Macarthur Solar Collapse: Deposits, Batteries and Customer Next Steps

ABC News reports that Macarthur Solar’s underlying company, Macarthur Energy, has entered liquidation.

Customers are left waiting for solar and battery systems after paying deposits.

For anyone caught up in this, the immediate problem is practical: money has left the bank account, the equipment has not arrived, and someone needs to explain what happens next.

I would separate recovering an existing payment from arranging a replacement installation. Get the first contract and its status clear before committing more money to the same job.

Checked on 30 September 2026. The cover uses a Lightning Energy rooftop photograph for context. It does not show a Macarthur Solar property or imply that the pictured equipment has a fault.

What the ABC investigation reports

ABC’s investigation describes eight customers with deposits of $1,500 to $17,600 for installations not received.

It identifies Daniel Soire of Jones Partners as liquidator.

Citing a liquidator’s report, ABC puts unsecured debts at almost $3.4 million, with more than 79 creditors. It also reports more than $420,000 owed to 16 former employees.

ABC says Building Commission NSW is investigating deposit and home building compensation coverage allegations after receiving more than 100 complaints. It reports that Mathew Cox did not respond to its questions before publication.

Those allegations should not be presented as new court findings. We have not independently obtained the liquidator’s report, and this article does not predict recoveries or make findings about director conduct.

Which Macarthur company is involved?

ABN Lookup lists Macarthur Solar as a business name of Macarthur Energy Pty Ltd, ABN 73 604 435 421, ACN 604 435 421.

Macarthur Energy Retail Pty Ltd is a differently numbered company.

The AER register lists its ACN as 643 524 921.

The AER entry shows a current electricity retailer authorisation.

The solar company’s reported liquidation does not, by itself, establish that this separate retailer has entered liquidation or that its customers will lose supply.

Use the legal name and company number on your own contract and invoice. A familiar trading name is not enough to identify who owes you an installation, refund or warranty obligation.

Paid a deposit and received no system?

Start a single folder containing the signed quote, contract, payment receipt, promised installation dates and correspondence. Make a short timeline of what was promised, changed and paid.

Keep the original files. A one-page summary is useful, but it should sit alongside the evidence rather than replacing it. Include any refund request and the response, even if the response was simply a revised date.

The ACCC’s insolvency guidance says affected consumers are usually unsecured creditors and may recover only part of their money, or nothing.

Register your claim with the appointed liquidator through verified contact details. Ask what evidence and claim form are required. Lodging a claim is not a promise of repayment.

If you paid by card or through a payment provider, ask that provider promptly whether a chargeback or another recovery process is available. The ACCC notes that time limits apply. Do not assume a bank transfer has the same protection.

For a financed purchase, contact the lender before changing repayments. Explain that the goods or installation have not been supplied and ask for its dispute process in writing. Get advice for your own contract if obligations are unclear.

Does the battery rebate protect a deposit?

A government incentive and a customer deposit do different jobs. The incentive can reduce an eligible installation’s price. It should not be treated as a guarantee that a particular seller will complete your order.

Eligible batteries can create small-scale technology certificates, or STCs, under the scheme explained by the regulator.

Clean Energy Regulator: solar batteries.

An upfront discount can be arranged by assigning the right to create those certificates. The scheme also requires eligible equipment and an appropriately accredited installer. A low advertised price is only one part of the purchase.

The CER says the installation date determines the applicable rebate, not the purchase date.

CER: May 2026 changes.

Those changes have already happened. If a delayed order needs a fresh quote, its incentive assumptions and total price need to be reviewed against the actual installation timing. A deposit does not preserve an old rebate rate.

That timing issue explains a risk in delayed contracts. It does not establish what caused this particular company’s financial failure.

How much deposit should a solar customer pay?

For the NSW context, the government’s solar guide states a maximum deposit of 10 per cent under NSW home building law.

NSW solar guide.

The guide also sets out contract and home building compensation requirements. The work, contract and jurisdiction matter. This NSW limit should not be copied into a Melbourne quote as though it were a universal Australian rule.

Victorian readers can use Consumer Affairs Victoria’s solar guidance for local consumer information.

My practical test is whether the payment schedule tells you what each payment covers, when it becomes due and what happens if the installation is delayed. A percentage alone does not answer those questions.

Use our battery quote checklist to compare the scope in writing. Include the exact battery, inverter, usable capacity, installation work, exclusions and after-sales contact.

What if your system is already installed?

A seller’s collapse does not itself prove that installed equipment is faulty. Keep your commissioning documents, serial numbers, electrical certificates and warranty terms, and identify who supplied each part of the system.

Ask the manufacturer or its Australian representative how a product warranty enquiry should now be lodged. Product cover, installation workmanship and paid service work may involve different parties and conditions.

Do not assume a new installer automatically takes over the old seller’s obligations. Agree on the scope and price of any inspection before booking it, and use qualified help for faults or incomplete electrical work.

For a working system, retain access to monitoring and your handover records. Our blackout backup guide explains why backup capability depends on the installed design.

What Melbourne households can take from this

I would not make a rushed second purchase because an industry headline feels alarming. A better next step is a written scope, clear payment stages, a realistic installation date and an identified support contact.

Compare home battery options against your household’s use and existing solar system, then examine the business and contract behind the offer. No brand name or rebate claim makes a purchase risk-free.

For affected customers, the liquidator and payment provider are the appropriate starting points for a claim. This is general consumer information, not advice on an individual contract or a promise of compensation.