We have some recent developments in the ongoing saga with Blue Chip Energy (a.k.a Advanced Solar Photonics (ASP)).
If you’ve been following this blog, you already know that this Orlando-based solar PV panel manufacturer found itself in hot water after Underwriters Laboratories (UL) caught it producing unlisted panels. Learn solar energy at USSI and do not get caught in a scam of bogus panels with fraudulent listings.
The company’s flagship product, the ASP Solar Fusion Kit, violated a number of technical and labeling requirements, thus, disqualifying the panel for inclusion in FPL’s utility network. These panels also don’t qualify for any number of government-backed solar incentives.
The company knowingly put these fraudulent panels on the market, thinking no one would notice. They were wrong.
But how big was the scam? How extensive is the damage?
Well, conservative estimates place the number of defrauded customers in the hundreds – in just Florida alone. Blue Chip Energy sold megawatts of solar panels void of the required listings from Underwriters Laboratories.
The company has issued a recall of the Fusion Solar Kit. But unfortunately, this doesn’t fix the larger problem.
For starters, the recall only applies to solar parts – not labor. Florida customers who have already paid to have the technology installed must now pay to have it uninstalled – on top of going through the entire process again to outfit their properties with new solar panels.
Worse still, Florida customers who bought “legitimate” Blue Chip Energy panels may soon discover that the accompanying warranties are void. The company is on the verge of going out of business, the factory is closed, dark and almost abandoned. It was only a matter of time before the all of this companies fraudulent activities were discovered.
No company = no warranty.
Karmic Justice in the Solar Panel Industry?
A company spokesman has announced that the recalled panels will now be used on the Sorrento Solar Farm – a 200 MW utility-scale project that is part owned by Blue Chip Energy.
But USSolar recently learned from FPL that these panels still won’t qualify for inclusion in the larger utility network. All panels – even those on an un-built solar farm – must meet UL listing requirements.
So it looks like Blue Chip Energy is stuck holding tons of panels that it can’t use on its own property.
With that much unusable inventory (and that many incensed solar panel customers), I don’t see how Blue Chip Energy can survive any longer.
Good riddance. Florida has a great opportunity to become a solar powerhouse. Dishonest players like Blue Chip Energy make it harder for everyone else.
How soon the company actually goes down is anyone’s guess. But you know what will hasten the fall? When the Marines at Camp LeJeune discover that the 5 MW of Blue Chip Energy panels they bought aren’t kosher.
- Fearful of getting entangled in the Blue Chip Energy web?
- Looking for ways to separate honest solar panel manufacturers from dishonest ones?
Read Beware of Bad Solar PV Panel Warranties – But How Exactly? and follow us on Facebook or Twitter to learn the results of our upcoming Real World Solar PV challenge in which we test panels side-by-side under “real world” conditions.