This blog post was accurate at the time of publishing. However, programs, policies and rebates may have changed since then. We recommend checking our website or contacting us directly for the most current information on 1300 430 917.
If you’re installing solar, batteries or hot water, here’s how MAC Trade Services can support you.
We started as a small trades business over a decade ago, and we’ve grown by keeping things simple and doing right by our network. Over time, we built our own systems to make rebate jobs easier, from clear training tools to faster payments and local phone support. We still use those same tools every day, and now we’re opening them up to other tradies who want to grow without the admin headache.
That means fast payments, straightforward processes, and access to programs you won’t find anywhere else.
WHY WORK WITH MAC?
One-stop rebate platform
MAC has recently expanded our platforms to include BridgeSelect; many of you will be familiar with this platform for Solar PV STCs. Today the platform is much more than STCs, and connecting with MAC gives you access to more than 20 different State and Federal rebates across solar, batteries, air conditioners, hot water systems, EV chargers, VPP connections and commercial upgrades. You don’t need to juggle multiple systems or get buried in paperwork; we’ve put them all in the one portal so you can work with one partner.
Fast payments that support your cashflow
We know that cashflow can be a killer. So, we pay quick, once the job passes our internal quality check your invoice is off to Accounts and cash transferred in days. You won’t be left waiting weeks or months for government sign-off. Most of our partners get paid within 10 business days.
No-fuss support
Need help on-site, over the phone or sorting rebate paperwork? Our expert team is here when you need us, phone, email or we can even pop out to your job site and support you in-field. Local support, and available when you need us.
We’re in it for the long haul
MAC Trade Services was started in 2014 to make energy upgrades easier for trades. Since then, we’ve grown to have a national network of over 1,200 installers using our services, we’ve created and traded more than 9.5 million certificates, and supported thousands of quality jobs with real people behind the phones. We don’t do marketing or flashy sales – we just focus on getting things right. That means supporting Australian businesses, cool visual training tools, and a rebate platform that makes life in the field easier. The MAC Trade Services portal on BridgeSelect brings all rebate claims into one place, so you can manage everything from hot water and air con to batteries and VPPs without needing multiple platforms, contracts or providers.
GET INVOLVED WITH VPPS?
The battery market is shifting fast, and VPPs are the new hot topic. These virtual networks help the grid during peak times and give your customers extra rewards. Ultimately joining a VPP is just like a ‘feed-in tariff’ for your battery, but rather than trade during the day while the energy is being generated, you are storing and exporting it at night when the Grid needs it most and getting paid a premium for it. Not all VPPs are made the same, some allow customers to have the control, opting out of exporting at default times and trading when they think the market is at its peak. Other VPPs have default offers and customer protections. Whenever a VPP is activated and the battery exports, it will leave the customer with approximately 20% charge to get them through to the next solar window (like the red bar on your phone charge).
What’s BESS2 and REPS?
BESS2 is a rebate offered in NSW for customers who join a VPP after installing a battery. And the REPS VPP subsidy is the same. Its available for all new or existing batteries that sign up to an eligible VPP. Typically, these rebates are claimed by the householder, but MAC is busy building an innovative solution where the installer can be involved and incentivised in the VPP connection process.
MAC has partnered with all the major VPP providers and can offer this service across the States. We’ve been providing VPP incentives for years in South Australia under the REPS program and can answer any questions that you or your customers have on the incentive and how it works. What we don’t do is recommend a specific VPP. We do not promote one VPP over another and recommend that all householders do their research to find the right VPP for them.
How can I get involved?
Installers can’t offer VPP deals directly. The VPP rebate has been designed as a customer incentive and must be claimed via a retailer. But you can recommend a VPP and set up a referral kickback with that provider so that when you make a recommendation for a customer to join up, you are incentivised for making the introduction.
Can the customer join later?
Yes. The customer can sign up to a VPP any time after their battery installation and if the rebates are still available, they would be able to claim their rebate in the same calendar year that they connected to the VPP.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Why aren’t you on Formbay?
We use BridgeSelect. It’s a similar platform to Formbay, but more suited to our services and with a broader range of rebates we can provide to our installer network. Both platforms are good, but we like this one better.
How many batteries can I install a day under the Battery Program?
During 1st July – 1st August, you can install and commission one of the below:
- 2 solar systems
- 2 battery systems
- One solar system and one battery system
- One solar system and two “ready to commission” battery systems
- One battery system and two ‘’ready to commission’’ battery systems
- 4 ready to commission battery systems
After 1st August you can do 2 installs per day:
- 2 solar systems
- 2 battery systems, or
- One solar and one battery system.
Why can’t I get $40 per STC?
There are real costs in registering STCs, auditing the work, holding the liability, cost to finance and trading. We currently offer $37 per BESS STC unregistered, paid within 10 days and with all the heavy lifting done for you. The CER has given the industry guidance that it will take them around 6 weeks to register STCs for trade. This cost can have a real impact on cashflow for businesses. At $37 and payment within 10 days, you don’t need the headaches of waiting for government approval. We don’t change our price regularly, its pretty constant and you will receive 4 weeks’ notice of an impending price change so you can close out your quotes with confidence and requote correctly.
Why not do STCs myself?
You can, but it means managing compliance, documentation, policy changes, audits, and weeks of delayed payments. With MAC, you’ll be paid within 10 days of submitting the job correctly, and we carry the admin risk. This keeps you doing the more important work out in the field, and us doing what we do best. Happy days.
If you’re ready to simplify your installs and get access to rebates others can’t offer, we’d love to work with you. Whether you’re quoting solar, hot water or batteries, we’re making it easier to get the job done and get paid, with more rebates and better tools every month.
1300 430 917
www.mactradeservices.com.au
