Rooftop solar

Understand your energy use 

Create a myEnergy account to review how much electricity you use and when you use it. This helps to understand your routines and needs. For example, if you use a lot of electricity at night, you may benefit from a battery.  

Talk to your installer 

Provide information to solar retailers so they can design a system that suits your needs. 

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to solar. A larger system won’t necessarily give you better returns. Our ‘Conversations with your installer’ handbook explains key questions to ask.  

We recommend visiting the Solar Accreditation Australia website when choosing an installer. This shows that they are accredited and comply to service standards.

Check your installer lodges a solar pre-approval through eConnect before signing a contract. You can do this yourself if you know your installation information. You will need your NMI, total power and requested export. 

Go to solar installer resources web page 

Once we’ve received your application, we’ll determine your export limit. We will look assess the capacity of the network in your area to accept excess solar from your system. Basic applications are approved for installation, but limits may be placed on exports.   

Model Standing Offer (MSO) information  

Residential rooftop solar installations are covered by our Model Standing Offer (MSO). This offer is approved by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). A copy of the MSO can be found on our Model Standing Offer web page.

Your installer can proceed once you receive your approved export outcome. It is important the installer uses an approved solar inverter.  

Your new installation will be inspected by a Licensed Electrical Inspector (LEI). Your installer raises an alteration connection request in eConnect to reprogram your meter 

Victoria’s emergency backstop mechanism  

Customers connecting solar for the first time, or upgrading or replacing an existing system, must comply with the Victorian Government’s emergency backstop mechanism.  

This means you must have a reliable internet connection and select a CEC approved and CitiPower/Powercor onboarded inverter.   

You’re nearly there!  

When the paperwork is submitted, we’ll confirm the inverter has been set up correctly. We will also validate the certificate of electrical safety.   

We liaise with your retailer to reprogram your smart meter and update you to a solar feed-in tariff. Once they have sent us this service order, we will complete these actions and you are good to go.

It's your time in the sun! Learn how to maintain your solar system and troubleshoot export issues here. 

You may be eligible for a rebate to reduce the upfront cost of installing solar panels. Learn about rebates and eligibility on the Victorian Government's Solar Victoria website. 

CitiPower and Powercor move energy around the network to where it is needed. That includes managing the surplus energy that solar systems export into the network. 

If you are approved to export your extra energy, your retailer will provide a solar feed-in tariff. This is a rate paid to customers for the energy they put into the grid for others to use. 

The Victorian feed-in tariff scheme commenced in 2013 and the minimum feed-in rate is revised regularly. The revised rate considers the following factors: 

• wholesale electricity market prices 
• distribution and transmission losses avoided by the supply of power from rooftop solar 
• avoided social and health costs attributable to a reduction in air pollution. 

Visit the Victorian Government’s energy website for eligibility and feed-in tariffs.  

Victorian premium feed-in tariff 

The Victorian solar premium feed-in tariff (PFIT) started in late 2009 and closed to new applicants at the end of 2011. Existing customers could remain on the PFIT until it closed in November 2024. 

The maximum installed capacity for PFIT customers was 5kW. Eligible customers received a minimum of 60 cents per kWh for their exports.  

Visit the Victorian Government’s solar premium feed-in tariff web page for more information.

Some components of your solar system run on electricity that is provided by our networks. So, if there is an outage for any reason, then your system will most likely stop generating power. 

When planning your installation, consider whether you want it to be set up so it will operate if the power goes out. Speak with your solar installer about how to set it up for an outage scenario.