Solar Homes and Communities Plan
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Letters are being posted to inform remaining applicants whether their pre-approval application has been successful.
Information for industry
The Department appreciates the patience of all installers who are involved in applications for the Solar Homes and Communities Plan.
How applications are being processed
Due to a high level of demand, the Department has been checking, cross-checking, weeding out duplicates, matching applications which were separated when submitted, sorting, uploading and processing a large number of applications.
Applications have been checked for whether they met the deadline for closure of the program and completeness including:
- Applicant signature
- Designer or installer signature
- Accreditation of designers and installers
- Whether an accredited system is included
- Disclosure of income, home ownership or residency
- Duplication of previous application or rebate
Rules for installation
Installations must:
- Be completed within nine months after a pre-approval or conditional approval letter has been received or be ineligible for a rebate.
- Have permission from the relevant electricity supply authority to connect the system to the grid.
- Installers, designers and systems must be accredited by the Clean Energy Council at the time of installation.
- The Department allows applicants to switch installers provided the installer is accredited. Once a system is installed by the nine month expiry date, you and the applicant must complete and submit an installation report within eight weeks. An installation report is sent with the pre-approval letter and also available for download on the Receiving your rebate page.
The installation report must include:
- Copies of receipts for the purchase of equipment and installation costs. Receipts must include labour and equipment costs as separate items, be dated and include the Australian Business Number of your supplier and installer. A sample invoice is available for download below.
- Photographs showing the panels installed, the number of panels and the inverter. On the back of one of the photographs, the accredited installer or system owner must sign a statement certifying the address of the property pictured and that installation has taken place. On inspection of the photos, the program manager may require further works to be carried out before making payment.
- For systems connected to the electricity grid, a certificate of compliance must also be signed by a licensed electrician.
Once a completed installation report is received by the Department, payment of a rebate will take up to six weeks to arrive in the nominated account.
Work to be done
Installers are entering a busy time and will be able to continue growing their business to install the thousands of systems expected to be done under the Solar Homes and Communities Plan.
Ensuring quality installations
The Australian Government has seen a high level of professionalism from the solar industry and expects this to continue.
Given demand under the program, the Department is strengthening its compliance program and will be monitoring applications and installations carefully as well as undertaking random audits of installations to verify standards.
Information outlining how to check a system, how to report concerns and how to switch installers is also being made available to applicants.
Concerned applicants who are unable to come to an agreement with their installer will be asked to provide their feedback to the Department, their relevant fair trading organisation and the Clean Energy Council who has the ability to remove accreditation.
Investment in renewable energy
The Government is investing in Australia's renewable energy industry.
This investment includes:
- All eligible home and business wind, hydro or solar installations since 9 June 2009 may be able to receive extra renewable energy certificates through Solar Credits to assist with the upfront costs. Find out more at www.orer.gov.au or call 02 6159 7700.
- A five-fold increase in market share with the expanded Renewable Energy Target generating an estimated $20 billion in investment
- Putting a value on environmental costs through the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
- Support for research and commercialisation through the Australian Government's $4.5 billion Clean Energy Initiative including $465 million to establish the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy and $1.365 billion for the Solar Flagships program, helping establish Australia as a world leader in solar technology.
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