The CEC Approved Products List: what it means for your Perth solar purchase

When you receive a solar quote in Perth, the panels, inverter, and battery on the quote should appear on the Clean Energy Council's (CEC) Approved Products List. This list determines which components are eligible for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) — the federal rebate that reduces your system cost — and for state incentives like WA's Battery Incentive.

What the CEC Approved Products List is

The Clean Energy Council maintains three approval lists:

• Approved Solar Panels
• Approved Inverters
• Approved Batteries (for the Battery Suitability List used by state schemes including Synergy's WA Battery Incentive)

Products appear on these lists after the manufacturer submits technical documentation demonstrating compliance with Australian standards (principally AS/NZS 4755, AS/NZS 5033 for panels; AS/NZS 4777.2 for inverters; AS/NZS 5139 for batteries) and provides independent testing evidence.

The lists are publicly searchable at cleanenergycouncil.org.au/approved-products.

Why it matters for STCs

STCs (Small-scale Technology Certificates) are the federal government incentive that reduces the upfront cost of solar by $1,600–$2,200 for a typical Perth 6.6kW system. To claim STCs:

1. The panels must be on the CEC Approved Solar Panels list
2. The inverter must be on the CEC Approved Inverters list
3. The installation must be performed by a CEC-accredited installer

If any of these conditions are not met, STCs cannot be claimed. In practice, installers typically deduct the STC value from the quoted price as a "point-of-sale discount" — they create and sell the STCs themselves, passing the savings to you. If the products are not approved, this discount disappears.

Why it matters for the WA Battery Incentive

The WA Battery Incentive ($130/kWh, max $1,300 for a 10kWh+ battery) requires the battery to be on the Synergy Solar Suitability List (SSL) — a subset of batteries approved for connection to the Synergy network.

The SSL is distinct from the CEC Approved Batteries list — a battery can be on the CEC list but not yet approved by Synergy. The SSL is searchable at Synergy's website.

Key example: The Tesla Powerwall 3 is NOT on the Synergy SSL — households installing a Powerwall 3 in WA cannot claim the WA Battery Incentive. Despite being a reputable battery, its integrated inverter is not on the CEC approved inverter list required for SSL inclusion. This is a common source of confusion.

How to use the CEC approved products lists

Before accepting a quote:

1. Look up the panels: Go to cleanenergycouncil.org.au/approved-products → Solar Panels. Search by brand and model. If the exact model number from your quote doesn't appear, ask the installer for clarification.

2. Look up the inverter: Same search, Inverters tab. Brand and model.

3. Look up the battery (if applicable): CEC Approved Batteries list. Also cross-check against Synergy SSL if claiming the WA rebate.

4. Check the CEC installer: cleanenergycouncil.org.au/installer-search — search by postcode or name.

This 10-minute check before signing anything is one of the most valuable things a Perth solar buyer can do.

What to do if your quoted product isn't on the list

Don't panic immediately. Products are added to the CEC lists regularly as manufacturers submit documentation. A recently-released product may be genuinely "pending approval" — the manufacturer has submitted documentation and approval is in progress.

Ask the installer: "Is this product on the CEC Approved Products List?" If not, ask:

• Is it pending approval — what's the expected approval date?
• If it's not approved and doesn't have a pending date, why are they recommending it?

Scenarios where a non-approved product may be legitimate:

• A new product released in the last few months with pending CEC submission (ask for a written timeline and confirm the STC discount will still apply when the panels are installed)
• A product approved in a different product variant (some manufacturers have the 435W version approved but not the 440W version)

Scenarios to be concerned about:

• An installer who can't confirm CEC approval and doesn't know where to check
• An installer dismissing the question as unimportant
• A product that has been on the market for 12+ months without CEC approval (unusual — most established manufacturers get approval quickly)

Does CEC approval mean a product is high quality?

CEC approval means a product meets Australian safety and performance standards — it's a compliance floor, not a quality ceiling. Many good-quality products are on the list; the list also includes entry-level budget products.

The list doesn't rank products — it confirms they're compliant with Australian standards. Panel brand reputation, degradation rates, performance warranty terms, and manufacturer financial stability are separate considerations that determine long-term value.

Think of CEC approval as the minimum bar, not a quality endorsement. A CEC-approved 180W panel is compliant but a CEC-approved 445W TOPCon panel from a major manufacturer is also compliant — and they perform very differently over 25 years.

Approved product lists by technology (summary)

Solar panels: The CEC list covers thousands of models from hundreds of manufacturers. Major Perth-common brands (Longi, Jinko, REC, Canadian Solar, JA Solar) are all on the list for their current residential ranges.

Inverters: SolarEdge, Fronius, SMA, Sungrow, Goodwe, Enphase, and other major brands are approved. Some budget Chinese brands are approved; others are not. Verify the specific model (not just the brand).

Batteries: BYD, Sungrow, Alpha ESS, Enphase, and most major battery brands have approved models. Tesla Powerwall 2 is approved; Powerwall 3 is NOT on the Synergy SSL and does not qualify for the WA Battery Scheme rebate.

The CEC Approved Products List is the compliance gate for STCs and state rebates. A 10-minute check before you sign a solar contract confirms your equipment is eligible for the STC discount and WA Battery Incentive. The Synergy SSL is an additional check required specifically for the WA battery rebate — verify your battery model against it directly, as CEC approval alone does not guarantee Synergy SSL inclusion.