Introduction
National Solar Network ("NSN", "we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information, and how we comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act") and the Australian Privacy Principles ("APPs").
This policy applies to personal information collected through our website (nationalsolarnetwork.com.au and our regional sites), by phone, by email, and in the course of providing our products and services.
In this policy, National Solar Network refers to National Solar Network Pty Ltd (ABN [83 647 680 653]), trading as National Solar Network.
By providing personal information to us, or by using our website and services, you consent to your information being handled as set out in this policy.
1. What personal information we collect
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us. It may include:
- Contact and identity details — your name, email address, phone number, residential or business address, and postcode.
- Enquiry details — the type of system you are interested in (solar panels, battery storage, EV charging, repairs or maintenance), your message, and any other information you provide through our Solar Assessment form or when you contact us.
- Property and energy information — your roof type and orientation, energy usage and electricity bills, meter and connection details, and site information relevant to designing and quoting a system.
- Installation and compliance information — details required to arrange installation, apply for grid connection, and register small-scale technology certificates, including NMI, distributor and metering information.
- Financial information — where you apply for a payment plan or finance, information you and any finance provider share with us for that purpose. We do not store full payment card details.
- System performance data — where your system is enrolled in our Overwatch monitoring, ongoing performance and technical data from your system.
- Technical and website data — your IP address, device and browser type, operating system, and browsing activity on our website, collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
You do not have to provide the personal information we request, but if you do not, we may be unable to provide you with a Solar Assessment, quote, installation, or ongoing support.
2. How we collect personal information
We collect personal information:
- Directly from you — when you complete our Solar Assessment or contact form, subscribe to our newsletter, call or email us, or engage us to design, supply, install or service a system
- Automatically — through cookies and analytics tools when you use our website (see section 8)
- From third parties — such as lead-referral partners, your electricity distributor or retailer (for connection and metering information), finance providers, and our local dealer and installation teams, where relevant to your enquiry or job.
Where we collect your personal information from a third party, we take reasonable steps to ensure you are made aware of the matters in this policy.
3. Why we collect, hold and use personal information
We collect, hold and use personal information for purposes including to:
- Respond to your enquiry and arrange your free Solar Assessment.
- Prepare designs, quotes and proposals, and assess system suitability for your property.
- Supply products and arrange and coordinate installation through our licensed electrical subcontractors and local dealer teams.
- Lodge grid connection applications and manage metering arrangements with your electricity distributor.
- Create and trade small-scale technology certificates and meet our obligations to the Clean Energy Regulator.
- Process finance and payment plan applications (through third-party providers).
- Provide warranty support, servicing, and Overwatch performance monitoring after installation.
- Manage our relationship with you, respond to complaints, and keep records.
- Send you service updates and, where permitted, marketing communications (see section 5).
- Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
4. How we disclose personal information
We may disclose your personal information to:
- Our local dealer teams and licensed electrical subcontractors who carry out design, installation, servicing and warranty work in your region.
- Your electricity distributor and retailer (for example Energex or Ergon), for grid connection, metering and related applications.
- The Clean Energy Regulator and accredited agents, in connection with small-scale technology certificates.
- Finance and payment providers, where you apply for finance or a payment plan.
- Our service providers — including our CRM, workflow automation, website hosting, email, and analytics providers — who help us operate our business.
- Regulators, courts and government agencies, where required or authorised by law.
- Professional advisers, such as our lawyers, accountants and insurers.
We require our service providers and subcontractors to handle your personal information consistently with the Privacy Act and only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them. We do not sell your personal information.
5. Direct marketing
We may use your personal information to send you information about our products, services, offers and news, where you would reasonably expect us to do so or where you have consented.
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us using the details in section 12. We will action your request within a reasonable time.
We do not use or disclose sensitive information for direct marketing.
6. Overseas disclosure
Some of our service providers store or process data on servers located outside Australia. In particular, our customer relationship management, workflow automation, email, and website analytics providers may store data in the United States, the European Union, or other locations.
Where we disclose personal information to an overseas recipient, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is handled in accordance with the APPs, or that the recipient is subject to comparable protections. By providing your personal information, you consent to this disclosure. You acknowledge that overseas recipients may not be subject to the same privacy laws as Australia, and that we may not be able to ensure the overseas recipient complies with the APPs in every case.
7. Data security and retention
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps include access controls, secure storage, and requiring our service providers to maintain appropriate safeguards.
No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law (for example, records we must keep for warranty, tax, safety or regulatory purposes). When we no longer need your information, we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it.
8. Cookies, analytics and reCAPTCHA
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to help it function, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used so we can improve it. You can disable cookies through your browser settings, though some features of the site may not work properly.
Our website uses Google reCAPTCHA to protect our forms from spam and abuse. Your use of reCAPTCHA is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
We may also use website analytics tools that collect information about your visit. This information is generally aggregated and does not identify you personally.
9. Accessing and correcting your information
You may request access to the personal information we hold about you and ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading. To make a request, contact us using the details in section 12.
We will respond within a reasonable time. We may need to verify your identity before providing access. In limited circumstances permitted by the Privacy Act we may decline a request, in which case we will explain why in writing.
There is generally no charge for making a request, though we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of providing access in some cases.
10. Complaints
If you believe we have breached the APPs or mishandled your personal information, please contact us using the details in section 12. Please set out your complaint in writing so we can investigate it fully.
We will acknowledge your complaint and aim to respond within a reasonable time. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
- Website: www.oaic.gov.au
- Phone: 1300 363 992
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version will always be available on our website, and the "Last updated" date at the top shows when it was last revised. We encourage you to review it periodically.
12. How to contact us
For any privacy question, request or complaint, please contact our Privacy Officer:
- National Solar Network
- Email: info@nationalsolarnetwork.com.au
- Phone: 07 4938 7703
- Post: 34 Main St, Park Avenue, Rockhampton QLD 4701, Australia.