THE Baillieu government has quietly cut access for most households to a second incentive to install new rooftop solar panels.

It follows the decision last month to slash the state's ''premium'' feed-in tariff paid by retailers for rooftop solar from 60¢ to 25¢ a kilowatt for power fed into the grid.

Under the changes the government wil restrict access to the state's "standard" feed-in tariff for new solar panel systems. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Under the changes, the government will also restrict access to the state's ''standard'' feed-in tariff - in place since 2004 - for new solar panel systems generating less than five kilowatts, the lion's share of installations.

The standard feed-in tariff requires electricity retailers to pay households and businesses that install renewable-energy systems generating up to 100 kW the same price for energy fed into the grid as they charge for power taken out, which is typically between 20¢ and 24¢ a kilowatt.