The Victorian Government currently offers a comprehensive suite of rebates available to Victorian households. There are a number of schemes that Victorian households may be eligible to apply for, based on their location and which system is being replaced.
Sustainability Victoria (SV), a Department within the Victorian Government currently offers three hot water rebate programs designed to reduce household greenhouse gas emissions. The Metropolitan and Regional SV rebate programs provide for households upgrading to solar and heat pump water heaters. Another SV program provides an incentive for households to change their electric water heater to a 5 star gas water heater.
Sustainability Victoria - Metropolitan Scheme
For households in metro Melbourne (see SV Suburb Definition list), SV offers up to $1500 in rebates for replacing a gas, electric or solar water heater with a solar water heater or heat pump. This rebate is paid as a point-of-sale discount at time of purchase, meaning the installer reduces your bill by the rebate value upfront, at no cost to you.
This rebate can be claimed in addition to both RECs and VEECs, assuming the household is ineligibile for the Federal Government Solar Hot Water Rebate.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility for the rebate is dependent on your postcode falling within SV's definition of a Metropolitan area
- Rebate amount varies by rebate type and system installed
- Metro scheme
- Replacing a gas water heater with a gas boosted solar - Up to $1500 depending on load
- Replacing an electric water heater with a gas boosted solar, electric boosted solar or heat pump - Up to $1000 depending on load, and paid only when the Household has taken up the Federal Governments Ceiling Insulation offer i.e. you cannot claim both a SV rebate and Federal Government Solar Water Heater rebate
- Converting an existing electric off-peak hot water system to solar using an approved retrofit kit - Up to $1500 depending on load
- Adding a solar pre-heater to an existing gas water heater using an approved pre-heater - Up to $1500 depending on load
- Available for existing, residential dwellings only
- Only systems approved by SV are recognised, as listed on the SV website
- See under www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/rebates for more information
Sustainability Victoria - Regional Scheme
For households in regional Victoria (see SV Suburb Definition list, SV offers up to $2350 in rebates for replacing a gas, electric or solar water heater with a solar water heater or heat pump. This rebate is paid as a point-of-sale discount at time of purchase, meaning the installer reduces your bill by the rebate value upfront, at no cost to you.
This rebate can be claimed in addition to both RECs and VEECs , assuming the household is ineligible for the Federal Government Solar Hot Water Rebate.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility for the rebate is dependent on your postcode falling within SV's definition of a Regional area
- Rebate amount varies by rebate type and system installed
- Regional scheme
- Replacing a gas water heater with a gas boosted solar - Up to $1600 depending on load
- Replacing an electric water heater with a gas boosted solar, electric boosted solar or heat pump - Up to $1500 depending on load, and paid only when the Household has taken up the Federal Governments Ceiling Insulation offer ie you cannot claim both a SV rebate and Federal Government Solar Water Heater rebate
- Converting an existing electric off-peak hot water system to solar using an approved retrofit kit - Up to $1500 depending on load
- Adding a solar pre-heater to an existing gas water heater using an approved pre-heater - Up to $1600 depending on load
- Available for existing, residential dwellings only
- Only systems approved by SV are recognised, as listed on the SV website
- See under www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/rebates for more information
Payment
- The program is funded by Sustainability Victoria, a Department within the Victorian Government
- Payment is made via a point of sale discount at the time of purchase
Sustainability Victoria - Gas Hot Water Rebate
- Rebates apply to installations of 5 star instantaneous or storage gas water heaters (4+ star for an internal system), replacing electric water heaters ineligible for connection to off-peak electricity (residential only)
- Rebates amounts are as below
- $700 for concession card holders
- $400 for non-concession card holders
- Additional $300 installation rebate if you live in a flat or apartment where there's a separate occupancy directly above or below you
- Available for existing homes only
- Only systems approved by SV can be utilised (these systems are published on the SV website)
- See www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/rebates for more information
Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs)
- NEW Victorian Emissions Trading Scheme
- Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates are a product of VEET legislation
- 1 VEEC is equivalent to 1 tonne of CO2 abated by a prescribed activity
- Applies to installations of 5 star gas, solar and heat pumps replacing less efficient water heaters (program also includes Space Heater, Windows and Refrigerators/Freezers)
- Electric to 5 star gas instantaneous and storage
- Electric to Electric boosted solar and heat pump
- Electric to Gas boosted solar
- Gas to gas boosted solar
- Phase 1: Effective from 1 January, 2009 to 31 December, 2011
- Rheem Australia Pty Ltd is accredited to create and trade VEECs
- Rheem currently values a VEEC at $22.00
- Maximum VEECs are awarded to gas boost solar replacing electric, followed by electric boost solar and heat pump replacing electric
Payment
- The program is managed by the Essential Service Commission (ESC), a Department within the Victorian Government. The scheme is funded by large energy retailers
- Payment can be made in several ways, but will typically be provided as a point of sale discount by the installer to secure the households eligibility rights to create VEECs
