If you want the battery to create STCs, you need to be accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) for battery installation, or work under the on-site supervision of someone who is.
The short version
The accreditation does not decide whether a battery can be installed. Your electrical licence and local regulations do that. What accreditation decides is whether the install can earn certificates. For a program that is worth thousands of dollars of discount per job, an unaccredited install usually means a customer who expected a discount and does not get one.
Common scenarios
- Licensed electrician, no accreditation. You can do the install, but certificates will not be created unless an accredited installer supervises on site.
- Accredited installer, using a subcontractor. The accredited person must be on site or directly supervising, and the paperwork should say so.
- Accreditation lapsed or suspended. Claims will fail. Check status before quoting.
- Accredited for solar only. Confirm the scope covers batteries.
Practical checks before quoting
Confirm your SAA status and category, keep your electrical licence current, and keep a record of who was on site for each install. If you rely on subcontractors, put the supervision arrangement in writing.
If you are not accredited yet
Plan the time. Accreditation requires evidence of training and competency, and it is not instant. In the meantime you can partner with an accredited installer who supervises on site, but the arrangement has to be genuine and documented. Do not take battery jobs on the assumption that you will be accredited by the time the claim is lodged.
What this means for installers
Use the battery work as an incentive to tidy your accreditation, insurance and records. Read battery installer accreditation for the background and battery rebate installer requirements for the other conditions. The battery STC pillar covers the program, and the battery submission guide lists the evidence you need. If you want a second pair of eyes on a claim, start trading and our desk will pre-check it.