The consumer fallout from the solar battery boom | 7.30

ABC News In-depth

3,293 views • 8 hours ago Save 4 min 3 min read

Video Summary

A $30,000 solar battery system installed on Adrian Goodfellow's farm has been plagued by problems since its March installation, with issues ranging from cracked concrete slabs and unlevel installations to panels placed in incorrect locations. The system, part of a federal discount program, has been deemed substandard by an independent review, raising safety concerns and leaving Goodfellow without a working system.

Meanwhile, another customer, Amin Karam, faced an eight-month battle to get a missing inverter installed for his $13,000 system, only securing it after lodging a dispute. Solar Power Nation, the retailer, is now under investigation in multiple states due to hundreds of complaints and has been removed from an industry scheme for significant failures. The company, which claims a high customer satisfaction rate, is also facing scrutiny over its financial dealings, with its original entity going broke and leaving substantial debts.

Short Highlights

Solar Power Nation is under investigation in Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia due to hundreds of complaints.
Adrian Goodfellow's $30,000 solar battery system has been non-operational since its installation in March, with a cracked slab and incorrect panel placement.
Amin Karam's $13,000 system was missing an inverter for eight months, requiring a tribunal dispute to resolve.
The retailer was removed from the New Energy Tech Consumer Code for significant failures.
The original Solar Power Nation company went broke, leaving over $6 million in debts to creditors.

Key Details

Faulty Installation and Cracked Slab [0:15]

Adrian Goodfellow's solar battery system, installed in March, experienced problems from the next morning.
Issues included unlevel installations and a cracked concrete slab, which installers allegedly covered with silicone.
Goodfellow described his $30,000 system as currently not working, expressing anger, disappointment, and distress.

"So this is a $30,000 system you currently don't have working?"

Incorrect Panel Placement and Substandard System [1:03]

Adrian Goodfellow claims some solar panels were installed in the wrong location, with 20 panels on the south side instead of the north.
His retailer, Solar Power Nation, stated the layout changed due to an unsafe roof section, a claim Goodfellow disputes.
An independent review found the battery, inverter, and PV system did not meet Clean Energy Council best practice standards, calling the installation substandard and a safety concern.

"The installation requires significant improvement with specific safety concerns that must be addressed immediately."

Amin Karam's Eight-Month Dispute [2:31]

Amin Karam's $13,000 battery system, installed in October, was incomplete with only one inverter installed.
This meant he could not fully charge the battery, and he spent eight months chasing the company for the missing component.
The missing inverter was only installed after he lodged a dispute with the Queensland Civil Tribunal for Consumer Disputes (QCAT).

"I chased up many times. They just give like vague dates, no clear dates, no clear answers."

Regulatory Scrutiny and Company Failures [3:35]

Solar Power Nation is under investigation in Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia after hundreds of complaints.
The company was removed from the New Energy Tech Consumer Code for significant failures.
The original Solar Power Nation company went broke after being sold to a related company midway through 2024, leaving over $6 million in debts.

"The champion's choice for everything solar."