Installers in the local industry have witnessed the "explosion" of cheap solar panels over the last five years that completely fail to provide the 15-20 year power guarantee - with some falling to pieces within just a couple of years, covered in rust and corrosion.
Problems with the panels include weak silicon that cannot survive Australian sun or heat, water egress, fires, and defective inverters. These systems have become somewhat of a running joke, nicknamed "landfill solar" by industry workers. Statistically, 17% of Chinese-made solar power systems reported problems; but some might not even know their systems are not functioning efficiently, or at all. However, Clean Energy Council chief executive, Kane Thorton, has warned against blaming production faults solely on one country of origin, but to address the problems existing across all manufactured importers.
While Chinese manufacturers Yinglit, ET Solar, and Trina are reputable companies, the problems occur when much of their productions are outsourced to other less reputable factories. Quantity and production efficiency then take the focus away from panel quality, resulting in the low-quality panels being installed, unknowingly, by Australian consumers.
The current scheme provides incentives between 4000-6000, but does not guarantee the power or environmental benefits it promised to deliver. Installers note the fact that the rebate is paid up front, and does not have to be paid back should a system fail to produce more than a few years' worth of power, with no limit on the number of rebates a consumer can access, is a serious problem in the system. This has encouraged some installers to offer cheap systems of lacklustre quality that work out to be almost free with the rebate payment.
In order to reduce the chance of being caught out with a dodgy system, always request a flash test report on a company's panels, and know the warranty agreement and limitations on your system.
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