10 Red Flags When Choosing a Solar Company in Sydney

 

Sydney is one of the strongest solar markets in Australia. With an average of 4.5 to 6 peak sun hours per day, rising electricity prices, and generous government incentives under the federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), it is easy to understand why more than 40% of Sydney homes now have rooftop solar installed. But as the demand for solar has grown, so has the number of companies trying to cash in on it – and not all of them deserve your trust or your money.

The Australian solar industry has seen a significant rise in consumer complaints in recent years. CHOICE, one of Australia’s most respected independent consumer organisations, has reported a surge in members seeking help for problems with their solar PV systems. The Clean Energy Regulator has also conducted inspections, finding that a notable number of residential installations are underperforming, not configured correctly, or in some cases, genuinely unsafe.

Making the wrong choice when selecting a solar installer in Sydney can cost you thousands of dollars, years of stress, and in worst-case scenarios, leave you with a dangerous system on your roof and no one to call. Let’s walk you through the 10 biggest red flags to watch out for before you commit – so your switch to solar energy is a smart investment, not an expensive regret.

Red Flag #1: They Cannot Prove SAA Accreditation or Proper Licensing

Perhaps the single most important thing to check before hiring any solar company in Sydney is whether their installers hold current accreditation with Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA). As of February 2024, Solar Accreditation Australia (formerly the Clean Energy Council) took over as the official body responsible for accrediting solar installers and designers across the country. Every installer legally needs to be SAA-accredited if they want their customers to claim the federal government’s Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) rebates that reduce the upfront cost of going solar.

This is not a minor administrative formality. If your system is installed by a non-accredited person, you could lose access to thousands of dollars in government incentives, void your product warranties, and end up with a system that fails safety standards. A reputable company will have no hesitation in providing proof of their SAA accreditation number, which you can independently verify on the SAA website.

Similarly, watch out for companies that still advertise themselves as “CEC Approved Retailers.” The CEC Approved Retailer scheme was discontinued in February 2023 and replaced by the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC) program. While NETCC membership is voluntary, it represents a meaningful commitment to consumer protection standards. If a company is still using outdated credentials to market themselves, it raises questions about how up-to-date their practices really are.

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