There is no doubt that installing solar panels to generate electricity at home can be a great way to reduce your electricity bill as well as the impact of your home on the environment.
However, according to a recent article by consumer watchdog Choice entitled 'Unsafe solar installation', many of the government rebates and feed-in tariffs to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are now being restricted. As a result, the solar market is seeing the emergence of unsafe operators who are taking advantage of the rush of customers looking to install solar systems before the incentives run out.
The article references a presentation given by the Clean Energy Council, an industry association representing Australia's clean energy sector, which has conducted audits on solar energy systems. The CEC found that the quality of solar installations has recently declined – with only seven per cent of systems rated as high quality in 2010, compared to 58 per cent in 2009.
Additionally, the CEC found that in 2009, 12 per cent of systems required further attention or were substandard – as compared to a much higher 29 per cent just one year later.
This decline in quality is concerning for home owners and raises some serious questions about the safety of residential solar systems that have been installed, as well as the validity and experience of the operators who installed them. According to Choice, some of the issues that have come to light through the various audits conducted include:
• Incorrectly installed panels falling off roofs
• Incorrect wiring
• Incorrect switches or circuit breakers
• Water ingress (water getting into the system)
• Incorrect and missing labels
Such safety concerns have the potential to cause fires and could pose a risk to any future contractors working on the affected site.
So, how do you take advantage of the disappearing government rebates, while ensuring you have a solar system that has been installed according to the highest safety standards? While the larger solar companies can usually be trusted, it is still very important to check the accreditations, license and insurance of a solar provider and to make sure their quote is submitted after a thorough inspection of your property.
Installing a solar system is a wonderful initiative that can have significant benefits for your home. However, be wary of the existence of unsafe operators and double check the credentials of your chosen installer to ensure that your system is installed safely, preventing future injury and property damage.