The Northern Territory’s maximum home battery subsidy was more than doubled on December 1, and solar feed-in tariff rates in the late afternoons and evenings will get a lift next year.
In 2020, the then-Territory Labor NT Government launched its Home and Business Battery Scheme. It originally offered a straight-up grant of $6,000 for batteries with a minimum 7kWh capacity, then it changed to $400 per kWh of usable battery capacity, up to a maximum $5,000.
Back in 2020, the Country Liberal Party promised if they won the NT election in August that year, they would double the original $6k subsidy to $12,000. They didn’t win that election, but they did this year – and the CLP has made good on its original promise; to a degree.
While the $400 per kilowatt-hour of useable capacity hasn’t changed, the maximum subsidy is now $12,000. To get that you’d need a system with 30 kWh of useable storage – which, for example, is more than two Tesla Powerwalls1. Two PW’s would be eligible for $10,800 (27 kWh total usable capacity x 400). One Powerwall (13.5kWh useable capacity) will be entitled to $5,400 – which is $400 more than previously when the maximum subsidy was $5k; so there is some improvement.
“From December 1, 2024, the boost to the scheme will provide Territorians with greater access to renewable energy solutions, lowering energy bills and supporting local businesses involved in the supply and installation of solar PV systems and batteries. said NT Minister for Renewables, Gerard Maley.
The $12,000 can be used to buy and install a solar power system *and* an eligible battery/inverter or an eligible battery/inverter only if solar panels have already been installed. It cannot be used for solar PV where a battery is not being simultaneously installed.
While there’s no Scheme subsidy for the solar PV element (but the still-generous national solar rebate is available), buyers may be able to get a better deal with a solar + storage package rather than installing panels first, waiting for a bit and then getting a subsidised home battery.
Do Your Home Battery Research
Waiting too long may also mean missing out. The subsidy is available for 12 months, or until the $6 million funding pool is exhausted – and bear in mind businesses can apply for this too. But before plonking down hard-earned cash on residential energy storage, check out SQ Founder Finn’s guides to understanding, buying and owning battery systems.
In terms of eligible home batteries, *most* of the usual suspects that are VPP-capable appear to be on the list (and then some – but see footnotes below), with newer models/variants added fairly recently. In fact, the eligible battery spreadsheet has over 10,000 records.
It’s another good reason to check out Finn’s guides before taking the plunge to help ensure you choose the best system for your needs and circumstances.
Applying For The Subsidy
The steps seem pretty straightforward:
- Check your eligibility by referring to the terms and conditions.
- Get a quote from a qualified system installer or provider – you can get multiple quotes to choose from.
- Apply online through GrantsNT to receive a unique voucher.
A voucher can only be provided to the service provider whose quotation has been accepted by the Department. Works must be completed within 6 months of the date the voucher was issued. Once the installation has been completed and the recipient has paid the invoice using the voucher plus whatever balance, the service provider needs to apply online to the Department within 2 months for reimbursement.
Feed-in Tariff Boost
Currently, and until June 30th 2025, the standard feed-in tariff rate in the Northern Territory is set at 9.33 c/kWh. From July 1, 2025, it will be lifted to 18.66c/kWh – but only between the hours of 3pm and 9pm. Given the window, it may not be of huge benefit to solar-only owners, and given retail electricity rates2, battery owners will probably keep their battery-stored energy for self-consumption rather than export it – but this could still take some pressure off the grid.
Footnotes
- A glaring omission on the eligible batteries list at this point is the Tesla Powerwall 3 (but PW2 is still on the list). I assume the PW3 will be added sooner rather than later. ↩
- For Jacana customers, currently 29.21c/kWh on flat rate. On Time-of-Use, 34.45c/kWh 6am-6pm weekdays including public holidays, and 26.27c/kWh 6pm-6am weekdays and all weekends. On a related note, pretty much all Jacana customers with solar panels would likely be better off on the time-of-use tariff. But solar + battery households should decide which is best based on electricity consumption patterns. ↩
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If the WA government would implement the same battery subsidy (“$400 per kilowatt-hour of useable capacity” with “the maximum subsidy is now $12,000”), effective BEFORE the upcoming WA state parliamentary election, it would do wonders for the unstable, unreliable, and fragile SWIS grid, massively increase energy arbitrage on the fragile SWIS grid, and, enhance the electoral prospects of the government.
And, in the absence of the specified battery subsidy being implemented, effective BEFORE the upcoming WA state parliamentary election, the demonstrated influence of the fossil fuel companies over the WA state government, is further confirmed.