DEBS vs REBS in Perth: which buyback scheme are you on?

Perth households who installed solar before 2020 may be on REBS (the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme) rather than the current DEBS (Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme). The rate and structure are different — and switching off REBS is permanent.

What is REBS?

REBS (Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme) was Synergy's original solar feed-in arrangement, established around 2010–2012 for the first wave of Perth solar installations. It paid a flat rate for all solar exported to the grid:

REBS rate: 7.135c/kWh (for all exported electricity, at all times of day)

This was a fixed, flat rate — no peak or off-peak distinction.

What is DEBS?

DEBS (Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme) replaced REBS in 2020 for new solar connections and for households who voluntarily switched. DEBS uses a time-of-use export rate:

DEBS rates:

• Peak (3pm–9pm): 10c/kWh
• Off-peak (all other hours): 2c/kWh

DEBS is available for all metered export (solar, battery, or combined).

Which is better?

The answer depends on when you export.

REBS advantage (7.135c flat)

For a household exporting heavily during solar midday hours (9am–3pm):

• Under DEBS off-peak: 2c/kWh
• Under REBS: 7.135c/kWh
• REBS earns 5.135c more per kWh for midday export

North-facing panels on a standard Perth system export most heavily between 10am–2pm. Most of that export is in the off-peak DEBS window. REBS pays more than DEBS for these exports.

DEBS advantage (10c peak)

For a household with west-facing panels, a battery system, or any device configured to export during 3pm–9pm:

• Under DEBS peak: 10c/kWh
• Under REBS: 7.135c/kWh
• DEBS earns 2.865c more per kWh for peak-hour export

A household with a battery cycling under Midday Saver, exporting 2kWh/day at peak: 2 × 2.865c × 365 = approximately $21/year extra under DEBS.

Worked example (typical north-facing 6.6kW system, no battery)

Annual export: approximately 3,000 kWh
Export time-of-day split (estimated north-facing, no battery): 70% off-peak, 30% peak

• Under REBS: 3,000 × 7.135c = $214/year
• Under DEBS: (2,100 × 2c) + (900 × 10c) = $42 + $90 = $132/year

For this typical system: REBS earns $82/year more than DEBS

The permanent switch caveat

Once a REBS household voluntarily switches to DEBS, they cannot switch back to REBS. This has been the rule since REBS was closed to new entrants in 2020.

Additionally, REBS is tied to the specific installation. If you:

• Add panels to your existing system — Synergy may automatically move you from REBS to DEBS for the additional capacity
• Replace your inverter with a larger model — this may constitute a new connection application, which would be assessed under DEBS
• Add a battery — a battery connected to an existing REBS solar system may require a new application, which moves you to DEBS for the combined export

Confirm with Synergy and your installer before any system modification if you want to preserve REBS eligibility.

How to check which scheme you're on

Your Synergy electricity bill shows the tariff and buyback rate. Look for:

• A line item labelled "REBS" with a 7.135c rate
• OR a line item labelled "DEBS Peak" (10c) and "DEBS Off-Peak" (2c)

You can also log in to MyAccount and check your billing details or call Synergy: 13 13 53.

Should REBS households switch to DEBS voluntarily?

For most REBS households with north-facing panels and no battery, REBS is worth keeping. REBS's 7.135c/kWh beats DEBS off-peak (2c) for the majority of export.

DEBS becomes more attractive if you:

• Add a battery that you can program to export during the 3pm–9pm peak window
• Have predominantly west-facing panels that export heavily in the afternoon
• Are switching to Midday Saver (DEBS peak export at 10c aligns with Midday Saver peak)

If you're uncertain, calculate your export time-of-day profile from your MyAccount interval data (download CSV, categorise by time of day) before deciding.

REBS and DEBS rates are set by the WA Government and published by the Economic Regulation Authority. Rates current as of June 2026. REBS rate has been fixed at 7.135c since 2013.