Comparison
Accreditation compared: VEU, NSW ACP, SAA and CEC for installers
In short
Four different things get called accreditation: Solar Accreditation Australia for solar and battery installers, the Clean Energy Council for approved products, Victorian Energy Upgrades accreditation for creating VEECs, and NSW Accredited Certificate Provider status. Know which one your work needs before you pay for any.
“Accreditation” is the most overloaded word in this trade. Installers use it for personal credentials, for product listings and for the status that lets a business create certificates. This page separates them so you know which one a given job needs.
The four things
| Who | What it covers | Needed for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAA | Solar Accreditation Australia | Installer and designer accreditation for solar and batteries under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme | Systems that create STCs |
| CEC | Clean Energy Council | Approved product lists (including approved batteries), training and CPD | Product eligibility, for example the CEC-approved battery requirement |
| VEU accreditation | Essential Services Commission | Status to create VEECs, as an accredited person or provider | Creating VEECs directly |
| NSW ACP | NSW scheme regulator | Accredited Certificate Provider status to create ESCs or PRCs | Creating NSW certificates |
SAA versus CEC
On 29 February 2024 the Clean Energy Regulator approved Solar Accreditation Australia as the new accreditation scheme operator for installers and designers under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, and the Clean Energy Council has handed over that role. Installers and designers apply to SAA for new or renewed accreditation, and SAA recognises CPD points done through the CEC. The CEC still matters for product lists: the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program requires a CEC-approved battery, for example. Our photo requirements and battery submission guide show how this plays out in a claim.
Heat pump installers
For a heat pump, the question is different. SAA accreditation relates to solar and battery installation types. A heat pump water heater typically needs the right trade licence (for example plumbing and electrical, as your state requires) and must meet the activity requirements of the scheme you are claiming under, whether that is STCs, VEECs or NSW certificates. We have not verified every state’s licensing requirement, so check your regulator. See heat pump hot water STCs explained.
VEU accreditation versus working with an accredited provider
In Victoria you can pursue accreditation with the Essential Services Commission to create VEECs yourself, or work with an accredited provider that creates and sells them for you.
| Own VEU accreditation | Work with an accredited provider | |
|---|---|---|
| Control | You create and sell your VEECs | The provider creates and sells them |
| Compliance load | Yours: records, audits, evidence | Shared; the provider carries much of it |
| Cash flow | Depends on your sale terms | Depends on the provider’s terms |
| Best for | Higher volume, a back office, appetite for audit | Lower volume, or no wish to run compliance |
Neither is right for everyone. At low volumes the cost of running your own accreditation often outweighs the benefit; at high volumes it can change your margin. Ask any provider what you receive per job after their share.
NSW: ACP versus trader
In NSW, an Accredited Certificate Provider is accredited to create ESCs or PRCs. A trader buys certificates. Many NSW installers work with an ACP that arranges the customer discount and creates the certificates. The question to ask is the same as in Victoria: what do I receive, and when?
How to decide
Start with volume and capacity. If you install a handful of eligible jobs a month, working with an accredited provider will almost always be simpler than becoming accredited. If volume is high and you have someone who can handle records and audits, owning the accreditation may improve margins. Then check the details that make the difference in practice: how the provider calculates what you are paid, how quickly, what happens when a certificate is invalidated, and whether you can leave. Ask the same questions of any NSW Accredited Certificate Provider. Finally, check each credential on its issuer’s register before relying on it. A provider’s accreditation should be verifiable, and you should verify it. If you do not yet have SAA accreditation but plan solar or battery work, start that process early, since it can take time.
A fair verdict
Match the credential to the claim. Solar and battery STCs need an SAA-accredited installer and CEC-approved products; VEECs need an accredited person or provider; NSW certificates run through an ACP. For how Victoria and NSW compare, see NSW ESS vs Victorian VEU. For the installer overview, see /installers/ and how STC audits work. If you are weighing who should handle your STCs, /stc-trading/ explains how we do it.
How we wrote this. Energy Merchants is a certificate trader, so we have a horse in this race. Statements about other providers are taken from their own public websites on the date shown above and are attributed. If something here is out of date, tell the desk and we will fix it.
Sources: Energy.gov.au: CER appoints new solar accreditation scheme operator · Clean Energy Council: Installers · Essential Services Commission: Victorian Energy Upgrades · NSW Energy Sustainability Schemes
Questions
Before you decide
What is the difference between SAA and CEC accreditation?
Does a heat pump installer need SAA or CEC accreditation?
Is an Accredited Certificate Provider the same as a trader?
More comparisons
Keep comparing
Solar hot water vs heat pump: which is better in 2026
Solar hot water and heat pump water heaters compared for 2026: how each works, how STCs apply, running cost factors, climate and what to check before choosing.
VPP-capable vs VPP-enrolled battery: what the STC rules need
Why VPP-capable is not the same as VPP-enrolled for battery STCs, where enrolment is required (NSW BESS2, WA), and what to tell customers about retailer VPP plans.
VEEC vs Solar Victoria rebate: what is the difference
VEECs and Solar Victoria rebates are different things. How each works, who receives the benefit, who administers it and where installers and households meet them.
Compare us on the thing that matters: when the money lands.
Sign up, lodge one claim, and judge us on the settlement. No lock-in, nothing to cancel.