Exposed: Shocking Standards Of Solar Installs

The Government is set to unveil huge grants for solar and battery installs for all households in a major boost to the trade…

… the news comes as a whistleblower exposes the shocking standards of some publicly funded PV jobs…

…and a tradesman wins over £1 million after striking a cable at a UK branch of Taco Bell…

Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with Sungrow , making every Watt count since 1997 , whether you're listening in the van, on site, or down at the wholesale counter.

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Show Notes:

Catch all the stories, links, and product info from this episode - it’s all waiting for you in the show notes at 👉 https://www.efixx.co.uk/exposed-shocking-standards-of-solar-installs

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Time Stamps ⏱️
00:00 Electrical News Weekly 12/01/2026
00:55 Govt Set To Unveil Major Solar Incentives
01:45 Solar Surge Fuels Fear For Installation Standards
03:17 NAPIT To Deliver MCS Installer Scheme
03:45 Tradesman Receives £1 Million In Compensation
04:56 Bolton Firm Fined After Unqualified Test Cert
06:33 New Surface Version Of The Firefly Family
07:26 AlphaESS Becomes Octopus Energy Partner
08:27 Learner Of The Week
09:06 Tea Break With Quickwire
10:02 eFIXX Fantasy League Roundup
12:34 Thanks To Our Premium Partners
13:10 Challenge Words & Winners
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#enw #electricians #electricalinstallation

Transcript

Coming up on this week's news, the government is set to unveil huge grants for solar and battery installs for all households in a major boost to the trade. The news comes as a whistleblower exposes the shocking standards of some publicly funded PV jobs. And a tradesman is awarded over1 million pounds after striking a cable at a UK branch of Taco Bell. Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with Sungrow, making every watt count literally since 1997. Whether you're listening in the van, on site, or down at the wholesale counter. I'm Joe Robinson and I've been through the best of the electrical industry news to save you the trouble. We're being lit by Flex 7 with their lightning fast pre-wired modular lighting connection system that keeps your installation times razor sharp. And this week's challenge word competition is supported by the good people at Brady. If you need a label, they've got a printer and so much more. If you think you've spotted the two words that I've been challenged to slip into this week's show, comment with them below for the chance to win a prize. And while you're there, click the links to check out what our sponsors offer. The government is set to unveil a major incentive package for solar and battery installations. It's believed that some 13 billion pounds has been earmarked to turbocharge the adoption of combined systems over the next four years. And the cash will be available to everyone, not just low income households eligible for warm home grants. The government is also talking to banks and energy companies about financing schemes which could eliminate upfront costs. It's also expected that the government will lift its ban on so-called plug-in solar panels. It wants to see them for sale in supermarkets. The plug-in units typically sit in gardens and on rooftops and balconies. They cost between £180 and £300, but can save most of that cost in lower bills in the first year alone. Ministers have been struck by the unit's success in Germany, where they're now present in 1 million homes. Taken together, the measures represent the biggest boost for renewables in years. However, the surge in solar has fueled fears that installation standards could fall if carried out by flumoxed contractors. Only this week, a whistleblower in the West Country exposed defaults on grant-funded jobs in Cornwall. The anonymous informer says the scale of the issues could undermine climate goals and leave low-income residents financially exposed. They released images showing poorly executed roof works, including slates cut away incorrectly, flashing left unsecured, and a lack of clips or nails to hold fragile slate tiles in place. These faults, the whistleblower says, can allow slates to lift in winter gales, creating a real risk of watering grass, particularly in older homes without modern membrane linings. Another concern involves the structural stability of the panels themselves. Some bracket clamps were found slipping, causing panels to shift apart and creating the possibility that sections could lift off in bad weather. These problems are exacerbated by the complex chain of contractors used in grant-funded schemes. Councils typically appoint main management firms who then subcontract the work. sometimes to secondary contractors working under tight time pressures. A typical installation they say is completed in just four hours compared with two to three days for a privately contracted job. For its part, Cornwall Council says the schemes it oversaw had robust quality assurance checks. Out of more than 439 homes receiving solar jobs under the sustainable warmth and home upgrade grant, only two complaints were received and both were resolved. And the increase in solar projects means an increase in the need for fire detection systems in properties. So why not check out this fantastic range from this week's fire sponsor Fire Angel. They'll keep watch over you and your loved ones even when you can't. Still on standards for renewable kit, it's been announced that NAPIT has achieved UKAS accreditation to deliver the redeveloped MCS installer scheme. The organisation says the development gives installers greater clarity as the redeveloped scheme is rolled out. NAPIT says it's working closely with MCS to develop a transition plan for existing MCS certified members. Until further notice, existing members should continue to meet all current MCS scheme requirements, including maintaining an approved consumer code. We'll share further details on the transition and key dates when we get them. A tradesman who suffered life-changing burns after hitting a live cable in a Taco Bell outlet in Torquay has been awarded over 1 million pounds in compensation. The incident happened when the Scottish national, who isn't being named, was digging up a concrete floor in the premises. He was part of a project team installing a disabled toilet at the fast food restaurant. His legal firm, Stewart, says the live electrical cable was at a dangerously shallow depth. The company also says that it hadn't been identified or repositioned by the man's employer, Oakwood Contracts Limited. This was despite a near miss with the same cable on site in the weeks before the incident. On striking the cable, the man sustained an immense electric shock and was engulfed in flames. He sustained shocking burns covering 39% of his body, resulting in long-term scarring. His injuries reduced the use of his hands, affecting his work as a joiner, and left him with skin conditions that impacted daily life. He's also developed post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a consequence of the electric shock. Stuart's brought a claim against Oakwood Contracts Limited, alleging a failure to adhere to health and safety standards on site and failure to warn of the presence of the cable. The claim had been listed for a 5-day trial in the high court this March, but the disputing parties have now settled for what's being described as a seven figure sum. Still in the courts, a Bolton firm has been fined after a test certificate for a petrol station was conducted by an electrician unqualified to do the work. Bolton firm Derby Firelec Limited was ordered to pay a penalty of £20,000 after its electrical work left the premises in a dangerous condition. Company director Mahammadrafik Patel carried out the work at Dyffryn Garage on Anglesey despite not having the appropriate qualifications.He claimed he'd submitted an electrical installation report which stated that the electrical work was safe. However, that was not the case and faults needed to be addressed, including the earthing of the installation. The alarm was sounded after the report contained a number of errors as well as incomplete sections. It soon became clear that Patel had not been approved under his ECA membership to carry out electrical work in the hazardous area of a petrol station. Nor did he have Compex 7 and 8 competence in explosive atmospheres. Patel says he told the owners of the petrol station that his eligibility had expired and that he had not yet received the results of his last test, but had failed to pass. Nevertheless, he went ahead and submitted a report even though the electrical grounding problem on the site had not been rectified. Patel told the court he regretted his actions and accepted he'd made a mistake. Councelor Nicola Roberts of Angles Council said she hoped the substantial fine would send a clear message that unsafe work practices would not be tolerated. On top of the £20,000 fine, Patel was also ordered to carry out £120 of unpaid community service and pay £778 in costs and a victim search charge. We're told that he's since passed the tests and is now qualified to do this type of work. And if you're qualified and competent, why not check out Legrand's green eye range of smart controls? They'll cut carbon, reduce costs, and help you specify efficient future ready buildings. Our product focus today is on emergency lighting, and the big story here is a new surface version of the acclaimed Firefly family by Thorlux Lighting. This range comprises discrete recessed emergency luminaires equipped with the latest lithium ion phosphate batteries. There are five optical distribution options for illuminating points of emphasis, escape routes, and open areas. You can also get versions with the Thorlux Smart Scan wireless control tech. The Firefly is available in either 3W or 4 watt power ratings, both of which come with a 10-year product warranty. It has an ingress protection rating of IP40 as standard with an IP65 version available. Firefly represents a 60% reduction in embodied carbon, reduced energy consumption, and a doubled life expectancy compared to the previous model. As well as the surface, there's the Firefly recess, the recess with the IP65 bezel, and the Firefly anti- liature version. Now, I was going to insert a clever pun involving a Firefly versus a mosquito for this week's challenge word here, but I run out of time. AlphaESS UK has become a certified partner of Octopus Energy. This means its full range of residential battery storage systems is integrated with intelligent tariffs from Octopus. It kit is now compatible with Octopus Energy's intelligent flux tariff, and it also has built-in functionality. That means it can work other dynamic tariffs, including Intelligent Go, Octopus Go, and Cozy Octopus. AlphaESS says the deal represents a great commercial opportunity for installers to get into battery packs. For householders, the combination of equipment and the Octopus apps will be compelling. It's expected to boost sales of Alpha ESS's acclaimed Smile G3 battery and inverter combination. This residential product comes in a range of ratings. There's singlephase options ranging from 3.6 to 8 kW and three-phase ones from 4 up to 20 kW. The modular design means you can install it building block style with plug-and-play connections to make it super easy. It has 200% array oversizing and you can connect a generator for dual power supply options. The Smile G3 is rated at IP65 so you can install it in outdoor and semi-outdoor locations according to the guidance. Our learner of the week slot is brought to you by ViperClip for rapid, secure, and fireproof installations of cabling. And our learner this week is Oliver Green of Milton Keenes College. Oliver is fortunate to be taught by some top lecturers there, including friends of the channel, Tom Chaplan, Chris Game, and Donna Ginger. Oliver has embraced LinkedIn to showcase his progress through his level two electrical study program. This gives him an invaluable opportunity to show potential employees the type of work he's undertaken during his training, and it also allows him to look back in the years to come and see how his skills have developed. All the best, Oliver. We look forward to more of your posts, and all the best in getting an apprenticeship soon. Congratulations on being our eFIXX learner of the week in association with Viper Clip. And now to the lighter side of the electrical news. Yes, it's time for a tea break with QuickWire and its range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. A Wrexham electrician has agonisingly missed out on a jackpot of £180,000 at the World Dart Championships in London. Curtis Griffiths was selected at random from almost 30,000 entrance in a sporting challenge organised by tournament sponsor Paddy Power. He was given the chance to win the cash if he was able to score 180 from nine darts on stage at Alexander Palace. Unfortunately, Curtis scored just 89 from his nine darts despite huge support from the 3,000 strong crowd. However, rather than walking away empty-handed, Paddy Power gave him5 grand in the end for being a good sport. The initiative has raised more than £123,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. That's the lighter side of the news in our tea break with Quickwire and their range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. Click the link in the description to check them out for yourself. Now, just before we get to your favourite bit of the show where I reveal last week's challenge words and winners, we want to thank our premium partners. We couldn't make the news without you. First up, empowering their customers to harness power through light with their intelligent energy solutions, solar technology, and advanced lighting systems. It's Ledvance. One of our favourite new innovations here at eFIXX for rock solid fixings in flimsier materials. Don't just fix it when you can chump fix it. And the best thing to come out of Yorkshire since stainless steel, the home of EV Ultra and other groundbreaking and quality products, it's Doncaster Cables. Click the links in the show notes to find out more about these great brands. If you think you know the words that I've smuggled into this week's show, pop your guess into the comments. We'll take all the correct guesses and select one at random to be the winner of an eFIXX goodie bag prize. Answers submitted after about lunchtime on the Thursday after release will not be entered into the draw. Now, let's reveal the winners of last week's challenge word competition as sponsored by Brady. Remember, if you need a label, they've got a printer and so much more. Click the link in the description to view their incredible range. Last episode's words were Vixen and Prancer, and the first name to come out of our electronic hat was Mark Rose 9447. So, well done to you, Mark. Click the link in the show notes to claim your prize. And also, well done for inputting variations of your name 9,446 times before you found a username that was available. That shows real tenacity. This week, we've been lit by Flex 7 with their lightning fast pre-wired modular lighting connection system that keeps your installation times razor sharp. Don't forget to click the links in the show notes to find out more. Thanks for listening to this episode of Electrical News Weekly in association with Sunrow, making every watt count, literally since 1997. Make sure you subscribe to receive the next update. Thanks for listening and until next time, have a great week. Stay safe out there and remember there's no such thing as a torque calibrated arm.