Australian solar installer fined $6,000 over unsafe battery installs
Melbourne-registered solar installer Greenova Pty Ltd has been fined without conviction in the Seymour Magistrates Court after admitting to unsafe installation of battery energy storage systems at five Victorian properties between December 2023 and July 2024.
Greenova pleaded guilty to three charges under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 for not complying with electrical installation requirements and failing to have the battery systems assessed by a licensed electrical inspector before connection.
Energy Safe Victoria said it learnt of the non-compliant installations after the Country Fire Authority attended a fire at a property near Toolomba, in the state’s Goulburn Valley region.
The energy safety regulator said investigations found that incorrect installation had exposed the battery to uncontrolled voltage, causing it to overcharge and ignite. The fire destroyed the battery and damaged the house exterior.
Further enquiries revealed Greenova had also installed battery systems at properties in Caveat, Doncaster, Marong and Launching Place without arranging the legally required inspections.
In sentencing, the magistrate said the fire “could have had catastrophic results,” adding it is a clear example of why Victoria’s electrical safety laws require independent inspections before connecting battery systems.
The magistrate also stated that if not for the company’s cooperation with Energy Safe and early guilty plea, she would have imposed a $15,000 (USD 10,066) fine. No conviction was recorded.
Energy Safe Chief Executive Leanne Hughson said independent electrical inspections are mandatory when installation work is done on all or any part of a battery energy storage system to identify defects before connection.
“Installing battery systems safely is not optional and neither is arranging the required electrical inspections before switching them on,” she said.
“These laws are in place to prevent fires and protect Victorian households, and failing to follow them can have serious consequences.”
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