This regulation may be cited as the Rural and Regional Adjustment (Solar for Rental Properties Rebate Scheme) Amendment Regulation 2025.
This regulation amends the Rural and Regional Adjustment Regulation 2011.
After schedule 64—
insert—The objective of the scheme is to encourage owners of eligible residences to install eligible solar PV systems to ease cost of living pressures for tenants or residents of those residences by making electricity more affordable.The purpose of the financial assistance that may be given under the scheme is to provide rebates to owners of eligible residences to offset the cost of purchasing and installing eligible solar PV systems.applicant, in relation to a conditional approval application or a final approval application, means the person applying for the assistance.approved sellers directory means the searchable, public directory of approved sellers that is available on the website for the New Energy Tech Consumer Code program.Building Code of Australia see the Building Act 1975, section 12.Clean Energy Council means Clean Energy Council Limited ACN 127 102 443.conditional approval application means an application, made under section 9, for conditional approval for financial assistance under the scheme.electricity chief executive means the chief executive of the department administering the Electricity Act 1994.electricity department’s website means the website of the department administering the Electricity Act 1994.eligible lease see section 5.eligible residence means premises in Queensland that—(a)are a class 1a building under the Building Code of Australia; and(b)are used as a place of residence or to provide rooming accommodation; and(c)are individually metered for the supply of electricity; and(d)are not in an embedded network; and(e)do not have a solar PV system installed at the time a conditional approval application is made in relation to the residence.eligible solar PV system see section 4.final approval application means an application, made under section 12, for financial assistance under the scheme.individually metered see the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, schedule 2.installed, in relation to a solar PV system at a residence, means the system is able to produce and deliver electricity to the residence.multiple-occupancy residence means an eligible residence in which 2 or more rooms are occupied under rooming accommodation agreements.new eligible lease, for a single-occupancy residence or a room in a multiple-occupancy residence, means an eligible lease that—(a)is entered into after an applicant receives a notice of conditional approval for the residence; and(b)includes a provision stating any rights and obligations of the parties with regard to the solar PV system stated in the conditional approval application for the residence.New Energy Tech Consumer Code program means the program, administered by the Clean Energy Council, that publishes recommended consumer protection standards for renewable energy technologies.notice of conditional approval means a written notice—(a)given to an applicant under section 10(3); and(b)stating that the authority has approved a conditional approval application made by the applicant.owner, of a residence, means—(a)a registered owner of the lot on which the residence is located under the Land Title Act 1994; or(b)a lessee, for a home ownership lease over the land on which the house is located, under the Aboriginal Land Act 1991 or the Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991.rent see the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, schedule 2.resident see the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, section 14.residential tenancy agreement see the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, section 12.rooming accommodation see the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, section 15.rooming accommodation agreement see the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, section 16.scheme means the scheme set out in this schedule.single-occupancy residence means an eligible residence that—(a)is occupied under 1 residential tenancy agreement; or(b)is rooming accommodation of which only 1 room is occupied by a resident.solar PV system means a solar photovoltaic system.system capacity, of a solar PV system, means the lower of the following—(a)the capacity of the system’s inverter;(b)the total capacity of the system’s panels.tenant means a tenant within the meaning of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, section 13(1).4Meaning of eligible solar PV system
(1)A solar PV system is an eligible solar PV system if—(a)the system has—(i)a system capacity of at least 3kW; and(ii)a generation signalling device; and(b)the system’s inverter is of a type stated in the approved inverters list; and(c)the system’s solar panels are all of a type stated in the approved modules list; and(d)the system is purchased from a retailer whose name is included in the approved sellers directory; and(e)the system was designed by an entity that the authority considers appropriate.(2)In this section—approved inverters list means the document called ‘Approved inverters list’ made by, and published on the website of, the Clean Energy Council.approved modules list means the document called ‘Approved modules list’ made by, and published on the website of, the Clean Energy Council.generation signalling device, for a solar PV system, includes—(a)an integrated generation signalling device that is built into the system’s inverter; and(b)a standalone generation signalling device that is connected to the system when the system is installed.(1)A written lease for a single-occupancy residence is an eligible lease if—(a)the lease requires the tenant or resident to pay some or all of the outgoings for electricity supplied to the residence; and(b)for a residence occupied under a residential tenancy agreement—the rent for the residence does not exceed the approved rent for the scheme.(2)Subsection (3) applies if—(a)an eligible residence is a multiple-occupancy residence; and(b)at least 1 written rooming accommodation agreement for a room in the residence requires the resident to pay some or all of the outgoings for electricity supplied to the residence.(3)Each written rooming accommodation agreement for a room in the multiple-occupancy residence is an eligible lease.(4)In this section—approved rent means rent of an amount equivalent to—(a)$1,000 per week; or(b)if the electricity chief executive has published an approved rent notice—the amount per week stated in the notice.approved rent notice means a written notice stating the approved rent per week for the scheme that is—(a)made by the electricity chief executive; and(b)published on the electricity department’s website.written lease means—(a)a residential tenancy agreement that is in writing; or(b)a rooming accommodation agreement that is in writing.(1)The nature of the financial assistance available under the scheme is a rebate to offset the cost of purchasing and installing an eligible solar PV system at an eligible residence.(2)The amount of the assistance is the lesser of the following—(a)the cost of purchasing and installing the eligible solar PV system;(b)the maximum rebate for the system.(3)In this section—maximum rebate, for an eligible solar PV system, means—(a)if the system has a system capacity of at least 3kW but less than 4kW—$2,500; or(b)if the system has a system capacity of at least 4kW but less than 5kW—$3,000; or(c)if the system has a system capacity of 5kW or more—$3,500.7Eligibility criteria—conditional approval for assistance
(1)An applicant is eligible for conditional approval for financial assistance under the scheme in relation to an eligible residence if—(a)the applicant—(i)is an individual who is a resident of Australia; and(ii)is the owner of the residence; and(iii)has obtained a solar PV system quote for the residence; and(b)the residence is the subject of an eligible lease; and(c)if the residence is a multiple-occupancy residence—the applicant does not occupy any of the rooms in the residence as their only or main residence; and(d)the authority is satisfied that—(i)the tenant, or each resident, of the residence has given consent for the eligible solar PV system to be installed; and(ii)if the installation of the eligible solar PV system requires the approval of a body corporate within the meaning of the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997—the body corporate has given approval for the system to be installed; and(e)an individual has not previously received assistance under the scheme in relation to the residence.(2)However, despite subsection (1), an applicant is not eligible for conditional approval in relation to the residence if the applicant has previously received a notice of conditional approval in relation to—(a)3 or more other residences; or(b)if a multiple residence eligibility notice is prepared and published—the number, or more than the number, of residences stated in the notice.(3)In this section—multiple residence eligibility notice means a written notice, stating the maximum number of residences for which an applicant may receive financial assistance under the scheme, that is—(a)prepared by the electricity chief executive; and(b)published on the electricity department’s website.solar PV system quote, for a residence, means a quote—(a)for the purchase and installation of an eligible solar PV system at the residence; and(b)that is obtained—(i)after the scheme opens under section 8; and(ii)from a retailer whose name is included in the approved sellers directory.The scheme—(a)opens on the day stated on the electricity department’s website as the day the scheme opens; and(b)closes on the earlier of the following days—(i)the day stated on the website as the day the scheme closes;(ii)the day on which the authority’s assistance funds for the scheme become insufficient to pay further assistance under the scheme.9Conditional approval applications
(1)A conditional approval application in relation to an eligible residence must—(a)be made using the form approved by the authority; and(b)be given to the authority before the applicant makes a final approval application for the residence under section 12; and(c)be accompanied by the documents stated on the form.(2)The authority may ask the applicant for further information or documents to decide the application.10Deciding conditional approval applications
(1)The authority must consider, and approve or refuse to approve, each conditional approval application that complies with section 9.(2)The authority must decide applications in the order they are received by the authority.(3)The authority must give the applicant written notice of a decision made under this section.11Eligibility criteria—assistance
(1)An applicant is eligible to receive financial assistance under the scheme in relation to an eligible residence if—(a)the applicant has received a notice of conditional approval for the assistance; and(b)the applicant makes a final approval application for the assistance on or before the day that is—(i)150 days after the applicant receives the notice of conditional approval; or(ii)a later day, not later than 240 days after receiving the notice, if the authority is satisfied it is not reasonably practicable for the installation to have been carried out, and the application made, until the later day; and(c)on the day the applicant makes the final approval application, the applicant—(i)is still a resident of Australia; and(ii)is still the owner of the residence; and(iii)if the residence is a multiple-occupancy residence—does not occupy any of the rooms in the residence as their only or main residence; and(d)the authority is satisfied that—(i)the eligible solar PV system stated in the conditional approval application has been installed at the residence by an entity the authority considers appropriate; and(ii)the applicant has paid for, or entered into an agreement to pay for, the system and its installation in full; and(iii)the residence is the subject of 1 or more new eligible leases with a remaining term of at least 8 months from the day the applicant makes the final approval application; and(e)either—(i)for a single-occupancy residence—the rent for the residence stated in the final approval application is not more than the rent for the residence that was stated in the conditional approval application; or(ii)for a multiple-occupancy residence—the rent for each relevant room stated in the final approval application is not more than the rent for the room that was stated in the conditional approval application.(2)For subsection (1)(e), a rent increase provided for under an eligible lease stated in the conditional approval application may be disregarded.(3)In this section—relevant room, for an eligible residence that is a multiple-occupancy residence, means a room in the residence that—(a)was subject to an eligible lease stated in the conditional approval application for the residence; and(b)is subject to an eligible lease stated in the final approval application, whether or not it is the lease mentioned in paragraph (a).(1)A final approval application in relation to an eligible residence must—(a)be made using the form approved by the authority; and(b)be accompanied by—(i)a copy of each new eligible lease for the residence; and(ii)tax invoices or official receipts for the purchase and installation of the solar PV system stated in the application; and(iii)any other documents stated in the form.(2)The authority may ask the applicant for further information or documents to decide the application.13Deciding final approval applications
(1)The authority must consider, and approve or refuse to approve, each final approval application that complies with section 12.(2)The authority must decide applications in the order they are received by the authority.(3)The authority must refuse an application for assistance if the authority’s assistance funds for the scheme are not sufficient to pay for the assistance.(4)If the authority refuses the application, the authority must give the applicant written notice of the decision.