If the cost of solar panels or a home battery has put your plans on hold, your wait might be over. Since yesterday, 17 June 2026, eligible New South Wales households can apply for a new zero-interest loan of up to $15,000 to cover solar, a battery, or other energy-saving upgrades. The NSW Government calls it the Home Energy Saver loan, or HESLP for short.
The timing matters. Just over half of all homes in NSW already run on solar, and the state adds around 13,000 new home batteries every month, according to the NSW Government. Many more households want to join them, but the upfront cost has kept the upgrade out of reach. This loan removes that barrier for eligible homeowners and landlords.
PSC Energy has installed solar, batteries, and EV chargers across Sydney to Orange since 2016. Our own in-house installers handle every job, and we track every change to NSW and federal energy incentives so you do not have to work it out alone. We are one of the first installers accredited with Plenti for the Home Energy Saver loan, one of the two finance providers delivering it, so we can help you through the process from quote to application.
By the end of this article, you will know who qualifies for the loan, what it covers, how it works alongside other rebates, and the steps to apply.
What Is the Home Energy Saver Program?
The Home Energy Saver program is a $557 million NSW Government initiative that helps you pay for energy-saving home upgrades, according to the NSW Government. It has two separate parts: a zero-interest loan you can use right now, and a discount that arrives later in 2026.
The program sits under the NSW Government’s Consumer Energy Strategy, which aims to make upgrades like solar panels and home batteries easier to afford for more households across the state.
The two parts work differently and suit different households:
- A zero-interest loan of up to $15,000 that spreads the cost of your upgrade over time. This part opened yesterday, 17 June 2026, and covers a wider income range.
- A targeted discount of up to $4,000 that reduces the upfront price for lower-income households and concession card holders. This part is not available yet, and the government has not confirmed an exact start date beyond “later in 2026.”
The rest of this article looks at each part in detail, starting with the loan, since that is what you can actually apply for now.
The Home Energy Saver Loan: How Much Can You Borrow?
The Home Energy Saver loan, known as HESLP, lets you borrow between $1,001 and $15,000 at zero interest, with one to ten years to pay it back. Two finance providers deliver the loan, Brighte and Plenti, and you choose one of them when you apply.
There is no interest, no upfront fee, and no account fee. If a repayment runs late, the only charge is $2 a week, capped at $120 in total.
What the loan can pay for
You can use HESLP for upgrades such as:
- Rooftop solar panels
- A home battery
- Insulation
- A reverse-cycle air conditioner
- A switchboard upgrade
- Ceiling fans
- Draught-proofing
- A heat pump water heater
- A solar water heater
- An induction cooktop
- An EV Level 2 charger
- Double glazing
- A NatHERS home energy assessment
Every product needs a Clean Energy Council listing and a minimum ten-year warranty. If you choose a battery, a Solar Accreditation Australia installer with a Battery Storage endorsement has to carry out the installation.
If you are still working out how big a battery you need, check out our article What Size Solar Battery Do You Need? before you decide how much to borrow.
Curious what this could mean for your power bill? Get your free PSC Energy quote.
Who can apply
To apply for HESLP, you need to meet these requirements:
- You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- You are 18 or older
- You have valid ID, such as a driver licence, Medicare card, or passport
- Your combined household taxable income is under $210,000
- Your Equifax credit score is 500 or above, subject to your chosen finance provider’s standards
- You are an owner-occupier or a landlord. Renters cannot apply for this loan directly, though the separate discount later in this article does allow eligible tenants to take part with their landlord’s permission.
Want a quick eligibility check? Reach out to PSC Energy today.
Property rules
Your property also needs to meet these conditions:
- It must be in NSW
- It cannot be social housing
- It cannot be a short-term rental, such as an Airbnb
- If you are a landlord, your tenant needs to co-sign an authorisation of works letter before work starts
If you own more than one property, you can apply for a separate loan on each one. You can even take out a second loan on the same property, as long as the combined total stays under $15,000.
The Home Energy Saver Discount: Available Later in 2026
The Home Energy Saver discount gives you up to $4,000 towards an eligible upgrade. Creditex delivers the discount on behalf of the NSW Government. Applications have not opened yet, but you can prepare now and sign up for updates on when they do.
To qualify, you need to own the property, or rent it as a tenant named on the lease, and meet one of these:
- Your combined annual household income sits at $80,000 or under, or
- You hold a Health Care Card, a Low Income Health Care Card, a Pensioner Concession Card, or a Veteran Gold Card
If you rent, you also need your landlord’s approval, and your strata manager’s approval if you live in a strata property.
A few rules matter before you apply:
- You need to contribute at least $200 of your own money towards the upgrade. The discount cannot cover the full cost.
- Each household can only receive the discount once. If you own your home, you cannot apply again. If you rent and move to a different landlord, you can apply again at the new address.
- The cap applies per household, not per upgrade. If you choose two upgrades that cost $10,000 combined, you still receive one $4,000 discount in total, not two separate discounts.
The government has set aside $77 million to fund this part of the program.
Can You Use the Loan With Other Rebates?
Yes, you can use the Home Energy Saver loan alongside other rebates, but it only ever covers what is left over after those rebates bring your price down.
Most installers apply your other rebates to the quote first, before any loan comes into the picture. These include:
- The federal battery rebate, delivered through the Cheaper Home Batteries Program
- NSW schemes such as the Energy Savings Scheme and the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme
Once those discounts reduce your price, your finance provider only lends you what is left over, up to the loan’s usual limit. If you want a refresher on how the federal rebate currently works, our article Is the Federal Battery Rebate Still Available? explains it, or for the full picture across both federal and NSW schemes, see our Ultimate Guide to Australia’s 2026 Solar Rebate and Battery Rebate.
The order changes slightly once the Home Energy Saver discount opens later in 2026. If you want to use the discount and a loan together on the same upgrade, apply for the discount first. Then take out a loan to cover whatever is left.
How to Apply for the Home Energy Saver Loan
Here is how the process works, step by step.
- Check your eligibility against the requirements above.
- Choose your upgrade and work out roughly what it will cost.
- Choose a finance provider, either Brighte or Plenti.
- Get a quote from an approved supplier for that provider.
- Finalise your application directly through your chosen provider’s website.
Before you book a quote, ask your installer two simple questions: are they accredited with your chosen finance provider, and is the equipment they are quoting on the Clean Energy Council’s approved list? Both matter, since unaccredited installers and non-listed equipment cannot use this loan.
PSC Energy is accredited with Plenti for the Home Energy Saver loan. If you choose Plenti as your finance provider, we can help you through every step, from your first quote to the finished installation. Get in touch and we will walk you through it.
Get Started With PSC Energy
The Home Energy Saver loan gives you a real way to spread the cost of solar, a battery, or other upgrades, without paying any interest. It works alongside your other rebates, not instead of them, so the loan only needs to cover what is left after those discounts apply. The discount half of the program will widen access even further once it opens later in 2026.
PSC Energy has installed solar, batteries, and EV chargers across Sydney to Orange since 2016, using our own in-house team. We are accredited with Plenti for the Home Energy Saver loan, and we are ready to help you work out which upgrades make sense, which rebates apply, and how this loan fits into your plans. Get in touch with PSC Energy to start your quote today.
Ready to get started? Book your free PSC Energy quote today.
FAQ: Home Energy Saver Loans and Discounts
Can I Get Both a Discount and a Loan?
Yes, you can use both if you qualify for each one. Apply for the discount first, then take out a loan to cover whatever the discount does not pay for.
Do I Need to Contribute Any of My Own Money?
The discount requires a contribution. You need to put in at least $200 towards your upgrade yourself. The loan works differently and only covers costs left over after your other rebates reduce the price.
Can Renters Apply for the Home Energy Saver Loan?
No, renters cannot apply for the loan directly. Only owner-occupiers and landlords can apply for it. Renters can apply for the separate discount instead, as long as their landlord agrees and they are named on the lease.
Can I Use the Loan If I Already Have Solar and Just Want a Battery?
Yes, the loan covers standalone upgrades, not just full systems. You can use it for a battery on its own, even if you already have solar panels installed.
Is the Home Energy Saver Loan the Same as the Federal Battery Rebate?
No, they are two different things. The federal battery rebate reduces the price of your battery at the time of quote, through the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. The Home Energy Saver loan is a separate, zero-interest loan from the NSW Government that helps you pay off what is left.
Does Taking Out This Loan Affect My Credit Score?
Applying involves a credit check, and your Equifax score needs to sit at 500 or above to qualify. PSC Energy is not a credit provider, so check directly with Brighte or Plenti for specific questions about how the loan affects your credit file.
Can I Use the Loan for More Than One Upgrade at the Same Property?
Yes, you can put more than one upgrade on the same loan, as long as the total stays within the $1,001 to $15,000 range. This is different from owning multiple properties, since each property gets its own separate loan.
