Perth's 1.5kW export limit and the 1 May 2026 rules, explained
If you have installed or upgraded solar in Perth since 1 May 2026, or are about to, the rules are different from what your neighbour got. Here is what changed, what the 1.5kW number means, and how it fits with DEBS and the WA battery rebate.
What changed on 1 May 2026
New or upgraded solar and battery systems up to 30kVA on the South West Interconnected System must be able to be remotely disconnected and reconnected in emergencies, and must pass installation capability testing. Synergy communicates with them using CSIP-AUS[1].
Systems installed or upgraded before 1 May 2026 are not affected, and a like-for-like inverter replaced under warranty does not trigger the new requirements[1].
Where 1.5kW comes in
You have a choice. Keep the system connected, and it can join flexible export or virtual power plant products as they become available. If you would rather not have ongoing connectivity, or your internet is unreliable, the system is set to a fixed 1.5kW export limit instead. Either way, your own use of your solar is unaffected[1].
Western Power's technical requirements put the static base export limit at 1.5kW, with a maximum of 5kW where the system is managed under an agreement with your electricity retailer[2].
How DEBS changes the design
WA's Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme pays Synergy customers 10c a unit for exports between 3pm and 9pm and 2c at other times, on up to 50 units a day[3]. That five-to-one gap makes the late afternoon the valuable export window, which favours west-facing panels and makes the export limit matter most then.
Where the battery rebate fits
The WA Residential Battery Scheme offers up to $1,300 for Synergy customers and up to $3,800 for Horizon Power customers[4]. The battery has to join a virtual power plant and be on Synergy's supported list, and low- and middle-income households can borrow up to $10,000 interest-free[5]. A battery joined to a VPP is, by definition, a connected system, so the rebate and the connected option go together.
What to check on a quote
Which way the system will be set up, connected or fixed at 1.5kW. Whether the inverter meets Synergy's requirements. Whether the battery is on the supported list, if you want the rebate. And how the panels were designed around the 3pm to 9pm DEBS window.
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Common questions
Is there a 1.5kW export limit in Perth?
For systems installed or upgraded from 1 May 2026 that do not stay connected, yes: a fixed 1.5kW export limit. Connected systems can join flexible export or VPP products, and Western Power allows up to 5kW where the system is managed under a retailer agreement.
Does the 1 May 2026 rule affect my existing solar?
Not unless you upgrade it, for example by adding a battery or another inverter.
What does DEBS pay in 2026?
For Synergy customers, 10c a unit for exports between 3pm and 9pm and 2c at other times, on up to 50 units a day.
Sources
- Energy Policy WA, Government of Western Australia, Requirements for solar and batteries: information for consumers. Read 2026-10-27.
- Western Power, 23 January 2026, Basic Embedded Generator (EG) Connection Technical Requirements. Read 2026-10-27.
- Energy Policy WA, Government of Western Australia, Energy buyback schemes. Read 2026-10-27.
- Government of Western Australia, 19 May 2026, More than 20,000 WA families benefit from home battery savings. Read 2026-10-27.
- Synergy, WA Residential Battery Scheme. Read 2026-10-27.