10/05/2020
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM CEC AND CER
(Please note that as we do not install or sell Trina Solar Panels our customers are not affected by this announcement)
Trina Solar and the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) have identified that incorrect information may have been provided by Trina Solar in relation to the eligibility of certain solar panels for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). As a result, solar panels have been installed and STCs created on the incorrect assumption that the panels were eligible for STCs and were on the Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) Approved Module List.
What this means
To remedy this, the CER has accepted an enforceable undertaking from Trina Solar to address any ineligible solar panels. This requires Trina Solar to:
• offer to replace (free of charge, including transportation and re-stocking costs) affected panels where the panels have not yet been installed
• where affected panels have been installed, Trina Solar will offer the end user the option to replace and reinstall those panels at Trina Solar’s expense by a CEC accredited installer
• where an offer of replacement or reinstallation is declined by the end user, Trina Solar will surrender an equivalent number of STCs to the CER.
If you have any Trina Solar panels in stock, contact Trina Solar to find out if they meet the CEC Terms and Conditions. Their contact details can be found here.
You can also send a photo of:
• the PV module label
• any serial numbers
to [email protected]
What happens next
Any STC claims that have already been approved with non-compliant solar panels installed will be pursued directly with Trina Solar, not the installer, retailer or any other party.
In order to remain protected in future, the CEC recommends that you use the Solar Panel Validation app. The CER accepts that verification through SPV is an acceptable process for an installer to verify panels are compliant. If an installer has a positive verification through SPV and the panels are subsequently found to be non-compliant, the CER will pursue the manufacturer who provided the incorrect data and not others in the supply chain.
Trina Solar has advised that it intends to provide its supply chain with more details regarding this matter in the coming days.
Visit the CER’s website for more information on this matter.