Free heat pump on the cards for Victorian homes upgrading from an old electric hot water system

Do you live in Victoria?  And do you have an inefficient electric hot water system that’s at least three years old?

If you answered YES to both questions, you’re in luck! That’s because you may be eligible for government rebates worth up to $3,720 if you upgrade to an energy efficient heat pump hot water system.

What’s more, if you choose SolarRun as your heat pump provider, the upgrade could be free of charge thanks to our competitive pricing for quality heat pumps.

On this blog:

• Why do electric hot water systems get such high rebates?
• What are the rebates for upgrading from an old electric hot water system to a heat pump?
• Am I eligible for these hot water rebates?
• How can I apply?

Why do electric hot water systems get such high rebates?

Victorian households switching from an old electric hot water systems to a heat pump get amongst the biggest government rebates going!

Why is this?

It’s because old electric hot water systems are not only the most expensive way to heat water – they’re also the most polluting.

By switching from an old electric hot water system to a heat pump, the average Victorian home will save around $615 a year on electricity costs.  Pair the heat pump with a rooftop solar system and the savings will be even greater.

You’ll also be doing the environment a favour, as the CO2 emissions savings from ditching your old electric hot water system are around four tonnes a year.

What are the rebates for upgrading from an old electric hot water system to a heat pump?

There are three different rebates available to Victorian households switching from an old electric hot water system to a heat pump:

• Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs)
• Federal Government Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs)
• Victorian Solar Hot Water Rebate

This table shows the value of each rebate for households in Metro Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Households in Metro Melbourne can get rebates worth up to $3,580 and those in regional Victoria can get up to $3,270 for upgrading to a heat pump hot water system.

• The biggest rebate is the VEECs which are worth between $1,540 and $1,680.
• Next are STCs; a federal government incentive to encourage greater use of renewable energy in our homes and businesses.
• The solar hot water rebate – worth $1,000 – is from the Victorian Government and is available through the Solar Homes Program.

Am I eligible for these hot water rebates?

STCs and VEECs

If you purchase your heat pump system from an accredited provider like SolarRun and you are upgrading from a conventional electric hot water system, you will qualify for both the STCs and the VEECs. Neither STCs nor VEECs are means-tested.

Victorian solar hot water rebate

To be eligible for the Victorian solar hot water rebate, you must have a household income less than $180,000 and be the owner-occupier of a house worth less than $3 million.

If you’ve already received a solar panels rebate from the Solar Homes Program that’s OK, you can still apply for the hot water rebate (they recently changed the rules to allow this).   However, if you’ve received a solar battery rebate from the program then you will not be eligible.

The hot water system to be replaced must be at least three years old.  The new heat pump you purchase must be on Solar Victoria’s approved product list and be installed by an approved provider such as SolarRun.

How can I apply?

There’s no need to apply for the VEECs and STCs as we would handle the paperwork on your behalf.

However, you do need to apply via the Solar Homes website for the hot water rebate.  The first step in the application process is to get a quote for an eligible heat pump system.  Once you have that, you simply go online and provide the supporting documentation.

It’s a straightforward process but if you’d like a hand, we’ll be happy to help.

How can I find out more?

If you’d like to find out more about heat pumps and get a quote, get in touch.

We can explain how heat pumps work and advise you on the best heat pump for your home.  We can calculate the electricity bill savings you could expect from switching to a heat pump – and the additional savings you could get by teaming the heat pump with a solar panels system.

Heat pumps are well-proven technology for hot water in Australian homes.  And with these generous government rebates and our competitive pricing, you could get one free of charge!

Take the first step towards lower cost hot water – ask us for an obligation-free quote.