How to choose a solar installer in Australia

The Clean Energy Council no longer accredits solar installers. That job moved to Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) on 29 February 2024, when the Clean Energy Regulator appointed SAA as the new scheme operator and the CEC wound up 16 years of running accreditation directly. The CEC still trains installers and maintains the approved products list, but the accreditation check itself is now an SAA credential. Getting this distinction right at the quoting stage is the difference between a system that qualifies for the rebates you were quoted on and one that doesn't.

Is my installer actually accredited?

Ask for the installer's SAA accreditation number and check it covers the system type you're buying: grid-connected photovoltaic (GCPV), grid-connected battery (GCBS), or stand-alone power. Accreditation is issued per person, not per company, so the specific installer on the job needs to hold it, not just the business they work for. Only SAA-accredited designers and installers are eligible to interact with the Clean Energy Regulator's Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), which is what generates the STC discount on your invoice.

A licensed electrician's licence alone is not enough. Electrical licensing covers the wiring work; SAA accreditation is the separate credential the federal scheme requires before a system can earn certificates. A legitimate installer will produce both without being asked twice.

How do small-scale technology certificates cut the price?

Small-scale technology certificates (STCs) are tradeable certificates created for eligible solar installations under the SRES. Most households assign their right to create STCs to the installer or a registered agent, who deducts the estimated certificate value from the system price upfront rather than making you sell the certificates separately later.

The number of certificates a system earns depends on its size and its deeming period, which is the number of years of generation the scheme assumes for that installation. The deeming period shrinks every year until the scheme closes in 2030, so the same system earns fewer certificates the later it's installed.

Installation year	Deeming period
2024	7 years
2025	6 years
2026	5 years
2027	4 years
2028	3 years
2029	2 years
2030	1 year

A quote with an unusually large STC discount for a 2026 installation is worth double-checking against this table before you sign.

Does the product have to be on an approved list?

Yes. The Clean Energy Council maintains dynamic lists of approved solar PV modules, inverters, power conversion equipment and batteries, and only systems built from listed products qualify for STCs under the SRES. Several state programs go further: the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, the WA Residential Battery Scheme and Queensland's Supercharged Solar for Renters program all require CEC-listed products as a condition of the rebate.

Products can be de-listed or suspended without much notice, so the list an installer quotes from today may not match it in a month. Ask for the specific panel and inverter model numbers in writing and check them against the current list yourself rather than taking the installer's word for it.

What does my state rebate actually require?

State rebate schemes layer their own conditions on top of the federal STC scheme, and they change more often. Victoria's Solar Panel (PV) Rebate, for example, offers up to $1,400 towards an eligible system, but only where combined household taxable income across all property owners is under $150,000 a year (a threshold that changed from $210,000 on 1 July 2026), the property is valued under $3 million, and no solar or battery rebate has previously been paid at that address. An interest-free loan matching the rebate is also available on top.

Every state runs a different scheme with different income caps, property limits and product requirements, so confirm the current rules on your state's own rebate page before you count the discount into your budget. A quote that assumes eligibility you don't actually meet leaves you covering the gap.

How do I compare quotes that look completely different?

Line up quotes by system size in kilowatts, panel brand and model, inverter brand and model, and the STC discount already applied, not just the final price. A cheaper headline number often means a smaller system, a lower-tier panel, or an STC estimate the installer hasn't actually locked in. Ask each installer for a written, itemised quote rather than a one-line total so the comparison is genuinely like-for-like.

Also confirm what's included beyond hardware: scaffolding or roof access, switchboard upgrades if your board can't take the new circuit, and the distributor connection application. These can add real cost if they're missing from one quote and present in another.

What warranties should be in writing?

A solar installation carries four separate warranties, and conflating them is where most disputes start.

• Panel product warranty covers manufacturing defects in the panel itself, usually for a fixed number of years from the manufacturer.
• Panel performance warranty guarantees the panel won't degrade below a stated output percentage over a longer period, also from the manufacturer.
• Inverter warranty is separate again and typically shorter than the panel warranties, from the inverter manufacturer.
• Workmanship warranty is the installer's own promise covering the installation itself, not the equipment, and it disappears if the installer's business closes.

Get all four in writing with the manufacturer and installer names attached, not just "warranty included" on the quote. If the installer goes out of business, the manufacturer warranties on the panels and inverter generally survive because they sit with the manufacturer, but the workmanship warranty does not.

Who approves the system for grid connection?

Your local electricity distributor approves the connection, not the installer or retailer. The installer lodges the connection application on your behalf, but approval timing, export limits and any conditions on the system size are set by the distributor for your specific network. Ask the installer upfront whether they've checked your address against the distributor's current export limits, since a system sized past that limit can be capped after installation rather than before.

Compare shortlisted installers on Digital Pages' solar installers directory, and if a dispute comes up after signing, your consumer rights when hiring a tradie covers what you can enforce under Australian Consumer Law.

FAQ

Is a Clean Energy Council accredited installer the same as a licensed electrician?

No. A licensed electrician can do electrical work, but installing a solar system that earns STCs or a state rebate requires the installer to also hold current accreditation from Solar Accreditation Australia. Ask to see both credentials before signing.

Do STCs reduce the price on my invoice or arrive as a rebate later?

Almost always the former. You assign your right to create STCs to the installer or a registered agent, and they deduct the certificate value from the upfront price on the spot. You do not need to sell the certificates yourself.

Can I use a non-CEC-listed panel if it's cheaper?

You can buy it, but the system will not qualify for STCs or most state rebates, and some electricity distributors will refuse to connect it. Check the product is on the Clean Energy Council's approved list before you agree to a quote.

Who approves my solar system for grid connection?

Your local electricity distributor, not the installer or the retailer. The installer lodges the connection application on your behalf, but approval timing and export limits are set by the distributor and vary by network and system size.

What happens if my installer goes out of business?

The panel product and performance warranties sit with the manufacturer, not the installer, so they usually survive. The workmanship warranty is the installer's own promise and is not recoverable if the business closes, which is why checking their track record matters before you sign.