279 Australian solar companies have collapsed

An orphaned solar system is a rooftop solar installation where the company that sold or installed it has since gone out of business. This means the workmanship warranty (typically 5 to 10 years) is effectively voided, because the installer no longer exists to honour warranty claims. Product warranties from the panel and inverter manufacturers may still apply.

Nobody publishes a current count. The figure most often quoted is a 2018 industry estimate, reported by CHOICE, of around 600,000 systems whose installer had gone out of business, about one in three of the systems installed at the time. Many more systems have been installed and more companies have collapsed since, so treat it as a dated estimate. This tracker counts companies, not systems: no public record says how many systems each company installed.

Your workmanship warranty is effectively lost. However, your product warranties from manufacturers (e.g. panel performance warranties of 25 years, inverter warranties of 5 to 12 years) remain valid because they are held with the manufacturer, not the installer. You can claim directly with the manufacturer if a product fault arises.

Yes. Any SAA-accredited solar installer can service and repair your system, regardless of who originally installed it. You may also have rights under Australian Consumer Law if the installation was faulty, as state fair trading bodies can sometimes assist with claims against defunct companies.

Search for the company name or ABN on the Australian Business Register (abr.business.gov.au). If the ABN status shows "Cancelled" or the entity is "Not currently registered for GST", the business may no longer be operating. You can also check ASIC Connect for company status and any external administration notices.

First, check your product warranties are still valid by contacting the panel and inverter manufacturers directly. Document your original installation paperwork and any warranty certificates. If you have installation faults, get a quote from another SAA-accredited installer and contact your state fair trading body about potential claims. You may also be covered by state electrical safety regulations.

Your panel manufacturer warranty (typically 25 years for performance, 12 years for product) remains valid regardless of whether your installer still exists. These warranties are between you and the manufacturer. Contact the manufacturer directly with your panel serial numbers to register or make a claim. Your inverter warranty (5 to 12 years depending on brand) also stays valid with the manufacturer. The only warranty you lose is the installer workmanship warranty.

Any SAA-accredited solar installer can diagnose and repair your system. Start by checking your inverter display or app for error codes. Common issues include inverter faults, tripped DC isolators, or shading from new obstructions. If the fault is a product defect (faulty panel or inverter), contact the manufacturer for a warranty replacement. If it is a wiring or installation defect, your state fair trading body may assist with a consumer guarantee claim even if the installer no longer trades.

Our tracker currently lists over 270 solar companies that have ceased trading since 2010. The rate of collapses peaked between 2017 and 2022, coinciding with intense price competition and the rapid expansion of the residential solar market. Many were small operators who could not sustain the low margins of the solar boom. We estimate the affected installations at between 600,000 and 700,000 systems nationwide.