From 1 October 2026, the rules around commercial solar rebates in Australia are changing in a big way — and Hobart businesses stand to benefit. The federal government is lifting the eligibility cap for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) from 100kW to 1MW, a tenfold increase that opens up upfront, certificate-based solar discounts to mid-sized commercial systems that previously missed out.
At Marshall Solar & Energy, we work with businesses across Hobart, Glenorchy, Kingston, the Huon Valley and greater Southern Tasmania to design commercial solar systems that make the most of every available incentive. Here’s what the change actually means, and how to prepare before it takes effect.
Right now, only commercial solar systems up to 100kW qualify for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) — the mechanism that gives businesses an upfront discount on installation, rather than a rebate claimed later. Anything larger has had to go through the Large-scale Generation Certificate scheme instead, which works very differently and doesn’t offer the same immediate saving.
From 1 October 2026, that 100kW ceiling lifts to 1MW. Commercial solar systems up to 1MW — roughly 4,000 to 5,000m² of usable roof space — will qualify for the same certificate-based discount, worth approximately 20% off the installed cost of an eligible system. For context, a 1MW system is a serious undertaking: it’s the kind of installation suited to a large distribution centre, cold storage facility, or manufacturing site, not a typical shop roof.
Most Hobart businesses will land well under the new cap, which means more headroom to size a system properly rather than deliberately undersizing to stay inside the old 100kW limit.
Tasmania doesn’t currently run its own state-based solar rebate or interest-free loan scheme for commercial solar, so the federal SRES discount is the primary lever available to local businesses — which makes this expansion especially significant here compared with states that stack a state rebate on top.
A few things are worth knowing if you’re weighing up solar for a Hobart or Southern Tasmania site:
The expanded 1MW threshold is aimed squarely at mid-sized commercial and industrial energy users who’ve historically been priced out of a meaningful rebate. Around Hobart and Southern Tasmania, that includes:
If your business has previously been quoted for a sub-100kW system purely to qualify for a rebate, this is a good time to revisit that sizing.
The expanded threshold takes effect from 1 October 2026, subject to final regulatory sign-off.
No. Tasmania doesn’t currently run a dedicated state rebate for commercial solar, so the federal SRES discount is the main incentive available to Hobart and Tasmanian businesses, alongside the state’s regulated minimum feed-in tariff.
The SRES discount is estimated to reduce the upfront installed cost of an eligible system by around 20%, delivered as a point-of-sale deduction rather than a rebate claimed after installation.
A 1MW system typically needs around 4,000–5,000m² of usable roof space, which is well beyond most standard commercial roofs — most Hobart businesses will fall comfortably under the new cap.
Yes. Systems in this size range require a grid connection application through TasNetworks, and starting that process early is one of the most important steps in keeping your project on schedule.
Don’t let your energy savings slip away.
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