Checked 16 October 2026
A virtual power plant pays you to let a retailer or technology company use some of your home battery's charge when the grid needs it. Credits range from fixed monthly or daily amounts to $1/kWh for the energy the provider uses, up to a yearly cap, and they come on top of your feed-in tariff. We checked each program against its provider's own terms on 16 October 2026.
During the day, excess solar fills your battery as normal.
On hot afternoons or cold evenings, demand and wholesale prices rise.
Your VPP provider draws on your battery and credits you, up to the cap in its terms.
Programs keep a reserve in your battery, usually about 20%, and most cap how much they can use each year: Origin Loop 200 kWh, AGL 250 kWh and ENGIE 400 kWh.
It depends on the program, and the structures differ more than the headline rates suggest. Most pay a sign-up credit, then one of four kinds of ongoing credit.
You are paid for each kWh the provider takes from (or, at AGL, also charges into) your battery, up to a yearly cap. Origin Loop pays $1/kWh up to 200 kWh a year; AGL $1/kWh up to 250 kWh; Synergy Battery Rewards 70c/kWh for net exports in up to 30 events; Reposit $1/kWh in GridCredits events.
ENGIE pays a monthly credit of about $15 to $20 whether or not it uses your battery; AGL adds $20 a quarter ($45 in SA) to its event credits; Diamond Energy pays $250 to $450 a year by system size, plus 30c/kWh on evening exports.
GloBird ZEROHERO pays $1 for each day you draw less than 0.03 kWh an hour from the grid between 6pm and 9pm, tops evening exports up to 10c/kWh on the first 15 kWh, and gives free grid power in a three-hour midday window.
Amber passes wholesale prices through on imports and exports for $25 a month, and Tesla Electric pays 90% of the real-time market price on exports. There is no fixed credit: a year with more price spikes pays more.
Programs we no longer list as open
Each pick is on the criterion named, from the provider's own terms checked 16 October 2026.
Pick your state to see which programs take customers there, and what each one's own terms pay.
Figures are each provider's own published terms, not our estimate. What you actually earn depends on how often the provider uses your battery, up to its cap.
Each provider's published terms, checked 16 October 2026. Click a program for the full review and its sources.
| Program | What it pays | A year, per the terms | Lock-in | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Electric Tesla | 90% of the real-time market price | Varies with wholesale prices | No lock-in | NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, QLD |
| Origin Loop VPP Origin Energy | $1/kWh in Loop events, up to 200 kWh a year | Up to $200 a year in event creditsPlus a $200 sign-up credit | No lock-in on your own battery | NSW, SA, VIC, QLD, ACT |
| AGL Virtual Power Plant AGL | $1/kWh charged or discharged in events, up to 250 kWh a year | Up to $250 in event credits, plus $80 a year ($180 in SA)Plus a $200 welcome credit | 12 months, no exit fee (own battery) | NSW, QLD, SA, VIC |
| Reposit Power Reposit Power | $1/kWh in GridCredits events | Varies with the number of events | Month to month on BYO No Bill (a controller minimum period applies) | Not published |
| Amber Electric Amber Electric | Wholesale price (variable) | Varies with wholesale prices | No lock-in | VIC, SA, NSW, ACT, QLD |
| GloBird ZEROHERO GloBird Energy | Top-up to 10c/kWh on the first 15 kWh exported 6pm to 9pm, plus a $1 daily credit | Up to $365 a year in $1 daily credits, plus export top-ups | No lock-in | NSW, SA, VIC, QLD |
| ENGIE VPP ENGIE | Fixed monthly credits (about $15 to $20 a month) | About $180 to $240 a year in monthly creditsPlus a $200 to $500 sign-up credit, depending on state | Ongoing contract (exit terms not published) | NSW, VIC, SA |
| Diamond Energy WATTBANK Diamond Energy | 30c/kWh on battery exports 6pm to 8am | $250 to $450 a year VPP credit, plus 30c/kWh evening exports | No lock-in | SA, VIC, NSW, QLD |
| Synergy Battery Rewards Synergy (WA) | 70c/kWh for net exports in activation events | Up to 30 events a year at 70c/kWh | 2-year contract | WA |
“A year, per the terms” is the most the program's own terms pay, not our estimate of what you will earn. Providers can change rates with notice.
Tesla. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: Tesla Electric product page
Origin Energy. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: Origin Battery Lite page
AGL. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: AGL Virtual Power Plant page
Reposit Power. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: Reposit GridCredits help page
Amber Electric. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: Amber home page (fee and states)
GloBird Energy. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: GloBird ZEROHERO product page
ENGIE. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: ENGIE VPP page
Diamond Energy. Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: Diamond Energy WATTBANK VPP page
Synergy (WA). Rates checked 16 October 2026, source: Synergy Battery Rewards page
Brands on each provider's own published list. Lists are by model and inverter, so check yours on the provider's list before you sign up. GloBird's core ZEROHERO plan takes any brand; the brands shown for it are its ZeroLimits list.
| Battery | Programs that list it |
|---|---|
| AlphaESS | |
| Sigenergy | |
| Tesla Powerwall | |
| Anker SOLIX | |
| FoxESS | |
| LG Energy Solution | |
| SolaX | |
| Sungrow | |
| GoodWe | |
| SolarEdge | |
| Redback |
Diamond Energy, Synergy and Amber do not publish a brand list we could check, so they are not shown here; confirm your model with them.
Which open programs say they take customers in each state. Most programs pay a fixed credit, so what you can join matters more than where you live.
| State | Open programs |
|---|---|
| NSW | Tesla Electric, Origin Loop VPP, AGL Virtual Power Plant, Amber Electric, GloBird ZEROHERO, ENGIE VPP, Diamond Energy WATTBANK |
| VIC | Tesla Electric, Origin Loop VPP, AGL Virtual Power Plant, Amber Electric, GloBird ZEROHERO, ENGIE VPP, Diamond Energy WATTBANK |
| QLD | Tesla Electric, Origin Loop VPP, AGL Virtual Power Plant, Amber Electric, GloBird ZEROHERO, Diamond Energy WATTBANK |
| SA | Tesla Electric, Origin Loop VPP, AGL Virtual Power Plant, Amber Electric, GloBird ZEROHERO, ENGIE VPP, Diamond Energy WATTBANK |
| ACT | Tesla Electric, Origin Loop VPP, Amber Electric |
| WA | Synergy Battery Rewards |
| TAS | None of the programs above publish an offer here |
Reposit does not publish a state list. State incentives for joining a VPP: NSW's Peak Demand Reduction Scheme pays up to $1,500 when a battery joins a VPP whose provider offers it, and the WA Residential Battery Scheme (up to $1,300 for Synergy customers) includes VPP participation.
VPP programs suit some battery owners and not others. Here's what you gain and what you give up. For a detailed comparison with standard export rates, see our guide on VPP vs feed-in tariffs.
Extra credits from your battery
Credits are paid on top of your feed-in tariff, not instead of it.
Sign-up credits
Most retailer programs pay a one-off credit: $200 at Origin and AGL, and $200 to $500 at ENGIE depending on state.
Set-and-forget operation
The provider manages the battery during events; the rest of the time it runs for your home.
Caps limit how much is used
Origin Loop takes at most 200 kWh a year, AGL 250 kWh and ENGIE 400 kWh, which is a small share of what a battery cycles in a year.
Third-party control of your battery
The provider decides when to use your battery. You keep a reserve, but it is usually about 20%, not more.
You usually have to switch retailer
Retailer programs need you to buy your electricity from them, so compare the whole plan, not just the VPP credit.
Terms change
Providers can change credit rates, windows and caps with notice. Check the current terms before you sign.
Longer terms when you buy through a retailer
Buying a battery through AGL or Origin comes with a 5-year VPP term and an exit fee. Synergy Battery Rewards has a 2-year contract.
The right VPP depends on your battery, your retailer, and how you use electricity at home. Work through these scenarios to narrow down your shortlist.
Tesla is the retailer and pays 90% of the real-time market price for exports, with no contract term. It is by invitation, and you cannot join another VPP at the same time. If you have not been invited, compare the retailer programs that list the Powerwall: Origin, AGL and ENGIE.
ENGIE pays a monthly bill credit whether or not it uses your battery that month, plus a sign-up credit. It needs at least 10 kWh of storage.
The $1 daily credit needs you to draw less than 0.03 kWh an hour from the grid between 6pm and 9pm. If your battery can do that most days, the credit and the evening export top-up add up; if not, a per-kWh program may suit you better.
Origin publishes the longest battery list of the big retailers and has no lock-in on your own battery. Its cap of 200 kWh a year keeps the battery wear small, and it pays $1/kWh up to that cap.
Reposit’s GridCredits are paid into your bank account, independent of your retailer, at $1/kWh in events. You need Reposit’s controller and a compatible battery; Reposit does not publish the controller price.
WA runs on its own grid, so the eastern programs do not apply. Synergy Battery Rewards pays 70c/kWh for net exports in up to 30 events a year, and is open to batteries installed through the WA Residential Battery Scheme.
Most VPP comparison tables stop at the headline rate. These three factors can change which program is actually the best fit for your situation.
The ATO has not issued specific guidance on VPP income, but the general position is that if you are earning income from a commercial activity, it is assessable. Most program providers class VPP payments as bill credits rather than cash payments, which reduces (but may not eliminate) your reporting obligation.
The practical reality for most households is: VPP earnings are bill credits applied by your electricity retailer, not cash deposits. The ATO has historically treated small-scale solar feed-in tariff credits as not assessable for individuals who are not in the business of generating electricity. The same logic likely applies to VPP credits for a standard residential battery owner.
If you are running a larger setup (multiple batteries, commercial premises, or earning above $1,000/year consistently from VPP), speak with your accountant. This is not tax advice.
A little, because each event adds a partial cycle. The yearly caps keep it small: Origin Loop's 200 kWh a year is about 15 full cycles of a 13.5 kWh battery, AGL's 250 kWh about 19 and ENGIE's 400 kWh about 30. A battery used every day for your home already does around 300 to 365 cycles a year, and most warranties allow several thousand.
If wear is a concern, look at the cap in the program's terms rather than the headline rate: a lower cap means fewer extra cycles.
From July 2025, the federal government's Cheaper Home Batteries program requires all on-grid batteries to be VPP-capable to qualify for the small-scale technology certificate (STC) rebate. This means if you buy a battery after that date and claim the rebate, your battery must be technically capable of participating in a VPP, even if you don't enrol in one.
The rebate is worth approximately $2,584 on a 10kWh battery or $3,610 on 14kWh, depending on battery size and the current STC price.
VPP-capable is not the same as being on a particular provider's list, though. Each provider publishes its own list of batteries and inverters, so check that the battery you are quoted is on the list of the program you want to join. See our full Cheaper Home Batteries rebate guide for the complete detail.
A VPP is a network of home batteries a retailer or technology company can draw on when the grid needs power. When it uses your battery, you receive a bill credit or payment. You keep your normal feed-in tariff on top, and the rest of the time your battery runs for your home.
It depends on the program, and the structures differ a lot. As at 16 October 2026, Origin Loop pays $1/kWh for energy it takes in events, up to 200 kWh a year; AGL pays $1/kWh charged or discharged in events up to 250 kWh a year, plus $20 a quarter; ENGIE pays a fixed monthly credit of about $15 to $20; GloBird ZEROHERO pays $1 for each day you draw almost nothing from the grid between 6pm and 9pm. Most also pay a sign-up credit.
The program terms set the ceiling. As at 16 October 2026: Origin Loop up to $200 a year in event credits, AGL up to $250 in event credits plus $80 a year ($180 in SA), ENGIE about $180 to $240 a year, GloBird ZEROHERO up to $365 a year in daily credits, and Diamond Energy WATTBANK $250 to $450 a year plus 30c/kWh on evening exports. Sign-up credits add to the first year. Programs that follow wholesale prices, such as Amber and Tesla Electric, have no fixed figure.
You hand some control of your battery to a retailer, so it may be lower than you would like when a blackout hits, and some plans need you to stay with that retailer. Origin Loop, for example, can draw up to 200 kWh a year from your battery and aims to leave about 20% charge. Buying a battery through a retailer usually comes with a longer term and an exit fee.
A little, because each event adds a partial cycle. The caps keep it small: Origin Loop’s 200 kWh a year is about 15 full cycles of a 13.5 kWh battery, against the several thousand cycles most battery warranties allow.
Programs keep a reserve, but it is usually about 20%, not more. Origin aims to leave approximately 20% for most batteries, AGL keeps up to 20% on its listed batteries, and ENGIE’s terms set a 20% floor for a Powerwall. If backup matters to you, ask what reserve applies to your battery before you sign.
On your own battery, usually yes. Origin Battery Lite, GloBird ZEROHERO, Diamond Energy WATTBANK, Amber and Tesla Electric have no lock-in. AGL runs 12-month agreements you can end with 30 days’ notice and no exit fee. Synergy Battery Rewards has a 2-year contract, and buying a battery through AGL or Origin comes with a 5-year term and an exit fee.
Yes. Each provider publishes its own list, and the lists differ: a battery that qualifies for the federal rebate is not automatically on every list. Tesla Electric is Powerwall only, GloBird’s core plan takes any brand, and Origin, AGL and ENGIE each list specific brands. Check the compatibility table above, then the provider’s own list for your model.
It is not either-or: VPP credits are paid on top of your feed-in tariff, not instead of it. A VPP pays for battery energy the provider uses, while the feed-in tariff pays for solar you export. What matters is whether the program’s credits and terms suit how you use your battery.
The program matters more than the state, because most programs pay a fixed credit per kWh or per month. What varies by state is which programs you can join: NSW, Victoria and SA have the widest choice; south-east Queensland and the ACT fewer; WA has Synergy Battery Rewards (70c/kWh, up to 30 events a year); and none of the programs above publish a Tasmanian offer.
One Why Solar Approved installer quotes a battery that works with the programs on this page. Then a solar expert goes through the quote with you before you sign, including whether a battery is worth it for your home yet.
