If you are researching a home battery in Perth, you have probably come across the term “Battery Rewards VPP.” It is the program that unlocks the $1,300 WA state rebate — and one of the more misunderstood parts of the battery installation process. This post explains exactly how it works, what you earn, and what you are actually committing to.
What Is Battery Rewards?
Synergy Battery Rewards is Western Australia’s home battery Virtual Power Plant (VPP). It connects hundreds of individual home batteries across the SWIS network into a coordinated system that Synergy can call on during peak demand periods — typically the hottest or coldest days of the year, when air conditioners and heaters are running hard across Perth simultaneously.
Rather than building additional grid infrastructure to handle these peaks, Synergy draws small amounts of energy from participating home batteries to stabilise supply. In return, homeowners receive credits on their electricity account.
Participation in Battery Rewards is required to access the WA Residential Battery Scheme — the $1,300 state rebate for eligible Synergy customers.
How an Activation Event Works
Understanding what actually happens during a Battery Rewards event is the clearest way to evaluate the program.
The Standby Window
Approximately two hours before a scheduled activation event, Synergy initiates a standby window. During this period, Synergy will hold your battery at its current state of charge, or charge it from the grid to ensure it is ready to contribute during the event.
If your battery draws grid electricity during the standby window, Synergy covers that cost through energy offset credits applied to your account. These are separate from your activation credits — their purpose is to ensure you are never financially worse off simply because Synergy is preparing your battery. You will not receive a bill for the pre-charge.
The Activation Event
Once the event begins, your battery discharges energy to the grid. Synergy remotely manages the discharge through your inverter. During this time, your home continues to draw power normally — Synergy is managing what goes to the grid, not what powers your home.
For every kilowatt-hour exported to the grid during an activation event, you earn 70 cents in activation credits. These appear as credits on your Synergy electricity account.
Events typically run for 2–6 hours. Synergy can schedule a maximum of 30 activation events per year. In practice, the number of events in any given year depends on how often the grid comes under genuine pressure.
What You Actually Earn
To illustrate, take a 20kWh battery at the maximum of 30 activation events per year, with Synergy utilising the full battery stack at each event:
- Gross activation credits: 20kWh × 70c × 30 events = $420
- Less grid buyback to recharge: 20kWh × ~33c × 30 events = ~$192
- Net: approximately $228 per year at maximum activations
In practice, this figure is unlikely to be reached. Synergy will only dispatch what your home is not already consuming at the time of the event — if your home is drawing 5kWh during an activation, only the remaining 15kWh is available for grid export. Actual net earnings will vary depending on your household’s energy use during events, the number of events called in any given year, and how much of your battery is available at activation time.
The activation credits are a secondary benefit of the program. The primary financial case for joining Battery Rewards is the $1,300 WA state rebate, which requires participation. The credits are an ongoing bonus on top.
Energy offset credits received during the standby window cover any grid top-up costs, so those do not reduce your net position.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in Battery Rewards, your installation must meet all of the following:
- Minimum 5kWh of usable battery capacity
- Battery must be on Synergy’s Supported Solutions List (SSL)
- Internet connection required at the property (for remote inverter management)
- You must be a Synergy customer
- No life-support equipment registered at the property
Which Batteries in the Positive Energy Solutions Range Qualify
All batteries in the Positive Energy Solutions range are SSL-eligible with the exception of two configurations:
- SigEnergy SigenStor (DC-coupled): eligible
- Sungrow SBR and SBH: eligible
- iStore Battery: eligible
- Fronius GEN24 Reserva: eligible
- BYD Battery-Box HVM: eligible
- Tesla Powerwall 3: not on the SSL — not eligible for Battery Rewards or the WA state rebate
- SigEnergy (AC-coupled): not eligible under current network rules
If accessing the WA rebate and Battery Rewards is a priority, we will ensure your system is configured with an eligible battery and coupling method from the outset.
The 2-Year Commitment
Participation in Battery Rewards is for a fixed term of two years. During this period, Synergy can call on your battery for up to 30 activation events per year. Early exit from the program is not available — the two-year term is a condition of accessing the WA state rebate.
After the two-year term, you can choose to opt out of the program. You keep the rebate regardless.
How Battery Rewards Connects to the Rebate and Loan
Battery Rewards participation is the gateway to two financial benefits beyond the activation credits themselves.
The $1,300 WA Residential Battery Scheme Rebate
Synergy customers who install an SSL-eligible battery and participate in Battery Rewards receive a $1,300 rebate administered through Plenti. This stacks on top of the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program rebate, which is calculated on a tiered basis by battery capacity.
The Interest-Free Loan
Eligible customers can also access a no-interest loan of up to $10,000 through Plenti, repayable over 3–10 years. The loan is available to Synergy customers with a household income up to $210,000, provided the battery is VPP-eligible. Both the rebate and the loan are administered by Plenti as part of the same application process.
At 0% interest, a $10,000 loan repaid over 10 years costs $83 per month. A battery system generating $150–$200 per month in electricity savings — typical for a well-sized system in Perth — means your monthly savings can exceed your monthly repayments from the day the system is switched on. For eligible customers, the battery effectively pays for itself while you are still paying it off.
Positive Energy Solutions Handles the Entire Process
Accessing Battery Rewards involves applications and coordination across Synergy, Western Power, and Plenti — each with their own requirements and timelines. Managing this independently is time-consuming, and incomplete or incorrect applications can delay installation significantly.
Positive Energy Solutions manages every step of this process on your behalf — from the initial system assessment through to Synergy, Western Power, and Plenti applications, commissioning, and VPP connection. You should not need to contact any of these parties yourself.
Related guides
- How to Read Your Synergy Bill After Solar Perth: What Has Changed and What It All Means
- Synergy A1 vs Midday Saver vs EV Add-On: Which Electricity Plan Suits Your Perth Solar Home?
- Synergy DEBS and Feed-in Tariffs in WA: A Simple Guide
- Adding a Battery to Your Existing Solar System in Perth: 2026 Costs, Rebates, and Inverter Compatibility Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I am not home during an activation event?
It does not matter. Synergy manages the activation remotely through your inverter. You do not need to be present, take any action, or even be aware that an event is occurring. Your credits are applied automatically.
Can Synergy drain my battery completely during an event?
Synergy manages the discharge but does not drain your battery to zero. A reserve is maintained to protect battery health and ensure your home continues to have backup capacity. The exact reserve threshold depends on your inverter and battery configuration.
What happens after the 2-year term?
After two years, you can choose to opt out of Battery Rewards. You retain the $1,300 state rebate regardless of whether you continue participating. If you stay in the program, activation credits continue to accrue.
Does participating in Battery Rewards affect my battery warranty?
No. Discharging your battery to the grid during an activation event is no different from discharging it to power your home. The energy throughput is equivalent, and battery manufacturers do not differentiate between the two for warranty purposes.
When do activation events typically happen?
Events are called during peak demand periods — typically between 3pm and 9pm on the hottest or coldest days of the year. They do not occur at random times or overnight. Synergy notifies participating customers ahead of events.
About the Author
Jason Wiktorowicz
Sales Manager, Positive Energy Solutions | Perth, WA
Jason has been at the centre of Western Australia’s energy transition for over a decade. As Orchestration Lead on Project Symphony — WA’s largest virtual power plant pilot — and Stream Lead on Project Encore, he worked directly with AEMO, Western Power and Energy Policy WA to shape how distributed energy resources connect and operate on the SWIS. That work included developing and rolling out CSIP-AUS, now mandatory for all new WA grid connections. He also led Emergency Solar Management (ESM), the first program of its kind in WA, VPP for Schools (VPP4S), which provided direct market benefits through Supplementary Reserve Capacity, and REBAR, the WA Residential Battery Rebate scheme.
His earlier career spanned Synergy, Infinite Energy and Curtin University’s Sustainability Policy Institute, where he co-authored peer-reviewed research on net-zero urban precincts, solar integration and peer-to-peer energy trading, published in the journal Urban Planning in 2018.
At Positive Energy Solutions, Jason leads sales with a focus on system design accuracy and long-term performance. Positive Energy Solutions installs solar and battery systems, EV chargers and heat pumps, and holds partner accreditations with Fronius, SigEnergy, iStore and SunPower. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
