A solar installer has been given a 12 month good behaviour bond and had his Clean Energy Council accreditation revoked after being investigated by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) for making false claims that netted him $60,000.
The Regulator announced that Aaron Ware, then a director of Pedley’s Electrical Services, claimed to have installed or supervised the installation of 13 solar power systems between October 2018 and January 2020 – when he was overseas.
At the time, the CER said, Ware was accredited as a PV installer by the Clean Energy Council.
The Regulator accused him of submitting “13 false or misleading Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) assignment forms, along with certificates of electrical safety to renewable energy certificate agents.”
The agents then improperly created 1,637 STCs for those PV systems, and paid Ware around $60,000.
Ware entered a guilty plea in Brisbane Magistrates Court to offences of making a false or misleading statement under the Commonwealth Criminal Code, and he was convicted and released on a good behaviour bond on August 4.
“The conduct investigated and prosecuted here predates the integrity review into rooftop solar and the CER’s campaign to raise awareness about installer attendance obligations”, said Piet Powell, CER compliance branch general manager. “Those who now attempt to benefit from making false statements regarding STC eligibility can expect greater penalties than what Ware received.”
The CER emphasised the importance of the shared responsibility of maintaining the integrity of the STC scheme, which is the basis of Australia’s solar rebate.
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