Victoria stacks two reductions and reports the largest total. NSW offers one upfront discount. South Australia leaves the amount to energy retailers, and Queensland's appliance rebate has closed. Same unit, very different out-of-pocket cost.
A heat pump that installs for $3,000–$5,200↗ anywhere in the country does not cost the same anywhere in the country. Hot water schemes are run by states, not by Canberra, and they have drifted apart badly enough that the state line is now worth hundreds of dollars.
What each state takes off
Victoria is an installer-reported combined figure (Solar Victoria rebate plus the VEU discount, replacing electric). NSW is the official Energy Savings Scheme maximum. South Australia and Queensland publish no state figure, so they are drawn at zero rather than guessed at.
Show these figures as a table
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Victoria | up to $1,630 |
| New South Wales | up to $640 |
| South Australia | No fixed amount |
| Queensland | Scheme closed |
Victoria: two programs, applied in order
Solar Victoria pays up to $1,000↗ towards an eligible system, and a Victorian Energy Upgrades discount of about about $630↗ comes off first when you are replacing electric. Installers report a combined up to $1,630↗ for eligible systems. The rebate has income and property tests, so a household can qualify for one and not the other. There is a worked example of the order they apply in.
New South Wales: one discount, no paperwork for you
The Energy Savings Scheme gives up to $640↗ for replacing an electric water heater, with a typical range of $405–$675↗ depending on the model. It reaches you as an upfront discount↗, which is the part people miss: there is nothing to claim afterwards, so if it is not in the quote, it is not coming.
South Australia: ask the retailer, not the state
The Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme obliges energy retailers to deliver savings, but the state publishes no fixed amount↗. Offers come from any retailer↗, and you do not have to be their customer. It is worth ringing two or three, because there is no published figure to compare against.
Queensland: closed, and worth knowing why
The Climate Smart Energy Savers rebate is closed↗. Purchases had to be made by 4 December 2023↗, and while it ran it paid $300–$1,000↗. Quotes and guides still circulate with those numbers attached, so check the date on anything that promises you a Queensland rebate today.
What is the same everywhere
Federal small-scale technology certificates apply nationally. Your installer's quoted price already includes the federal STC discount↗, which is why the "before rebate" price you are quoted is usually already lower than the sticker price on the unit.
If you are near a border
Eligibility follows the property, not the installer. A plumber who works both sides of the Murray can install the same unit under Victorian rules on one street and no state scheme at all on the next. Ask which scheme they are claiming under and for the property, not for their business address.
Schemes change and certificate prices move. Every figure here carries its source and the date it was checked; confirm the current amount with your installer before you sign. The calculator applies these rules to your own situation.