A solar system should keep working long after the installer’s van leaves your driveway. But what happens when the manufacturer leaves Australia? SolarEdge is withdrawing from direct local sales and operations in Australia and New Zealand. The development raises questions about warranty claims, replacement equipment, and ongoing support.
For homeowners, the distinction matters: leaving a market does not automatically cancel warranties. However, keeping your legal rights and successfully obtaining a repair can be different challenges.
TL;DR
- SolarEdge is ending direct local sales and operations, with support moving to its International Tech Centre.
- Eligible products will retain warranty coverage, subject to applicable terms.
- Market withdrawal does not automatically remove Australian Consumer Law obligations.
- The business that sold your system generally remains responsible for resolving valid consumer guarantee claims.
- Insolvency creates additional complications, particularly if both the seller and manufacturer become unavailable.
- A functioning system does not need replacing simply because its manufacturer withdraws.
What is changing for SolarEdge customers?
SolarEdge is discontinuing its direct local sales and operations in Australia and New Zealand. Ongoing service and support will move to its International Tech Centre.
The transition includes the following arrangements:
| Change | Details |
|---|---|
| Local operations | Direct local sales and operations in Australia and New Zealand are being discontinued. |
| Final purchase orders | SolarEdge will accept final purchase orders until 20 November 2026. |
| Final deliveries | Delivery of these orders is due no later than 18 December 2026. |
| Service and support | Ongoing support moves to SolarEdge’s International Tech Centre. |
| Existing warranties | Eligible products remain covered, subject to applicable warranty terms. |
| Certifications and programs | Product certification renewals, active promotions, and programs will cease. |
These are SolarEdge’s final order and delivery arrangements. Homeowners considering remaining stock should confirm installation eligibility, warranty coverage, and support before purchasing.
The withdrawal concerns local operations. It does not mean SolarEdge is closing globally, nor does it establish that the company is insolvent.
For existing owners, the immediate question is how support will work when something goes wrong. Continued warranty coverage matters, but so do replacement stock, qualified technicians, and the time needed to resolve a claim.
Does leaving Australia cancel a manufacturer’s warranty?
A manufacturer cannot simply treat a market exit as an automatic cancellation of existing warranty commitments.
A product warranty is an additional promise about what the business will do when specified problems arise. Once provided with a purchase, that promise carries legal obligations. The warranty document identifies the responsible entity, covered products, claim process, exclusions, and available remedies. Those details matter when local arrangements change.
However, a warranty is only one layer of protection. Australian Consumer Law provides separate consumer guarantees that warranty conditions cannot remove. These rights may continue beyond an advertised warranty period. Their duration depends on what is reasonable for the product and circumstances.
Neither protection means every fault qualifies. Damage, misuse, ordinary deterioration, and the cause of failure can affect a claim.
Your solar retailer still has responsibilities
For faulty equipment, start with the business named on your invoice. This might be your solar retailer rather than the electrician who installed it. Where goods fail consumer guarantees, the seller generally must provide the appropriate remedy. It cannot simply refuse assistance and send you overseas.
The seller’s ability to recover money from its manufacturer is a separate issue. That commercial difficulty does not automatically remove your rights. For example, imagine an inverter develops a qualifying fault after its manufacturer stops selling locally. The seller cannot dismiss the claim solely because its usual supplier has withdrawn.
Installation problems also matter. Consumer guarantees require services to meet standards, including due care and skill.
An unrelated installer does not automatically inherit responsibility for another business’s sales or workmanship.
Are you entitled to repair, replacement, or refund?
The remedy depends on the problem and whether it amounts to a major failure. A major failure can include an unsafe product or a serious problem that would have stopped someone buying it. It can also involve equipment that cannot reasonably be made fit for its normal purpose.
For a major product failure, consumers can generally choose a refund or replacement from the seller. Another option is keeping the product and seeking compensation for its reduced value.
For a minor problem, the seller generally has an opportunity to fix it within a reasonable time, without charging you.
If it fails to do so, further rights can arise. These may include recovering reasonable repair costs or rejecting the product, depending on the circumstances. A manufacturer’s departure alone does not automatically create a refund entitlement for equipment that works properly.
Must manufacturers keep spare parts available?
Australian Consumer Law generally requires manufacturers to take reasonable action to keep repair facilities and parts reasonably available. That obligation lasts for a reasonable period after supply. There is no universal rule requiring every solar component to remain available for exactly 10, 15, or 25 years.
Product type, expected durability, and the circumstances influence what is reasonable.
An exception can apply where the manufacturer arranged appropriate written notice before purchase about unavailable repairs or parts. Stopping sales does not, by itself, replace that requirement.
The spare-parts guarantee is primarily a manufacturer obligation. It differs from the seller’s responsibility for supplying faulty goods.
An importer can fall within the legal definition of manufacturer where the overseas maker has no Australian place of business. Identifying the responsible entity requires checking the actual supply arrangements.
Who pays for labour and replacement costs?
A replacement inverter arriving in a box does not finish the job. Someone must diagnose the fault, remove equipment, and install the replacement. Manufacturer warranties may limit labour allowances or exclude particular expenses. Ask what the warranty covers before authorising work.
However, contractual exclusions do not settle your separate consumer guarantee entitlements. A valid remedy through the seller should not leave you paying costs that the seller must legally cover.
Reasonably foreseeable losses may also be recoverable, depending on the claim. Keep evidence of additional electricity costs and other losses. Lost solar generation does not automatically produce a set compensation payment. You must establish the loss and its connection to the failure.
What changes if the manufacturer goes bust?
A planned market exit and insolvency are different situations. A solvent company may continue meeting warranty commitments through an overseas office or service partner. Insolvency can restrict both claim enforcement and the funds available to pay claims.
If the manufacturer becomes insolvent but your seller remains trading, pursue any applicable consumer guarantee claim with the seller. If the seller closes but a separate manufacturer remains operating, investigate its warranty and your rights against it.
Claims directly against manufacturers differ from claims against sellers. Consumer guarantee remedies against manufacturers generally involve compensation rather than an automatic right to demand a refund or replacement.
If both businesses become insolvent, recovery can become much harder. You may need to register a claim with the relevant administrator or liquidator.
Consumers often rank as unsecured creditors. Available funds may cover only part of a claim, or nothing.
A new owner buying a failed business does not automatically take on every historic warranty obligation.
What should SolarEdge owners do now?
If your system operates normally, the withdrawal alone is not a reason to replace it.
Instead, take these practical steps:
- Save your records. Keep invoices, warranty documents, installation dates, model numbers, serial numbers, and warranty extension confirmations.
- Check monitoring access. Make sure you can access your account and download useful performance records.
- Report existing faults promptly. Record error messages, screenshots, dates, and previous support case numbers.
- Contact your seller in writing. Explain the fault, request assessment, and ask for a written response.
- Confirm the repair arrangements. Ask who supplies parts, completes the work, and pays each cost.
- Check upgrades before committing. Obtain written advice about compatibility, product approvals, and future support.
Certification changes need particular care. A decision to stop renewing certifications does not automatically make an existing installation unlawful. However, new installations, replacements, and expansions need assessment against the requirements applying to that work.
SolarEdge can be contacted via the following avenues:
- Phone: 1800 465 567
- WhatsApp: 0488 850 311
- Online: solaredge.com.au
- Customer Care Email: customercareaustralia@solaredge.com
What if nobody resolves your claim?
Start with a written complaint to the responsible business. Include purchase evidence, the fault history, and the outcome you seek. If that fails, contact your state or territory consumer protection agency. Depending on the dispute, a tribunal or court may provide another pathway.
The ACCC accepts reports and can investigate broader conduct. It does not resolve individual warranty disputes.
For an insolvent company, check ASIC’s published notices to identify the administrator or liquidator.
Frequently asked questions
Is SolarEdge leaving Australia?
SolarEdge is withdrawing from direct local sales and operations in Australia and New Zealand. Ongoing service and support will move to its International Tech Centre.
Final purchase orders close on 20 November 2026, with deliveries due no later than 18 December 2026.
Will my SolarEdge warranty still be honoured?
Eligible SolarEdge products remain covered under their applicable warranty terms. The withdrawal does not automatically cancel existing warranties or remove Australian Consumer Law protections.
Keep your purchase invoice, installation paperwork, serial numbers, and any warranty extension documents.
Who should I contact if my SolarEdge system develops a fault?
Start with the solar retailer that sold you the system. For valid consumer guarantee claims, it generally remains responsible for providing the appropriate remedy.
You can also contact SolarEdge for assistance under its manufacturer’s warranty.
Can my solar retailer refuse to help because the manufacturer has left Australia?
A manufacturer’s withdrawal does not automatically release the seller from its Australian Consumer Law obligations.
For a qualifying product fault, the retailer generally cannot refuse assistance simply because local manufacturer support has changed.
Does Australian Consumer Law protect me after my warranty expires?
Consumer guarantees can continue beyond the manufacturer’s stated warranty period. Their duration depends on reasonable expectations about the product’s durability, price, and other circumstances.
An expired warranty does not automatically mean you must pay for every repair.
Must a manufacturer keep spare parts available after leaving Australia?
Manufacturers generally must take reasonable action to keep spare parts and repair facilities available for a reasonable period after purchase.
Exceptions can apply where appropriate written notice about limited availability was provided before purchase. There is no single mandatory timeframe covering every solar product.
Will I have to pay labour costs for a warranty replacement?
Manufacturer warranty terms may limit labour coverage. However, those limits do not remove your separate consumer guarantee rights.
For a valid consumer guarantee remedy, the seller generally must cover the necessary costs of providing that remedy. Confirm arrangements before authorising work.
What happens if my solar manufacturer goes out of business completely?
If your retailer remains trading, you may still pursue applicable consumer guarantee claims through it.
Claims against an insolvent manufacturer can become harder to enforce. You may need to register with its administrator or liquidator, and recovery is not guaranteed.
Should I replace my SolarEdge inverter or battery now?
A working system does not need replacing simply because the manufacturer withdraws from Australia.
Continue monitoring performance and report faults promptly. Before upgrading, ask a qualified installer to check compatibility, equipment availability, and current approval requirements.
Am I entitled to a refund because SolarEdge is leaving Australia?
The withdrawal alone does not automatically entitle you to a refund.
Your rights depend on whether the equipment meets consumer guarantees and whether any failure qualifies as major or minor.
A warranty needs more than a big number
A lengthy warranty deserves scrutiny beyond the number printed on the brochure.
Before buying solar or battery equipment, ask who provides Australian support and what happens if the product becomes unavailable. Check labour coverage, replacement compatibility, and who actually owes the warranty.
The lesson reaches beyond any one brand: equipment, installation, and after-sales support all deserve a place in your purchasing decision.
This article provides general consumer information, not advice about an individual legal claim. Reporting checked on 4 November 2026.
