Household energy saving upgrades FAQs

The Energy Savings Scheme (ESS) supports households and businesses across NSW to take action to reduce their energy use and save on their energy bills. This includes discounts for installing or upgrading to a more energy-efficient appliance or product in your home or business.

Any household located in NSW may be eligible for the schemes. Your ability to access the scheme may depend on whether your location is serviced by an approved supplier. It can also depend on the potential energy savings of your new appliance or product. For example, if you are replacing an existing air conditioner that is already very efficient, you may not be eligible.  

Your approved supplier will check your eligibility. In order to receive the discount, you will need to engage an approved supplier and sign the nomination form before any work commence. You can find a list of approved suppliers who may be operating in your area by selecting the type of equipment you are looking for in the household energy saving upgrades section of our website.

For households and small businesses, this includes upgrading your pool pumps, hot water systems, or lights. For air conditioning systems, you can access a discount if you choose to install an energy efficient air conditioning system for the first time, or if you replace your old air conditioning system with a more energy efficient model. There may be additional incentives available for other appliances. You can check the list on the IPART website.  

Businesses can also upgrade a wide range of equipment such as: compressed air systems, furnaces, air conditioning, hot water systems, lights, motors, pumps and fans, power systems, process change and control systems, refrigeration and bundled upgrades. Check out our website for more information on these incentives.

No, it is not a rebate offer. The Energy Savings Scheme provides discounts for installing or upgrading your equipment for a more energy-efficient model. Only an approved supplier can provide you a discount under the Energy Savings Scheme. This ensures no false installations occur.

You must contact an approved supplier (also called an Accredited Certificate Provider).  

They will check your eligibility under the Energy Savings Scheme or the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme. They will also discuss the options available and provide you with a quote, showing the discount applied, for the installation and services.  

It’s a good idea to request quotes from several suppliers operating in your area to get the best deal. You can find a list of approved suppliers who may be operating in your area by selecting the type of equipment you are looking for in the household energy saving upgrades section of our website. 

The Energy Savings Scheme is expected to operate until 2050. There is no end date to the offers available through the scheme but the type of energy-efficient appliances eligible through the scheme may vary in the future.

The amount of money you can save will depend on the model or equipment you choose. This is because different models will have different levels of energy savings. The more energy efficient the model is, the more you will save in the long term on your energy bills.  

Different suppliers will be able to provide different models and equipment. Installation costs may also vary if there is a need for additional work to support the installation. It is a good idea to request quotes from more than one supplier, to ensure you are getting the best deal. As an example, if you change 20 halogen downlights to LED downlights, you can save up to $210 a year on energy costs.

You can check the list of approved suppliers by selecting the type of equipment you are looking for in the household energy saving upgrades section of our website. Small businesses can also contact approved suppliers listed in the household upgrades page.  

If you are a medium to large business looking for an approved supplier, you can also find a list of approved suppliers on our website.

Approved suppliers are free to choose the areas in which they operate. They may change these areas at their discretion. They can also make their own commercial decision on which projects they will undertake, which is why there are different suppliers for different products.  

We aim to keep our list of suppliers on our website up to date, but sometimes there may be a delay before we are informed of these changes. If there is no approved supplier in your area or if you have contacted an approved supplier and they no longer service your region, please let us know by emailing [email protected] 
 
More information is also available on the website of the Scheme Administrator IPART.

There are strict requirements for how approved suppliers operate under the schemes. If you encounter any issues with your approved supplier, for example, if they do not return to finish the work, or if you believe they have not behaved appropriately, you should raise your concerns with IPART, the scheme administrator and regulator. You can contact IPART at [email protected]. 

Getting a quote from an approved supplier is free and there is no commitment involved. There is an initial payment required when you choose an approved supplier and product for installation.  

The final cost will vary depending on the model or product you choose. Some models will be more expensive as they have more features and a higher energy efficiency rating. 

You will need to include the cost of the installation and services provided when considering the total cost to get an energy-efficient equipment. There may also be additional costs for additional plumbing or building works, depending on the layout or size of your home.  

Your supplier will provide you with a quote for the project. They will also be able to let you know how much of a discount you will receive through the scheme.  It is a good idea to request quotes from more than one supplier, to ensure you are getting the best deal. Suppliers work independently and choose the areas they operate in and what products and services they offer.

1. Contact an approved supplier. They will check your eligibility and provide you with a quote, showing the discount applied. It is a good idea to request quotes from more than one supplier to ensure you are getting the best deal. Approved suppliers work independently and choose the areas they operate in and what products and services they offer.  
2. Choose the product that best suits your needs. Your supplier can talk to you about the different options available and suggest a product that is appropriate for your home.  
3. Engage an approved supplier before any work begins. The supplier will provide you with an approved supplier nomination form. You will not receive the discount for work completed by a tradesperson that is not an approved supplier.  
4. Your supplier will send a licensed tradesperson to install the new equipment and answer any questions you may have around maintenance and use.  
5. Disposal of your old equipment, as well as any other materials being replaced, will be handled by the installer.

Incentives offered through the Energy Savings Scheme and the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme are available for both households and businesses. Small businesses can also access the household incentives.  

If you are a business, you can find more information in the business upgrades section.

To ensure no false installations occur under the schemes, only an approved supplier can certify the incentive under the Energy Savings Scheme. This means the work cannot be completed by a non-accredited installer. You can work with your chosen supplier and local tradespeople to see if they can collaborate on individual projects. However, the decision will be made at the approved supplier’s discretion.

No, you cannot claim discounts under the Energy Savings Scheme for work that is already completed.  An approved supplier must be engaged by you before any works commence and you must sign an approved supplier nomination form.