Companies seeking to install solar panels under the Government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) will have to comply with more stringent safety and compliance requirements from today.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Penny Wong, said new regulations for the RET will further strengthen safety arrangements for solar panels supported under the target.
To be eligible for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), installations must now comply with state and territory regulations for siting solar panels and building codes, including for panel mountings and connection.
Installers must also be both Clean Energy Council (CEC) accredited and licensed electricians, with the exception of some remote off grid solar power systems.
Installers will also be required to retain documentation of how they have met these requirements.
The requirement to be a licensed electrician is already part of the CEC accreditation requirements, but going forward it will be an explicit requirement for the RET and its compliance regime.
Failure to observe the requirements will result in penalties such as fines, injunctions, ineligibility to create RECs or criminal charges. The Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator will continue to work with the CEC on an enhanced program of compliance and performance checks.
Senator Wong also said the Government is committed to passage of the enhanced RET legislation before Parliament rises. The legislation seeks to split the RET into two components; one for small scale renewable energy systems including home solar power and the other for larger projects, such as wind farms.
