Home improvement / Energy saving / Solar
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Australia’s residential solar industry is big, and getting bigger. As of December 2024, there were more than four million rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed across Australia.
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It’s a notable milestone, but the boom has also seen a rise in complaints about solar companies. In recent years, we’ve seen a surge in members needing help with problems with their solar PV system.
Meanwhile, the Clean Energy Regulator has conducted inspections of residential solar installations that have shown that a small but significant number are underperforming or not configured correctly, and some are actually unsafe.
With the federal government’s new rebate offering big discounts on home batteries, it’s likely both customer demand and complaints about dodgy installers will continue to rise.
Here’s our easy guide to avoiding shady deals and getting a quality system at a fair price.
Note: In the image above, a person is walking on solar panels. This isn’t recommended as it can damage the panels.
The good news for consumers is that the solar industry has more accreditation than ever to protect consumers and maintain standards. The trick is knowing what accreditation to ask for and where you can check it.
When you’re buying and installing a solar PV array, it’s likely you’ll be dealing with:
In some cases, one person (for example a local electrician who specialises in solar installations) can cover all four roles. It’s also not unusual for larger retailers to secure the sale and contract, and then subcontract out the installation.
The ACCC authorised the NETCC program as a way for solar PV, battery storage and other new energy tech businesses to demonstrate commitment to responsible practices, including sales and marketing, the installation itself and warranty support.
The program is intended to improve consumer protection standards in the solar and storage industry.
NETCC Approved Sellers commit to a high standard of quality in:
Visit the NETCC website to find approved sellers in your area.
Many solar installers have opted to not go for NETCC approval, but they must still be accredited. The accreditation body for solar installers is Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA). On their website, you can search for your installer by name or accreditation number to ensure they are current.
The Clean Energy Council (CEC) is the accreditation body for solar panel system components, and is funded by industry.
The CEC also maintains a register of approved panels (modules), inverters and batteries that meet Australian standards. It’s highly unlikely that a reputable installer would be using unapproved components, but if in doubt, you should check that the components for the system quoted are clearly specified by make, size and model, and are CEC-approved.
If the components, the designer or the installer are not accredited, you won’t receive the government’s solar panel rebate or the newer home battery rebate.
CHOICE has partnered with SolarQuotes to create the CHOICE Solar Estimator. It’s free to use, and will help you estimate a suitable solar PV system for your home, including the ability to add solar battery storage.
If you want to, it will also connect you with reputable installers in your local area for high-quality, obligation-free quotes.
Note: While CHOICE makes money if you buy through SolarQuotes, 100% of it goes straight back into our nonprofit mission.
As with any major investment, you should get at least three quotes for your solar PV system and research each company’s history and reputation before signing anything. Here’s what you need to find out:
Finn Peacock, founder of solar company SolarQuotes, says that choosing solar systems on price alone is a recipe for disaster.
“The solar business is a challenging one, and margins usually don’t allow for deep discounts. We recommend calling around for a few quotes to establish a base cost for battery storage and installation.”
Some of the problems with cheap quotes that he’s seen include:
Our solar panel buying guide explains current prices and points to consider when buying a solar panel system.
Australian solar retailers will often talk about ‘tier one’ ranking for solar panels, but tier rankings are designed for commercial solar investors rather the buying public and are not usually publicly available.
The tier ranking comes from Bloomberg New Energy Finance industry research and ranks the company on how big it is, how many solar farm projects its panels have been used in and how many financial institutions have invested in these panels.
While it’s reassuring that a solar panel has qualified for ‘tier one’ status, it’s not a guarantee that it’s a premium product.
You can ask the solar retailer to produce a certificate or other independent verification to prove they really are ‘tier one’.
These should cover parts and labour for the installation work of the system (cabling, connections and so on), and preferably all the components (panels, inverter, racks etc) for at least five years.
It should also cover any issues that arise from the installation, such as a leaking roof. Check carefully as to what your installer’s warranty actually covers.
For solar panels, these generally last for 25 years and guarantee that solar panels will produce a minimum percentage of their rated capacity, which slowly reduces as the panels degrade over time.
These cover physical and electrical problems in the components that either cause it to fail or under perform. Examples include moisture ingress, breakage of panel glass, frame or back-sheet, and electrical failures.
Each component will come with its own individual warranty. Home batteries and inverters typically have 10-year warranties, while 25 years is very common for solar panels these days.
It’s fair to wonder whether the manufacturer would even still be around in 25 years or more, but at least these longer warranties are an indication of confidence in the product.
Some warranties cover the removal of the PV panel as well as the replacement, while others provide the replacement modules but not the reinstallation.
Some warranties cover the removal of the PV panel as well as the replacement
However, note that replacement of solar panels under the product warranty is pretty rare, partly because panels are generally reliable, but also because it can be hard for a consumer to prove that panel failure after several years is due to a manufacturing fault.
See our solar panel buying guide for more information.
When you sign a contract that has arisen from an unsolicited sale, a 10-day cooling-off period applies in which you can exit the deal.
Some suppliers may offer a 10-day cooling-off period in their terms, regardless of whether it was an unsolicited sale or not. Be sure to check.
The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) offers protection for you if there are any problems with your solar PV system, whether that’s with the service provided by the installer, or the components of the system.
The provision and installation of the solar PV system is a service by the solar company, and as such, according to the ACL it must:
If you have a complaint about the service provided, see our guide to resolving issues with bad service under the ACL.
The components of the system (including the panels, panel support racks, inverter, and electrical components) are covered by the ACL, just like any other product or appliance that you buy. Under the ACL, the components must be:
If the product fails to meet either of these conditions, you should be able to claim a repair, refund or replacement, depending on the nature of the problem.
See our guide to your rights with a faulty product for more advice on how to use the ACL to address any complaints with the installer or manufacturer.
Chris Barnes is a Senior Project Officer. He manages the product reviews that are done outside of CHOICE with external labs or data sources. This includes solar panels, electric heaters, air purifiers and detergents. Chris also manages our testing services through our commercial arm, Test Research, and he is CHOICE’s NATA authorised representative for our lab’s formal accreditations. Chris is involved with the standards committee for air conditioners. And he works with government and industry in areas such as product safety and regulation. In over 20 years at CHOICE, Chris has managed lab teams for a wide range of products, including children’s products, kitchen appliances, laundry appliances, garden power tools and more. Chris has a Science degree from the University of Sydney. LinkedIn
Chris Barnes is a Senior Project Officer. He manages the product reviews that are done outside of CHOICE with external labs or data sources. This includes solar panels, electric heaters, air purifiers and detergents. Chris also manages our testing services through our commercial arm, Test Research, and he is CHOICE’s NATA authorised representative for our lab’s formal accreditations. Chris is involved with the standards committee for air conditioners. And he works with government and industry in areas such as product safety and regulation. In over 20 years at CHOICE, Chris has managed lab teams for a wide range of products, including children’s products, kitchen appliances, laundry appliances, garden power tools and more. Chris has a Science degree from the University of Sydney. LinkedIn
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