The ACT Sustainable Household Scheme (SHS) offers an interest-free loan of up to $15,000 for solar, batteries, hot water, heating, and other electrification upgrades. The loan is repaid over 10 years with no interest.
Stacked with the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program (roughly $3,300 off a 10 kWh battery), the combination means most ACT households can install a battery with zero out-of-pocket monthly cost, since the bill savings cover the loan repayment.
There's an income test ($230,000 household for 2025-26) and a property value test. Both are easy enough to meet for the typical Canberra household.
Here's exactly how the ACT stack works.
At a glance
The federal piece (every ACT postcode)
The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program applies in every ACT postcode. A 10 kWh battery in Canberra receives approximately $3,300 off from the federal rebate, applied as an invoice discount at install.
ACT is STC Zone 4 (same as Melbourne, Hobart) on the federal calculation, despite Canberra's relatively clear high-altitude climate. Federal rebate value is consistent with VIC and TAS.
Full federal-side detail in the pillar article: Battery Rebate Australia 2026.
The Sustainable Household Scheme
The ACT Sustainable Household Scheme is an interest-free loan, not a grant. The household borrows up to $15,000 from a participating lender (Brighte and Plenti, currently) and the ACT government covers all interest for the 10-year loan term.
The loan covers eligible electrification upgrades including batteries, rooftop solar, hot water heat pumps, reverse-cycle air conditioning, induction cooktops, and EV chargers. You can use the loan for a battery only, or bundle several upgrades together up to the $15,000 cap.
Because there is no interest, the monthly repayment on a $10,000 battery loan over 10 years is around $83. Typical bill savings on a 10 kWh battery in Canberra run $90 to $130 per month, so the household is cash-positive from month one.
Eligibility for ACT households
Federal rebate: any ACT property with eligible solar + battery setup. No income test.
SHS interest-free loan: household income under $230,000 (2025-26 threshold), property valued under $3 million, ACT property, applicant is the property owner or has formal landlord approval, no current SHS loan on the same property.
Approval typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. The household chooses an installer from the SHS-approved provider list, the loan amount is disbursed directly to the installer at install, and the household begins repayments the following month.
Check your SHS eligibility + federal rebate
30 secs · Free · No obligationWorked example: 10 kWh battery in Canberra
Canberra household, 4 people, existing 6.6 kW solar system, fitting a 10 kWh battery and joining the SHS loan.
List price installed: approximately $12,500 in Canberra metro.
Federal rebate: $3,300 off at invoice.
Net cash price after federal: $9,200.
SHS interest-free loan: $9,200 borrowed over 10 years, monthly repayment of $77.
Battery bill savings: $90 to $130 per month, depending on consumption pattern and retail plan.
Net monthly out of pocket: typically positive ($13 to $53 saved each month). After 10 years the loan ends and savings continue for the remaining 5 to 10 years of battery operating life.
How to claim both
Federal: applied at invoice by the installer. No separate claim needed.
SHS loan: apply directly to the ACT government's SHS portal before signing the install contract. Once approved, the household selects an installer from the approved provider list, the installer quotes, the SHS disburses the loan amount directly to the installer at install. The household never handles the cash.
Solar Incentives matches you with installers who are both CEC-accredited (for federal eligibility) and SHS-approved (for the ACT loan). The eligibility check filters for the overlap.
Lock in your ACT stack
The SHS does not have a step-down or a known closure date as of mid-2026. The federal step-down on 1 January 2027 is the main timing pressure: locking in today's federal STC factor (6.8) before it cuts to 5.7 saves approximately $580 on a 10 kWh battery.
Practical deadline: SHS approval takes 2 to 4 weeks, plus 4 to 8 weeks install lead time. To lock in today's federal rate, start the SHS application by late August 2026 at the latest.
Start the ACT SHS application before September
30 secs · Free · No obligationFrequently asked questions
Joe White
Joe has over five years of experience in the renewable energy sector. Based in Australia, he is dedicated to advancing sustainable energy solutions to benefit both the environment and local communities. In his spare time, Joe loves to surf and take his dog, Mitchy, on road trips to explore the road less traveled.
