If you’re installing a battery in Perth right now, you have to join a VPP. That’s not optional. The WA Residential Battery Scheme requires VPP participation as a condition of the state rebate, and for most Synergy customers on the SWIS, that means choosing between two programs: Synergy’s Battery Rewards or Plico’s VPP.
Plico has published their own comparison. It’s well written. It also predictably concludes that Plico is the better option. As a Tesla Premium Certified, NETCCaccredited installer that works across the full range of approved battery brands, we see both programs from the installation side. Here’s what actually matters when you’re choosing between them.
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Both programs do the same fundamental thing. They allow the operator to remotely dispatch your battery during peak demand events, exporting stored energy to the SWIS grid when supply is tight. In return, you receive credits on your Synergy bill.
The mechanism is identical. The terms are not.
Synergy Battery Rewards is run by Synergy, the WA Government-owned electricity retailer. It launched alongside the Residential Battery Scheme in 2025 and is the default VPP pathway for most Perth homeowners. Events can occur up to 30 times per year, lasting two to six hours each. You earn 70 cents per kWh exported during an activation event.
Plico’s VPP has been running since 2022, making it WA’s longest-operating privately funded VPP. It currently has around 3,000 households enrolled with approximately 30MWh of aggregated battery capacity. During a VPP event, Plico pays three times your Synergy tariff for exported energy, with a minimum of 97 cents per kWh.
On raw per-kWh event rates, Plico pays more. At 97 cents per kWh minimum versus Synergy’s 70 cents, that’s a 39% premium on every unit exported during an event.
For a 10kWh battery exporting around 8kWh during a typical event, that’s roughly $7.76 from Plico versus $5.60 from Synergy. Over a summer with, say, 10 peak events, the gap is about $21.60.
That number matters. But it’s not the whole picture, because the two programs differ on event frequency, discharge depth, and what happens to your battery the rest of the year. Synergy publishes a cap of 30 events per year.
Plico doesn’t publish an annual cap, though events are weather and market driven and historically cluster around hot summer afternoons when AEMO calls for additional capacity. Both programs credit you for energy you need to buy back from the grid after your battery has been emptied by an event, so the net cost of participation is lower than it first appears.
This is where the installer perspective matters most, because the two programs have fundamentally different hardware requirements.
Synergy Battery Rewards requires your inverter and battery to appear on Synergy’s Supported Solutions List under the DER-Storage category. This list has been growing steadily since mid-2025, but it has caused real frustration. Brands have had to complete Synergy’s testing and certification process, implement CSIP-AUS communications protocols, and sign technology provider agreements. Some manufacturers moved through quickly. Others took months.
As of early 2026, the SSL includes equipment from Sungrow, BYD, Fronius, SolarEdge, Alpha ESS, Sigenergy, Solplanet, Hyxi Power, SMA, EsySunHome and Solis, among others. Fronius was the first manufacturer confirmed as activation-ready for Synergy’s VPP, though all listed providers are progressing toward activation readiness.
Tesla Powerwall is not currently on the Synergy Supported Solutions List. That means Powerwall installations cannot access the WA state battery rebate or participate in Synergy Battery Rewards. For a Tesla Premium Certified installer like Perth Solar Warehouse, this is a significant market constraint that affects how we advise customers weighing up their rebate options versus their preferred battery brand.
Plico’s VPP works with Redback and Alpha ESS battery systems, with Sigenergy flagged as coming soon. If you buy a Plico system, VPP enrolment is automatic. Plico also offers a BYO pathway for existing Redback or Alpha ESS owners who want to join the VPP without buying a new system through Plico.
The practical takeaway: if you want maximum brand flexibility and access to the WA state rebate, Synergy Battery Rewards is the pathway for most SSL-listed brands. If you specifically want Plico’s higher event rate and you’re comfortable with their supported hardware range, Plico is the route.
During a VPP event, your battery is being discharged to the grid. Both programs prioritise your household load first, so your appliances keep running from the battery before any excess goes to the grid. But by the end of a multi-hour event, your battery will likely be at or near its minimum state of charge.
What happens if a blackout hits during or immediately after a VPP event?
Plico states that during a blackout occurring at the same time as a VPP event, the system stops exporting and switches to powering your backup circuit instead. Plico also allows members to request a higher minimum state of charge if blackout protection is a priority, giving you a larger reserve buffer at the cost of slightly lower VPP export earnings.
Synergy Battery Rewards states that household supply is prioritised during events, but backup reserve is not guaranteed. Your battery may discharge to low levels. Synergy’s program does not currently offer a user-configurable minimum reserve setting within the VPP terms.
If uninterrupted backup power is important to you, and in Perth it should be given our summer storm season, this is a meaningful difference. Ask your installer to walk through the specific backup behaviour of your chosen battery brand under each VPP program before you sign up.
Both programs require a two-year commitment, and neither allows you to opt out of individual events. Once you’re enrolled, the VPP operator decides when events happen, not you.
For Synergy Battery Rewards, you cannot join another VPP while enrolled, and you can’t leave the program without losing future event credits. The upfront WA state rebate is not clawed back if you leave, which is an important distinction.
Plico may include minimum terms and opt-out fees in their VPP Service Agreement. If you’re joining as a BYO member rather than a Plico system customer, get the exit terms in writing before you commit.
After the initial two-year period, both programs allow you to opt out. The WA Government designed the scheme this way deliberately. It’s a finite commitment to unlock the rebate, not a lifelong obligation.
We install batteries across multiple brands and advise customers on VPP selection regularly. Here’s what shapes our recommendations in practice.
Most customers end up on Synergy Battery Rewards. Not because it pays more per event (it doesn’t), but because SSL compatibility drives the decision. If a customer wants a Sungrow, BYD, SolarEdge, or Sigenergy system and wants the $1,300 WA state rebate, Synergy Battery Rewards is the default pathway. The overwhelming majority of residential battery installs in Perth fall into this category.
Plico’s VPP makes sense in specific situations. If you’re already a Plico member with a Redback or Alpha ESS system, staying on Plico’s VPP is straightforward and the higher event rate is a genuine advantage. If backup power reserve control matters to you and you’re comfortable with Plico’s hardware range, that’s another valid reason to choose Plico.
The event rate difference is real but modest. Over a year, the gap between 97 cents and 70 cents per kWh adds up to somewhere between $20 and $80 for a typical 10kWh battery, depending on event frequency. That’s meaningful, but it’s not the factor that should drive your battery brand selection. The battery itself, the inverter, the installation quality, and how the system integrates with your home energy profile matter far more to your 10-year outcome than VPP event rates.
Tesla Powerwall owners currently sit outside both programs for state rebate purposes. This may change if Tesla completes Synergy’s certification process, but as of early 2026, Powerwall customers who want the WA rebate need to wait or choose a different battery. We discuss this directly with every customer considering a Powerwall in the current WA market.
Both VPP programs work. Both pay you for energy exported during peak events. Both require a two-year commitment. The differences are in event rates (Plico pays more per kWh), hardware compatibility (Synergy covers more brands via the SSL), and backup power handling (Plico offers more user control over reserve levels).
For most Perth homeowners installing a new battery system in 2026, Synergy Battery Rewards will be the practical choice because it aligns with the broadest range of approved equipment and the WA state rebate pathway. Plico’s VPP is a strong alternative for customers within their hardware ecosystem, particularly those who value the higher event rate and configurable backup reserve.
Either way, the VPP commitment is two years. The battery is a 10 to 15-year investment. Choose the battery system and installer that will serve you well for the full lifecycle, and let the VPP selection follow from that.
If you’re weighing up your options, we’re happy to walk through both programs in the context of your specific home, energy profile, and battery shortlist. Get a quote from Perth Solar Warehouse.
Do I have to join a VPP to get the WA battery rebate?
Yes. VPP participation is mandatory for the WA Residential Battery Scheme. You can choose Synergy Battery Rewards, Plico’s VPP, or another approved VPP product that meets the WA Government’s value-sharing criteria.
Can I switch VPPs after joining?
Not during your contract term. Both programs require exclusivity while you’re enrolled. After the two-year commitment, you can opt out or switch.
Does the VPP drain my battery completely?
Both programs prioritise your household load during events, so your home draws from the battery first. But by the end of a multi-hour event, your battery will likely be low. Plico allows you to request a higher minimum state of charge for blackout protection. Synergy does not currently offer a user-set reserve within the Battery Rewards program.
Is Tesla Powerwall eligible for either VPP?
As of early 2026, Tesla Powerwall is not on Synergy’s Supported Solutions List and is not one of Plico’s supported battery brands. Powerwall owners cannot currently access the WA state battery rebate through either program.
How much will I actually earn from VPP events?
For a 10kWh battery, expect roughly $5 to $8 per event on Synergy Battery Rewards (at 70c/kWh) or $7 to $10 per event on Plico’s VPP (at 97c/kWh minimum). Annual earnings depend on event frequency, which is driven by weather and grid demand. Synergy caps events at 30 per year. Realistic annual VPP income for most households is between $50 and $200, depending on battery size and event frequency.
Synergy Battery Rewards | Plico VPP | |
|---|---|---|
Operator | Synergy (WA Government-owned
retailer)
| Plico Energy (private, WAbased) |
Operating since | 2025 (launched with WA Battery
Scheme)
| 2022 (WA’s first private
VPP) |
Enrolled households | New program, tied to rebate uptake | ~3,000 households
(~30MWh aggregated)
|
Event rate | 70c/kWh exported
| 3x Synergy tariff, minimum
97c/kWh
|
Events per year | Up to 30 (capped)
| No published annual cap
(weather/market driven)
|
Event duration | 2–6 hours | Up to 4 hours |
Peak event window | 3pm–9pm (hot/cold extremes) | Late afternoon to evening
(AEMO directed) |
Offset credits
| Yes, credited for grid energy used
during events
| Yes, credited at Synergy
tariff rate
|
Contract term | 2 years | 2 years (minimum terms
may apply)
|
Opt out of individual
events | No | No |
Exclusivity
| Cannot join another VPP while
enrolled
| Governed by VPP Service
Agreement
|
WA state rebate
access
| Yes (default pathway for Synergy
customers)
| Yes (approved
independent VPP
provider)
|
WA rebate amount | Up to $1,300 ($130/kWh, capped at
10kWh)
| Same rebate, different
VPP pathway
|
Federal rebate
stacking
| Yes (~$372/kWh via Cheaper Home
Batteries Program)
| Yes (same federal
program)
|
Supported battery
brands
| All brands on Synergy SSL (Sungrow,
BYD, Fronius, SolarEdge, Alpha ESS,
Sigenergy, SMA, Solis, others) | Redback, Alpha ESS
(Sigenergy coming soon)
|
Tesla Powerwall
eligible | No (not currently on SSL) | No (not a supported
brand)
|
BYO battery pathway | Yes (must be SSL-listed, installed by
accredited vendor)
| Yes (Redback or Alpha
ESS owners only)
|
Backup reserve
during events | Not guaranteed; battery may
discharge to low levels
| Configurable; members
can request higher
minimum SoC |
Blackout behaviour
during event | Household load prioritised; no
guaranteed reserve | System stops exporting,
switches to backup circuit |
Monitoring/app | No dedicated VPP monitoring app | Plico member dashboard
+ optional SMS alerts
|
DEBS credits during
events
| Yes, standard DEBS rates continue
| Yes, standard DEBS rates
continue
|
Life support
equipment | Not eligible if registered at property | No stated restriction |
Internet required | Yes (reliable connection for VPP
orchestration) | Yes (Wi-Fi, NBN, or 4G)
|
Smart meter required | Yes | Yes |
Rebate clawback on
exit | No (WA rebate not clawed back) | Check VPP Service
Agreement for BYO terms |
Estimated annual
VPP income (10kWh) | $50–$170 | $70–$200+ |
DEBS rates (apply to both programs, outside VPP events):
- Peak export (3pm–9pm): 10c/kWh
- Off-peak export (all other times): 2c/kWh
Synergy Home Plan A1 tariff (effective 1 July 2025):
- Supply charge: 116.05c/day
- Usage rate: 32.3719c/kWh
