Three rooftop solar companies suspended over non-compliance, fraud

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator has taken action against another three solar installation companies for non-compliance and fraud within the national small-scale renewable energy scheme, including the use of “dodgy” equipment such as unaccredited panels.

The regulator said on Tuesday that it had suspended the REC Registry accounts of the Community Energy Group Pty Ltd, Space Solar Service Pty Ltd, and P and N NSW Pty Ltd, for the misuse of CEC accredited installer details and use of non-approved panels.

In its quarterly compliance update covering the period from October 01 to the end of December in 2019, the CER said it was taking a “zero tolerance” approach to the fraudulent creation of small-scale technology certificates, or STCs.

“We continue to target non-compliance and fraud within SRES, including the misuse of CEC accredited installer details and use of non-approved panels,” the regulator said.

“We will work with our partner agencies to take strong enforcement action against installers that do the wrong thing.

“This may include suspension or loss of CEC accreditation and electrical licenses and where warranted, civil action and criminal prosecutions.”

The report said the CER had established that several installers had falsely claimed to have conducted solar installations that they were not present at, over the course of the previous quarter.

“We are in the process of disclosing this and other information obtained from our investigations to the Clean Energy Council (CEC) and the relevant state and territory electrical safety regulators and fair-trading bodies.

“We have enhanced our data matching program and are widening our investigations to a larger group of accredited CEC installers who have been involved in this at-risk behaviour.”