Solar Firm Fronted by Michael Clarke Banned from Australian Scheme

Australia's Clean Energy Regulator has permanently suspended 1 Solar Australia Pty Ltd – trading as Solar Power Nation – from the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, the regulator announced on Wednesday. The Sydney-based company counts former Test cricket captain Michael Clarke and Olympic gold medallists Sally Pearson and Kyle Chalmers among its brand ambassadors.

The regulator said it wasn't satisfied the company was "fit and proper" under scheme requirements. Those requirements cover skills, capability, competency, good business practices, integrity and good character.

For context: the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme is the government-backed mechanism that drives household investment in rooftop solar and battery storage. Exclusion from it effectively cuts a solar retailer off from the core of Australia's residential market.

What does this change for solar buyers?

If you've seen Solar Power Nation's marketing, you'd know the pitch. The company brands itself on its website as "the #1 home solar and battery company in Australia," with video testimonials from high-profile sportspeople. Clarke appears as a brand ambassador, while Pearson and Chalmers, both Olympic gold medallists, feature prominently on the company's site.

For practitioners in the sector, the message from the regulator is blunt. Chair Tony Chappel said the regulator worked closely with multiple agencies to protect the scheme's integrity.

"If we see companies that are not operating professionally, we will not hesitate to take action to protect the integrity of the (scheme)," Chappel said.

"We have a zero-tolerance approach for any poor business practice that can create an adverse outcome for the customer."

Chappel also flagged that Solar Power Nation's compliance with other laws and codes may be taken into consideration by the regulator. That suggests the suspension may not be the end of the scrutiny.

The warning signs predate the ban

Wednesday's decision didn't come out of nowhere. In July, the South Australian Commissioner for Consumer Affairs issued a public warning notice for the company after receiving dozens of complaints between July 2025 and April 2026.

Before that, in December 2025, Solar Power Nation was expelled from the voluntary New Energy Tech Consumer Code for failing to install a compliant system, among other failings. That code is the industry's own consumer-protection benchmark, so expulsion from it is a serious marker on its own.

Stack the timeline up and you get roughly a year of escalating enforcement: code expulsion in December 2025, a state consumer warning in July, and now a permanent federal suspension from the scheme itself.

Where it goes from here

Solar Power Nation has 60 days to request a review of the suspension. The company was contacted for comment.

For competitors and installers, the suspension removes a high-profile – and heavily sports-marketed – player from the scheme's eligible pool. For consumers holding contracts or warranties with the firm, the practical question is what happens to outstanding installations, and the regulator's stated zero-tolerance posture suggests further action remains on the table.