For a lot of NSW households the maths on solar and batteries already adds up. The thing holding them back is the upfront cost. The NSW Government’s new Home Energy Saver program is built to remove exactly that barrier, with zero-interest loans of up to $15,000 and, later this year, discounts of up to $4,000 for lower-income families.
Announced on 17 June 2026, the $557 million program lets eligible households spread the cost of energy upgrades over time, or in some cases reduce it outright. Here is how it works, what it covers, who qualifies, and how the loans and discounts fit together.
At a glance
- Zero-interest (0%) loans of up to $15,000, repayable over ten years
- Loans are available now, from 17 June 2026
- Discounts of up to $4,000 for lower-income families, available later in 2026
- Loans are open to households with a combined taxable income of up to $210,000
- Discounts are for households earning up to $80,000, or eligible concession card holders
- Covers rooftop solar, home batteries, insulation, reverse-cycle air conditioning, switchboard upgrades, ceiling fans and draught-proofing
- Renters can access the discounts with their landlord’s permission
What is the Home Energy Saver program?
The Home Energy Saver program is a NSW Government initiative aimed at one specific problem: the size of the cheque you have to write on day one.
Solar panels, batteries and efficient electric appliances all save money over time, but the initial outlay can run into thousands of dollars, and that cost has locked many households out. The program tackles this in two ways. It offers zero-interest finance so you can pay the cost off over several years, and for lower-income families it offers an upfront discount that reduces the cost directly.
It is a sizeable commitment from the state, worth $557 million in total, and the loans alone are expected to benefit more than 32,000 households.
The two parts: loans and discounts
This is the part worth getting right, because the loan and the discount have different rules and different timing.
Zero-interest loans (available now)
The loan is the larger part of the program, backed by a $480 million commitment. Eligible households can borrow up to $15,000 at 0% interest and repay it over ten years rather than paying upfront.
To qualify for a loan you need a combined taxable household income of up to $210,000. Loans have been available since 17 June 2026.
There is no interest charged on the amount you borrow. You repay only the approved loan amount over the agreed term.
Discounts (available later in 2026)
The discount is a separate, more targeted measure, backed by a $77 million commitment. Eligible families can receive up to $4,000 off the cost of an upgrade, which does not have to be repaid.
The discount is aimed at lower-income households, specifically those with a combined annual income of up to $80,000, or eligible concession card holders. Unlike the loans, discounts will not open until later in 2026.
Importantly, the discounts will also be available to renters, who can make upgrades with their landlord’s permission.
What the loan and discount can be used for
Rather than backing a single product, the program supports a range of upgrades, including:
- Rooftop solar
- Home batteries
- Insulation
- Reverse-cycle air conditioning
- Switchboard upgrades
- Ceiling fans
- Draught-proofing
For most households the standout options are solar and battery storage. Solar lets you generate your own electricity and rely less on the grid, while a battery stores the energy you produce during the day so you can use it in the evening, when grid power is usually most expensive.
How the loans and discounts work together
If you are eligible for both a discount and a loan, the order matters.
The NSW Government advises households to apply for the discount first, then seek a loan to cover the remaining amount. In practice, the discount lowers the cost of the upgrade, and the loan then covers whatever is left, interest-free, over up to ten years.
The program is also designed to sit alongside existing federal incentives, such as Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) for solar and the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. Those federal incentives reduce the system price first, which means the amount you need to finance, or the gap a discount needs to fill, is smaller to begin with.
A worked example
The NSW Government gives a simple illustration. If your household earns $200,000 and you want a solar and battery system priced at $10,000, you can apply for a loan and pay it off over ten years instead of upfront.
For a lower-income household, the picture can be even better. If you qualify for the discount, you could take up to $4,000 off that cost first, then use a zero-interest loan to spread the remaining balance across the ten-year term.
Your exact figures will depend on your income, your system and the upgrades you choose, so treat this as an illustration rather than a quote.
Why now is a sensible time to look
The timing is worth noting. Just over half of all houses in NSW already have solar, and around 13,000 new batteries are being installed across the state every month. The Home Energy Saver program arrives while federal battery support is also strong, and the two work well together.
For a household weighing up storage, the combination is powerful. A federal incentive can take a large chunk off the price of a battery, a discount can reduce it further if you qualify, and the interest-free loan can spread the rest over several years. The result is a much smaller initial outlay and, in many cases, a shorter payback period.
Things to consider before you apply
The program is useful, but a few points are worth thinking through first.
The loan is still a loan, so repayments apply even though there is no interest. The discount and the loan have different income thresholds, so check which part you actually qualify for. And as with any major home upgrade, comparing more than one quote, and comparing the systems rather than just the headline price, remains the smart approach.
You can find the full program details and apply through the NSW Government’s official Home Energy Saver page at energy.nsw.gov.au/home-energy-saver.
How to take the next step
The simplest way to use this program well is to start with a quote that already has the federal incentives applied, so you can see your real net cost and work out the loan or discount amount from there.
Greenlight Solar can design a solar and battery system for your home, apply the federal incentives you qualify for, and walk you through how the Home Energy Saver loan and discount fit on top, so you know your true out-of-pocket cost before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Home Energy Saver program a rebate?
It is mainly a zero-interest loan of up to $15,000. Separately, lower-income families can also receive a discount of up to $4,000, which does not have to be repaid and becomes available later in 2026.
Is the $15,000 a grant or a loan?
It is a zero-interest loan. You repay the amount you borrow over up to ten years, but you are not charged any interest.
Who can get the discount, and when?
Discounts of up to $4,000 are for households earning up to $80,000, or eligible concession card holders. They are due to open later in 2026, after the loans.
Can renters access the program?
Renters can access the discounts, with their landlord’s permission. The zero-interest loan is generally aimed at property owners.
Can I use it for a home battery?
Yes. Home battery storage is one of the main technologies the program supports, along with rooftop solar.
Can I combine it with other incentives?
Yes. Federal incentives such as STCs and the Cheaper Home Batteries Program reduce the system cost first. If you qualify for a discount, you apply for that next, and a loan can then cover any remaining balance.
Where do I apply?
Through the NSW Government’s official Home Energy Saver page at energy.nsw.gov.au/home-energy-saver.
