The Clean Energy Regulator inspects SGUs under Section 23AAA of the Act for their compliance with the eligibility criteria to claim certificates. Small-scale solar panels are the most common installations on the rooftops of residential dwellings.

After completing a tender process, in February 2012 the Clean Energy Regulator established a panel of service providers for the provision of inspection services of SGUs. The Clean Energy Regulator entered into Deeds of Standing Offers with five service providers to inspect systems installed in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania.

The contractors are Global Sustainable Energy Solutions, Master Electricians Australia, the Australian Solar Energy Society, Carbon Footie and Mark Loveridge.

The locations and numbers of systems inspected are proportionate to the systems installed across Australia for which certificates have been created. The systems for inspection are randomly selected by the Clean Energy Regulator.

The first round of inspections inspected 1,709 systems installed between 1 July 2010 and 31 December 2010.These inspections commenced in May 2011.

The second round of inspections inspected 1,348 systems installed between 1 January 2011 and 30 April 2011. These inspections commenced in November 2011.                

The third round of inspections inspected 1,685 systems installed between 1 May 2011 and 31 August 2011. These inspections commenced in March 2012.

In addition to the above, a fourth round of inspections included 191 school systems installed between 1 September 2009 and 31 March 2012. These systems and the inspections were funded under the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency’s National Solar School Program. These inspections commenced in April 2012.

The fifth round of inspections intends to inspect 1,700 systems installed between 1 September 2011 and 31 December 2011. These inspections commenced in September 2012. As at 31 December, 488 completed inspections reports had been received.