Tasmanian Solar Scheme Setup Slammed (Again)

Tasmanian Labor has come out swinging again in relation to the state’s Energy Saver Loan Scheme, saying it unfairly locks out many local solar businesses.

The Energy Saver Loan Scheme was announced in June last year. It’s an expansion of the Energy Efficiency Loans Scheme and offers interest-free loans of between $500 and $10,000 to eligible applicants to purchase energy efficient products including (but not limited to) solar power and battery systems.

In September 2022, Tasmanian Minister for Energy and Renewables Guy Barnett announced the finance partner and program provider for the scheme. Brighte was selected, which is probably best known as a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solar finance provider.

Tasmanian Labor wasn’t happy about the way the scheme was set up then, and still isn’t. Among its ongoing gripes according to a statement attributed to Shadow Minister for Energy & Emissions Reduction Dean Winter:

“Mr Barnett’s needless requirement that installers be Clean Energy Council (CEC) certified means that 90% of Tasmanian installers are ineligible to do installations under the government’s scheme.”

The party has stated this before and it again needs some clarification.

All solar installers need to be CEC accredited, whether they are participating in the scheme or not. What TAS Labor is likely referring to is the added requirement all solar suppliers needed to be CEC Approved Solar Retailers (now New Energy Tech Approved Sellers).

As with the Approved Solar Retailer (ASR) scheme before it, being a New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC) signatory is voluntary, but not signing on (and paying up) can exclude solar businesses from some programs. For example, across the ditch in Victoria, solar business must be ASRs/New Energy Tech Approved Sellers to install systems supported under that state’s solar panel rebate – and this has been the case since late 2019.

As for Labor’s claim 90% of installers in Tasmania are ineligible to perform installations under the Energy Saver Loan Scheme because of this requirement, that’s hard to verify. But there are some great solar installers in Tasmania who didn’t/won’t sign on for whatever reasons, including the cost of participation.

Using a New Energy Tech Approved Seller does not guarantee a good installation or customer experience. On the quality side of things, what has helped is Tasmania’s long-standing requirement that every installation receives an independent inspection. This has played an important role in keeping the cowboys out, or seen their rapid demise when they try to get a toehold.

“Mainland Companies Reap The Rewards”

Tasmanian Labor has also again called Brighte’s credentials into question and alleged:

“We also understand Brighte is now actively recommending mainland installers when it receives inquiries about the scheme.”

The party accuses Minister Barnett of “ensuring that mainland companies can reap the rewards of the scheme, while local businesses are locked out.”

Labor doesn’t mention to what extent this is supposedly happening. On checking participating vendors servicing Hobart and Launceston, there were plenty of local businesses in Brighte’s listings and initial search results only display local installers. On a related note, the example local business Labor said was “locked out” appears to have become a New Energy Tech Approved Seller.

Still, a situation where businesses are faced with the choice of joining an arguably unnecessary and costly program or potentially go under is less than ideal. Margins are thin as is and home solar in Tasmania is a much smaller and more challenging market compared to the mainland states.

Learn more about going solar in Tasmania.