NSW $600 - $1200 rebate
$340 million is available to assist businesses, schools, households and government to reduce energy consumption. Eligible applicants must be upgrading from electric hot water heating to a new solar or heat-pump hot water system. The amount of the rebate is dependant on the RECs rating of the system installed. For full details click here or call 1300 361 967
This Rebate finishes 30th June 2011

Download PDF Guidelines and Application Form (247kb)

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Unacceptable environmental consequences have prompted governments around the world to assist the establishment of Renewable Energy Production.

In Australia, The Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 has the following objectives:
(a) to encourage the additional generation of electricity from renewable sources;
(b) to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases; and
(c) to ensure that renewable energy sources are ecologically sustainable.
This is done through the issuing of certificates for the generation of electricity from renewable resources, and requiring wholesale purchasers of electricity to purchase these certificates. It is required by the year 2010 that 2%, or 9500 gigawatt hours, of electricity production be sourced from renewable resources.

A government office determines the amount of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that are applicable to each solar hot water system based on its performance. This eliminates confusion caused by misleading claims by some solar hot water manufacturers as to the performance of their systems. Solar hot water systems replace the need for some electricity production, and therefore generate RECs.

Upon your purchase and installation of an eligible solar hot water system in your home you will be credited with an amount of money equaling the number of RECs applicable to the solar hot water system purchased.

To find out more, visit the Government's Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator website.

To download the complete list of solar hot water systems and compare their performance click here. (PDF 210 Kb)

For more detailed information about the value of the RECs rebate click here.