Still on the 44c Solar Bonus Scheme? It ends on 1 July 2028. Here's what changes, what can end it early, and how to time a battery.
Who is still on the 44c feed-in tariff
Queensland's Solar Bonus Scheme pays 44c for every kilowatt-hour of solar a home exports to the grid. It closed to new customers in July 2012, but homes that joined before then and kept meeting the rules are still on it. Ergon says around half of the solar systems in regional Queensland are still on this tariff, so in Townsville there's a good chance you know someone on it, or are on it yourself.
The Queensland Government says the tariff runs until its expiry date on 1 July 2028. No extension has been announced.
What changes on 1 July 2028
After the scheme ends, exported solar earns whatever feed-in rate your retailer offers, which is a few cents per kWh rather than 44. That flips the maths. While you're on 44c, sending power to the grid pays well. Once it ends, the power you use yourself is worth far more than the power you export, and that's when storing daytime solar in a home battery for the evening starts to pay.
Ergon also notes that on the regional feed-in tariff, extra panels, more inverter capacity (up to 30 kVA) and batteries can be connected without affecting eligibility. You still need a connection application, which we lodge for you.
What can end your 44c early
You can lose the tariff before 2028. Under Ergon and Queensland Government rules, the triggers include:
- increasing the rated capacity of your inverter
- adding panels so the array exceeds your inverter’s AC rating
- adding a battery that can discharge while the panels are running (other than in a blackout) or that can export to the grid
- adding another generating system
- adding a name to the electricity account (other than a spouse), moving house, or closing the account
The battery rule is the one that catches people. A standard battery set up to run your house whenever solar falls short does discharge while the panels are working, so it puts the 44c at risk. Check with us, or Ergon, before changing anything on a 44c system. If your inverter dies, a like-for-like replacement of the same size or smaller keeps you on the tariff, and we size replacement inverters with that in mind.
When to add a battery if you are on 44c
For most 44c homes the answer is: plan it now, install it when the tariff ends. We'll look at your current system, design the battery, lodge the paperwork and book the install for mid-2028, so you're not in the queue with every other 44c home at the same time.
There is a catch with waiting. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries rebate is paid as certificates, and the number per kWh steps down every six months: a factor of 6.8 for installs in May to December 2026, falling to 4.1 for July to December 2028. A battery installed in late 2028 gets roughly 40% less rebate per kWh than one installed now. Whether that outweighs the 44c income you'd keep depends on how much you export, so we run both options for your home and show you the numbers.
If you want to compare brands first, our battery comparison lays out Sigenergy, GoodWe, Fronius, Tesla and the rest side by side.
Ready to get it sorted?
We handle solar battery storage across Townsville and the Burdekin — quoted upfront, installed by our own accredited local team.