Two heat-pump quotes can show different certificate discounts even when the tanks appear similar. The exact model, installation postcode and installation year all need to be checked before comparing the dollar figure.
Two heat-pump quotes can show different certificate discounts even when the tanks appear similar. The exact model, installation postcode and installation year all need to be checked before comparing the dollar figure.
The postcode is a calculation input, not a prediction of your household's hot-water bill. Your demand, settings and installation conditions still affect real operation.
The Clean Energy Regulator's calculation guidance distinguishes heat-pump postcode zones from solar PV zones.
Do not reuse a zone found for rooftop panels. Use the regulator's water-heater and heat-pump postcode document and the relevant calculator for the installation address.
When discussing heat-pump hot water, provide the actual installation postcode. The retailer's office address and a neighbouring suburb are not substitutes.
The official register of solar water heaters also covers eligible air-source heat pumps.
For a concrete lookup example, the register checked on 26 October 2026 includes HAIER HP200M10, HP200M10A and HP200M10B as separate model entries. Do not silently substitute one identifier for another.
Start with the model written on the quote, find its entry and check the eligibility dates. Then use the installation postcode and year to obtain the applicable result through the official calculation process.
The example demonstrates a register lookup; it is not a product recommendation or a promised discount. The photographs in this article illustrate heat-pump equipment and do not establish the quoted model's eligibility.
The register and calculation process establish certificate information. The dollar amount assigned in a quote is a further commercial step. Ask for both the number of certificates and the assigned value.
Suppose a fictional quote assigns 20 certificates at $35 each: the resulting line is $700. If the assigned value were $32, that line would be $640. These invented figures explain the arithmetic only.
Neither figure is an offer or an entitlement for the Haier model above. A real quote must use the current model, postcode, installation timing and assignment terms rather than copying this illustration.
Our certificate assignment explainer introduces why the assignment paperwork matters. Ask who creates and receives the certificates under your agreement.
A quote may also include a state incentive or a provider offer. Ask for each scheme on its own line, with its conditions and the remaining customer payment clearly identified.
Do not infer eligibility for a second program from the presence of federal STCs. Existing equipment, household circumstances, product requirements and application timing can differ between programs.
If you are also planning solar, assess daytime hot-water operation as a separate design question. An incentive calculation does not tell you whether the proposed timer or tank capacity suits your household.
Request a complete scope including removal of the old unit, plumbing, electrical work and any site-specific additions. A larger discount can sit beside a higher gross installation cost.
Explain the number of occupants, usual shower times and any unusually large hot-water demand. Those details help assess suitability beyond the certificate calculation.
Ask Lightning Energy for a quote that shows the exact model, calculation assumptions and installation inclusions. Recheck the certificate result if the model, postcode or installation year changes.
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