Many devices keep drawing power when they are idle. A standby power controller is a device that detects when a TV, a set-top box or a desk setup is off and cuts the supply, then restores it when needed. Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) has had an activity for installing them.
How it works
An accredited provider arranges for an eligible controller to be installed. The Essential Services Commission (ESC) sets the product requirements, such as the type of device and features that must be present, and the evidence needed. If the rules are met, VEECs are created based on the estimated standby energy saved over the product’s assumed life.
The savings are real but small per household, which is why the activity needs to be cheap to run.
What the discount looks like
For the householder the product may be free or heavily discounted, because the provider expects to create and sell the VEECs. As a guide: VEEC count x the price the provider uses x the share passed on. VEECs have been roughly $85 to $95 in 2026. The count per controller is low, so this is a modest benefit, indicative and price-dependent.
Eligibility to confirm
- Open or closed. Check the ESC’s activity list for the current status.
- Product. The model must be on the register.
- Installation. Where it is installed, and by whom, can be specified.
- Customer. Eligibility conditions may apply to the household.
Evidence
Photos of the installed controller and the devices connected, product label and serial where relevant, and the signed customer form. Details need to match across all documents.
What this means for installers
Treat it as an add-on to larger jobs, not a stand-alone business. If you do offer it, keep paperwork consistent and use a trader that lets you lodge small claims without friction. See VEEC trading, pricing and how VEECs work. The VEEC payment time guide explains what to expect on cash flow.