Electricity concessions and solar in Perth: what you can stack

Perth households on government concessions often wonder whether having a concession affects their eligibility for solar incentives, or whether going solar affects their concession status. The short answer is: concessions and solar incentives are independent — you can access both.

What electricity concessions are available in Perth?

Synergy offers several concession arrangements for eligible households:

Energy Assistance Payment (EAP): Available to Synergy residential customers who hold a:

• Pensioner Concession Card (PCC)
• Health Care Card (HCC)
• Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card

The EAP provides a quarterly credit on the Synergy bill. The amount changes with budget announcements — check the current WA Government concession rates on the WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) website or call Synergy on 13 13 53.

Medical Equipment Concession: Available to households where a resident depends on life support or essential medical equipment (dialysis, home ventilator, oxygen concentrator, etc.) that requires continuous electricity. This concession provides a higher rate of bill reduction to reflect the non-negotiable nature of the electricity use.

Energy Bill Relief (federal scheme): A separate federal government rebate delivered through Synergy's billing system. Eligibility criteria may differ from the WA state concessions — both can be applied simultaneously if you qualify for each.

Does having a concession affect solar STC eligibility?

No. STCs are available to any property owner installing a solar system via a CEC-accredited installer, regardless of whether the household holds a concession card. The STC rebate amount is determined by system size and location (STC zone), not by household income or concession status.

If you're on a pension or Health Care Card and planning to install solar, you receive the full STC rebate just like any other homeowner.

Does having a concession affect DEBS eligibility?

No. DEBS (Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme) credits for solar exports are based on meter readings and export rates — they are independent of any household concession status. A pensioner with solar receives the same 10c/kWh (Super Off-Peak) and 2c/kWh (Off-Peak) export rates as any other Synergy customer.

Does having a concession affect the WA Battery Incentive?

No. The WA Battery Incentive ($130/kWh, up to $1,300) is available to all Synergy residential customers installing an eligible battery on the Synergy Storable Solar List. Concession card holders are not excluded.

Some households on low income may have access to separate state energy efficiency assistance programs that provide subsidised batteries — check the WA Government's Household Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme or similar programs that may be running at the time of installation. These are separate to the WA Battery Incentive.

How DEBS credits interact with concession credits on the bill

Your Synergy bill lists credits in this order:

1. EAP concession credit (if applicable)
2. Medical concession credit (if applicable)
3. Energy Bill Relief federal credit (if applicable)
4. DEBS solar export credit
5. Net amount payable (after all credits applied)

All credits stack. A pensioner household with solar DEBS credits sees all credits applied against their consumption and supply charges — in the best case, the combined credits reduce the bill to near zero or produce a credit balance carried forward.

Carried forward credits: If total credits exceed the amount owing in a billing period (e.g., a summer billing period with high solar generation), Synergy carries the credit balance to the next bill. It is NOT paid out in cash — it reduces future bills.

Can the WA battery incentive help low-income Perth households?

The WA Battery Incentive's $1,300 rebate is available to all Synergy customers, including concession holders. However, the upfront cost of a battery system ($7,000–$12,000 after the rebate) can still be a barrier for lower-income households.

The WA Government has periodically offered separate programs for low-income energy efficiency upgrades, sometimes including subsidised battery storage. These programs have varied in availability — check the WA Government's Energy Assistance Program page or contact the Department of Energy for current offerings.

Financing options: Some solar installers offer interest-free or low-interest payment plans. Some credit unions and community development finance institutions offer solar-specific loans at lower rates than mainstream lenders.

Seniors, renters, and owner-occupied restrictions

Seniors: STCs and DEBS are available to seniors who own their home — there's no age restriction. The WA Battery Incentive is also available to senior homeowners.

Renters: Solar incentives (STCs, WA Battery Incentive, DEBS) are available to the property owner, not the tenant. If you're renting and want solar, you'd need your landlord to install it and potentially negotiate a share of savings or a "solar rent" arrangement. Some Perth landlords are increasingly installing solar on rental properties for the economic benefit and tenant attraction — if your current landlord hasn't considered it, it may be worth raising.

Strata/apartment owners: STCs and DEBS can be available for strata properties if the common property solar system is structured correctly. This is a more complex arrangement — see the separate guide on solar for Perth strata properties.

Solar and the pension assets test

The value of a solar system installed on your home is part of the property asset — and in Australia, the family home is exempt from the Centrelink pension assets test (primary residence exemption). A solar system installed on your home does not affect the pension assets test.

Battery storage is the same — as a permanent fixture of the property, it's treated as part of the exempt primary residence.

This is general information. If you have specific concerns about how an investment might affect your pension or benefits, confirm with Services Australia (Centrelink) or a financial counsellor.

Perth households on Synergy concessions (EAP, medical, federal bill relief) can access all solar incentives — STCs, DEBS, and the WA Battery Incentive — without any reduction in concession entitlements. All credits stack on the Synergy bill. The home and solar system are exempt from the Centrelink pension assets test.