Rules are being imposed on people and companies who install solar panels, forcing members of the industry to clean up their act.

The Clean Energy Council has received an official blessing from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for a unusual new code of conduct for solar installers. The code is an effort to fight back against companies who install poor-quality gear for big profits.

The ACCC will allow the CEC to impose its 5 year Retailer Code of Conduct to try to squeeze dodgy operators out of the market. It will come into place on October 17 provided there are no challenges before then.

With constant complaints from customers of solar companies that the market is overrun with half-baked firms seeking to get involved in a subsidised scene, the regulations will be welcomed. It is highly unusual for the ACCC to allow such regulations – showing how bad some operators in the industry have been.

The Code of Conduct seeks to lift the bar for the industry, and will be vital reading for anyone employed in solar photovoltaic panel sales, marketing or installation.

A copy of the most recent version of the code, soon to be imposed, is available from the ACCC.