The Switch for Solar program allows eligible concession holders to exchange 10 years of their energy concession and Cost of Living Concession for a solar PV system, installed at little to no upfront cost. Participants get a 4.4 kilowatt solar PV system and the potential to make savings on their energy bill.
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A typical household joining Switch for Solar could be $157 to $525 better off each year. This is compared to the energy concession and Cost of Living Concession they currently receive - based on an electricity usage of 4000kWh/year, and dependent on the household’s electricity retail plan tariffs over the Switch for Solar period. As of February 2022, the average quoted savings are $538 per year over and above the concessions.
Switch for Solar launched in limited areas in 2021. From mid 2022, the program will be available for the first 5,000 households state-wide.
You can register for a place in Switch for Solar now. Registrations from concession households in limited areas can access the program now. Households in other areas can register for the statewide expansion and may be able to join the program before August 2022, subject to availability.
Register for Switch for Solar. To register you might need your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) or Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) File Number.
Who can apply
House type and suburb eligibility
You must live at, and own, a detached or semi-detached house in South Australia. The program is open now for concession households in the following suburbs. Concession households in other areas can register for the statewide expansion and may be able to join the program before August 2022, subject to availability.
Suburbs that can access Switch for Solar now
Other eligibility criteria
You must also:
- hold an eligible Centrelink or DVA card or receive an eligible payment
- not already have a solar PV system
- use more than 2,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year
- currently receive the energy concession and Cost of Living Concession
- agree to not receive the energy concession and Cost of Living Concession for 10 years.
Home ownership
If you receive the concessions but your partner is the homeowner, you are eligible if you and your partner both agree to all of the program requirements.
Registrations from concession households in limited South Australian suburbs can access the program now. If you live in one of these suburbs, ConcessionsSA will review your application against the eligibility criteria. If your application is successful, your details will be given to a program partner who will contact you to arrange a site inspection of your home to confirm if it’s suitable for a solar PV system. If your home is suitable for a solar PV system, you will receive an estimate of your possible savings and any upfront costs. If you’re happy with the estimated savings and any upfront costs, you can then: Concession payments will stop after the solar PV system has been installed at your house. You’ll be notified when your payments have stopped. Registrations from concession households in all other areas will be kept informed about the program and how they can join as planning progresses, which will help check eligibility and plan the program rollout, ahead of installations. These households may be able to join Switch for Solar before August 2022, subject to availability. Your eligibility for Switch for Solar is based on your household circumstances at the time that you agree to join. Unless there are exceptional reasons for your agreement to be cancelled it will remain in place for 10 years.What happens next
Households in limited South Australian suburbs
Households in all other areas
Change in circumstances
Contact
The Switch for Solar factsheet (506KB PDF) provides more detail about the program, eligibility, concessions and joining.
