More than 23,000 extra households will be eligible for half-price panels over the 2019/20 financial year. The rebates will also be offered on a fortnightly basis, instead of once a month.

Demand sparks extra Vic solar rebates 2019

Victorians have been eager to snap up the rebates, with previous monthly allocations of 3,333 rebates exhausted within minutes.

But installers say customers were holding up their orders until they got a rebate, turning the stable industry into a monthly boom-bust cycle.

Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the new commitment is aimed at dealing with the demand backlog.

“We believe that this is the right combination to help to deal with some of the pent-up demand that has accrued over recent weeks,” she told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.

“It will be a much, much smoother and easier pathway for Victorians to be able to access those rebates.”

The extra funds will be matched with more safety checks, she added.

Clean Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said the extra rebates showed the government has listened to businesses who have been “hurting” across the state.

“From Monday, the solar industry in Victoria gets back to work,” he told reporters.

The government has committed to spending $1.3 billion to help install solar panels, hot water or batteries on 770,000 homes over 10 years,