February 2025

Reminder: complete the annual CPD requirement

Many installers will be nearing the end of their 12 months CPD period when they need to complete the continued professional development training to meet the annual CPD requirements.

Under the SAA Accreditation Scheme, all accreditees are required to complete 100 CPD points every 12 months for the duration of their accreditation to ensure they keep up to date with industry trends, regulations and best practice. We have been sending reminders to those who still need to complete their annual requirement with the number of CPD points needed and options for achieving them.

Make sure to check your SAA Portal for your CPD status and remember to submit certificates of completion to us, so the points can be added towards your accreditation. You should allow for up to 3 days to get the CPD points to show up under your profile.

Accreditees can earn the required CPD points by completing training from any of the third-party providers listed on our website. There’s a wide range of options available, including face-to-face and online courses that cover technical and soft skills. To view a list of available courses here.

CPD Courses released in January 

We are making the SAA Portal easier for accreditees 

We have been working in the background to make the accreditation processes faster and easier for our accreditees in the SAA Portal. Next month, there will be new features that will make managing your accreditation, compliance and CPD easier and faster.

Improved CPD functionality
The upgraded CPD dashboard will give you an at-a-glance overview of your CPD status. Accreditees can easily track their total CPD points through the 12 months cycle and know exactly how many points they still need to submit before the end of the annual period. 

Improved compliance case management
The automation of compliance processes will mean you can upload photos and information associated with any non-compliance audits directly into your portal. Plus, you’ll have easy access to your compliance information and regular alerts will help keep you informed on the progress and directly interact with us about your non-compliance helping to resolve issues quicker. 

Upload case study documents
Those who are doing case studies as part of their provisional accreditation can easily upload their documents and photos directly into the portal. They’ll also receive feedback from our technical assessors to help complete their case study.  

These updates are all part of our ongoing efforts to make the SAA Portal faster, simpler, and more user-friendly. We will be sending User Guides and videos to all of our accreditees next month to help with the transition. Our team will also be here to help and answer any questions.   

SAA is working with other scheme operators on sharing compliance data 

As the Accreditation Scheme operator for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), one of our requirements is to process and action compliance data from different scheme operators and state and territory electrical regulators.   

In line with this requirement, SAA is working with scheme operators in other states on this arrangement. Non-compliance data that will be referred to us, will be processed for issuing demerit points for any ‘Unsafe’ and ‘Needs Rectification’ categories of installations. 

Our aim is also to use compliance data we collect to develop education and learning opportunities for accreditation holders to help close any gaps that they may have relating to compliance.   

We’ll keep our accreditees informed of any future arrangements in their state, to make sure they have the information upfront and can talk to us if they have any questions.  

New standards for PV modules fully in force after 31 March 2025

From 31 March 2025, solar installations must use PV modules that are certified to the 2021 version of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61215 standard or have an approved extension to be eligible for small-scale technology certificates (STCs). 

Installers and designers need to check the version of IEC 61215 standard the panel was tested to on the panel compliance plate and refer to the Clean Energy Councils approved product list to ensure the panels meet STC eligibility requirements.  

Please note that in accordance with SRES requirements, installations must be tested and commissioned before the PV module expiry date to be eligible for STCs. For more information, visit CECs website.

Industry Reference Group

As we noted earlier this month, SAA is looking to establish the Industry Reference Group to ensure ongoing industry engagement with how the Accreditation Scheme is operated. Reference Group will provide national industry voice on the development of future programs under the Scheme. 

Expression of Interest is now open, and we would like to hear from people who: 

• are actively involved in the solar and renewable energy sector in any capacity
• have strong understanding of the solar industry’s challenges and what are key opportunities.
• have experience as a solar installer, business owner or an inspector.
• engage with their local network to share industry insights.
• know about regional or state-specific issues, offering informed feedback based on local challenges.

For more information and to access the online application form, click here. Applications close on Friday 14th March at 5pm.