Plico started in Western Australia as a battery subscription business and now runs its own VPP. Unlike most programs, you don't switch electricity retailer to Plico. In WA you stay with Synergy, and Plico's event payments turn up as credits on your Synergy bill.
The headline rate is high: Plico pays "3x your energy costs", with a minimum of 99c per kWh exported during events. The flip side is that events are rare, averaging about six a year by Plico's own figure, and the VPP-only contract runs for three years. Plico has also launched a NSW version at 50c per kWh.
Who it suits
- WA Synergy customers with an Alpha ESS, Redback or Sigenergy battery who want to stay with Synergy.
- People who like the idea of a few well-paid events rather than frequent small ones.
- Households buying a new system from Plico, where the $1,500 VPP discount applies.
Who should skip it
- Owners of any battery other than Alpha ESS, Redback or Sigenergy.
- Anyone relying on it to satisfy the WA battery scheme's VPP requirement. The WA Government says that VPP must come from Synergy or Horizon Power.
- People who won't commit to three years.
Plico VPP at a glance
| Provider | Plico |
| Plan | Plico VPP |
| Status | Open to register interest when checked (WA, and a newer NSW offer). |
| States | WA, NSW |
| Networks / regions | WA: Synergy customers on the Western Power network. NSW: customers on the Alinta Energy SunShare plan. |
| How it pays | Per kWh exported in events: WA: "3x your energy costs", at least 99c per kWh exported in events, as Synergy bill credits (about 6 events a year on average). NSW: 50c per kWh. |
| Sign-up bonus | None. Plico-supplied systems get a $1,500 VPP discount on the system price. |
| Control and reserve | Plico calls the events. It does not publish a reserve level, so ask before you join. |
| Contract and exit fees | WA VPP-only contract: 3 years. Exit fee terms not published; check the current offer. |
| Switch retailer? | You do not switch to Plico, but you need a specific retail plan: a Synergy plan in WA, or the Alinta Energy SunShare plan in NSW. |
| State incentive link | NSW: Plico claims the NSW VPP incentive of up to $1,015. WA: Plico says it is approved for the WA battery scheme, but the WA Government says the scheme VPP must be offered by Synergy or Horizon Power, so we treat that claim as unverified. |
| Last checked | Sep 2026, against the provider's own pages |
How the money actually works
In WA, Plico pays for every kWh your battery exports during a Plico event. The rate is described as "3x your energy costs", with a floor of 99c per kWh. Before 30 June 2026 it was 97c, and some Plico pages still show that figure.
The money arrives as credits on your Synergy bill, because you stay a Synergy customer. There are no sign-up fees and no ongoing fees for the VPP.
Events are infrequent. Plico says it calls about six a year on average, so the high rate applies to a small number of kWh.
In NSW the offer is different: 50c per kWh, and you need to be on the Alinta Energy SunShare plan.
Worked example: a 10kWh battery in WA over a typical year
Built only from Plico's published terms, with every assumption spelled out.
- Published: at least 99c per kWh exported during events; about 6 events a year on average.
- Assumption: your battery exports 8kWh per event after covering the house. That is our figure for illustration.
- We use the 99c minimum. If "3x your energy costs" comes out higher for you, the result goes up.
A high rate on a few events adds up to a modest sum. Plico's value is more about staying with Synergy and keeping the battery for yourself most of the year. These are VPP payments only, separate from any state rebate and the federal battery discount.
Which batteries work with Plico VPP
This is Plico's own compatibility list as published when we checked. Lists change, and it is often the exact model, inverter and firmware that matter, not just the brand, so confirm your system with Plico before you count on the numbers.
- Alpha ESS
- Redback
- Sigenergy
Read up on the brands we cover: AlphaESS, Sigenergy.
The catch: fine print worth reading first
- 3-year contract. The WA VPP-only contract runs for three years. Plico does not publish exit terms, so ask.
- The WA scheme question. Plico says it is the only independent VPP approved for the WA Residential Battery Scheme. The WA Government's scheme page says the VPP must be offered by Synergy or Horizon Power. Until that is cleared up, do not rely on Plico to meet the scheme's VPP condition.
- Rate confusion. 97c, 99c and $1 all appear on Plico pages from different dates. The current terms should settle it.
- Three brands only. Alpha ESS, Redback or Sigenergy.
- No published reserve. Ask what charge Plico leaves in the battery during events.
Other things to know
- Plico has no sign-up or ongoing fees for the VPP.
- The WA rate rose from 97c to at least 99c per kWh from 30 June 2026. Some Plico pages still say 97c, and a May 2026 Plico blog says $1, so confirm the current rate.
- Plico's website is plicoenergy.com.au.
How it sits next to your battery rebates
In NSW, Plico says you can claim the NSW VPP incentive of up to $1,015. In WA, Plico's claim to be approved for the WA Residential Battery Scheme conflicts with the WA Government's own scheme page, so we can't confirm it. Either way, any state incentive is its own amount, separate from Plico's event payments and from the federal battery discount.
We always treat these as separate numbers: the federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount comes off the battery invoice, any state incentive is its own amount with its own rules, and VPP payments are ongoing credits on your power bill. Check your state: WA battery rebates, NSW battery rebates. Then run your own numbers in the savings calculator before you add any VPP income on top.
Alternatives worth comparing
- Synergy Battery Rewards (Synergy): Synergy's own VPP at 70c per kWh for up to 30 events, and the one the WA scheme recognises.
- Horizon Power Community Wave (Horizon Power): for regional WA households on Horizon Power.
- Amber for Batteries with SmartShift (Amber Electric): for NSW households who want wholesale rates rather than a fixed event rate.
Or see every plan side by side in our VPP plan comparison, and read how to compare VPP providers if you are weighing a few up.
Where these facts come from
We checked Plico VPP against Plico's own published pages and documents in Sep 2026. VPP offers get repriced often, so treat this as a starting point and read the current offer before you sign.