There are approximately 120,000 solar households in New South Wales and preliminary results of an audit of 658 systems in Sydney’s southwest show 122 had significant safety issues, mainly related to wiring problems, said NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell yesterday.
While acknowledging the overall risk posed was relatively low, Premier O’Farrell urged system owners to contact the solar company that installed their system for reassurance and inspection if necessary.
Matthew Warren, the Chief Executive of the Clean Energy Council, said risk to solar households was very low and there had been only three minor incidents reported from more than 300,000 solar panel installations nationwide, and no actual house fires. “Australian solar has an excellent track record and some of the most stringent safety standards in the world.”
CEO of national solar solutions provider Energy Matters says the audits are welcome, but the results disturbing. “None of the systems we’ve installed have ever been found to have major defects, but that’s little reassurance to customers of other providers, particularly if those providers no longer exist.”
“It’s an unfortunate situation where there are so many solid companies in the solar sector who, like Energy Matters, take system safety incredibly seriously; but still some cowboys remain – and when their shoddy approach to installation is exposed, it puts us all in an undeserved poor light.”
“The solar sector has had to battle hard to hang on in New South Wales recently due to oppressive state government policy and that a few unscrupulous companies put profit before people is going to make it so much harder for us all.”
Mr. Rich says the solar industry has become increasingly competitive and thinning profit margins have at times resulted in corners being cut that shouldn’t. Some installers are also being put under pressure to ramp up the number of systems they install a day, which can result in poor workmanship.
“While all installers have to be Clean Energy Council accredited, like in any trade there are good installers and better ones. Add to that unrealistic expectations from some companies that focus on installation quantity instead of quality and there are bound to be problems.”
“Our installation team’s skills are an absolutely crucial part of what Energy Matters offers. In order for a company to retain highly skilled and dedicated installation professionals, they must be paid well and provided excellent working conditions – not be treated like machines,” says Mr. Rich.
“Our quality control system provides a series of checks and documentation to ensure a safe, efficient and enduring installation – it’s a key component of Energy Matters’ value proposition to customers.”
