AGL Battery Rewards Plan explained

AGL's Battery Rewards Plan is an electricity plan for households with a home battery.

It pays a higher feed-in tariff for electricity you export between 5pm and 9pm, with a lower rate applying at all other times.

It's available to AGL residential customers in NSW, QLD, SA and VIC with no lock-in contract. You'll need a home battery and a smart meter.

How much does the AGL Battery Rewards Plan pay?

The plan pays between 25.5 cents and 28 cents per kWh for electricity you export from 5pm to 9pm, depending on your state. Outside those hours, it pays 3c per kWh.

Rates checked on 9 November 2026.

That 3-cent daytime rate is worth keeping in mind.

If your solar system generates more power than your household and battery can use, you'll probably export some electricity during the day.

You'll earn less for those exports than you would on a plan with a higher flat feed-in tariff.

It's also worth looking at the rest of the plan, such as usage rates and daily supply charges, as a higher feed-in tariff doesn't necessarily mean a lower electricity bill.

Compare the full electricity plan, rather than just the feed-in rate.

Is the AGL Battery Rewards Plan a virtual power plant?

No, they're two separate AGL products.

On the Battery Rewards Plan, you decide when your battery charges and discharges.

AGL pays you for the electricity you export, but doesn't control or schedule your battery.

The AGL VPP works differently. You're giving permission to AGL to access your battery during grid events.

It may charge, discharge or hold your battery's charge during these events (each lasting less than 10 hours).

In return, you can receive bill credits.

Here's how the two compare.

As you can see from the table, the VPP also comes with ongoing quarterly credits: $20 per quarter for NSW, QLD and VIC customers, and $45 per quarter for SA customers.

On top of that, AGL offers $1 in bill credits for every kWh your battery charges from or discharges to the grid during VPP events.

The amount you receive depends on how much AGL uses your battery and how many events take place.

AGL calculates event credits across the year and pays them at the end of the 12-month contract.

Can I join the AGL Battery Rewards Plan and VPP?

You can, but there's one caveat. Both draw on the same battery, so an AGL VPP event could leave you with less stored energy to export during the evening or use at home.

There are also some battery compatibility restrictions. For example, GoodWe, Anker and FoxESS systems aren't compatible with manual battery exporting while participating in AGL's VPP.

It's worth checking your battery and inverter combination with AGL before signing up to both.

Is the AGL Battery Rewards Plan worth it?

It could be, particularly if your battery regularly has electricity left over in the evening.

But the higher evening rate needs to make up for the 3-cent daytime feed-in tariff.

How much you export, when you export it and what your alternative plan pays will all affect the result.

A worked example

Let's look at an illustrative NSW household with a 10kW solar system and a 13.5kWh battery.

Say it exports 12kWh of solar during the day. After covering its evening electricity use, it has another 3kWh of battery power left to export between 5pm and 9pm on 250 evenings a year.

It may have less spare power during winter, so we're not assuming an evening export every day.

Here's how its feed-in credits could compare with a plan offering a flat 7-cent feed-in tariff.

In this example, the household would earn around $18 less a year in feed-in credits with the Battery Rewards Plan.

Now, let's say the household has a bigger battery and can export 6kWh on those same 250 evenings, while keeping its daytime exports at 12kWh.

The Battery Rewards Plan would generate around $551 in annual feed-in credits, compared with $412 on the flat 7-cent plan.

That's about $140 more over the year.

These figures are only an illustration. They compare feed-in credits, not the overall cost of each electricity plan.

Differences in usage rates and daily supply charges could change the result. Your solar exports and how much power you use at home will also make a difference.

Who it suits

The plan may be worth a closer look if:

• Your battery is relatively large compared with your evening electricity use, leaving some stored power to export most nights
• You don't send a huge amount of excess solar to the grid during the day
• You can schedule your battery to discharge from 5pm, when the higher feed-in tariff applies

It may be less appealing if:

• Your battery is small and usually runs low by the evening
• You export a lot of solar during the day and currently receive a decent daytime feed-in tariff
• Your current electricity plan has considerably lower usage rates or supply charges

If you're unsure how much spare power you usually have, your battery app may give you a better idea. Look at how much charge is left around 5pm and again before bedtime over a few weeks.

Frequently asked questions

• Does AGL control my battery on the Battery Rewards Plan?

  No. You keep control of your battery on the Battery Rewards Plan. AGL doesn't control or schedule it unless you separately join its VPP. If you do join the VPP, AGL can access your battery during events, while keeping a backup reserve of up to 20%.

• Which batteries work with the AGL VPP?

  AGL supports selected battery and inverter combinations from brands including Tesla, LG and SolarEdge, though these can change over time. Check the current AGL VPP compatibility list before signing up.

• Will joining the AGL VPP affect my battery warranty?

  It depends on your battery manufacturer and warranty terms. Some warranties have specific conditions around battery cycling and VPP participation. AGL recommends checking your battery warranty before joining, as you're responsible for checking whether VPP use is covered.

• Can I still get the federal battery rebate on the Battery Rewards Plan?

  Yes. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program discount is applied when you buy and install an eligible battery, rather than being tied to your electricity plan. Your battery and inverter must be technically capable of participating in a VPP, but you don't have to actually join one. The rebate is scheduled to step down every six months, with the next reduction due on 1 January 2027. See our home battery guide for current rebate amounts, or find out if you can add a battery to your existing solar system.

• Is the Battery Rewards Plan the same as AGL Peak Energy Rewards?

  No. Peak Energy Rewards is a separate AGL program that gives you bill credits for reducing your electricity use during peak demand events. The Battery Rewards Plan pays you a higher feed-in tariff for exporting electricity during the evening peak period.

• Can I get the AGL Battery Rewards Plan in WA?

  No. The plan is currently available to residential customers in NSW, QLD, SA and Victoria. It isn't available in WA, Tasmania, the ACT or the NT. In WA, you could look into the state's Residential Battery Scheme, which has its own eligibility requirements and VPP participation conditions.

Written by

Mariam Gabaji

Senior Utilities Editor & Tech Expert

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Mariam Gabaji is a journalist with 13 years of experience, specialising in consumer topics like mobile services and energy costs. Her work appears in the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, The Guardian, SBS, 7News, A Current Affair and Money Magazine. Mariam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and was a finalist for the 2024 and 2025 IT Journalism Award for Best Telecommunications Journalist. See full bio

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