Request to ACCC to strengthen consumer protections in the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (Energy Tech Code).
Our organisations write to express our support for strong consumer protections being contained in the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (Energy Tech Code).
Australia is undergoing a renewable energy boom, more than 2 million households now have rooftop solar installed, and reliable, affordable renewable energy will play a critical role in helping people to take back control of their power bills and bring down Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. However, as our energy market undergoes rapid change, our regulatory system is struggling to keep up. This is what makes the Energy Tech Code critical, as it will help to strengthen consumer protections and ensure that new energy technologies like solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles are safe, reliable and live up to the promises of the businesses providing them.
The Energy Tech Code is a voluntary code which clearly sets out the service standards that new business should adhere to. We strongly support the proposal that the Energy Tech Code requires businesses to only provide finance arrangements through providers that are licensed under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act (2009). The new energy technology industry must avoid
partnering with businesses that have caused significant consumer harm as they are not regulated under credit law protections.1