With the popularity of the solar PV industry in Australia–and Queensland especially–Solar Choice has seen the rapid emergence of a very large number of solar PV installers. With this influx of companies vying for business, customers trying to quickly and painlessly locate a reputable and trustworthy solar installer can quickly become overwhelmed by a number of options, all claiming to be “the best solar PV installer in Queensland”.
CEC accreditation as the national standard for solar PV installers
Clean Energy Council logo must be present on all promotional materials used by solar PV system installers in Australia, including their website.
“Isn’t it enough that my installer is accredited by the Clean Energy Council (CEC)?” Wrong. CEC accreditation is the minimum Australian standard for solar PV system installers. Any company that designs and installs solar PV systems in Australia must be Clean Energy Council-accredited. Proof of accreditation should be clearly visible on their website with an installer number (such as A9001001), which will normally be found with the CEC logo.
If in doubt, accreditation can be checked on the CEC Solar Accreditation website.
Is your solar PV system installer accredited in Queensland?
Installers who operate in the Sunshine State are subject to accreditation requirements above and beyond the national standard. The Queensland government has seen fit to implement these guidelines in order to assure that problems arising from fly-by-night, ‘cowboy’ installers are minimised.
Specifically, in Queensland, any company that installs solar systems over the value of $3300 (i.e. virtually all installations) must have one of two further qualifications:
- A QBSA licence in an appropriate category OR;
- An unrestricted Queensland electrical contractors licence.
Relevant Queensland accreditation information should also be located on your installer’s website. (Again, if in doubt, searches can be conducted via the above links.) If neither of the above yield results, the best route may be to ask your installer directly. If you aren’t happy with the answer or something sounds suspicious, it probably is. Contact the relevant government body or ask your Solar Choice broker for advice. Because at the end of the day, it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
© 2012 Solar Choice Pty Ltd
