Solar installers, designers, have 3 months to move to new accreditation scheme after CEC stripped of role

As part of a significant round of changes for Australia’s solar industry, the role of accrediting Australia’s solar installers and designers has been taken away from the Clean Energy Council (CEC) and will be handed over to a new scheme operator in February. ^[2]

In an update released this morning, the Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator (CER) said the new installer and designer accreditation scheme operator will not be charging a fee to transition accreditation from the previous CEC scheme. “The new [scheme operator] will honour CEC accreditation expiry dates and fees paid,” it added.

Fees will, however, be due on expiry of installers’ existing CEC accreditation. “If your accreditation expires on or after the CER has made and announced its decision, you must accredit yourself with the new [scheme operator] to remain eligible for STCs [small-scale technology certificates]. This will attract a fee.” No details on the fees have been made public.

Solar installers and designers will have three months, so until May 2024, to transition their accreditation to remain eligible to claim Australia’s solar rebate in the form of STCs.

There are no immediate changes to the requirements for accreditation, meaning installers and designers will not need to complete any additional training at this point.

The CER said one new scheme operator has been selected, and another application refused. This would suggest only two organisations applied to take over the role, but this is not confirmed.

The CEC has released information to assist CEC accredited persons to prepare for the transition to the new scheme operator.^[3]

The CEC is also set to be stripped^[4] of its role publishing Australia’s approved solar product lists. The CER previously said it expects to announce its proposed nomination for the product list role between March and April 2024.