If you are looking for the list, go to the Clean Energy Council’s approved products pages. There are three separate lists: PV modules (panels), inverters and batteries. Each is searchable by manufacturer and model, and each shows the dates a product’s approval applies.
Who maintains the approved products list
The Clean Energy Council does. Manufacturers apply, submit test reports and certification evidence, and the CEC adds the product when it is satisfied. It can also update, expire or remove a listing. The CEC is an industry body, not a government agency, which is why people often assume the regulator owns the list. It does not.
Approved products: CEC vs CER
The two organisations do different jobs:
- CEC: assesses and publishes the approved product lists.
- CER: runs the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, registers STC creation and audits claims.
The regulator’s rules say the panels and inverters (and, for the battery program, the battery) in a system must be on the CEC list for STCs to be created. So a product that is not on the list will not clear, whatever the installer’s paperwork says.
How often the CEC approved list is updated
There is no single monthly release. Products are added when approved, and removed or marked expired when approval lapses or is withdrawn. That means the list can change between the day you quote and the day you install. Industry coverage has reported hundreds of panel models dropped at once, so treat any downloaded copy as out of date quickly.
Which date counts
The date that counts is the installation date, not the date the contract was signed or the day you lodge. If a product leaves the list later, see what happens if a panel is removed from the list.
What this means for installers
Build the list check into two points: at quote (so you do not sell a product that is about to expire) and at install (so you know it is valid on the day). Record the model number exactly as listed; a one-character difference between the label, the invoice and the listing is a common cause of rejections, covered in top STC claim rejection reasons.
For batteries, the program also requires VPP capability and an accredited installer, covered in which batteries are eligible.
What this means for homeowners
Ask your installer for the panel, inverter and battery model numbers before you sign and look them up yourself. If a product is not on the list, the STC discount may not be available. Our STC trading overview explains how the certificates behind that discount work, and the STC calculator shows what a system should generate.
If you are an installer who wants a second set of eyes on products and paperwork before lodging, see how it works or start trading. Current rates are on pricing.