Solar Rewards

Securing our energy future with Solar Rewards

As a result of the overwhelming response rate, we have reached our recruitment capacity and have now closed applications for Solar Rewards. To stay informed of similar opportunities in the future please enter your details on the waitlist.

Join the waitlist

Benefits of participating in Solar Rewards

Receive Solar Rewards payments

You could receive two $50 Synergy credits and potential ongoing electricity credits, for granting access to Synergy to manage your rooftop solar.

Stabilise the network

Assist in maintaining the stability of the grid when supply and demand of electricity is unbalanced.

Be apart of something bigger

Play a role in Synergy’s journey towards an intelligent energy future for the WA community.

How is Solar Rewards different to ESM?

Introduced by the WA State Government, Emergency Solar Management (ESM) is a last resort measure to help protect the SWIS (WA's main grid) and is only to be used in emergency operating conditions, during extreme ‘low load’ events.
Solar Rewards differs from ESM in that Solar Rewards events may occur during a period not considered an emergency. Its use may result in the prevention of an emergency event occurring. Unlike ESM, Solar Rewards events will be incentivised by credits.

Frequently asked questions

How do I join Solar Rewards?: As a result of the overwhelming response rate, we have reached our recruitment capacity and have now closed applications for Solar Rewards.
To stay informed of similar opportunities in the future, please enter your details into our waitlist and we will contact you if an opportunity becomes available.
I Opted-out, but have changed my mind, can I opt back in?: As a result of the overwhelming response rate, we have reached our recruitment capacity and have now closed applications for Solar Rewards. This means that you will not be able to opt back in to Solar Rewards.
To stay informed of similar opportunities in the future please enter your details into our waitlist and we will contact you if an opportunity becomes available.
Will a Solar Rewards event affect my home’s electricity supply?: Solar Rewards will not affect your electricity supply and you will continue to have access to electricity supplied from the grid even during times when your solar generation is turned off.
Additionally, you will receive a bill credit for the electricity you consume during a Solar Rewards event.
How will my Solar Rewards payments be paid to me?: Solar Rewards payments will be paid to you as a credit on your bill. A $50 signup credit will be applied in June 2024, event credits will be applied in the month following the end of each calendar quarter and the $50 completion credit will be applied in the month following completion of the contract period (July 2025).

Solar Rewards credits are not transferable to other Synergy accounts or refundable.

For full details of how and when these credits will be applied, please refer to the Terms and Conditions.
What happens after I register for Solar Rewards?: Eligible customers will be sent an email invitation to register for Solar Rewards. After you complete the online application, Synergy will confirm if the application has been successful within 6 weeks. Once we have notified you of your acceptance onto Solar Rewards, you do not need to do anything further.
What if I change my Synergy Product?: Due to the strict eligibility criteria, only customers on the Synergy Home Plan (A1) are invited to participate in the Solar Rewards program. If you change your Synergy product, then you will be removed from Solar Rewards.

This means that you will not be eligible to receive any further Solar Rewards payments.
Do I need to adjust my consumption?: No changes to how you consume electricity are required. Carry on using electricity as you usually would, and you will receive a bill credit for the electricity you consume when your solar inverter is turned off by Synergy for a Solar Rewards event.
How do I know if it’s an ESM event or Solar Rewards?: We will notify you after a Solar Rewards event has occurred via the email address recorded on your Synergy account.
Soon after the conclusion of the Solar Rewards event, Synergy will update the yellow banner at the top of the Solar Rewards webpage to provide information to the impacted customers.

Synergy has also recently introduced functionality for customers who have rooftop solar systems with ESM requirements to access information regarding ESM low load and Solar Rewards events and tests affecting their system through their My Account portal. This can be found via the “Solar Events” tab.

Event history on My Account is available from 1 January 2023 or the customer’s move in date, whichever is later. A customer’s rooftop solar system may have participated in testing prior to this date.

The events will be labelled as Solar Rewards or ESM in this tab.
How long can a Solar Rewards event last for?: On average a Solar Rewards event will last 1-4 hours. In some cases, the events may last longer to allow time for the system to be ramped up and down.

You will receive a bill credit for the electricity you consume during the entire time your solar inverter is turned off by Synergy for a Solar Rewards event. For example, if a customer’s solar is turned off for four hours during an event, the customer will receive a bill credit for all electricity consumed during that time. Based on the average household consumption, that would work out to around $1.00. These credits will be applied on a quarterly basis.
I don’t want my solar panels switched off, how can I stop this?: You can opt out of Solar Rewards at any time by providing written notice to SynergySolarRewards@synergy.net.au

This however means that you may not be eligible to receive any Solar Rewards payments and the sign-up credit made to you in June 2024 may be reversed.

It is important to note that you will remain a part of Emergency Solar Management (ESM).

ESM applies to all customers who install or upgrade their rooftop solar systems after 14 February 2022, which have an inverter capacity of 5kW or less and participate in the Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS). These customers include:

most residential properties (customers that consume < 50MW hours per annum)

any customer that is a school, university or other educational institution or a non-profit making organisation
What happens if I move house?: The Solar Rewards contract is unique to your current premise. If you move premises, you will be removed from Solar Rewards.

This means that you will not be eligible to receive any further Solar Rewards payments.
Why have I been selected for Solar Rewards?: You have been selected for Solar Rewards as your rooftop solar system has an inverter capacity of 5kW or less, participates in the Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS) and has the capability to be remotely turned off in an Emergency Solar Management (ESM)low load event.

Additional eligibility criteria apply. For more details about the eligibility criteria, please refer to the Terms and Conditions.
Why have I not received Solar Rewards bill credits?: Bill credits are calculated for the electricity you consume during a Solar Rewards event, when your inverter is turned off remotely by Synergy. If Synergy is unable to remotely manage your solar system, you are ineligible for Solar Rewards bill credits.

Some possible reasons as to why Synergy is unable to remotely manage your solar system could include, but are not limited to:

Disruption to internet connection to your solar inverter: A solar inverter is connected to your home internet connection via Wi-Fi and this enables remote management. If there is a disruption to the internet connection at the point Synergy attempts to remotely manage the system, then the inverter may not respond as expected.

An issue or fault with inverter or solar panels: For enquiries specific to your rooftop solar system, it is recommended that you speak with your solar installer.

The Solar Rewards payments will be based on your actual meter data to calculate how much electricity you consumed from the grid during the time your inverter was turned off by Synergy.
Will orchestration affect my solar system performance?: From 14 February 2022, all new and upgraded rooftop solar with an inverter capacity of 5kW or less (the typical size for household systems) will need to be capable of being remotely managed.

This means that if you are installing a new rooftop solar system or upgrading your existing rooftop solar system to an inverter capacity of 5kW or under, then your system must meet the requirements for management capability.
For enquiries specific to your rooftop solar system, it is recommended that you speak with your solar installer.
Who do I contact if my system doesn’t come back on after an event?: In the event that your system does not come back on you can contact Synergy’s contact centre on 13 13 53, between the hours of 7am to 7pm, Monday through to Friday, excluding public holidays.

For enquiries specific to your rooftop solar system, it is recommended that you speak with your solar installer.
Can I exit Solar Rewards at any time?: Yes, you can leave Solar Rewards at any time, including if you move to a new house. This however means that you may not be eligible to receive any Solar Rewards payments and the sign-up credit made to you in June 2024 may be reversed.

To opt out of Solar Rewards, you need to provide a written notice to synergysolarrewards@synergy.net.au

For more details about exiting Solar Rewards, please refer to the Terms and Conditions.
Have your charges increased since joining Solar Rewards?: Your electricity plan will not be affected by participating in Solar Rewards.

Regulated electricity tariffs are reviewed and determined by the State Government on an annual basis.

There are many factors that can influence the size of your bill and the cost of electricity is just one of them. Solar Rewards is not anticipated to have any significant financial impact on households with rooftop solar systems.

Your Synergy bill is made up of various items including a daily supply charge, an electricity usage charge based on your consumption measured in units (or kWh), plus other fees and charges.

If there is something on your bill that you don’t understand, visit Synergy’s high bill checklist to find out more.
How will my solar system be managed?: Rooftop solar system’s ability to generate solar will be remotely managed, meaning turned off via the solar systems inverter. During a Solar Rewards event, you will consume electricity from the grid and will receive credits for any electricity consumed (applied on a quarterly basis).
What does the event status mean for Solar Rewards in My Account?: You can access information regarding ESM low load and Solar Rewards events and tests affecting your system through your My Account portal. This can be found via the “Solar Events” tab. Visit My Account.

Event history data on My Account is available from 1 January 2023 or your move in date, whichever is later.

The events will be labelled as Solar Rewards or ESM in this tab.

While many ESM events may occur, not all ESM events will affect your Solar System.

There are two possible statuses for events.

Unknown Response: A status of unknown response indicates that Synergy was unable to remotely connect to your solar system inverter at the time of the event.

Completed: A status of completed indicates that an event or test has occurred.

Important: A status marked ‘Completed’ does not confirm that your solar system has been successfully managed. To confirm if your solar inverter was remotely managed, check your export data in My Account at the time of the test. If you continue to export data at the time of the event or test, then it means your inverter was not switched off during the event or test.

As a Solar Rewards customer, you will receive credits for electricity you consume during a Solar Rewards event, when your inverter is turned off by Synergy. If Synergy is unable to remotely turn off your inverter during a Solar Rewards event, you will not be entitled to Solar Rewards bill credits.
My neighbour or friend hasn’t received an invitation but wants to participate, can I forward them the invitation?: Due to the strict eligibility criteria only customers who have been invited to register can participate.