The New Energy Tech Consumer Code sets standards for how solar and batteries are sold, installed and supported. Learn what Approved Seller status covers, why some NSW funding requires it, and how to check a seller before you sign. A New Energy Tech Approved Seller is a business that has signed up to the New Energy Tech Consumer Code, been approved under it, and committed to follow its standards when selling and supporting products such as solar panels and home batteries. It matters for two practical reasons. It gives you protections on top of the general consumer law, and in NSW certain funding, including Home Energy Saver loans and strata funding, is only available when you buy through an Approved Seller. Blue Energy Solar is a New Energy Tech Approved Seller, with its certificate valid to 25 August 2027.
What the Consumer Code covers
The Code is a voluntary industry code authorised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. It applies across the whole customer journey, not just the moment of sale. In broad terms, it sets standards for:
- Marketing and sales: honest advertising, no high-pressure or misleading tactics, and extra care with unsolicited sales such as door-knocking and cold calls.
- Information before you sign: clear quotes and contracts setting out what is included, the total price, payment terms and realistic information about what the system is expected to do.
- Finance: care and transparency when a finance product is offered as part of a sale.
- Installation: design and installation by appropriately qualified and accredited people, to the relevant standards.
- Warranties and after-sales support: clear warranty information, handover documents and a way to get help after installation.
- Complaints: an accessible complaints process, with a path to escalate if a complaint is not resolved.
- Vulnerable consumers: extra care for people who may be at a disadvantage in a sales conversation.
The Code adds to your rights rather than replacing them. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply whether or not a business is an Approved Seller.
What Approved Seller status does not tell you
Approved Seller status is an important baseline, but it is not the whole picture, and it helps to know its limits:
- It is not a product endorsement. The Code does not rate equipment brands or confirm that a system is the right size for your home.
- It does not replace licensing or accreditation. Electrical work still needs licensed electricians, and solar and battery design and installation still need accredited installers.
- It does not make every quote good value. You still need to compare system design, equipment, scope and warranties.
- It is time-limited. Status is certified for a period, so check that it is current at the time you sign.
Why NSW funding needs an Approved Seller
NSW Home Energy Saver loans and strata funding require the solar or battery to be bought through a New Energy Tech Approved Seller. In practice, if you think you may use one of these programs, choose an Approved Seller from the start. Otherwise you may need to start over with new quotes once you discover the requirement. Program details change, so check current eligibility on the official NSW Government rebates, grants and schemes page before relying on any funding.
Federal incentives have their own rules as well. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program provides roughly 30% off the installed cost of an eligible home battery through STCs, but the battery must be installed with solar, be on the approved products list and be installed by an SAA-accredited installer. Its per-kWh value steps down every 1 January and 1 July to 2030, so confirm current values on the official Clean Energy Regulator page before signing.
For strata buildings, the requirement matters early. Owners corporations usually need committee-ready proposals before a motion goes to a vote, and those proposals should come from a seller whose quote can actually be used with the funding. Our Owners Corporation Proposal & Report is listed in the energy market from $990 per building, indicative and confirmed after a site assessment.
Approved Seller, accredited installer, licensed electrician
These credentials are often confused, but each tells you something different, and a good project needs all of them:
| Credential | Who holds it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| New Energy Tech Approved Seller | The selling business | Committed to the Consumer Code's standards for sales, contracts and support |
| SAA accreditation | Individual system designers and installers | Trained and accredited for solar and battery design and installation; needed for STCs and the federal battery discount |
| Electrical licence | Electricians and electrical contractors | Legally permitted to carry out electrical work in NSW |
| Public liability insurance | The business | Cover if third-party property is damaged or someone is injured during the work |
How to check a seller before you sign
- Ask whether the business is a New Energy Tech Approved Seller, then confirm it on the Code's public list of Approved Sellers.
- Ask who will design and install the system, and confirm their SAA accreditation.
- Check that the electrical work will be done under a current NSW electrical licence.
- Ask for details of public liability insurance.
- Read the quote closely: equipment brands and models, total price, payment stages, any additional works, and product, performance and workmanship warranties.
- Ask how warranty claims and complaints are handled after installation.
- If the approach was unsolicited, take your time. Cooling-off rights apply to unsolicited sales, and no reputable seller should rush you.
Blue Energy Solar's credentials
We are a New Energy Tech Approved Seller, with the certificate valid to 25 August 2027. We hold $20 million public liability cover, and our installers are SAA-accredited. Every quote follows a real in-home site assessment rather than satellite images alone, and we handle the installation, rebate paperwork and grid-connection application for our customers. You can read more about how we work on our about us page, and see how rebates and incentives fit together on our rebates and incentives hub. Incentive values step down over time, so confirm current values on the official pages before signing.
Next steps
If you are comparing sellers, or planning to use NSW funding for your home or strata building, request a quote. We will assess your property in person, provide an itemised written proposal, and are happy to show our Approved Seller certificate and insurance details during the process.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an Approved Seller if I am paying cash, not using a NSW loan?
It is not a legal requirement. You can buy solar or a battery from any properly licensed business. However, the Code's standards on sales conduct, clear contracts, installation, warranties and complaints handling still work in your favour when you pay cash. Choosing an Approved Seller also keeps your options open if you later decide to add a battery or other equipment using NSW funding.
What happens if an Approved Seller breaches the Code?
Start by raising the issue with the seller in writing, using its complaints process. If it is not resolved, you can escalate the complaint under the Code, and serious or repeated breaches can lead to sanctions, including suspension or removal of Approved Seller status. You can also contact NSW Fair Trading about consumer law issues. Keep your quote, contract, invoices and any messages together.
Does choosing an Approved Seller mean paying more?
Not necessarily. Approved Seller status is about how a business sells, installs and supports what it sells, not about price. Compare quotes on equal terms: equipment brands and models, system size, additional works, warranties and after-sales support. A lower price that leaves out switchboard work, network applications or clear warranty terms can end up costing more once the job is complete.
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