 1st of each month. Those in first, and approved, will get the rebate. If you miss the boat one month, you need to reapply the following month.
The Victorian solar panels rebate is currently worth up to $2,225. According to The Age, “this maximum rebate will drop to $1,888 from January 1 and again to $1,850 for the 2020-21 financial year.”
An interest-free loan equivalent to the amount of the solar panels rebate will also be available to homeowners. The rebate and loan amounts will be deducted from the cost of your system – so you only have to pay any outstanding balance on installation.
With the two-month hiatus in Victorian residential solar sales caused by the pause of the solar rebate in April, we expect that the pent-up demand will literally hit the roof come July 1.
If you’re keen to get a rebate in July, you’ll need to get cracking now. The steps are:
- Start looking for an approved solar provider who will install solar panels systems that are on the approved list.
- Get quotes and select the one that you are happy with.
- Come the 1st of July, your preferred solar retailer will enter your quote on the Victorian solar rebate online portal
- You submit your proof of income and a Rates notice via the online portal.
- Once it’s confirmed that you are eligible, your retailer will claim the rebate on your behalf and deduct the rebate amount from the total cost of your system.
As The Age says, its going to be “like buying concert tickets”. That’s because the rebate is well worth having as it brings down the payback on solar panels to around 3 years, for many households.
If you interested in the battery rebate and you live in the MASH area of central Vic, the news isn’t good. The state government has published a list of postcodes where the battery rebate will be available and it doesn’t include anywhere in the Mt Alexander Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire or Bendigo region. They say that they may add postcodes to the list, so fingers crossed!
The MASH community solar bulk-buy has a Macedon Ranges based solar provider who is approved for the Victorian solar rebate and is a Clean Energy Council Accredited Solar Retailer. If you are interested in getting a quote, visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274. For more information about the Victorian Solar Rebate, visit solar.vic.gov.au