Welcome to Green Energy Trading's online registration form for claiming cashback on Heat Pump or Electric Boosted Solar Water Heater installations in Victoria.

This form is for any scheme participant involved in the sale or installation of a Heat-Pump or Electric Boosted Solar Water-Heater installations in Victoria.

The form includes some questions about the cashback requirements and should take about 10 minutes to go through.

Your responses will be treated with utmost confidence in line with our Privacy Policy. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on 1300 077 784 or forms@greenenergytrading.com.au.  

NOTE: If you've identified as an installer you'll be asked to provide copies of your licenses and insurance. If you don't have these handy right now we suggest you complete the sign-up at a later time.

To kick things off, please watch this short video where our colleague James will give an introduction about Green Energy Trading, the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program and the VEU Code of Compliance.

What sorts of installations are eligible to get cashback?

You can claim cashback for replacement of an old gas or electric hot-water system, provided you meet these basic conditions:

• The system is installed in Victoria,
• The model installed is VEU or RET approved (or both)
• That you meet the evidence, conduct and safety requirements of the schemes and relevant authorities

There are a bunch of other situations you may come across that are not covered here but this covers 99% of cases. If you want further information or advice on please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

How do I submit my cashback claims?

• Complete the signup for our online portal Geo,
• After 24 - 48 hours you will receive logins for the portal,
• One you login to Geo, click 'Begin A New Assignment' to create and submit your claim 

How much will I be paid?

The payment you can expect to receive differs with each job depending on: 

• Whether the system is approved for VEECs or STCs
• The details of the system you have replaced and installed
• The postcode and date of the installation
• The buyback price offered by Green Energy Trading
• Whether the end consumer is registered for GST or not

A quick note about photos

Photo evidence is the backbone of your VEEC claim. For the photos to be valid they must:

• be clear and in focus,
• be date and time stamped,
• have GEO-tagged information embedded in the metadata of the image,
• be unique to every claim - in other words you can’t provide generic photos or photos taken back at the warehouse; and,
• meet the evidence requirements - more about this later

 

Photos which do not meet the above requirements cannot be used as evidence of the upgrade.

What are the requirements for installing a new heat pump or electric boosted solar water heater?

Firstly, the system will need to be installed by a qualified plumber and a-grade electrician.

All installers will need to comply with all relevant laws and regulations, including occupational health and safety (OHS). This includes understanding the risks applicable to commercial and residential environments, in particular:All plumbing work will need to comply with Australian Standards with particular attention being paid to section 8 of AS/NZS 3500.4 which concerns the designing, installing and commissioning of heated water services using drinking water or rainwater.

For further information about this, please read this guide. 

What are the VEU asking for?

They are stating in that “Insulation requirements for circulatory piping have increased. And new requirement that circulating heated water piping of solar water heating systems with remote containers shall have insulation” Essentially, pipes need to be insulated because it is a requirement of Standards Australia.

The VEU are failing installations as they do not appear to meet the requirements of section 8 of AS/NZS 3500.4 - specifically the drain line and PTR valve which require insulation.

Inlet and outlet pipes, including valves, must be insulated to the required R-value for at least the first 500mm (with exceptions for heat traps), including those carrying cold water (as specified in 8.2.1)

All external pipes carrying heated water must be insulated to the required R-value for their full length (as specified in 8.2.2).

How do I prove I have installed a new heat-pump water-heater?

To confirm you have completed your installation, you will need to provide the following:

• photos showing the new system after installation - the photo will need to show:
  
  • all system components (including both the tank and heat-pump/compressor if they’re not integrated in the same unit),
  • the general area where it is installed; and,
  • compliance with AS/NZS 3500.4 particularly with relation to inlet/outlet pipe lagging installation, installation stability and relief valve drainage.
    
    

• close-up photos of the registration plate/sticker (for both the heat-pump/compressor and tank in instances of heat pumps that are not integrated in the same unit) showing:
  
  • the brand(s)
  • the model number(s)
  • the serial number(s)

 

Along with this you must provide a copy of the tax invoice to the end customer and the relevant safety documents (a Certificate of Electrical Safety (CoES)) and a plumbers VBA Certificate of Compliance (CoC)).

The invoice must include:

• The installation address, consumer name (and their ABN if applicable),
• The quantity, brands and models of products installed,
• The name, address and ABN of the installer business
• The invoice date

The safety certificates will need to include all of the above, as well as:

• The date the installation was completed
• A description of the work undertaken,
• The quantity, brands, models and serial numbers of products removed,
• The quantity, brands, models and serial numbers of products installed,
• A description of the decommissioning method (see next slide)

 

Finally, to finalise VEEC creation the installer/upgrade manager and consumer will need to sign an Assignment Form. The Assignment Form contains all the necessary details for the upgrade and is considered the final source of truth. NOTE: the VEEC creation rights can only be assigned by the energy consumer at the site.

 

How do I confirm the old system details? 

To confirm the details of the old system you will need to provide a (1) photo of the old system in place before removal (the photo will need to show all system components as well as the general area where it was installed) and (2) a close-up photo of the registration plate/sticker for all components you’ve removed. This photo must clearly show:

• the brand(s)
• the model number(s)
• the serial number(s)

If the compliance plate of the old system has deteriorated, you need to provide a photo of the label, and the Compliance Certificate should list that the old system compliance plate was not visible.

 

Why is it necessary to decommission the old system? 

The VEU program requires that inefficient appliances are replaced by more efficient ones. VEECs are then calculated based on the carbon saved through this upgrade.

If you’re replacing an old water heater you’ll need to make sure it can't be used again. The idea here is you’re taking something that is inefficient and replacing it with something that is more efficient. To ensure this happens the old system needs to be made inoperable.

This can only be done by a licensed electrician or plumber. If you’re decommissioning an old water-heater that contains refrigerant gasses you’ll also need to include someone who holds a RAC01 qualification.

How do I decommission the old system?

You’ll need to make sure it won’t be able to be used again, in which case you can either safely:

• Drill a hole (or several holes) in the side of the tank; or,
• Remove the heating element

However you choose to decommission the old system make sure you take plenty of photos to show us.

Is it mandatory to recycle the old system?

If it is safe and practical to remove the product, you must manage your waste in accordance with the Victorian environment protection framework, established by the Environment Protection Act 2017 (EP Act) and Environment Protection Regulations 2021 (EP Regulations). This includes complying with the relevant waste duties.

 

Can I dispose of the system anywhere?

You must take the decommissioned system to a disposal center authorised to receive e-waste under the Environment Protection Act. Luckily there’s more than a hundred places like this across Victoria. You can find them on the EPA's website

You are required to provide us with a waste receipt or invoice from a place authorised by the EPA to receive that particular type(s) of waste recording:
− name and address of the authorised recipient
− ACN and/or ABN of the authorised recipient
− the date of delivery
− waste description
− waste amount (e.g. number of units or kg).

If the system was disposed of via a contracted transporter or disposal agent, you are required to provide a document recording the same information above, as well as:
− the name, ACN and ABN of the third party contractor company
− the date service was provided

Where the waste receipt or invoice is for decommissioned products from multiple upgrade sites, a document itemising the products removed per upgrade site to demonstrate the link between each upgrade site and the bulk waste receipt or invoice must be kept.

Can anyone do the decommissioning? 

This can only be done by a licensed electrician or plumber. Regardless of who does the decommissioning the decommissioning method will need to be listed on either the Plumbing Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and the Certificate of Electrical Safety (CoES).

 

Do I need to take the rubbish with me?

Unless otherwise arranged with your customer you will need to remove all rubbish (cardboard, plastic wrapping, etc.) from the site. This includes removing the old system - unless it’s stuck in the roof. It’s a good idea to take the rubbish away with you on the day of install rather than waiting just in case you forget and make the customer cranky.

As outlined by James in the video earlier, the compliance with the VEU Code of Conduct is essential and the following section must be read carefully.

Am I responsible for resolving customer complaints?  

You should take any customer complaints very seriously and work with us to have them investigated and sorted out as quickly as possible.

If you receive a complaint from your customer you must notify us ASAP as we're required to monitor complaints. Complaints may also be forwarded to you by Green Energy Trading or by the regulator directly.

Failing to resolve complaints in a timely and satisfactory manner may lead us to ask for repayment for that job. You could also be in breach of the VEU Code of Conduct.

 

Aside from the tax invoice for the system I install and the safety documents, do I need to give my customer any other documents? 

The VEU Code of Conduct also requires you give your customer copies of the VEU Statement of Rights and the VEU Fact Sheet. The Statement of Rights must be provided to your customer before entering a contract. You can find these document via this link: https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/victorian-energy-upgrades/participating-veu-program/meeting-your-obligations-under-veu-code-conduct 

Once your claim is checked by us and ready to submit we will send a copy of the Assignment Form to your customer. How convenient! 

What do you need to know about my sales process?

The lead generation and marketing guidelines require you: 

• DON’T harass or bully consumers (i.e., don’t engage in high-pressure sales techniques),
• DO wear identification identifying yourself, your business and Green Energy Trading,
• DON’T make false promises about the product or why they’re getting a discount (e.g., by saying things like "we work for the government", etc.)

To partner with Green Energy Trading you are required to provide information about your sales process.

 

Lead Generation - Telemarketing & Doorknocking

The Victorian Government has banned telemarketing and doorknocking under the VEU program. These measures have been taken to protect consumers from high-pressure sales tactics and other inappropriate marketing. 

Under these bans, participants of the VEU program cannot:

- Telephone a person or doorknock a person's premises without prior consent.
- Arrange an employee, contractor, or agent to telephone or doorknock a person's premises without prior consent.
- Purchase a person's contact details from a third-party.

In other words, cold-calling and unwanted door-to-door sales are stricitly prohibited.

If an upgrade is found to be generated via telemarketing or doorknocking, Green Energy Trading will deem the upgrade non-compliant and ineligible for VEEC creation. 

This applies to leads purchased from a third-party that were generated via banned methods without your knowledge.

 

Acceptable forms of marketing under the VEU

- Digital advertising (e.g. texts, emails, social media, websites, etc.)
- Traditional media advertising (e.g. radio, television, newspapers, etc.)
- Direct marketing (e.g. stalls, leaflets, brochures, etc.)

 

Do you check my work?

Green Energy Trading checks all cashback claims prior to payment to make sure we have all the required information and evidence. We also complete phone and site audits at random to confirm installation details and check the consumer is satisfied with their new hot-water unit.

Likewise, the regulator can undertake phone and site audits either before or after they approve the certificates. In some cases they’ll do major audits and investigations long after the job is all paid-up.

To help us out, just make sure that if further information is required from you it is provided as quickly as possible so we don’t have to ask for the money back.

 

Green Energy Trading's OH&S policy

To be eligible under the VEU, all installations must comply with all relevant laws and regulations, including those relating to OH&S and product safety.

All contractors operating onbehalf of Green Energy Trading must obey all OH&S requirements of that site, including abiding by all Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), not accessing any unauthorized or dangerous areas and complying with all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements (e.g., high-visibility clothing, steel capped boots, safety helmets, safety harnesses, protective face masks).

Green Energy Trading will never submit or register VEECs for projects where we knew, or ought to have known, that an installation was not undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Safety Act 1998, the Gas Safety Act 1997, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, the Building Act 1993 or their respective regulations as per section 10(c) of the principal VEET regulations.

 

What happens if I engage in dishonest activity?

If you choose to engage in dishonest or fraudulent activity you will be caught. The ramifications including funds recovery, cancellation of contracts or even legal action.

Just don't put your business at risk.

 

ESC, VEU and Victorian Government logo use

Logos of the Essential Services Commission (ESC), the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program, and the Victorian Government cannot be used by VEU scheme participants. This includes the use of any logos on promotional material (e.g. flyers, websites, etc.), or documentation pertaining to individual upgrades (e.g. quotes, tax invoices, warranties, etc.). 

Unlawful use of these logos may contravene the VEU code of conduct and/or the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria).

All scheme participants must ensure they do not mislead consumers into believing they work for, or on behalf of, the Victorian Government.

 

Okay, I’ve got all that. Anything else I need to agree to?

By completing this sign-up form you confirm you accept the conditions of working with Green Energy Trading and understand your roles and responsibilities in ensuring compliance with the requirements of the schemes.

You confirm and agree that: 

• You will provide your services in accordance with this agreement,
• You will cooperate and supply the required evidence for the upgrade
• You will attend any meetings as may be requested by Green Energy Trading,
• You will carry out the work in compliance with the scheme requirements, OH&S laws, Australian Standards and manufacturers guidelines,
• You will rectify any breach, defect or non-compliant work as reasonably requested and ensure the customer is satisfied with the hot-water installation.

 

Where can I find out more?

Victorian Energy Upgrades - Commercial and industrial heat pump water heater activities

Commercial and industrial heat pump water heater activities | Essential Services Commission

Victorian Energy Upgrades - Code of Conduct

Meeting your obligations under the VEU code of conduct | Essential Services Commission