Battery customers feeling ‘ripped off’ after solar company collapses

• Macarthur Solar has collapsed into liquidation, leaving numerous customers with significant financial losses after they paid large deposits for solar installations that were never completed.
• The company is under investigation by the state Building Commission for allegedly breaching consumer laws by charging 50 per cent upfront deposits, which is well above the legal 10 per cent limit for home building works.
• Liquidator reports reveal that the business owes nearly $3.4 million to more than 79 unsecured creditors and over $420,000 in unpaid wages and entitlements to former employees.

By August, Murray Wylie’s patience had finally run out. After handing over a $5,000 deposit for a solar battery system in February, he had spent six months listening to excuses from Macarthur Solar while his installation remained in limbo. Driven by growing suspicion, he traveled to the company’s south-west Sydney headquarters, only to find himself standing before locked doors and a completely deserted office.

The sight confirmed his worst fears. “I was angry because the thoughts that were building up had come true. I wasn’t going to get my battery,” Mr. Wylie said, describing the gut-wrenching realization that he had been “ripped off.” His experience is just one chapter in the collapse of Macarthur Energy, the parent company of Macarthur Solar, which was established by local electrician Mathew Cox in 2015.

Mr. Wylie is among many victims; at least eight other customers report losing deposits ranging from $1,500 to a staggering $17,600 for solar projects that never began. Many of these homeowners were initially attracted to the company by the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program (CHBP). This generous subsidy has triggered a massive surge in the market, with more than 530,000 batteries installed since July 2025 at an estimated national cost of $7.2 billion over four years.

A major red flag in the company’s business model was its demand for 50 percent upfront deposits—a figure significantly higher than the industry standard. Consumer advocates and solar experts point out that New South Wales home building laws typically cap deposits at 10 percent, suggesting Macarthur Solar’s payment structure may have been illegal. The state’s Building Commission has confirmed it is now investigating the matter following a wave of more than 100 formal complaints.

The scale of the financial ruin is significant. According to a report by liquidator Daniel Soire of Jones Partners, Macarthur Energy owes nearly $3.4 million to upwards of 79 unsecured creditors, including former customers and various suppliers. The company’s staff have been equally impacted, with 16 former employees owed more than $420,000 in unpaid superannuation, annual leave, and redundancy entitlements.

As the investigation continues, solar and consumer advocates warn that the downfall of Macarthur Solar exposes critical vulnerabilities in the industry, highlighting the need for stronger protections for Australians transitioning to renewable energy.

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