While otherwise welcomed by the solar sector, Victoria’s Solar Homes package is causing some market irregularities in the state’s residential rooftop market segment. Some installers in the state are currently reporting a lag in businesses, as customers are put off by purchasing a rooftop system, thinking the program oversubscribed and closed until July 1. Others were concerned that would miss out entirely, having installed a system before receiving the required eligibility number.
In order to qualify for the Solar Homes Package rebate in its first phase, Victorians were required to register with the Solar Victoria and receive an eligibility number. In the confusion of the first phase of the rebate it seems many households were ignorant of this requisite or misled by a minority of installers.
Solar Victoria says at least 600 households have been caught up in this loophole and believes many more are yet to be identified. As a result, the Victorian Government has announced that any household that installed a solar PV system between August 19 2018 and April 12, 2019, but were unable to submit a Solar Homes application because they were deemed ineligible can now reapply for the rebate.
Unveiled in August 2018, and officially opened for applications in September, the Solar Homes program provides rebates of $2,225 to support the installation of solar panels on 24,000 homes, as well as up to $1,000 for solar hot water systems on 6,000 homes, under the current initiative set to expire on June 30.
It is available to Victorians with a household income of up to $180,000 who live in their own home valued at up to $3 million – with homeowners only eligible for one rebate.
The Government has set a deadline for reapplications on June 14t, 2019, and notes that this is a one-off retrospective deal. From now on, an eligibility number will be required for all future claims once the rebate restarts on July 1.
Solar Victoria urges companies and installers to contact their customers to ensure their eligibility and re-enter their applications. All questions regarding the rebate and the clemency period can be directed to rebateapplications@solar.vic.gov.au
Former Sustainability Victoria CEO Stan Krpan has been named the inaugural Chief Executive of Solar Victoria.
Author: Blake Matich
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I was wondering if we have PV manufacturing in Australia? (I don’t mean installers).
…if not why not?