Solar & Heat Pump Hot Water Rebates in WA (2026)

So you're looking into a solar or heat pump hot water system for your WA home, and you've probably heard about the federal rebate. It's a real thing, and it can make a serious difference to what you pay upfront. The whole thing runs through the Small-scale Technology Certificate scheme—STCs for short. Figuring out how it works is pretty key if you want to compare different quotes properly.

This is just a straightforward explanation of STCs as they stand in 2026, who can get them, and how the money actually gets to you. A quick heads-up before we start: the exact dollar value per certificate jumps around with the market. So any number you find online might be stale. Always get the current figure from your accredited installer before you decide.

What is the STC scheme?

It's a federal government program designed to push households toward cleaner hot water. Eligible solar and heat pump systems, plus rooftop solar panels, can all generate certificates. You don't get a cheque in the mail after applying for it, though. Think of it more like an upfront discount that comes straight off the installation cost.

Here's the basic way it works:

• Once your eligible system is in, it's assigned a certain number of certificates based on the clean energy it's expected to make or save over its rated lifetime.
• Each of those certificates has a value on an open market.
• What actually happens is you hand those certificates over to your installer or their agent. They deal with the admin and basically buy them from you.
• The value they pay for the certificates gets knocked off your quoted price as a discount.

So you, the homeowner, you almost never actually handle a certificate. You just see a lower number on your final bill. That's why everyone just calls it "the rebate," really.

How many certificates does a system earn?

A few things decide how many STCs your setup creates:

Two things worth knowing about timing: the deeming period drops by one year every single 1 January. So the exact same system you put in today earns you more certificates than if you waited and installed it next year. And the whole small-scale scheme is built to wind down as the decade ends. The incentive just keeps getting smaller. If you're sitting on the fence, that's maybe a reason not to just leave it for ages.

Who's eligible?

The rules are federal, but basically you need:

• The system must be an approved, eligible model on the register of accredited products.
• It must be installed by an accredited installer and comply with the relevant standards.
• It typically replaces or supplements an existing system, or is fitted in an eligible dwelling.
• Installation must meet all state requirements, which in WA means the plumbing and any gas or electrical work is done by appropriately licensed tradespeople.

Because the rules and the list of approved products can change, the safest bet is to get an accredited installer to look at your specific system and your house and confirm you qualify before you sign anything.

Solar vs heat pump: which for the rebate?

Both solar and heat pump hot water systems can pull in STCs, and both are way cheaper to run than your old-style conventional electric storage tank.

• Solar hot water uses collectors on your roof to heat water directly from the sun. Works a treat in Perth's climate, usually with an electric or gas booster for when it's cloudy.
• Heat pump hot water works kind of like a fridge in reverse—it grabs heat from the air around it and uses that to heat your water really efficiently. No roof collectors needed, so it's a good option if your roof space is limited or shaded.

Which one earns you more support, and which one actually suits your place, that depends on your roof, your climate zone, and your household. Our solar and heat pump hot water service can help you work through it. We've also got a broader guide on electric vs gas vs solar hot water that compares the running costs.

What savings can you expect?

There's two parts to the savings. First, you've got the upfront STC discount that cuts down the purchase and installation price. That reduction can be pretty substantial, depending on your system, your zone, and what the market's doing with certificate prices right now. Since those numbers move around, we're not going to quote you a specific dollar amount here. You'll need to ask your accredited installer for the exact STC value on your quote.

Second—and honestly this is often the bigger saving over time—is what you save on your power bills. Solar and heat pump systems use way less grid electricity than a standard electric storage tank. So plenty of homeowners see real reductions on their electricity bills year after year. Add those two savings together—the discount upfront plus the ongoing running costs—and that's what makes these systems worth it even though the sticker price is higher than a basic electric unit.

How to get started the right way

• Get quotes from accredited installers and ask each to itemise the STC discount clearly.
• Confirm the specific system model is eligible and suited to your home.
• Check the warranty and local service support.
• Make sure the installer is licensed for the plumbing, gas and electrical work involved, as required in WA.

Getting a clear, itemised quote lets you compare like with like, and confirms you're actually receiving the STC benefit you're entitled to.

Ready to switch to solar or heat pump hot water? Call our licensed Canning Vale plumbers to talk through eligible systems and get a clear, itemised quote.

Frequently asked questions