source: Clean Energy Regulator
CEC accredited installer on-site attendance checks
The Clean Energy Regulator (the agency) continues its focus on installers accredited by the Clean Energy Council (CEC) that do not meet on-site attendance requirements.
All accredited installers must meet their on-site attendance obligations for the installation of small-scale solar PV systems.
To be eligible for small-scale technology certificates (STCs) the same CEC accredited installer must install or physically attend the site during job set up, mid-installation check-up and testing and commissioning.
Failure to comply is a risk to the integrity of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. The agency will respond to non-compliancein accordance with our Compliance policy for education, monitoring and enforcement activities.
In May 2021, the agency sent out an email regarding on-site eligibility requirements for accredited installers. This communication outlined our expectations of installers and registered agents and advised that scrutiny of STC claims would increase through additional information requests to demonstrate on-site attendance requirements have been met.
Additional information requests
Registered agents should have processes in place to manage requests from us for additional information to demonstrate that the same accredited installer physically attended the site during job set up, mid-installation check-up, and testing and commissioning.
The agency will begin requesting additional information from November 2021.
We expect registered agents to make their own decisions regarding the level of assurance they require (e.g. the proportion of checks) to satisfy themselves that installers are meeting on-site requirements. Registered agents should be satisfied all on-site attendance requirements have been demonstrated before submitting STC claims.
The agency may not register STCs where insufficient information has been provided to demonstrate installer on-site attendance.
CEC accredited installers are expected to maintain records of completed installations that demonstrate on-site attendance, this information will be requested by registered agents, the agency or the CEC.
Demonstrating attendance
Information demonstrating a CEC accredited installer has attended the site of installation as per the CEC guidelines could include photographic identification of the accredited installer (with time and date metadata or geo-location data) during the job set up, mid-installation check-up, and testing and commissioning stages. Further guidance regarding the on-site requirement is available via the CEC’s accreditation log in area for installers and their on-site attendance obligations webpage.
The use of solar panel validation (SPV) with STC claims is a reliable risk reduction tool for agents and installers to avoid the improper creation of STCs for ineligible panels. Apps operating in the SPV Initiative may provide photo and geo-location capability to assist installers to demonstrate that they have met their on-site attendance requirements.
We encourage agents and installers to speak to app providers to explore the use of any available tools to demonstrate compliance with CEC guidelines.
More information
If you would like more information about accredited installer onsite requirements, access the CEC’s accreditation login area for installers and CEC website information about installation attendance.
If you would like more information on STC eligibility, please contact the Clean Energy Regulator on 1300 553 542 or at
Yours sincerely
REC Registry
