Home Energy Support: Rebates for Homeowners

Who can take part

To be eligible for a rebate, you must:

• be a resident of the ACT
• hold an Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card, Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold Card, or an Australian Government Health Care Card
• own and live in the home where the product will be installed
• have attended a free online Everyday Climate Choices workshop
• have an Unimproved Value (UV) at or below:
  • $750,000 at the time of application in any year from 2022 for freestanding homes/units and dual occupancies. For unit titled freestanding properties this is based on the unit entitlement percentage.
  • $300,000 in any year from 2022 for unit titled multi-story apartments.

For more information:

• Participant Guidelines [1.5 MB]
• Terms and Conditions [188.8 KB]
• Frequently asked questions [709.1 KB]

About the program

The Home Energy Support Program provides up to $5,000 in rebates for eligible homeowners to help with the costs of installing energy-efficient products. This includes:

1. one rebate of 50% of the total installation price, up to $2,500, for rooftop solar
2. and/or one rebate of 50% of the total installation price, up to $2,500, for:
   • reverse cycle heating and cooling
   • hot water heat pumps
   • electric stove tops and ovens
   • ceiling insulation.

If eligible, you can combine the rebate with a zero-interest loan of up to $10,000 to help with the remaining costs.

Why it's important

The ACT has committed to net zero emissions by 2045. We’ve also announced our intention to electrify our city and transition away from the use of fossil fuel gas by 2045. These rebates will allow households to switch now and start saving on their energy bills.

If you’re looking for a place to start, contact our Sustainable Home Advice Team who are a one stop shop to support you to understand how you can save money, access rebates and interest free options to make sustainable home upgrades.

Email: SustainableHomeAdviceProgram@act.gov.au
Phone: 1300 141 777 (weekdays 9 am to 5 pm excluding public holidays)

Find out the latest top-rated CHOICE electric appliances

Did you know that ACT Government has a partnership with CHOICE and you can now access their top rated appliance recommendations for cooking, heating and hot water heat pumps across all budget types?

Visit energy.act.gov.au and complete your transition plan and see what some of the top-rated electric appliances and learn how much you could save annually on your bill.

How it works

You can choose from two options to pay for your installations:

Option 1 – Rebate only, with the remaining costs paid using your own funds.

• The ACT Government will process your rebate.
• You pay the supplier for your upgrade/s.

Option 2 – Rebate and interest-free loan.

• Our partner, Brighte, will process your rebate and loan.

How to apply for Option 1 - Rebate only

1. Attend a free online workshop (contact us if you want to attend a face-to-face workshop).
2. Ask for a quote/s from accredited suppliers using the list of approved suppliers on the Brighte website.
3. Fill out an application form (ask your supplier to complete Section A) before installation to apply for the program.
   1. Online using the HESP Application Form
   2. Or print the HESP PDF Application Form [257.7 KB] and fill out by hand.
4. Fill out a rebate claim form after installation to receive your claim:
   1. Online using the
      • HESP Rebate Claim Form for Category A
      • HESP Rebate Claim Form for Category B
   2. Or print the HESP PDF Rebate Claim Form [264.5 KB] and fill out by hand.

Things to consider

You will need to provide supporting information with your application form, including proof of eligibility and quotes from accredited suppliers.

Wait for approval – don’t accept a quote until your application has been pre-approved by the ACT Government.

You will need to pay for the total cost of the installation upfront.

Once you have the product installed, you and the supplier will need to complete the rebate claim form.

The rebate will be paid directly to you. Once processed, it usually takes around 10 business days to arrive in your account.

How to apply for Option 2 – Rebate and interest-free loan

1. Attend a free online workshop (contact us if you want to attend a face-to-face workshop).
2. Apply for your rebate and loan via the Brighte website.

Buyers guides

• Rooftop solar system pre-installation guide
• Rooftop solar system post-installation guide
• Reverse cycle heating and cooling systems
• Electric stove tops
• Ceiling insulation
• Hot water heat pumps

Sustainability upgrades to strata properties

Body corporate organisations can no longer refuse unit owners requests to install sustainability infrastructure for purely aesthetic reasons.

Read more about the Managing Buildings Better reforms.

Cost

There are no fees or account-keeping costs associated with the loan or rebate.

There may be modest fees applied to loans in arrears. You can repay the loan early with no penalty fee.

You must meet the standard credit criteria to get a loan. This includes a good credit history and the ability to repay the loan without hardship. The loan provider must follow the responsible lending practices in the National Consumer Protection Credit Act 2009.

If you can't repay the loan, Brighte has supports in place to help. You will need to contact them as soon as you start to experience hardship.

A credit check isn’t needed for the rebate only application.

Sunny Savings

You can use our Solar Calculator tool to find out how much you might save by installing solar panels.

Contact us

Email: homeenergysupport@act.gov.au
Phone: 1300 141 777 (weekdays 9 am to 5 pm excluding public holidays)