Search "best VPP" and you'll find a dozen lists, each with a different winner. That's not because someone's wrong. It's because the best Virtual Power Plant program genuinely depends on your state, your battery brand, and how much you're willing to let the operator control your battery in exchange for the payment. We won't tell you a single VPP is objectively best. We'll tell you what to check so you can work out which one is best for your home.
Why there's no single "best" VPP
VPP programs are run by electricity retailers and specialist operators, and each one sets its own payment structure, battery shortlist and contract terms. Some pass through the full wholesale electricity price and swing hard with the market. Others pay a flat rate per kWh during events, capped at a set amount per year. A program that pays generously in South Australia, where wholesale prices spike often, can pay very little in a quieter grid. A program built around Tesla Powerwall is no use if you own a Sigenergy system. "Best" only means anything once you know your own state, battery and appetite for market risk.
Four things that actually decide which VPP suits you
- The sign-up bonus. A one-off credit for joining, commonly a couple of hundred dollars, sometimes nothing at all. Nice to have, but it's the smallest number over the life of the battery, so don't let it be the deciding factor.
- The ongoing per-event or per-kWh payment. This is where the real money is, and it comes in different shapes: a fixed cents-per-kWh rate during declared events, an annual credit capped at a set number of kWh, or a full pass-through of the wholesale electricity price (which pays more in a spike but less most of the time). Ask how the payment is calculated, not just the advertised top figure.
- Which battery brands are compatible. Most programs publish an approved list, commonly including Tesla Powerwall, Sungrow, Alpha ESS and Sigenergy among others, but the exact models and firmware versions matter. Check your specific battery against the provider's current list before you assume it qualifies.
- The contract lock-in length. Bring-your-own-battery offers are often no lock-in or a short notice period. Offers that bundle a subsidised or "free" battery can run to multi-year contracts with an early termination fee if you leave before the term is up. The lock-in is usually in the terms and conditions, not the headline ad.
Major VPP programs, at a glance
Sign-up bonuses and payment rates change often, and the exact numbers depend on your state, retailer plan and battery size. These terms were checked against each provider's own pages and terms in September 2026. Each program links to our full breakdown, and there's a side-by-side table of every open plan on our VPP plans page. Confirm current terms with the provider before you sign up.
| Program | Sign-up bonus | Ongoing payment | Battery brands (examples) | Lock-in | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGL VPP (bring your own battery) | $200 welcome credit | $1/kWh credit for energy your battery charges from and sends to the grid in events, capped at 250kWh a year and paid annually, plus a small quarterly credit | Tesla, Sungrow, AlphaESS, Sigenergy, LG, SolarEdge (specific models) | 12 months, auto-renewing; leave on 30 days' notice, no exit fee | NSW, QLD, SA, VIC |
| Origin Loop (Battery Lite) | $200 bill credit | $1/kWh for energy discharged to the grid in events, up to 200kWh a year | Long list incl. Tesla, Sungrow, AlphaESS, Sigenergy, GoodWe, FoxESS, SolaX, LG | No lock-in, except a 3-year minimum if you claim the NSW VPP incentive | NSW, VIC, SA, QLD, ACT |
| Amber SmartShift | None direct (separate state incentives can still apply) | Wholesale export price passed through (it can go negative), on a $25/month Amber membership | Broad list incl. Tesla, Sigenergy, Sungrow, FoxESS, GoodWe ESA, BYD with Fronius GEN24 | No lock-in, no exit fee | SA, VIC, NSW, ACT, QLD (Energex) |
| GloBird ZEROHERO | None | Free midday power, a $1/day credit for near-zero evening imports, a 10c/kWh evening export top-up, and $1/kWh in critical peak events | Core credits work with any battery; events need AlphaESS, Sigenergy, Sungrow, SolaX and others | No contract term, no exit fee | VIC, NSW, SA, QLD (Energex) |
| Tesla Electric | $100 pilot credit (per the Ausgrid plan document) | Share of the live wholesale price when Tesla dispatches your battery | Tesla Powerwall 2 and 3 only | Invitation-only at the time of writing; no fixed term on the published plan | NSW, ACT, SA, QLD |
| Synergy Battery Rewards | None (the separate WA battery rebate is not a VPP bonus) | $0.70/kWh for net exports in activation events, up to 30 events a year | "DER-Storage" systems on Synergy's supported list, installed through the WA scheme after 1 July 2025 | 2-year initial term; you can't opt out of individual events | WA (south-west network only) |
VPP availability by state
Most VPP programs run on the National Electricity Market, which covers the eastern and southern states. Western Australia and the Northern Territory sit outside it on their own grids, which is why the shortlist looks different there.
| State | State-level VPP-linked incentive | What's generally available |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | VPP connection incentive, currently quoted by retailers at up to about $1,015 (separate from the federal discount) | Widest choice: AGL, Origin Loop, Amber, GloBird, Diamond Energy, Powershop and Tesla Electric all operate here. |
| VIC | No state battery incentive open right now (the Solar Victoria interest-free loan closed in 2025), so VPP income matters more | Most national programs operate here (AGL, Origin Loop, Amber, Diamond Energy). |
| QLD | VPP rewards only (the Battery Booster rebate closed in 2024) | Most national programs operate in the Energex network area (broadly South East QLD); coverage thins further north. |
| SA | State battery support plus VPP rewards, on top of the federal discount | SA's volatile wholesale prices make it the state where wholesale-linked plans (like Amber and Tesla Electric) tend to report the highest annual earnings. SA's REPS VPP incentive has been limited to priority groups since May 2026. |
| WA | The WA Residential Battery Scheme runs alongside VPP options | Runs its own grid (the South West Interconnected System), not the eastern states' National Electricity Market, so most NEM-based VPPs above aren't available. Synergy's Battery Rewards is the main option for south-west WA households, with Plico as an independent alternative, and regional towns use Horizon Power's Community Wave. |
| ACT | VPP options sit alongside the Sustainable Household Scheme loan | Several NEM-based programs extend into the ACT (Origin Loop, Amber). |
| TAS | No dedicated VPP incentive found at the time of writing | We could not confirm a major VPP operator actively advertising in Tasmania. Ask your retailer directly if you're there. |
| NT | No dedicated VPP incentive found at the time of writing | The NT sits outside the NEM. We could not confirm a major VPP operator actively advertising there. Ask your retailer directly. |
These are the same state programs covered on our state rebate pages, where we describe each state's incentive on its own rather than merging it into one national number. We check the VPP options actually open in your postcode during your free rebate check, because "generally available" and "available to you" aren't always the same thing.
Questions worth asking before you sign up
- Is my exact battery model and inverter on the provider's current approved list, not just the brand?
- Is the ongoing payment a flat rate, a capped annual credit, or a full wholesale pass-through, and what does that mean in a quiet year versus a volatile one?
- What's the contract length, and is there an exit fee if I leave early?
- Does the program guarantee a reserve of charge for my own backup, or can it draw the battery down further?
- Do I have to switch electricity retailer to join, and how does that affect my daily usage rate, not just the VPP payment?
How this fits your battery's payback
VPP income is one input into whether a battery pays for itself, alongside the upfront price and your own bill savings. See are solar batteries worth it? for the full picture, and run your own numbers before comparing VPP offers on top.