City Of Adelaide Sustainability Rebates Still On Offer

Adelaide City Council’s long-running sustainability incentives scheme still has much on offer; including solar PV, battery, EV charger and appliance electrification rebates. Here’s what’s available.

The City of Adelaide covers a small area – approximately 16km2. It’s home to around 25,000 residents but hosts 315,000 city users daily. For some years now, Council has been keen to reduce emissions generated in the local government area; supporting residents, businesses, and community groups to access to related technologies.

Here’s what’s available at the moment for all residential properties, unless otherwise specified.

Solar Power Systems

Available to residential landlord/tenants and concession card holders, residential strata/community/body corporation properties.

• ≥1.5 kW to <10 kW – a rebate of 20% of the installed system cost up to a maximum of $1,000.
• 10 kW to <20 kW – 20% of the installed cost up to a maximum of $2,500.
• 20 kW+ – 20% of the installed cost up to a maximum of $5,000.

This is in addition to the Australia-wide solar rebate, which is actually an up-front discount that can knock thousands off the cost of installing a system. For example, for a 10kW solar system installed in Adelaide, the national subsidy is worth around $3,000 in 2025.

Solar Batteries

Home batteries are eligible for up to 50% of the installed system cost to a maximum of $2,000; so in other words, $2,000. There doesn’t appear to be too many conditions attached to this aside from the usual; but the system must be installed to optimise self-consumption of solar electricity and not configured as a mains electricity supply back-up system only.

EV Charging

• 50% up to $250 per ebike charging station
• 7 kW to <50 kW ‘unidirectional’ EV charger – 50% up to $1,000 per dedicated station.
• 7 kW to <50 kW ‘smart’ EV charging station – 25% up to $2,000 per dedicated charging unit.

Adelaide City Council says smart stations include those with demand management or two-way (bidirectional) charging capabilities.

Home Electrification

A 50% rebate on the costs associated with the replacement of gas or wood-burning appliances with electric or solar powered equipment up to $2,000. Appliance categories include:

• Hot water systems
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
• Cooking appliances – stove tops and ovens
• Other gas appliances

Switchboard Upgrades

None of the above include any required switchboard upgrades being factored into pricing. Switchboard upgrades can be expensive, but Adelaide City Council can help with this as well with a rebate for 50% of the out-of-pocket costs, up to $5,000.

But wait, there’s more – rebates are also available for:

• Cargo bikes and e-bikes
• Thermally efficient windows and doors
• Shading devices
• Insulation
• Rainwater tanks
• “Green” walls and roofs
• Trees and native plants

There are also sustainability rebates for businesses and not-for-profit groups. More information on all rebates is available here.

Adelaide City Council’s Own Renewable Energy Efforts

Council has been doing its bit in terms of its own electricity related emissions. Since 1 July 2020, everything run by the City is powered by 100% renewable electricity; mainly through a power purchase agreement (PPA) involving Clements Gap wind farm in the mid-north, and Streaky Bay and Coonalpyn solar farms. This includes electricity supply for community buildings, electric vehicle chargers¹, street lighting and traffic lights.

Council has also installed its own solar power systems, among which are installations at:

• Adelaide Town Hall
• Adelaide Aquatic Centre
• UPark Topham Mall
• UPark Pirie Flinders
• UPark Rundle
• Central Market
• Adelaide Central Bus Station
• London Road Depot

Collectively, the above systems represent more than 1.1 megawatts of capacity, and provide the equivalent of approximately 12 per cent of the electricity used by all council buildings combined – although this figure may be somewhat dated.