Solar in Victoria during the pandemic
The COVID-19 restrictions have had a major impact on a range of industries thus far, affecting supply chains and the staffing of solar providers and government institutions alike. However, this doesn’t mean that it is more difficult to get solar in Victoria at present – but there may be waiting periods.
More information on “The Benefits of Solar During COVID-19” is available in a previous article, but this post will break it down slightly, with a focus on how solar providers and governments are supporting homeowners switchover to solar during the pandemic.
One thing to note is that even though many businesses have had their business operations restricted until 13th September 2020 – wherein the Victorian Government will re-assess based on the current pandemic data –the solar industry is still able to operate, providing the same level of service and quality of products, albeit it adapted slightly.
What this ultimately mean is that solar companies Victoria are providing a service that is contactless during stage four restrictions. But how is it affecting the waiting times for getting solar installed?
Delays caused by restrictions
Part of the stage four restrictions are preventing businesses from operating at full capacity, meaning that there will be less staff available. Another factor is that business hours have also been cut. This has a compounding effect, which means that there are fewer people available to speak to in a shorter period daily.
This inevitably means customers will have longer waiting and turn-around times for getting advice and seeking quotes in most industries.
Experts are advising people wanting to get a solar panel system installed at their home to start searching for quotes now and making contact with companies sooner rather than later, as the knock-on effects of COVID-19 will likely result in price increases within the next few months.
Even if there are delays in getting in touch with solar providers during the current restrictions, it will benefit to push through those inevitable delays so that you can maximize the amount of savings you’ll get with solar, while at the same time, minimizing upfront costs.
The installation
Installations of solar panel systems are unable to occur during the current stage four restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne. In saying that, solar panel system installations are permitted at “small-scale” building sites, which includes any unoccupied residences – in the case of new builds and renovations made by homeowners. It should be noted that this is only if the solar provider and construction company adhere to the worksite’s COVID-safe plan and daily employee limits.
The Victorian Government has also stated that over-the-phone quotes can still be given, and crucial repairs made for health and safety reasons.
The customer
If you are anew or current solar customer, the following assistance is available:
- If you are currently paying off a Solar Victoria loan, you can request to put your repayments on hold for up to a maximum of 6 months and also extend your contracted term for these repayments by 6 months.