Solar Victoria is a statewide incentive program, which is currently one of the largest in Australia. The program offers incentives for homeowners in Victoria, covering not only solar panels but also batteries and solar hot water systems. Starting 28 May 2021, the Solar Victoria program is now receiving applications for its new Solar for Business incentive. Previously, the program was only offering incentives for residential homes.

The Solar for Business incentive covers 50% of the cost of a solar panel system, with a maximum incentive of $3,500 per installation. This means that a $6,000 solar system gets $3,000 and a $20,000 system gets the maximum value of $3,500. The Solar for Business program will be awarding 15,000 incentives during three years, and it covers systems with up to 30 kW of capacity.

To save you even more, Solar Victoria incentives can be combined with Small-scale Technology Certificates (STC) from the nationwide incentive program. The STC program covers even larger systems, with an installation capacity of up to 100 kW. However, only systems up to 30 kW can get both incentives. As of 2021, a 25-kW solar panel system in Melbourne would get the following benefits:

• The maximum incentive of $3,500 from the Solar for Business program.
• 296 STCs from the Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme. At $38 each, they have a total value of $11,248.
• This 25-kW solar panel system would get a total incentive of $14,748 when adding the STCs and the Solar Victoria incentive. 
• If the system has a normal price of $40,000, the two incentives reduce it to $25,252, which is essentially a 37% discount.

Who is eligible?

Just like other solar incentives, the Solar for Business program has some eligibility criteria. To qualify, you will need to meet the following;

• The business must have at least one employee who is not the owner, and less than 20 employees.
• The business must operate in a non-residential location. If you have a home-based business, you can apply for the Solar Homes incentive instead.
• The premises where your business is located must be metered individually, with a direct connection to the grid and a National Meter Identifier (NMI).
• The solar incentive can only be awarded once for each Australian Business Number (ABN). This means a company operating in several locations must pick one site for the incentive.
• The system must be installed by a Solar Victoria approved solar retailer like Instyle Solar.
• The system must use equipment in the Solar Victoria approved product list.
• The Solar for Business program also covers charity and non-for-profit organisations.
• The program is also available for renters, but the application must include a copy of the Landlord and Tenant Guidelines and Consent Form, which can be downloaded from the Solar Victoria website. You must also submit this form if you own the business and the premises under different names.

How do you apply?

After you contact an approved retailer like Instyle Solar, they will upload your quote to the Solar Victoria website, and you will get an application link via email. The application can be completed by the business owner or an authorised representative, and it will require an email address and phone number.

1. The application form will display the list of Solar Victoria approved solar retailers, like Instyle Solar.
2. You must then input the quote number and dollar amount, and the system will find the quote. 
3. Before proceeding, you must confirm that the details are correct.
4. You will be asked to confirm if you are an owner-occupier, renter, or associated entity (term used when owning the business and premises under different names). As mentioned above, renters and associated entities must submit the Landlord and Tenant Guidelines and Consent Form.
5. The application will also request your Australian Business Number (ABN), and will then ask certain details about your business, including the WorkCover Employer Number (WEN) and Certified Rateable Remuneration. You must accept the program terms and conditions, and also the privacy policy.
6. After completing the application successfully, you will receive an email with a transaction reference number. 
7. Solar Victoria will notify you when your application is approved, and also if you need to provide additional information.

For more information visit the Solar Victoria website or contact us on 1300 553 556.

Next Steps…

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Otherwise, you can always contact us on 1300 133 556, or email if you prefer at sales@instylesolar.com.au.