How to spot a dodgy solar and battery quote in NSW
Figures updated 5 August 2026
Published · 6 min read
Most solar and battery quotes in NSW are fine. The problem is that the handful that are not look almost identical to the ones that are, and the difference is usually buried in how the rebate is presented. Here are the seven things worth checking before you sign anything.
1. The rebate is not shown as a separate line
A quote that says "$8,900 after rebates" and nothing else is hiding the only number you can actually verify. Ask for the gross price and the discount separately. Once you have both, you can check the discount against the published rate of about $258 per usable kWh yourself, and you can compare two quotes properly instead of comparing two marketing numbers.
2. The discount does not match the battery size
The federal discount is arithmetic, not negotiation. A 13.5 kWh battery earns about $3,460. A 10 kWh battery earns about $2,580. If a quote claims a much larger rebate than the size justifies, either the capacity is being overstated or the "rebate" includes a discount the seller invented.
Watch for nominal capacity being quoted where usable capacity is what counts. Those are different numbers on most batteries, and the scheme pays on usable.
3. "Government approved" or an official-looking badge
No installer is government approved. Installers are accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia, and products are accredited by the Clean Energy Council. Those are real, checkable credentials with public registers. A coat of arms, a NSW Government logo, or the phrase "authorised provider" on a sales brochure is a warning sign, not a credential.
Check the installer's accreditation number on the SAA register before the deposit, not after.
4. Pressure tied to a deadline that is not real
There is one genuine deadline in this scheme: the step-down on 1 January 2027, and it is published years in advance. Everything else — "the rebate pool is nearly gone", "prices go up Monday", "only three allocations left in your postcode" — is invented. The federal program is uncapped and does not run out by suburb.
5. A VPP incentive quoted as a fixed amount
NSW does not publish a dollar figure for the virtual power plant incentive. The amount comes from whoever you sign your VPP contract with, and the offers vary enormously. Anyone quoting you a precise, guaranteed VPP payment before you have chosen a provider is guessing at best.
Worse, some VPP contracts trade a bigger upfront payment for aggressive access to your battery. Read what the provider is allowed to do with your stored energy, and when.
6. The system is bigger than your usage justifies
Oversizing is the most profitable mistake in the industry, because it increases the sale price while the rebate on the extra capacity drops to 60 percent and then 15 percent. If a quote has jumped from the size you asked about to something much larger, ask what changed about your electricity use to justify it.
Check a quote against the published rates
Put in the battery size and your own quoted price. The calculator shows what the federal discount should be, what the NSW schemes add, and what you should be left paying.
Check my rebates7. Nobody has looked at your switchboard
A battery quote produced entirely from a satellite image and a phone call has not accounted for the things that actually cost money: switchboard capacity, whether your meter needs upgrading, cable runs, and whether your existing inverter is compatible. Those turn into variations after the deposit is paid.
If you want the electrical side checked separately from whoever is selling you the system, a licensed electrician such as AF Electrical can look at it on its own terms. It is a small cost against a five-figure install.
What a good quote looks like
- Gross price and each discount shown as separate line items
- Usable capacity stated in kWh, not just a model name
- Installer accreditation number you can look up
- A written installation date, with what happens to the price if it moves
- Warranty terms for the battery and the workmanship, stated separately
- No claimed VPP figure, or one clearly labelled as an estimate from a named provider
If you want installed pricing that itemises the full rebate stack this way, eHomes Australia quote against these figures in NSW.
Common questions
How do I check if a solar battery rebate figure is correct?
Ask for the gross price and the discount as separate line items, then check the discount against the published rate of about $258 per usable kWh on the first 14 kWh. Capacity between 14 and 28 kWh earns 60 percent of that rate, and above 28 kWh only 15 percent.
Are solar installers government approved?
No. Installers are accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia and products are accredited by the Clean Energy Council. Both have public registers you can check. Any government logo or 'authorised provider' claim on a sales brochure is a warning sign.
Is the battery rebate running out?
No. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program is uncapped and does not run out by postcode or allocation. The only real deadline is the published step-down schedule, which reduces the rate every six months until the end of 2030.
Why should I be suspicious of a guaranteed VPP payment?
Because NSW publishes no dollar figure for the virtual power plant incentive. The amount is set by the VPP provider you contract with and varies widely, so a precise guaranteed figure quoted before you have chosen a provider cannot be verified.