Full accreditation

An accredited person can apply to the Clean Energy Council for full accreditation by submitting a case study as proof of competence in the design and installation of solar photovoltaic power systems (see Full Accreditation Application Pack).

Please note: Applications to Upgrade/Renew your accreditation can take up to 3 weeks to process. Where possible, send in your applications early to allow processing time when submitting your case study. A 1 month grace period will be given if a complete case study is submitted before the accreditation expires.

An upgrade to full accreditation application must include –

Completed online application form (click here to apply online)
Certificate of Currency / Proof of Public Liability Insurance cover – minimum of $5 million coverage
One case study.
Copy of unrestricted Electrical License (required for 'grid-connect design and install' and 'grid-connect install only')
Payment – $880 inc GST

If applying to upgrade:

Accreditation for stand-alone (SPS) and grid-connected (GC) photovoltaic power systems: one stand-alone (SPS) photovoltaic power system case study and one grid-connected (GC) photovoltaic power system case study must be submitted.
Accreditation for grid-connected (GC) photovoltaic power systems: one grid-connected (GC) photovoltaic power system case studymust be submitted.
Accreditation for stand-alone (SPS) photovoltaic power systems: one stand-alone (SPS) photovoltaic power system case study must be submitted.

Case study reports

All case study reports for accreditation must include (see Case Study Overview):

Full design details [ SPS ] / System performance estimates [ GC ]
Installation photographs
Testing and Commissioning checklists
System connection diagram

Stand-alone (SPS) photovoltaic power systems case study reports

To be deemed suitable for stand-alone (SPS) photovoltaic power systems, case study reports must:

be for a variable load i.e. not a telecomm’s system
be for a fixed structure i.e. not a mobile system like a trailer
have a minimum rating of 450W PV or 1kWh/day for systems utilising other energy sources along with PV
have been designed and installed in the previous two years
not previously have been submitted to the Clean Energy Council for accreditation purposes

A design summary for a stand-alone (SPS) photovoltaic power system case study must be provided in a format either:

as provided in AS4509.2 Appendix B (Blank Worksheets)
printed from a program designed to size power system components in accordance with AS 4509.2

Grid-connected (GC) photovoltaic power system case study reports

Any sizing program may be used to supply a design summary for your grid-connected (GC) photovoltaic power system case study, as long as it shows system performance for best and worst months, taking into account:

location
orientation
tilt
shading (if any)

Install-only case study reports

When applying for install-only accreditation (where the design is performed by a person other than the accredited installer) the case study submitted must show full design details in exactly the same way as if the design work was performed by the accredited person.

Design-only case study reports

Where accreditation is Design only or where the installation is carried out by a person other than the Accredited designer e.g. employees or sub-contractors, it is the designer’s responsibility to ensure that the installation complies with all relevant standards, regulations and guidelines.

Where the installation work is carried out by a non-Accredited person, a full site inspection of the completed installation must be performed by the Accredited designer and the designer assumes full responsibility for the compliance and performance of the completed system.

All case studies submitted will show full installation details in exactly the same way as if the installation work were performed by the Accredited person.

Note: Applicants who fail to provide a design summary risk having their case study rejected.

Assessment of case study reports

The Standards Training and Accreditation (STA) Committee will examine case studies as they are submitted and will either:

Accept that the case studies meet the requirements of relevant Australian Standards andb industry guidelines (see Standards / Accreditation Rules); or
Accept that the case studies have minor deficiencies and provide advice on design/installation practice for future work; or
Reject the case studies until identified deficiencies are rectified at the expense of the accredited person. Proof of remedial work is required prior to acceptance; or
Reject the case studies until identified deficiencies are rectified at the expense of the accredited person and requiring one or more further case studies. Proof of remedial work again is required prior to acceptance.

Once we have recieved all of the above documentation the accreditation process usually take 2-3 weeks.

Accreditation extension

Extensions will be granted up to a maximum of three months for the upgrade process from provisional accreditation to full accreditation (see extension application form). All extensions must be paid for, unless an extension is required to complete further work for an application which has been deemed 'not adequate' or 'not to standard'.