<h2>What's changing?</h2><p>From 1 October 2026, the Federal Government intends to expand its upfront solar incentive to cover commercial systems from 100kW up to 1MW — ten times the current system-size limit. The change is subject to the required regulations being introduced.</p><p>The expanded scheme works through Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), which are typically applied by the solar provider as an upfront discount, reducing the amount your business needs to pay. Government estimates suggest eligible projects could receive a discount worth approximately 20% of the installation cost.</p><h2>Who could benefit?</h2><p>The expanded incentive is aimed at sites with large rooftops and significant daytime electricity use, including:</p><ul><li>Factories and warehouses</li><li>Offices and shopping centres</li><li>Farms and agricultural facilities</li><li>Schools, hospitals and community buildings</li><li>Cold-storage and food-processing facilities</li></ul><p>Businesses consuming most of their electricity during daylight hours are likely to achieve the strongest returns, because more solar energy can be used directly onsite instead of being exported at a lower feed-in rate.</p><h2>How will the rebate work?</h2><p>Eligible systems between 100kW and 1MW will receive STCs, applied as an upfront discount at the point of installation. Systems above 1MW will remain under the separate Large-scale Renewable Energy Target framework. Projects must also meet accreditation, electrical safety, planning and network-connection requirements.</p><h2>Is it worth waiting?</h2><p>Not necessarily. A business should compare the additional rebate available after October against the electricity savings it could lose by delaying installation. The best approach is to assess:</p><ul><li>At least 12 months of electricity bills or interval data</li><li>Daytime energy consumption patterns</li><li>Available roof space and structural capacity</li><li>Network-export and connection limits</li><li>Solar-only versus solar-and-battery options</li><li>The expected payback period before and after the new incentive</li></ul><h2>Start planning your commercial solar project</h2><p>Commercial solar can reduce operating costs, protect your business against rising electricity prices and make better use of otherwise unused roof space. We design commercial solar and battery systems around your actual electricity profile — not simply the maximum capacity that will fit on the roof.</p><p>Contact our Adelaide team for a detailed assessment and find out how the expanded rebate could improve your project's return.</p><p><em>The proposed commencement date and eligibility rules remain subject to regulations being put in place. Final discounts will depend on system size, installation date, STC values and project eligibility.</em></p>