The Clean Energy Regulator has established a taskforce to target installers accredited by the Clean Energy Council (CEC) who make false statements in relation to small-scale technology certificate (STC) eligibility.
The Clean Energy Regulator has developed a sophisticated analytical model to identify installers deemed unlikely to have been on-site in accordance with the CEC install and supervise guidelines. The guidelines stipulate that a CEC accredited installer must either undertake the installation or supervise the installation by others. If the accredited person is supervising the installation by others, they must physically attend the site during job set up, mid-installation check-up and testing and commissioning.
These are mandatory requirements that must be met for a solar photovoltaic (PV) installation to be eligible for STCs.
CEC accredited installers may be asked to demonstrate they attended the site of the installation at all relevant stages of the installation. This could include photographic identification of the accredited installer (with time and date metadata or geo-location data) during installation job set-up, mid-installation check-up, and testing and commissioning stages.
Action can be taken against accredited installers who make false statements regarding their on-site attendance, including cancellation of their accreditation, revocation of their electrical licence and civil proceedings or criminal prosecutions. Claims for STCs may also be failed.
Registered agents are also reminded that they are expected to implement and maintain sound compliance procedures to establish that CEC accredited installers were on-site during installations in accordance with the guidelines. Agents should ensure that checks are conducted as part of their standard compliance measures.
For more information, visit the CEC guidelines or visit Installation requirements for small-scale systems.