STC trading has two layers. At the base, certificates are created in the registry when an eligible small-scale system is installed. On top of that sits a market where certificates are sold to the organisations that have to surrender them.
The two ways to do it
Directly. You register with the registry, create certificates yourself, find buyers and manage the paperwork. It suits large businesses with a dedicated admin function, but the compliance burden is heavy, and rejected claims fall on you.
Through a trader. You assign the certificates to a trader that does the registry work, checks evidence and pays you. This is the route most installers take because it frees time for installing.
Who is on the other side
The main buyers are energy retailers and other liable entities that must meet annual obligations. They can buy on the market or from the Clearing House at a fixed $40, which is why spot sits at about $38 to $40 at the time of writing. See STC spot price.
What a trade needs
- An eligible, compliant installation with documentation.
- A validly assigned right to the certificates.
- A complete claim lodged through the registry.
- A buyer or trader to pay for them.
What this means for installers
Unless certificates are your core business, go through a trader. Compare on rate, lock, fees and speed using our trader checklist. Energy Merchants offers zero fees and 24-hour settlement for established partners; see how it works, the STC trading pillar and start trading.
If you are curious about the economics of going direct, tally the hours you would spend each week on registry admin and compare that with the margin a trader keeps. For most small and mid-sized crews, an hour on the tools earns more than an hour on registry paperwork, which is why the trader model dominates.
One more consideration is the end of the scheme. With small-scale solar incentives ending on 31 December 2030 and the deeming period shrinking each year, volumes will decline over time. Choosing a trader with a long track record, such as REC Traders which has been trading since 2004, matters more when the market is getting smaller and counterparty strength counts.