Energy Minister Angus Taylor has asked the Clean Energy Regulator to investigate rooftop solar panel installers and financiers, after reports of shonky practices within the industry.
The regulator is set to examine the Clean Energy Council's assurance and approval processes, amid issues emerging with the Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme.
This includes an investigation into two companies selling solar panels door-to-door in Tasmania, which were responsible for almost 100 defective installations.
The minister was also concerned about reports a pensioner who was allegedly pressured into installing solar panels through a buy now, pay later finance arrangement.
The regulator was also forced to take action against three solar panel installers earlier in the year for falsely claiming credit for installations they were not present at, or using unaccredited panels.
Mr Taylor said consumers needed to be able to have confidence in the sector.
"I have asked the Clean Energy Regulator, with the support of my department, to investigate the issues raised in a range of recent reports focused on the integrity of the rooftop solar sector," Mr Taylor said.
"Australians are world leaders in the uptake of rooftop PV, shown by the uninterrupted strong growth in rooftop solar.
"Protecting the integrity of a system that has such a wide ranging impact on Australian households and businesses is a top priority."
It comes after a record period of rooftop solar installation across Australia.
Almost 2000 megawatts of rooftop solar was installed across the National Energy Market in 2019-20, the latest quarterly report from the Australian Energy Regulator showed.
It was 25 per cent more than was installed during the previous year, and double the amount installed the year before that.
A 2018 audit found of 3678 inspections carried out, 80 solar systems were deemed to be unsafe.
This was an unsafe rate of 2.2 per cent, up from 1.9 per cent the year before.
Another 748 installations were deemed to be substandard.
