The Queensland Fraud Squad in Australia arrested a “pastor” and his wife, for a scam involving solar panels, after more than 150 complaints were made in relation to the company of the couple in 2011. The court case is due to take place on February 19 in Brisbane Magistrates Court.
Solar power systems are constantly a subject of fraud, with increasing cases of complaints lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The statistics show that between 2011 and 2012, the cases rose from 1,229 to 1,613.
It is expected, that these numbers will increase even further, as cheap solar panels and solar inverters continue to emerge. Consumers often find that the companies that produce the equipment are either unhelpful or simply non-existent.
It is known that price does not determine quality. Installation and mounting systems are very crucial components. The former determines the system performance and safety, while the latter keeps the solar panels attached to the roof.
In Australia, the national solar solutions provider, Energy Matters, has created a Solar Power Consumer Guide, which can help consumers switch to solar and avoid tricks, traps and common pitfalls.
