Solar businesses, in a national phone hook-up on Friday, reported that at least five people had already lost their jobs and more were expected to go this week as cancelled orders surge.

From midnight on Tuesday, a family that earns more than $100,000 a year could no longer claim the rebate of up to $8000 on a solar photovoltaic system for their home.

The Clean Energy Council told The Sunday Age that one company had 98% of orders abandoned. The biggest impact has been in cities, where 50-70% of orders were being ditched, leaving companies with millions of dollars of lost business.

"People are absolutely frantic," said the council's communications manager Irena Bukhshtaber. "We have had endless calls and emails (from members) in the last 72 hours and all our phones are running hot. Customers are pulling out in droves."