DEBS vs the old Solar Feed-in Tariff in Perth: what changed and who gets what

Western Australia has paid households for exporting solar power since 2010, but the rate, structure, and eligibility have changed significantly. If you're getting solar quotes that mention "DEBS" and wondering what it means — or you have older solar panels and aren't sure what rate you're on — here's the complete picture.

WA solar export history at a glance

2010–2014: Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme (REBS)

• Rate: 7.135c/kWh (net — on exported surplus)
• Structure: Net feed-in tariff: you were paid for the difference between generation and consumption at the time of generation
• Closed to new entrants: 2014
• Status: Still active for customers who enrolled before closure

2010–2020: Premium pricing for early adopters Several thousand WA households enrolled before 2011 receive legacy premium rates (some were paid for ALL generation at above-retail rates). These schemes have largely wound down or are in their final contract periods.

2020–present: Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS)

• Replaces: REBS for new solar connections from July 2020
• Rate (2026): 10c/kWh (peak: 3pm–9pm) and 2c/kWh (off-peak: all other times)
• Structure: Net export: you're paid for solar sent to the grid after household consumption

Who is still on the old REBS rate?

Households that:

• Installed solar before July 2020, AND
• Registered with Synergy under the original REBS scheme

These customers receive 7.135c/kWh for all exported solar, regardless of time of day. The REBS rate is a flat rate — no peak/off-peak distinction.

Is 7.135c (REBS) better than DEBS?

Depends entirely on your export timing:

• If you export mostly during 3pm–9pm (DEBS peak = 10c/kWh): DEBS is better
• If you export mostly during 9am–3pm (DEBS off-peak = 2c/kWh): REBS 7.135c is better
• If your exports are evenly spread: blended DEBS rate ≈ 4–6c/kWh, so REBS wins

For households that export significant solar during off-peak hours (midday), REBS is the better scheme. For households on Midday Saver who self-consume midday and export evening surplus, DEBS peak could match or beat REBS.

Can REBS customers switch to DEBS? Generally no — once you switch to DEBS, you cannot switch back. If you're on REBS, evaluate carefully before requesting a scheme change.

How DEBS works in 2026

DEBS credits appear on your Synergy bill as negative amounts (credits reducing your balance due):

DEBS rates effective 1 July 2026:

• Peak: 10c/kWh — exported between 3pm–9pm, every day
• Off-peak: 2c/kWh — exported at all other times (overnight, 9am–3pm)

What this means in practice:

A 6.6kW system on a north-facing Perth roof generates its peak around 12pm. Most of that midday generation is consumed by the home first; the surplus is exported. If the home is empty during the day, more is exported at midday (2c/kWh off-peak).

In the afternoon (3pm–9pm), solar generation is falling. Most solar households have little or no generation by 6pm. So DEBS peak-rate export mainly captures the 3pm–6pm afternoon output window — when solar is still generating but the household may not yet be home consuming at full capacity.

How to calculate your quarterly DEBS credit:

From your Synergy bill or smart meter data:

1. Find your total peak export (kWh between 3pm–9pm) × 10c = peak DEBS credit
2. Find your total off-peak export (kWh outside 3pm–9pm) × 2c = off-peak DEBS credit
3. Sum both = total DEBS credit for the quarter

Typical quarterly DEBS credit for a 6.6kW Perth system:

• Summer quarter: $25–$80
• Winter quarter: $10–$35
• Annual total: $60–$200

DEBS income is modest. The primary financial benefit of solar is self-consumption (electricity you don't have to buy from the grid at 33.26c/kWh) — not export income.

Strategies to maximise DEBS peak credits

If you want to shift more export to the 3pm–9pm peak window:

Battery discharge timing: If you have a battery, configure it to charge during 9am–3pm (off-peak) and discharge into the home during 3pm–9pm. This replaces grid import during peak time (saving 33.26c/kWh) rather than exporting solar at 10c/kWh — but the maths often still favours replacing high-rate grid import over exporting at peak DEBS.

Load shifting to 9am–3pm: Shift discretionary loads (dishwasher, washing machine, pool pump) to solar hours so evening consumption pulls from the battery rather than the grid. Any solar that was exported off-peak is partially recovered by the battery for evening use.

Don't optimise just for DEBS: The 10c/kWh DEBS peak rate is less than one-third of the 33.26c/kWh you pay for grid import. Strategies that maximise self-consumption are almost always more valuable than strategies that maximise DEBS export.

Checking which scheme you're on

Your Synergy bill shows:

• "REBS" or "Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme" credit line: you're on the old scheme
• "DEBS" or "Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme" with separate peak/off-peak export lines: you're on the current scheme
• No export credit line: you may not be registered for any scheme, or your meter upgrade may be pending

If you've just installed solar and your first bill shows no export credit, wait for the next billing period — the meter upgrade and scheme registration sometimes take a few weeks to flow through.

DEBS peak/off-peak rates effective 1 July 2026. Legacy REBS rate is 7.135c/kWh flat. Scheme details subject to change by Synergy and the WA state government. Verify current terms at synergy.net.au.