1.1 About the Notice to Market
The Solar Homes Program is a discretionary program. Participation is governed by the requirements set out in this Notice to Market as well as Solar Victoria's terms and conditions, such as those for retailers and installers.
Retailers, installers and other workers must comply with the requirements in this notice for Solar Homes incentives to apply to solar PV, solar battery, and hot water systems. Practices and installations must always comply with the requirements, including at the time of quoting and at installation.
The Notice to Market provides retailers and installers with a clear statement of business and workforce requirements, and system and product requirements. The requirements are outcome-focused, based on the principles in the Solar Victoria Technology Guidelines.
The energy transition continues to gather pace. To successfully administer the program and embrace the benefits of emerging technologies and market developments, Solar Victoria interprets the Notice to Market requirements through the lens of the Technology Guidelines.
This edition of the Notice to Market and all new requirements come into effect on 1 July 2025.
1.2 New and updated requirements and recommendations in this edition
There are two new mandatory requirements and eight new recommendations in this edition of the Notice to Market.
New requirements seek to help customers realise their investments in distributed energy resources, maintain our focus on consumer protections, and continue to uplift the safety and quality of products and systems installed under the Solar Homes Program
We have also consolidated and streamlined existing requirements.
1.2.1 New mandatory requirements
The new mandatory requirements effective from 1 September 2025 relate to:
| New requirement | Section |
|---|---|
| Expanded product warranties to include labour. | Section 3.1.1 Section 3.2.1 Section 3.2.3 Section 4.1.1 Section 4.2.1 Section 5.1.1 Section 5.2.1 |
| New plumbers entering the program having completed appropriate training in the design and installation of heat pump hot water systems. | Section 5.1.3 |
1.2.2 Updated mandatory requirements
The updates we have made to existing mandatory requirements relate to:
| New requirement | Section |
|---|---|
| Retailers across all streams providing warranty coverage of 5 years minimum, with the warranty to include cost of freight or transport by supplier, and all ancillary/auxiliary devices required to make the core product or system work.. | Section 3.1.1 Section 3.2.1 Section 3.2.3 Section 4.1.1 Section 4.2.1 Section 5.1.1 Section 5.2.1 |
| Retailers providing the warranty documents to the customer. | Section 3.1.1 Section 4.1.1 Section 5.1.1 |
| Holding a current Refrigerant Handling Licence issued by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) applies also to decommissioning a split hot water heat pump with synthetic refrigerant circulating through the pipework. | Section 5.1.3 |
We have also made minor updates to other requirements to ensure the Notice to Market remains current and relevant.
1.2.3 New recommendations
The new recommendations effective from 1 July 2025 relate to:
| New recommendation | Section |
|---|---|
| Hot water retailers providing a financial performance estimate to the customer (see section ) | Section 5.1.2 |
| Training and competency provisions for retailers and installers regarding whole-of-system design and/or systems thinking. | Section 3.2.1 Section 3.1.4 Section 4.1.2 Section 4.1.4 Section 5.1.2 Section 5.1.4 |
| Completion of manufacturer specific training to apply to solar PV and hot water products and systems, not just battery. | Section 3.1.4 Section 5.1.4 |
| Completion of training in 22679VIC Course in Decommissioning Solar PV Panels for Safe Reuse or Recycling. | Section 3.1.4 |
| Solar PV retailers offering ongoing solar PV system servicing to customers. | Section 3.1.2 |
| Inverters supplying a single socket outlet in the event of a grid outage. | Section 3.2.2 Section 4.2.2 |
| Batteries to switch to back-up power mode if there is grid disturbance or an outage. | Section 4.2.2 |
| Hot water systems to be offered, designed and installed as fit for purpose. | Section 5.1.2 |
1.3 About our incentives
For more detailed information about our incentives, including values and eligibility criteria, see Solar Homes Program.
1.3.1 Solar PV rebate
We provide rebates and interest-free loans to eligible homeowners with existing homes, homes under construction, rental properties, and community housing providers towards the cost of installing an eligible solar PV system, up to a maximum amount listed on our website.
We also provide grants to eligible apartment households toward the installation of eligible solar PV systems.
See Solar panel (PV) rebate
See Solar for community housing
See Solar for Apartments program
1.3.2 Solar battery loan
We provide interest-free loans to homeowners towards the cost of installing an eligible solar battery system, up to a maximum amount listed on our website. While the solar battery loan program closed to applications in May 2025, the new Notice to Market includes requirements and recommendations to apply to battery systems still to be installed from approved applications.
See Solar battery loan.
1.3.3 Hot water rebate
We provide rebates to homeowners with existing homes towards the cost of installing an eligible hot water system, up to a maximum amount listed on our website. From 1 July 2025 a higher rebate will also be available for customers who choose eligible hot water products with locally made content.
We also have a process for emergency hot water installations, so Victorians don’t have to wait if their system has broken down.
See Hot water rebate.
1.4 Acknowledgements
We consulted with key stakeholders to develop this Notice to Market 2025–26 and considered feedback in designing the mandatory requirements and recommendations as well as other updates.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the development of this Notice to Market.
Representatives from the following agencies contributed to the Notice to Market 2025–26:
- Energy Safe Victoria Clean
- Energy Regulator
- WorkSafe Victoria
- Victorian Building Authority
- Clean Energy Council
- Solar Accreditation Australia
- Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria
- Energy Consumers Australia
- Consumer Action Law Centre
- Brotherhood of St Laurence
- CHOICE
- National Electrical and Communications Association
- Master Plumbers Victoria
- Australian and New Zealand Water Heating Association
- Energy Efficiency Council
- Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre
We also conducted targeted engagement with the Solar Victoria Industry and Consumer Reference Group and with manufacturers, retailers and installers participating in the Solar Homes Program.
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