alps solar panels ..... guess what ..

[sprintcyclist]

yet ANOTHER alp blunder ?

NSW Fair Trading will carry out statewide checks of solar panels installed under the controversial solar bonus scheme after potentially fatal flaws were discovered.
Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts has ordered the safety checks after an audit of panels installed in 55 homes in Port Macquarie revealed 16 were problematic.

Three were found to have "serious" flaws.

Issues encountered included potentially dangerous wiring and signage defects.

Others were found to be non-compliant with building regulations.

The checks were carried out in February.

"It is a concern for Fair Trading, and we're going to go out there and do more audits to make sure consumers can be confident that when they're installing these systems it's done appropriately," NSW Fair Trading Deputy Commissioner Steve Griffin said.

The audit will initially focus on the Sydney metro area, he added.

It comes as the state government attempts to close off the solar bonus scheme to new participants and reduce rates being paid for feeding energy back into the grid, over fears of a major budget blowout.

Mr Griffin declined to directly answer questions about any potential political motivations behind the statewide audit.

He also denied NSW Fair Trading sat on its findings from the Port Macquarie checks.

Results from the tests were known before the March state election, Mr Griffin said.

The new coalition government was informed of the results after it won office.

"Not at all, we were certainly monitoring what was going on in the community, seeing if there were complaints coming forward," Mr Griffin added.

"If there were, we certainly would've been more urgent on it.

"But as a result there were no complaints, there were no issues coming forward. Nevertheless we're still eager to get out there and have a much broader investigation."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... 6060521386