This is a great day for Florida’s solar industry. Florida solar panel maker, Blue Chip Energy (aka Advanced Solar Photonics (ASP)…), has officially gone belly up, and their assets are being auctioned off.
If you haven’t been following this ongoing saga, here’s a quick and very dirty timeline of events:
1. Blue Chip Energy manufactured solar panels under the name Advanced Solar Photonics, and sold a number of Florida solar panel kits installed by Blue Chip Energy (marketed as the Solar Fusion Kit).
2. Florida power companies, Progress Energy, Florida Power & Light (FLP) and the states “watchdog” Florida Solar Energy Center approved these panels for sale.
3. Scores of Florida residents and businesses purchased these solar panels – including us at USSolar Institute.
4. After installing these panels on their rooftops, many customers immediately noticed that the actual performance was nowhere near the promised/published energy output. In fact, at USSolar Institute, we never received more than 60% of the solar power that Blue Chip Energy’s labeling stated we’d receive.
5. We began emailing and calling the Florida solar panel maker to have them fix the problem (i.e. replacements, refunds – basic customer service). They dodged us repeatedly for months.
6. Next we were contacted by our partner Underwriters Laboratories (UL) about their concerns. After conducting more thorough testing, UL determined that Blue Chip Energy had deliberately violated listings standards while selling, installing and labeling their products as UL listed.(i.e. Blue Chip Energy lied about their panels’ rating and listing).
7. Scores of businesses and residents began filing their own complaints independently.
8. Underwriters Laboratories forced Blue Chip Energy to halt further production. The company even had to shut down their Lake Mary, Florida factory.
9. FPL reversed its previous approval of these Florida solar panels. Blue Chip Energy’s systems no longer qualify for grid connection in the Sunshine State – not even at power stations owned and operated by Blue Chip Energy.
10. Blue Chip Energy was forced to issue a recall of these mislabeled panels and stated they would provide replacement panels however, reports show only USSolar Institute was fortunate enough to receive them.
11. Despite rumors and promises they were going to issue replacements, the vast majority of those duped remained skeptical about Blue Chip Energy’s ability to honor warranties or replacements, and now find they must return all rebate money or replace all of their solar panels – past, present, or future.
12. Unable to manufacturer new panels or unload its current inventory, Blue Chip Energy fired all of its employees as all operations come to a complete halt.
And this brings us to the present day.
Blue Chip Energy’s will be liquidated starting immediately by the court’s appointed receiver as a result of filing bankruptcy in the Florida courts. And when I say “assets,” I mean everything – from fixtures and furniture to equipment, and even those installed on the factory rooftop that are already proven to be shoddy, counterfeit listed panels that no one wants – nor can use in any jurisdiction that requires listings (the entire USA that is).
I want you to think about that for a second. What does it say about a company when its office chairs, water coolers, and staplers get snatched up faster than its core product?
It says that this is a company that never should have opened in the first place. A fire sale is supposed to be full of hot deals. And yet, I suspect that Blue Chip Energy’s panels will be the last (and cheapest) items unloaded at this upcoming auction.
It’s a shame that this had to happen. So many consumers were duped – spending tens of thousands of dollars on Florida solar panels that never should have been manufactured, approved, or shipped. If you are one of them, you are encouraged to contact USSolar Institute!
But despite all of the wasted time and money, I honestly believe Florida’s solar industry is stronger for it. Our community has sent a powerful message – to Blue Chip Energy and to any other solar PV manufacturers out there who hope to make easy profits by defrauding true believers in the clean energy economy.
Blue Chip Energy’s demise is a great day for Florida, and it is certain that con artist Dmitri Nitkin (owner of Blue Chip), Wayne Tupola (Operations Director), Henry Roberts (sales manager) and Carlos Gonzalas (Dir of Business Development) will have their day in court, and hopefully years in jail – right where they belong.
Originally Published on Florida Solar One