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Ricky Barone installed a solar system on his roof in 2014 to make the most of North Queensland’s sunshine and save money on his electricity bill. Key points: Ricky Barone has been told the installation is a fire hazard but the retailer will not uninstall it A number of regulatory agencies receive complaints about diesel retailers, manufacturers and installers Some of the main issues raised were related to price, quality and high-pressure sales Since its installation, however, it has cost thousands of dollars and years without sleep. It was only this year that a so-called solar doctor inspected his roof panels did Mackay’s man realize the potential danger he was in. “He [the solar inspector] basically saying it was badly installed and there was a high chance it could catch fire,” Barone said. “I’m very disturbed and I haven’t slept well thinking about it.” Mr Barone said it was a two year wait to get the solar system installed by a local company, so he instead turned to a company based

Queenslanders with rooftop solar panels are effectively subsidizing power companies, according to Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) energy engineers. Key points: Energy retailers save millions of dollars per month because of rooftop solar, says Conservation Council Loganholme resident David Baggs says feed-in rates are “bad” The Australian Energy Council says feed-in rates are already high enough The feed-in rates paid to households exporting electricity are well below wholesale prices, meaning retailers save millions of dollars per month, said QCC energy strategist Clare Silcock. “Because the prices are so high, we’re seeing massive subsidies,” Silcock said. “It’s a bit of a change from what we’ve heard historically – that feed-in tariffs have benefited the middle class and channeled subsidies to people who can afford to install solar panels on their roofs.” In Loganholme, south of Brisbane, David Baggs earns 7 cents per kilowatt hour for the electricity he delivers to the grid.