Solar Victoria includes NETCC in program requirements

Solar Victoria has announced today it has chosen to mandate that retailers participating in its Solar Homes and Solar for Business programs must be signatories to the NETCC. This replaces the requirement for retailers to be a signatory to the Solar Retailer Code of Conduct.

Solar Victoria has announced today that it will replace its existing mandatory requirement for solar PV and battery retailers to be a signatory to the Solar Retailer Code with the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC). Solar and battery retailers will be required to maintain the status of New Energy Tech Approved Seller to remain an authorised solar retailer under the Solar Homes and Solar for Business programs.

Speaking about the announcement, Solar Victoria CEO, Stan Krpan said:

“Providing the highest possible consumer protections is important for the integrity of Solar Victoria’s programs, the ongoing development of the solar industry and the confidence of our customers.”

“Customers can only benefit from transparent and accountable retail practices. We have been clear on the need to protect consumers since Solar Homes began and first mandated a Code of Practice in 2019. Strengthened requirements related to quoting practices, marketing buy now pay later offers and expanded information on system operations and measures to ensure the installation of fit-for-purpose systems are core to the Code.”

“The Code was developed by an independent council comprising Australia’s peak solar energy bodies, consumer organisations and energy networks. It builds on existing protections and broadens them to home batteries and will grow over time to cover emerging new technologies such as smart car chargers. It is important that consumer protections keep up with these innovations.”

The NETCC Council welcomes the decision by Solar Victoria to mandate the NETCC under its Solar Homes and Solar for Business programs. This decision reflects a widely supported, industry-led approach to raising consumer protection standards and ensuring good consumer outcomes in the Australian clean energy sector.

The NETCC Council looks forward to continuing to work with Solar Victoria and other new energy tech industries to raise standards and increase consumer confidence to participate in transforming the Australian energy sector.

For further enquiries, please contact the Council via email: [email protected].

More information on the NETCC program can be found at www.newenergytech.org.au.