Solar business claims to have been misrepresented

The proprietor of a solar installation business has claimed he has been misrepresented in a Peninsula News article published on page 8 of edition 437 entitled "Caution urged with door-to-door solar salesmen".

Smart Energy Group managing director Mr Beau Savage said he had provided lengthy answers to Peninsula News which had not been published.

"Not one of our door-to-door reps sells anything," he said.

He said they let residents know "what we are doing".

"If the customer wants solar or just an appointment for more information our rep takes basic information, name, address and contact details, and then arranges a date and time for a specialist to come by," he said.

"Our solar specialists are qualified electricians or engineers and all have substantial hands-on experience installing solar in homes and businesses."

Although the business had only been operating just over a year, "our head solar specialist is a licensed electrician and has been tailoring solutions for rooftop solar for over five years," he said.

Mr Savage said his company "bulk buys solar systems ... to reduce the overall cost for each customer".

Explaining the flyer distributed by door knockers, he said that buyers would receive savings of "up to $2380 per home", rather than a $2380 solar system for free.

While not clarifying whether the installers were employees or sub-contractors, Mr Savage said: "We install the systems.

"One of our house solar installers who are individually Clean Energy Council accredited installers that are also qualified electricians and roofers; not only are they electricians, they are solar electricians all with a minimum three years experience."

Mr Savage acknowledged that his company did not offer the finance itself, but said: "We work with Brighte, Classic Funding Group and Certegy who are all massive companies. Certegy are used as Harvey Norman's interest-free supplier."

Mr Savage claimed that "since February 2017, Smart Energy has installed solar on 837 homes - 0.7 per cent of Australia's solar last year".

"The Central Coast has one of the lowest amounts of solar per dwelling in Australia so for us it works quite well under our goal to help this area," he said.

Media statements, 24 Jan 2018, 1 Feb 2018

Beau Savage, Smart Energy Group