{"id":30248,"date":"2019-05-17T15:22:13","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T04:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=30248"},"modified":"2019-05-20T14:25:44","modified_gmt":"2019-05-20T03:55:44","slug":"energy-tech-consumer-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/energy-tech-consumer-code\/","title":{"rendered":"New Energy Tech Consumer Code Seeking Submissions (And Boy, Does It Need Them!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"New<\/p>\n

A number of bodies — as in organisations, not corpses 1<\/a><\/sup> — are working to come up with a New Energy Tech Consumer Code that covers the sale of solar power and battery systems, and are seeking submissions.<\/p>\n

I’m planning to submit all over that son-of-a-bitch, so if you’ve got any suggestions you’d like included; put them in the comments and if I like them I’ll add them in. Or you can do your own submission<\/a>.\u00a0 But either way you’ll have to hurry because because the closing date is the 22nd of May, which is 5 days away.\u00a0 (Yes, I am so disorganized I couldn’t even get this out a week ahead.)<\/p>\n

Thank god Finn pointed out I can make a submission because the New Energy Tech Consumer Code is pretty shithouse in its current form.\u00a0 I’m not referring to the fact that it’s missing vital areas of consumer protection that need to be addressed.\u00a0 That is definitely the case, but as long as this is fixed through the submission process that’s okay.\u00a0 The trouble is, parts of what we have so far look like they were written by arseholes to justify being arseholes.<\/p>\n

Clubhouse Cronyism<\/h2>\n

Who but an arsehole would write the following sentence:<\/p>\n

\"good<\/p>\n

The writer either does not understand or does not care that just because someone doesn’t sign a code of conduct does not mean they are not prepared to meet “good practice and consumer protection standards”.\u00a0 All you can say is they haven’t fucking signed it.\u00a0 They just may not be interested or maybe they think the New Energy Tech Consumer Code doesn’t go far enough in protecting consumers.<\/p>\n

It’s not ethical to impute lousy motives to people just because they’re not interested in joining your club.\u00a0 You don’t do it to people in your industry and you don’t do it to complete strangers.\u00a0 To me it looks like they are planning to use the new code as a weapon against outsiders who don’t sign on, while working to obtain special benefits for insiders.\u00a0 Unless the new code helps the industry as a whole — both those who sign onto the code and those who don’t, they shouldn’t even bother.<\/p>\n

To this end, the New Energy Tech Consumer Code should make clear, right at top, that it is not ethical to discriminate against anyone for deciding not to sign and is against any legal, regulatory, or subsidy advantage that only applies only to members.\u00a0 It should clearly state the only ethical reason for discriminating against an individual or company is their actual behavior.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Code Needs Strong Consumer Protections<\/h2>\n

At the moment there are very basic things missing from the draft New Energy Tech Consumer Code that need to be included for adequate consumer protection.<\/p>\n

I can’t see anything against blended payback<\/a>, which is the dishonest practice of combining the positive return from a rooftop solar power system with the often negative return from a battery system2<\/a><\/sup>. \u00a0This is used to hide the fact batteries at current prices often only lose a household money.3<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0 A code that doesn’t ban this practice isn’t worth a bucket of warm spit.\u00a0 (Whether or not it is worth a bucket of cold spit on a hot day is something only you can decide.)<\/p>\n

I also see nothing on keeping predictions of future electricity prices<\/a> honest.\u00a0 Without this, a shady installer4<\/a><\/sup> can make up figures that will make a complete rip-off of a system look good.\u00a0 I can’t even see anything in the draft code about measuring shade properly.<\/p>\n

But what is most required are strong protections against people being ripped off by battery salespeople, as that is the new energy technology most often resulting in people losing their money.\u00a0 Or in severe cases of dangerous shoddy work, losing their home; as batteries are a fire risk in the way solar power systems and other electrical devices are not.<\/p>\n

Minimum 10 Year Warranties Across The Board<\/h2>\n

I’d like to add something positive, rather than just pointing out negatives, so I suggest moving towards a minimum of 10 years warranty across the board for all aspects of solar and battery installations.\u00a0 For solar power systems that would be a minimum of 10 years warranty for solar panels, inverters, roof mounting hardware, cabling and other components, and workpersonship.<\/p>\n

For batteries it would be 10 years for batteries, inverters, cabinets, control boxes, any other components and installation.<\/p>\n

This gives purchasers 10 years peace of mind and makes payback calculations much simpler.\u00a0 As long as they are sure they will come out ahead within 10 years they can be confident they are making a good investment.<\/p>\n

I realise this will take time to work towards, but it’s not something that is extremely difficult.\u00a0 There are installers doing it right now.<\/p>\n

Please Put Suggestions In The Comments<\/h2>\n

There’s probably lots of things the New Energy Tech Consumer Code needs that I’ve overlooked.\u00a0 But I’m afraid at the moment I am too furious to think straight.\u00a0 I’m so out of sorts I only ate one block of chocolate for breakfast this morning.\u00a0 So please add your thoughts to the comments.\u00a0 Even if you think they are stupid, I’d like to see them.\u00a0 After all, I think most of my ideas are stupid.\u00a0 Which means I must be pretty smart, because I’m usually right about that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A number of bodies — as in organisations, not corpses 1 — are working to come up with a New Energy Tech Consumer Code that covers the sale of solar power and battery systems, and are seeking submissions. I’m planning to submit all over that son-of-a-bitch, so if you’ve got any suggestions you’d like included; […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":30410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-policy","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew Solar\/Battery Retailer Code of Conduct Seeking Submissions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A new code of conduct covering sales of solar power and battery systems will soon be foisted on the industry. 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What started as an excellent voluntary code soon descended in to farce as the CEC successfully worked with the Victorian Government to make it 'de facto\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Policy","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"solar code of conduct","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/netcc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/netcc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/netcc.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/netcc.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/netcc.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42237,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-code-accc-mb1643\/","url_meta":{"origin":30248,"position":1},"title":"ACCC Publishes Solar Retailer Code Of Conduct Draft Determination","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"August 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has recognised the CEC Approved Solar Retailer program needs tweaking - but is what the ACCC proposes enough? Back in May, the Clean Energy Council (CEC) lodged an application with the ACCC for re-authorisation of the Solar Retailer Code of Conduct. While the Code\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ACCC Draft Determination on CEC Approved Solar Retailer program","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/accc-solar-retailer.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/accc-solar-retailer.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/accc-solar-retailer.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/accc-solar-retailer.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/accc-solar-retailer.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30419,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/energy-tech-consumer-code-submission\/","url_meta":{"origin":30248,"position":2},"title":"The New Energy Tech Consumer Code — I Submit!","author":"Ronald Brakels","date":"May 23, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"On Friday I wrote about how the New Energy Tech Consumer Code was seeking submissions.\u00a0 Given its current state I said it could definitely do with some, so I've typed up mine and and put it below. I wasn't sure how to go about writing my submission as I've never\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Policy","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"New Energy Tech Consumer Code submission","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/coc-submission.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/coc-submission.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/coc-submission.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/coc-submission.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/coc-submission.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":70614,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/netcc-launch-mb2814\/","url_meta":{"origin":30248,"position":3},"title":"New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC) Launches","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"February 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Here comes the new code, same as the old code? Replacing the Approved Solar Retailer (ASR) program, what is the NETCC and why does it matter? The NETCC is a voluntary code of conduct authorised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that has been designed to build on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"New Energy Tech Consumer Code - NETCC","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/netcc-transition.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/netcc-transition.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/netcc-transition.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/netcc-transition.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/netcc-transition.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":86831,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/netcc-changes-mb3012\/","url_meta":{"origin":30248,"position":4},"title":"NETCC Proposed Changes: Have Your Say (Soon)","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"September 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Remember the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC)? It's still around and there are changes in the wind. The NETCC is a voluntary code of conduct that was designed to build on existing consumer protection regulations in relation to the purchase of new energy tech such as solar power systems,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"New Energy Tech Consumer Code - NETCC","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/netcc-changes.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/netcc-changes.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/netcc-changes.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/netcc-changes.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/netcc-changes.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43233,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/energy-tech-code-bnpl-mb1685\/","url_meta":{"origin":30248,"position":5},"title":"New Energy Tech Consumer Code Authorised – BNPL Lives On","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"September 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"A new consumer code for retailers of \u2018new energy tech\u2019 products such as solar panels, batteries and EV charging systems has been authorised by the Australian Competition Tribunal, with conditions. The New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC), which will make the problematic CEC Approved Solar Retailer scheme eventually obsolete, sets\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"New Energy Tech Consumer Code","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/netcc-authorisation.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/netcc-authorisation.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/netcc-authorisation.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/netcc-authorisation.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/netcc-authorisation.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30248"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30456,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30248\/revisions\/30456"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}