“We, as City Commissioners of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2012 as “US Solar Institute Day” … and do thank the US Solar Institute for its contribution in making our air a little less polluted.”

It’s been a busy year since then, and we want to thank everyone for their support that has included many great moments for USSolar including:

• Being honored by Broward County Board of Commissioners with its Emerald Award trophy for Climate Change Leadership 2012 as well as recognizing USSI’s Leadership in Recycling and Green Innovation.
• Sponsoring the Inaugural Jamaican Alternative Energy Expo in Kingston Jamaica to help bring affordable      solar power to people all over the Caribbean. The next JAEE will be in Montego Bay Sept 27 to 28, 2013.
• Holding “Solar Saturday School” at the USSI campus, a free outreach to the community to help educate local home and business owners on the affordability and economic viability of solar energy.
• Kicking off the first “Real World Solar PV Challenge,” an ongoing head to head testing of some of the solar component manufactures equipment to help give the consumers some real data on how the equipment performs and holds up to the (sometimes brutal) elements here in south Florida and the Caribbean.
• Having the Honor and Privilege to be the first US Veterans Approved Solar Training  school to provide  VA  tuition assistance under the GI Bill to help returning and active duty men and women in uniform secure the training they need in an industry hungry for more qualified PV installers.
• And of course having the opportunity to educate and train hundreds of new student in the booming solar energy industry!

It all started with USSI solar PV training school’s outfitting its main campus with 99 photovoltaic panels, generating as many as 150kWhs of clean energy daily – enough to power the school plus 2 additional homes.

As the only solar PV training school Licensed by the Florida Department of Education, USSI wanted to demonstrate that solar is not simply a theoretical concept.  Rather, it is a practical and affordable technology that can reduce utility bills to zero, if not reverse them completely.

USSI currently feeds excess energy back to the utility, producing negative electricity bills for the school and a cleaner city for area residents.  The installation has also transformed USSI into the region’s first 100% solar-powered college.

“We wanted to show people how affordable solar actually is,” comments USSI Founder & President, Ray Johnson.  “If a school our size can rely exclusively on solar and have electricity to spare, imagine what the technology could do for businesses and homes throughout the city.”

At last year’s ceremony, City Commissioners, on behalf of Mayor Seiler, congratulated USSI for providing a shining example hoping to inspire more business owners and residents to make the transition to cleaner energy sources.

In addition, Commissioner Romney Rogers announced that USSI would receive its own day of recognition, stating,

We, as City Commissioners of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2012 as “US Solar Institute Day” … and do thank the US Solar Institute for its contribution in making our air a little less polluted.

To learn more about US Solar institute or to sign up for solar installation training, visit: http://ussolarinstitute.com/

About USSolar Institute

USSolar Institute is a globally diversified solar energy corporation with headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offices, dealers, and partners around the world.  USSolar remains dedicated to comprehensive solar education and consulting services by providing global construction management, engineering, and financing solutions for virtually any sized project or system need.

Fort Lauderdale, FL – May 13, 2013 – In collaboration with Caribbean and Florida certified PV installer & state licensed contractor, Florida Solar One, USSolar Institute, is conducting  a 6-month PV performance challenge in which it tests some of the leading panels and inverters under “real-world” conditions.

After outfitting its Fort Lauderdale campus with technology from the likes of Suniva, SMA, and SolarEdge, the PV installation training college will carefully monitor the results and publish its findings online – daily.

Although nearly all solar components sold in the US undergo 3^rd party testing, the majority of independent agencies conduct their reviews under controlled conditions.  According to USSolar Institute Founder and Florida Solar One President, Ray Johnson, “Homeowners don’t want to know how well these products work in a lab – they want to know how much power they’ll get when the panels are installed on their properties.”

In addition to 3^rd party reviews, manufacturers enjoy considerable leeway when marketing power output and warranties.  So much so, that a number of leading suppliers have come under fire for dubious claims about the performance of their panels.  In fact, Florida solar panel maker ASP also known as Blue Chip Energy was forced to issue a recall for violating standards by popular rating agency, Underwriters Laboratories.

For the experiment, USSolar Institute has installed  PV panels from ReneSola. The challenge will also includes 3 of the more popular inverter technologies to the test – Enphase’s micro inverters, SMA’s string-line inverters, and SolarEdge’s DC-optimized inverters.  Each will have its own monitoring to help track performance.

“6 months is a long-time for an experiment of this type, but we deliberately designed it to coincide with Florida’s notorious hurricane season,” adds Johnson.  “Traditional labs aren’t very good at simulating high velocity winds, salty humidity, and semi-equatorial, year-round sunshine.  We’re eager to see the final results.”

The Challenge is now up and running and preliminary data is pouring in. We are currently processing the first batch of the raw data and will be uploading the first results to the Challenge Webpage soon.

Stay tuned….. It looks like it’s going to be a great Challenge!

To learn more about USSolar Institute, visit: http://ussolarinstitute.com/.

To learn more about Florida Solar One, visit: http://www.floridasolarone.com/. 

About USSolar Institute

USSolar Institute is a globally diversified solar energy corporation with headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offices, dealers, and partners around the world.  USSolar remains dedicated to comprehensive solar education and consulting services by providing global construction management, engineering, and financing solutions for virtually any sized project or system need.

USSolar Institute to host Schletter’s second-annual Solar Roadshow, which focuses on commercial and utility-scale solar applications, as it travels to the Sunshine State stopping in Ft Lauderdale on May 10^th and 11^th.

Fort Lauderdale, FL – April 30, 2013 – Schletter©, a worldwide leader in photovoltaic mounting systems, is staging its second-annual nationwide Solar Roadshow in conjunction with USSolar Institute’s Solar Saturday School in May.

As part of this program, Schletter will be offering hands-on demonstrations with equipment geared towards large solar installations.

Witness the GAYK pile driving ram in action, and see Schletter’s Park@Sol Carport, and the legendary FS System. Plus, learn how to save time during the installation process from their experienced Technical Sales Representatives.

In addition to getting firsthand PV product knowledge from Schletter representatives, participants will have a chance to participate in educational sessions as well as complementary giveaways and hospitality for attendees.

USSolar Institute will be hosting the Solar Roadshow stop at their campus in Ft Lauderdale May 10^th and 11^th. “USSolar Institute is excited to have Schletter be a part of our Solar Saturday School at our campus,” commented Ray Johnson, President and Founder of USSolar Institute. “We look forward to showcasing some of the Schletter technology as well as having attendees learn more about the solar education and certification opportunities here at USSolar Institute.”

The Solar Roadshow is a free event, which is open to the public and lasts from 10–3 pm each day. The Sunshine State stop at the USSolar Institute’s Campus will be held at 913 NE 4^th Avenue, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information, please contact USSolar Institute at 954-236-4577 or info@ussolarinstitute.com. You may also visit www.schletter.us/event-roadshow.html. 

About Schletter Inc.

Schletter (www.schletter.us) has designed, developed, and manufactured solar mounting products in the U.S. since 2008, while backed with more than 20-years of solar mounting experience from Schletter GmbH. Since opening its United States facility in Tucson, Arizona, Schletter Inc has manufactured more than 800 MW of installed PV mounting systems. Schletter Inc. offers products for roof mount and ground mount systems for residential, commercial, and utility scale photovoltaic systems. Schletter Inc. is an independent subsidiary of Schletter GmbH, which operates subsidiaries in eleven countries with more than 1,800 employees worldwide. For more information on Schletter GmbH, please visit www.schletter.us 

About USSolar Institute

USSolar Institute is a globally diversified solar energy corporation with headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offices, dealers, and partners around the world.  USSolar remains dedicated to comprehensive solar education and consulting services by providing global construction management, engineering, and financing solutions for virtually any sized project or system need.

For more information please contact USSolar at info@ussolarinstitute.com

So with a commodity like solar panels, you’d think the same rules would apply.  The technology is essentially the same across all the different manufacturers.  There aren’t even moving parts.

However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Yes – solar panels are basically a commodity, but one that is heavily influenced by location.  You probably already know this at a basic level.  After all, panels installed on the equator will produce far more energy than solar panels installed in Norway.

More sunshine equals more output.  So you’d think that a place like Miami or Fort Lauderdale would have an automatic advantage over New England or the Midwest.

Unfortunately, this is not the case.  In fact, most regions in the Caribbean are at a severe disadvantage when it comes to installing solar panels.  For despite our enviable sunshine, we also experience salty humidity and high velocity hurricane winds – two of the most destructive forces when it comes to solar technology.

Let me explain:

• Over time, both salt and moisture can quickly corrode many of the components that make up your solar PV system.  They basically eat away at the equipment, thus, compromising both the integrity of your installation and the power output of your panels.
• 170mph hurricane winds are a bit easier to understand.  Very few solar panel mounting solutions were designed to withstand winds of that speed.

You might be asking – why wouldn’t solar panel manufacturers simply weatherproof their components and reinforce their mounting solutions?

The answer is simple.  Although Miami, Jamaica, and the Bahamas are relatively active solar markets, they represent a tiny fraction of the global PV industry.  Most countries around the world don’t need these additional enhancements.  And so the extra sales that these manufacturers would make with better reinforcement and weatherproofing wouldn’t justify the added costs involved.

And besides, most customers in Miami don’t really understand how corrosion and hurricanes affect solar panel performance.  Why spend extra money solving a problem that most customers aren’t even aware of?

The sad fact is – all solar customers in Miami eventually become aware of the problem one way or another.  They either:

1. Receive accurate information upfront from a reliable installer
2. Discover the problem themselves after the solar panels can begin to wear and corrode more rapidly than expected.

Our goal at USSolar is ensure that you fall into the first category.

Although very few solar manufacturers develop panels designed exclusively for the Miami market, Suniva comes pretty close. USSolar pre-packaged systems are able to deliver the highest energy output… at the lowest cost… for the longest time.

Not only are these hurricane- and corrosion-proof systems competitively priced compared to others on the market, but they’re also infinitely cheaper when you factor in total lifetime performance.  The difference between 1 installation versus 1 installation with yearly repairs is huge.

If you live in the Miami Metro Area and want to maximize the lifetime ROI of your solar panels, contact USSolar today for a free consultation.

Of course master swindlers and con artists Ponzi, Madoff and Rothstein all enjoyed Florida’s sunshine too.

The Sunshine State has much going for it and perhaps one day we take their rightful place on top of the solar energy industry but, with the likes of Advanced Solar Photonics, Blue Chip Energy and Sfinkx that make take awhile longer.

Founder and now proven solar con artist Dmetri Nitikin only managed to fraud Floridian’s with his fake solar panels for a few years until those at Underwriter’s Laboratory, USSolar Institute and Florida Solar One called attention to their solar panel scam.

Employees of these companies like Carlos Gonzalez, Wayne Tupulo and Genti Zego are certainly unlikely to gain employment in the solar industry anytime soon after doing their best to promoting the ongoing fraud mastered by Nitikin at the Florida solar panel company gone bad.

But what about the consumers, home owners and businesses who were duped?  The bottom line is the contractors will and must eat the losses, without shame and do the right thing.  They must get back to their clients and inform them – else be held negligent.  Ignorance is no excuse for the law.  The word is out about the great ASP solar panel scam.

Yes, it will hurt and it will cost more money than the contractor most likely ever made installing the systems but, that’s why solar contractors in Florida have to be financially sound to earn a license to work in solar in the first place.

Now that the jig is up on the ASP/Blue Chip Energy solar panel fraud, Florida Solar Contractors will bear ALL responsibility should anything go wrong.  For example if Hurricane Big Blow hits the home and the unlisted solar panel is damaged – No Insurance for you.  Should a fire break out for any reason – No insurance for you.  Basically if the kid across the street trips looking at the solar panel – No insurance for you.

The Florida state mandated general liability insurance, that all qualified Florida Solar Contrators must carry, does not cover poor judgment, craftsmanship nor poor product selection.  We once warned that if you are a contractor in Florida – Do Not Buy ASP Panels.

Now we are saying if you are a contractor who ever installed ASP panels – You Better Replace Them Now! If you want to know what products to buy, we recommend following the USSolar Institute PV Challenge.

All solar PV panels in Florida (or anywhere for that matter) have to be UL listed and installed in accordance with the manufactures listings and instruction – even if the manufacture is a liar and a cheat they still have to be installed in accordance with the National and Florida Electrical Code.  No listing means no insurance and therefore no excuse.

…it is time to start swapping out those ASP solar panels my Florida contracting friends.

We first started receiving requests for such a Challenge as far back as 2010 – maybe even earlier.  And had we done it then, I’m sure it would have been a huge success.

But I’m actually glad we waited.  2013 seems like the perfect year to start comparing PV products side-by-side.  In the past several months, a number of high profile solar manufacturers have been caught deceiving customers with misleading claims about panel performance and warranties.

ASP (a.k.a BlueChip Energy) is probably the most conspicuous example of this trend, but as someone who has worked in solar for decades, I can attest that the problem goes much deeper than just one company.

Just to be clear – not all solar PV manufacturers are dishonest.  But with little oversight, high competition, and easy profits, companies are incentivized to over-promise and under-deliver.

In addition, even the most “accurate” solar panel performance tests are conducted in sterile laboratory environments.  It doesn’t matter if you live in the Mojave Dessert or Miami, FL – your solar panels will never reach this performance output.

This is why our Solar PV Challenge is so important.  

We’ll totally disregard the performance labeling and determine for ourselves how powerful each of these solar products are – under live, real-world conditions.  No potentialities, no promises, no theoretical ideals.  We’ll only report how much clean solar energy these competing technologies actually produce.

Now – a part of me wanted to start the Solar PV Challenge with some of the dishonored and discredited solar PV equipment that has recently come under fire.  Believe me, we recently removed, at great cost, a number of products on our own rooftop that we must painfully recover from panels purchased from corrupt ASP aka Blue Chip Energy.

But rather than start with the low-hanging fruit, we decided to begin our Solar PV Challenge with one of the most popular solar inverter products within the Miami solar market – SolarEdge.  Because we already distribute SolarEdge, it only seemed fair.  After all, how can we promote the items in our catalog without subjecting them to public scrutiny?

Over this past weekend, we put SMA, Enphase and SolarEdge up on our campus rooftop.  All stated they can withstand Florida’s humid, hurricane-prone climate in mind, and we’re anxious to see how they stack up to one another.

The official results will be published starting May 15, 2013.  But based on the preliminary results, it seems that our strong preference for SolarEdge is justified.  It’s too soon to tell – so I won’t say anything more (and besides, I don’t want to jinx the Challenge).

So keep tuning in or click on the following link to learn more about the USSolar Real-World PV Challenge.

If you live in the Miami Metro Area, feel free to come to our campus in Fort Lauderdale and see the Solar Challenge in person.  Please come to our popular Free Solar Saturday School (held on the 2^nd Saturday of every month). Our team would love to meet you and answer whatever questions you have about solar training, PV equipment, and anything else… under the sun.

Some of us even take it to the next level.

Have you ever secretly switched your friend’s sugar with an artificial sweetener – or spring water with tap water – just to see if she could taste the difference?  I have.  9 times out of 10, they never realize that they’ve been duped.

With soft drinks, sweeteners, and bottled water, it’s easy enough to conduct these product comparisons and challenges at home.  They’re relatively inexpensive.

But how do you compare something like solar performance? True, the technology is becoming cheaper with each passing year, but can you really afford to install a few competing systems to see which one delivers the most power output?

And as already covered, you cannot (absolutely cannot) trust what the manufacturers tell you about their products.  If you have a few minutes, it’s worth reading some of these earlier blog posts:

• Orlando-based  ASP Solar Panel Fraud – FPL Soon to Notify Home Owners
• If You’re a Solar PV Contractor in Florida, Don’t Buy ASP Panels
• The Perils of Buying Cheap Solar Panels & Equipment
• USSolar  Institute and Florida Solar One Lead Charge to Clean up Florida’s PV Industry

Well, at USSolar, we’ve decided to do the work for you.  Over the next several months, we’re conducting the first-ever Real World Solar PV Challenge to test some of the leading solar products under live conditions (as opposed to “laboratory conditions”).

The first leg of this competition is the 2013 Solar PV Inverter Challenge.

Last week, USSolar invited factory representatives from SolarEdge and Enphase to help install solar PV inverters with our students.  The 3 technologies that went up were:

• SolarEdge SE3800
• Enphase M215
• SMA Sunny Boy 3800

Each of these inverter solutions was coupled with fourteen (14) identical 250W solar panels with equal shading, tilt, wind exposure, and orientation.

In the weeks ahead, we’ll regularly monitor the energy output of these rival inverter technologies to see which one delivers the highest and most consistent performance.  And we’ll post the USSolar Real World PV Challenge results online for all to see.

I’ll be the first to admit that comparing solar PV inverters doesn’t have the same “panache” as comparing soft drinks or sweeteners.  We’re somewhat overzealous at USSolar, and I can completely understand if you’re not as excited about this solar PV challenge as we are.

BUT – the implications of this challenge are way more important than you probably realize.

Even a 1% difference in energy output can translate to thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your solar PV installation.  It’s analogous to gas mileage when buying a car.  35mpg versus 36mpg can mean huge savings over the long-term – especially as fuel (or utility electricity) prices rise.

Click on the following link to see the results of The Real World Solar PV Challenge!

Fort Lauderdale, FL – April 30, 2013 – Schletter©, a worldwide leader in photovoltaic mounting systems, is staging its second-annual nationwide Solar Roadshow in conjunction with USSolar Institute’s Solar Saturday School in May.

As part of this program, Schletter will be offering hands-on demonstrations with equipment geared towards large solar installations.

Witness the GAYK pile driving ram in action, and see Schletter’s Park@Sol Carport, and the legendary FS System. Plus, learn how to save time during the installation process from their experienced Technical Sales Representatives.

In addition to getting firsthand PV product knowledge from Schletter representatives, participants will have a chance to participate in educational sessions as well as complementary giveaways and hospitality for attendees.

USSolar Institute will be hosting the Solar Roadshow stop at their campus in Ft Lauderdale May 10^th and 11^th. “USSolar Institute is excited to have Schletter be a part of our Solar Saturday School at our campus,” commented Ray Johnson, President and Founder of USSolar Institute. “We look forward to showcasing some of the Schletter technology as well as having attendees learn more about the solar education and certification opportunities here at USSolar Institute.”

The Solar Roadshow is a free event, which is open to the public and lasts from 10–3 pm each day. The Sunshine State stop at the USSolar Institute’s Campus will be held at 913 NE 4^th Avenue, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information, please contact USSolar Institute at 954-236-4577 or info@ussolarinstitute.com. You may also visit www.schletter.us/event-roadshow.html. 

About Schletter Inc.

Schletter (www.schletter.us) has designed, developed, and manufactured solar mounting products in the U.S. since 2008, while backed with more than 20-years of solar mounting experience from Schletter GmbH. Since opening its United States facility in Tucson, Arizona, Schletter Inc has manufactured more than 800 MW of installed PV mounting systems. Schletter Inc. offers products for roof mount and ground mount systems for residential, commercial, and utility scale photovoltaic systems. Schletter Inc. is an independent subsidiary of Schletter GmbH, which operates subsidiaries in eleven countries with more than 1,800 employees worldwide. For more information on Schletter GmbH, please visit www.schletter.us 

About USSolar Institute

USSolar Institute is a globally diversified solar energy corporation with headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offices, dealers, and partners around the world.  USSolar remains dedicated to comprehensive solar education and consulting services by providing global construction management, engineering, and financing solutions for virtually any sized project or system need.

For more information please contact USSolar at info@ussolarinstitute.com

According to a recent report by the Solar Foundation, the entire industry is hiring —and this job growth isn’t simply limited to the usual suspects like California or Florida.

Many states with far less sunshine are making substantial gains.

Solar job growth is strong nationwide.  The Solar Foundation offers an interactive map that shows regions of growth and future solar trends.

These solar growth factors are significant:

• From September 2011 to September 2012, the solar PV industry added 14,000 jobs.
• Eighty-six percent of these solar jobs were “new”—meaning they don’t represent existing positions.
• Of all the new solar jobs created, the majority were in PV installation.
• Small firms have the most jobs in installation, while large firms are showing strong, steady growth in employment openings for certified PV installers.
• Employment in the industry is expected to grow 17 percent, which means 20,000 new solar jobs, from September 2012 to September 2013—even though most industries are still struggling with the economic recession.  To have such strong industry growth at a time of high unemployment is nothing short of miraculous.
• Fifty percent of solar installation firms expect to add new positions in the coming year.  We could see as many as 12,000 new jobs, representing a 21 percent growth.

As yesterday’s post points out, the distribution of new positions across the country won’t be uniform.  It’s not like each state will receive one fiftieth of the job creation pie.  More likely, places like California, Florida, and Arizona will receive the lion’s share.

Even though you live in another state, it still makes sense to secure solar PV installation training, even if your state doesn’t have supportive green policies in place to boost solar PV adoption.

Let’s assume that your state only receives a half of a percent of the job growth: 0.5% X 12,000 = 60 new solar installer jobs in one year.

A majority of the pool of applicants applying for solar installation jobs have not received formal training.  The consequence is that solar panels are not installed properly.  And so, the need for certified solar installation technicians is crucial. This is good news for you.

You will have the edge over other job applicants when you have received formal training by the USSolar Institute, which has Department of Education endorsed accreditation.

As a result, once you have earned your diploma from USSolar Institute you won’t be competing for jobs—employers will be competing for you.

In 30 days you can become fully certified for a career that pays well, offers great benefits, and is in high demand.  If you’re ready to take the plunge, contact us today.

Fort Lauderdale, FL – April 22, 2013 – The year 2012 was a banner year for America’s solar industry, with a record-breaking 3.9 gigawatts (GW) of new PV capacity brought online.  But with this phenomenal growth comes a host of new challenges as manufacturers across the globe vie for their slice of solar panel pie.  ASP (aka Blue Chip Energy) is sadly the latest PV solar panel producer accused of defrauding customers with misleading claims about panel performance.

QUOTE:  “ASP claimed to have sold me 245-watt panels, but when installed, they only generated 165 watts.”

ASP’s founder Dmitri Nitikin’s fraudulent activity dates back many years and should come as no surprise to those who have witnessed the many unethical activities lead by him.  Over the past 13 years, over 25 different articles highlighting fraud, lawsuits and charges for funneling investor dollars into luxury homes and affluent lifestyle choices have been published in business journals, in Florida alone.

In December of 2000 Nitikin was forcibly removed from the very company he founded – Precision Technology Group for his unethical conduct.

Yet only a few years later, again in Florida, Nitikin was praised for activities that are now understood to also be fraudulent.  Signs were most likely there for those close to Bernard Madoff and Scott Rothstein, too.  Those cheated by Nitikin in Florida (and beyond) can only hope Nitikin will one day be prosecuted and locked away as those other master deceivers were.

In 2009 Fort Lauderdale-based PV training college, USSolar Institute ordered ASP’s True Blue panels for its training program.  But when the products arrived, it was discovered that they had been made by a defunct third party manufacturer.  ASP company spokesman and Director of Business Development Carlos Gonzales stated the panels were simply overstock items offered at low prices because they were part of a lot of antiquated solar panel factory equipment ASP purchased from BP when they closed operations.  Fair enough, but still deceptive, and a sign of what was to come.

In 2010 ASP True Blue panels were again ordered and this time installed on the newly acquired campus of the Fort Lauderdale institution.  Within minutes it was discovered that the panels failed to deliver their stated performance.  ASP refused to answer calls or letters; they refused to discuss the problem, despite having been advised that scientifically collected data highlighted performance problems.  USSI proved that ASP panels only produce 65 percent of their listed power, but it took over a year and a UL listing violation to get ASP to respond to the problem.

According to USSolar Institute President and Founder, Ray Johnson, “It was a straightforward complaint with an easy fix.  ASP claimed to have sold me 245-watt panels, but when installed, they only generated 165 watts.”  Johnson adds, “It was only after involving our corporate attorney that ASP agreed to ‘look into the situation.’”

After shipping two panels at the college’s cost, ASP finally acknowledged that its panels did not produce the stated power output; however, ASP refused to refund or buy back the panels.  The college offered to “eat the difference at today’s price level” to avoid the cost of removing, shipping and reinstalling.  But, after Johnson presented this generous offer Genti Zeqo, a spokesman from yet another of Nitikin’s suspicious companies (ICT Investments), stated that there simply was no money in the company to honor any refund and that ASP could only offer replacement panels from a third party panel manufacturer.

“Once a full parking lot – Now an old pallet dumpsite.” (ASP facility, Lake Mary, FL)

So, at direct cost to installer Florida Solar One, the panels were removed and delivered to ASP.  Replacement panels were received from a skeleton crew at ASP’s dark, inactive factory in Lake Mary, FL.  Blue Chip Energy’s VP of Operations Wayne Tupola said, “You should feel lucky that we are willing to provide replacement panels.”

Tupola may be correct, because others may soon discover the fraud and will not be so lucky.  The biggest customer that comes to mind is the Marines at Camp Lejeune.  Marines do not go “quietly into the night” and since Camp Lejeune houses a well known military prison, one shudders to think what would come to Nitikin when the Marine’s realize they were bamboozled to the tune of five megawatts for fake ASP panels.

Upon entering the property, one notices that signs for neither Blue Chip Energy nor ASP can be found anywhere on the building.  Instead the name is now Sfinkx and one wonders if it will be the next Nitikin founded company to commit fraud.

Based on comments made by the few remaining workers who still occupy the building, they know their time is short; they were all quick to hand out personal notes with their names and phone numbers, in hopes of getting jobs quickly once the Blue Chip ship has finally sunk.  Others have written to share they have been forced to file labor department claims to receive their wages, wages earned months ago.

Although USSolar Institute was the first to bring this fraud to light, both UL and Florida Power and Light (FPL) have now gotten involved.  In a comprehensive review of the situation those at UL have discovered that not a single ASP panel produced has ever been properly listed or tested by the global leader in electrical safety and testing.  As such, it is almost certain that if you have an ASP panel, its performance label is a fraud.

After an in-depth investigation, UL determined that ASP had consistently and knowingly defrauded customers with false marketing claims and faulty technology – actions that have resulted in the closing of ASP’s factory and a global recall of panels sold across the U.S., the Caribbean, and South America.

“The Sunshine State should represent the best of what the solar industry has to offer,” comments Johnson.  “Dishonest manufacturers are holding us back as states like New Jersey and Maryland surge ahead, despite having fewer solar resources.”

Frustrated by the experience but determined to bring greater transparency to the market, USSolar Institute is conducting a “Real World” PV Challenge in which it publicly tests leading panel technologies side-by-side under live conditions and will continue to be Florida’s solar watchdog, to protect those who try to defraud good people in Florida and beyond.

To learn more about the ASP panel scandal and recall, visit: http://ussolarinstitute.com/orlando-based-asp-solar-panel-fraud-fpl-soon-to-notify-home-owners/

To learn more about the Real World PV Challenge, visit: http://ussolarinstitute.com/ussolar-institute-to-conduct-real-world-solar-pv-challenge/

To learn more about USSolar Institute, visit: http://ussolarinstitute.com/

About USSolar Institute

USSolar Institute is a globally diversified solar energy corporation with headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offices, dealers, and partners around the world.  USSolar remains dedicated to comprehensive solar education and consulting services by providing global construction management, engineering, and financing solutions for virtually any sized project or system need.