Solar and battery finance, weighed against the rebates you may already qualify for.
- Loans from $5K to $100K for panels, batteries, and inverters
- Indicative answer within 2 business days
- Federal and state rebates and interest-free schemes are worth checking first
- Homeowners earning a wage, self-employed ABN holders, and investors
- Full-doc (tax returns), low-doc or alt-doc (BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead) options across our 90+ lender panel
Solar can reduce your power bills, which makes the finance question a specific one: does the loan repayment stay below the bill saving? If the loan is stretched over a longer term, the repayment can exceed the saving. Joseph Farhat and his team will run that comparison honestly, including against whatever the installer has offered.
Before you borrow: check what you already qualify for
Rebates and incentives can reduce what you need to finance, sometimes substantially. Small-scale technology certificates are the federal incentive for solar and are almost always applied by the installer as an up-front discount on the quoted price, so check whether your quote is before or after that discount, because it changes the number you are financing. Battery incentives, interest-free loan schemes, and feed-in tariffs vary by state and territory and change regularly, and your state energy department or the installer can tell you what currently applies where you live. Some states run their own low-interest or interest-free loan programs for solar and batteries, which will generally beat anything we can arrange. It is worth asking before you sign a finance agreement at the kitchen table.
Who we can help access finance
- Homeowners installing a rooftop solar system and wanting the repayment to sit under the bill saving.
- Existing solar owners adding a battery, where the payback period is longer and the finance structure matters more.
- Households adding an EV charger, heat pump, or induction cooking alongside an electrification project.
- Owners who have been quoted by an installer and want to compare their finance offer against the open market.
- People financing a larger system than the standard package because of high usage or a future EV.
- Self-employed borrowers and ABN holders whose income is real but takes longer to evidence.
- Homeowners with equity who want to compare a mortgage top-up against a personal loan for the same system.
- Landlords improving a rental property's energy performance.
How Solar Finance Works
Three routes are common. A green or standard unsecured personal loan is the most usual, paid to you or the installer, over three to seven years. Installer-arranged finance is convenient and is one offer rather than a comparison, and some of it is genuinely competitive while some carries fees built into the system price. If you own your home with equity, adding the cost to your mortgage prices lowest by rate, though spreading a fifteen year asset across a twenty five year loan means still paying for it long after the panels have degraded. The right route depends on the amount, your equity, and how quickly you want it cleared. Joseph Farhat and his team will price all three.
What Lenders Assess
Income and capacity
the repayment has to fit alongside your existing commitments.
Credit profile
personal lending is risk-priced, so your file drives the rate you are offered.
Whether the product is a designated green loan
some lenders offer a discounted rate for accredited renewable installations, which is worth checking for.
The installer and the equipment
green loan products commonly require a Clean Energy Council accredited installer and approved components.
Whether you own the property
solar finance on a property you rent is generally not available, and landlord installations are assessed differently.
Amount and term
matching the term to the realistic life of the system rather than the longest term available.
Existing commitments
other loans, card limits, and buy-now-pay-later accounts all count.
The Process: What to Expect
- Talk to Joseph Farhat and his team about the quote, the expected bill saving, and your income. We will ask whether the quote is before or after the STC discount, because that changes the amount to finance.
- Provide the basics: identification, recent bank statements or payslips, and the installer quote including system size and components.
- We compare the realistic routes: a green or standard personal loan, the installer's offer if you have one, and a mortgage top-up if you have equity, with the total cost of each set out.
- The lender issues an approval setting out the rate, comparison rate, term, fees, and repayment. We compare the repayment against your expected bill saving so you can see whether the repayment sits above or below it.
- Funds are released and the installation proceeds. Many installers accept payment on completion, so timing the loan to the install date avoids paying interest before the panels are producing.
Indicative Finance Options
| Route | Pricing | Typical Amount | Loan Term | Requirements | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green personal loan | Discounted for accredited installations | $5K to $50K | 3 to 7 years | CEC accredited installer and approved components | 3 to 10 business days |
| Standard personal loan | Priced for flexibility | $5K to $75K | 1 to 7 years | None beyond standard assessment | Within 2 business days |
| Mortgage top-up | Sharpest available pricing | $10K to $100K | Remaining mortgage term | Property equity and a valuation | 2 to 4 weeks |
Indicative figures only. Actual terms depend on your circumstances and lender assessment at the time of application. We quote your rate and comparison rate for your specific loan amount and term before you apply. Terms are subject to change.
Why borrowers choose Settled With Joe for solar finance
We represent you, not the lender
Joseph Farhat and his team act in your interest, and on consumer lending that is a legal duty, not a slogan.
The test that matters is repayment versus bill saving
if the repayment is higher, the system is costing you money in the short term regardless of what the brochure says. We run that comparison.
Installer finance is one offer, not a comparison
sometimes it is genuinely the best deal, and that is worth being able to see rather than signing at the kitchen table.
Green loan discounts exist and are rarely mentioned
several lenders price accredited renewable installations below their standard personal loan rate.
We will point you to state schemes first
some states run interest-free or low-interest solar and battery programs that beat anything a broker can arrange.
Term matching matters
financing a fifteen year system over twenty five years of mortgage means paying for panels long after they have degraded.
90+ lenders on one panel
bank, non-bank, and specialist, so a clean file gets a sharp rate and a complex one still has options.
Usually no direct cost to you
as a broker we are typically paid by the lender on settlement.
An honest answer early
if the repayment is likely to exceed your bill saving, we will show you the numbers.
Frequently asked questions
What is solar and battery finance?
It is funding used to install a rooftop solar system, a home battery, or both. It is usually a personal loan, sometimes a specifically designated green loan at a discounted rate, sometimes finance arranged by the installer, and sometimes an addition to your mortgage. The system is generally not used as security, so most solar loans are unsecured, which is why the rate sits above a mortgage but the process is far quicker.
Does the STC rebate reduce what I need to borrow?
Yes, and it is worth confirming how your quote is presented. Small-scale technology certificates are the federal incentive for solar, and installers almost always apply them as an up-front discount, meaning the price you have been quoted is often already net of the rebate. If it is not, the amount you actually need to finance is materially lower than the headline figure. Ask the installer to confirm explicitly, because financing the gross figure when the discount applies means borrowing money you do not need.
Will the repayment be less than my power bill saving?
That is the question worth answering before anything else, and the answer depends on system size, your usage, your feed-in tariff, and the loan term. On some systems and terms the repayment is lower than the expected bill saving, and on others it is higher, particularly where the term is stretched or the rate is high. Bring us your quote and your recent bills and we will run the comparison in dollars rather than percentages.
Is installer finance a good deal?
Sometimes genuinely yes, and sometimes the cost is built into the system price rather than shown as a rate. Interest-free offers in particular are worth reading closely: check whether an establishment or monthly fee applies, what happens at the end of the interest-free period, and whether the cash price would have been lower. Bring us the offer and we will price the alternatives against it honestly, including telling you when the installer offer wins.
Does the system need a Clean Energy Council accredited installer?
For the STC rebate, yes, and for most designated green loan products, also yes. Green loans typically require both a CEC accredited installer and components on the approved product list, which is how the lender justifies the discounted rate. If you are set on a particular installer, check their accreditation before assuming a green loan is available, because it determines whether the discounted pricing is on the table at all.
Should I add it to my mortgage instead?
By interest rate, a mortgage top-up usually prices lower. By total cost, often not, because spreading a fifteen year asset across a twenty five year loan means you are still paying for the panels well after their productive life. A common middle path is to add it to the mortgage but make additional repayments so it clears in five to seven years, which captures the low rate without the long tail. We will model both against a personal loan so you can see the totals.
Can I finance a battery on its own?
Yes, and it is increasingly common where solar is already installed. Batteries have a longer payback period than panels, which makes the finance structure more important rather than less: a long loan term on a battery can easily outlast the savings. Battery incentives vary considerably by state and change often, so check what is currently available where you live before finalising the amount, since it may reduce what you need to borrow.
Will applying affect my credit score?
Every credit application is recorded on your file, and several in a short window read poorly to the next lender. This is worth knowing before accepting an installer's offer to submit your details to two or three finance providers at once, which can leave several enquiries on your file from a single appointment. We work out which lender fits before an application is lodged, so your file carries one enquiry.
What is a comparison rate, and why are no rates shown on this page?
A comparison rate combines the interest rate with the standard fees into a single figure so two loans can be compared honestly. It matters here because interest-free installer offers frequently carry fees, which a rate of zero does not reveal, and because the three routes on this page price on completely different tiers. A comparison rate is also only meaningful for a specific amount and term. We quote your rate and comparison rate for your real numbers instead.
Do you work with borrowers with bad credit?
Yes, we do. A default, an old arrears listing, or a thin credit file does not rule you out, and it is not something we will make you feel awkward about. Several lenders on our panel assess your current capacity rather than the credit file alone, and price for it rather than decline it. Note that discounted green loan products are generally the least flexible on credit, so the trade-off may be a standard rate rather than a decline.
Do you act in my best interests?
Yes. When we provide credit assistance on consumer lending we owe you a best interests duty. We make reasonable enquiries into your financial situation, requirements, and objectives, and we must not suggest or help you apply for a loan that is unsuitable for you. On this page that duty is why we point you to state schemes and the STC discount first, and why we test the repayment against the bill saving rather than simply writing the loan. Before we provide credit assistance you will receive our Credit Guide.
Why work with Settled With Joe for solar finance?
Because the finance question on solar is a specific one: whether the repayment stays below the bill saving. Most of the people we help have a quote in hand and a finance form the installer would like them to sign in the same appointment. There is no judgement in the conversation and no pressure in it either. What matters is the net amount after the STC discount, your expected bill saving, and the term, because those three numbers decide whether the repayment sits above or below the saving. We will point you to state schemes first, since some of them are interest free and beat anything we could arrange, and if a loan is still the answer we will price the green, standard, and mortgage routes against the installer offer. Our panel covers 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders. We are based in Sydney and work with borrowers Australia-wide. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you honestly and early what is achievable.
Do you give financial advice?
No. We do not guide you on your finances, nor give financial advice. We focus on outcomes and solutions of presenting your unique scenario to the right lender so you can access funding in a timely and compliant manner.
Do you help with solar finance outside Sydney?
Yes. Settled With Joe is based in Sydney and arranges solar finance Australia-wide, covering both metro and regional areas. We work with clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, as well as regional areas including Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba. Location matters more than usual on this product, because rebates, battery incentives, feed-in tariffs, and state loan schemes all differ by state and territory and change regularly. Joseph Farhat and his team will identify which lenders on the panel are the best fit for your situation.
