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Marketing Restrictions for Australian Energy Upgrade Incentives

A practical summary of the marketing rules that apply when promoting Australian federal and state solar, battery and energy-upgrade incentives. Covers Australian Consumer Law, STC and Cheaper Home Batteries requirements, plus state-specific bans and wording restrictions in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and other jurisdictions. General information only — always check current scheme terms before publishing.

General guidance for retailers, installers, lead generators and marketers · Updated October 2026

Important: This is general information only, not legal advice. Rebate amounts, eligibility rules and scheme status change frequently. Always verify current scheme terms with the relevant regulator before publishing any campaign, ad or landing page.

1. National rules (apply everywhere)

Australian Consumer Law (ACL) applies in every state and territory. Solar and battery suppliers — including retailers, lead generators, telemarketers, door-knockers, installers and electricity retailers — must not mislead consumers about price, savings, system output, eligibility, rebates, accreditation, warranties or product availability.

Key national marketing restrictions

  • Do not claim a customer is eligible for a rebate unless eligibility has been verified or is clearly stated as conditional.
  • Do not imply government approval, endorsement, affiliation, or that your business is “part of” a government scheme.
  • Do not use false, exaggerated or unsubstantiated savings, payback, output or “free solar” claims.
  • Do not hide key conditions in fine print; disclaimers must be prominent and must not contradict the headline claim.
  • Do not use high-pressure sales tactics, fake urgency, fake reviews or incentivised reviews.
  • For telemarketing and door-to-door sales, comply with unsolicited-sale rules: identification, a 10-business-day cooling-off period, and restrictions on taking payment or supplying goods during that period.
  • Do not accept deposits or payments if you cannot reasonably supply and install the system within the promised or a reasonable timeframe.

2. Federal schemes: STCs and Cheaper Home Batteries

Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs)

STCs are not government “rebates”. They are certificates created under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. Consumers commonly assign them to a registered agent in exchange for an upfront discount.

Marketing requirements for STCs
  • Describe STCs accurately as a financial incentive, not a rebate or a government payment made after installation.
  • Make clear whether an advertised price already includes the STC discount.
  • Show the total (pre- and post-incentive) price prominently.
  • Do not claim eligibility where the system, installer, product or location does not meet scheme requirements.
  • Do not create false urgency around STC availability; the scheme reduces gradually rather than ending overnight.

Cheaper Home Batteries Program

The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program provides an upfront discount (delivered via STCs) for eligible small-scale batteries. The Clean Energy Regulator requires retailers and installers to comply with the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 and the ACL when advertising, selling and installing batteries.

  • Commit only to installations you can deliver.
  • Be honest about installation availability and timeframes.
  • Clearly disclose what incentives are included in quotes and how program changes may affect final prices.
  • Do not mislead about savings, payback periods, product origin, performance or quality.
  • The discount steps down on a published schedule (typically 1 January and 1 July) until the end of 2030. Do not invent other “deadlines”.

3. State & territory restrictions

Jurisdiction Main incentive(s) Key marketing restrictions
Victoria Solar Homes Program; Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) Cold-call telemarketing and door-to-door selling are banned for Solar Homes and VEU incentives (including when outsourced). Marketing calls/visits are allowed only with express prior consumer consent, within the opt-in period, or for product recall/default notices. Do not make false claims about cost, rebate eligibility, grid connection or government affiliation.
New South Wales Federal STCs & Cheaper Home Batteries; NSW VPP incentive under the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme There is no broad NSW solar or battery installation rebate for individual homeowners. Do not imply otherwise. NSW Fair Trading enforces ACL rules on misleading rebate, savings, postcode-eligibility, availability and government-endorsement claims. Avoid “eligible postcode” claims, false deadlines and pressure to pay deposits. The current NSW VPP incentive is for connecting an eligible battery to a VPP — describe it accurately.
Queensland Federal STCs; Supercharged Solar for Renters (landlords) Only the landlord (not the retailer or installer) applies for the Supercharged Solar for Renters rebate. Installation must not begin before conditional approval. Marketing must not imply the retailer/installer receives or controls the rebate. Queensland also prohibits misleading claims about price, quality, approvals, affiliations, rebates and cash-back offers.
South Australia Federal Cheaper Home Batteries; REPS retailer/VPP offers The former SA Home Battery Scheme is closed — advertising it as currently available is misleading. Any federal battery discount must be accurately represented (eligibility, capacity limits, upfront discount). Retailer VPP or REPS offers must not be presented as government rebates unless they genuinely are. REPS VPP incentives may be limited to priority groups when general funding is exhausted.
Western Australia WA Residential Battery Scheme; federal Cheaper Home Batteries Do not use the WA Government logo, crest or politician images without approval. Do not falsely claim scheme approval or accreditation, or suggest registration makes a customer eligible or preferred. Claims about battery compatibility, installation suitability, stock and delivery timeframes must be substantiated.
Tasmania Federal STCs and Cheaper Home Batteries No dedicated Tasmanian battery rebate scheme is currently open. National ACL rules and Clean Energy Regulator requirements apply. Do not advertise closed or non-existent state incentives.
ACT Sustainable Household Scheme (low-interest loans); federal incentives Loan and incentive products must be described accurately as loans, not grants or rebates. Eligibility, loan limits, interest terms and eligible products must be clearly disclosed. National ACL and unsolicited-selling rules apply.
Northern Territory Federal incentives; former Home and Business Battery Scheme The NT battery grant scheme has reached its funding cap and is closed to new grants. Do not advertise it as open or imply current NT Government rebate availability. National ACL rules apply.

4. Wording rules for your website & ads

Use precise, current and jurisdiction-specific language. Avoid broad claims such as “government pays for your solar”, “free solar”, “everyone qualifies” or “limited postcodes only”.

Safer wording examples
  • “Eligible Australian households may receive an upfront discount through the federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme when they assign their STCs to a registered agent.”
  • “The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program may provide an upfront discount for an eligible battery installed with solar by an accredited installer.”
  • “Victorian customers: Solar Homes and VEU incentives cannot be sold through cold calls or door-to-door sales.”
  • “Rebate value, eligibility and availability vary by state, system size, product, installer accreditation and installation date.”
  • “This business is not a government agency and does not represent any government scheme unless expressly stated.”

5. Compliance checklist

Before publishing an ad, landing page or lead form:

  1. Confirm the scheme is currently open in the customer’s state or territory.
  2. Confirm the exact rebate or STC value and any installation-date or step-down rules.
  3. Confirm product, installer, retailer, property and customer eligibility.
  4. Clearly disclose whether the advertised price includes the incentive.
  5. Remove claims of government endorsement, approval or affiliation.
  6. Avoid cold calling and door-knocking where prohibited — especially in Victoria.
  7. Keep evidence supporting every savings, payback, output and availability claim.
  8. Review all campaigns whenever a federal or state scheme changes.

6. Frequently asked questions

Can I say “government rebate” when talking about STCs?
Prefer more accurate language. STCs are certificates under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, not a direct government payment or rebate. Safer wording: “upfront discount through the federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme when STCs are assigned to a registered agent.”
Is cold calling or door-knocking allowed for solar and batteries?
Nationally, unsolicited selling is allowed only if you follow ACL rules (identification, cooling-off period, no payment/supply during cooling-off, etc.). In Victoria, cold-call telemarketing and door-to-door sales are banned for Solar Homes and Victorian Energy Upgrades incentives (including when outsourced). Always check the customer’s state before any unsolicited contact.
Can I advertise a “limited time” or “ending soon” deadline for the battery discount?
Only if the deadline is real and published by the scheme. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount steps down on a known schedule (typically 1 January and 1 July) and runs until the end of 2030. Invented or exaggerated deadlines are misleading and risk ACCC action.
Do I need to show the full price before the incentive?
Yes. Show the total price prominently and clearly state whether the advertised price already includes the STC or battery discount. Hiding the full cost or showing only the discounted amount can breach Australian Consumer Law.
Can my business claim to be “approved by” or “part of” a government scheme?
No, unless that is factually true and authorised. Do not imply government endorsement, affiliation or that your business is an official part of any scheme. A clear disclaimer that you are not a government agency is recommended.
Who applies for the Queensland Supercharged Solar for Renters rebate?
Only the landlord. Retailers and installers must not imply they receive or control the rebate. Installation must not start before the landlord receives conditional approval.
Is the NT or old SA battery scheme still open?
No. The Northern Territory Home and Business Battery Scheme has reached its funding cap and is closed to new grants. The former South Australian Home Battery Scheme is also closed. Advertising either as currently available is misleading.
What if a state scheme or federal rate changes after my ad is live?
Review and update all live campaigns promptly. Keep evidence of the rules that applied when the ad was published, and stop using outdated claims as soon as you become aware of a change.

7. Official resources (clickable)

Always verify the latest rules on these official sites before publishing:

National


Victoria


New South Wales


Queensland


South Australia


Western Australia


ACT & Northern Territory

Note: Links point to official government and regulator pages. Scheme rules, rebate values and eligibility change; always re-check the live page before launch.

Last refined: October 2026.