Plug-in solar and batteries may cause house fires, electricians warn
Plug-in solar and batteries promise savings for households, but electrical industry groups say the safety measures being proposed are insufficient and the devices could cause house fires.
Electricians warn that plug-in solar panels and battery storage devices may pose a fire risk if implemented hastily. Advocates are pushing for the technology to be legalized in Australia by mid-2027, but industry groups and unions argue that the devices could cause house fires and toxic gas leaks if safety standards are not strictly followed.
Electrical trade groups, including the Master Electricians Australia, National Electrical and Communications Association and the Electrical Trades Union, warn that the devices could bypass circuit breakers, releasing gases and causing fires due to the lack of oversight. The federal government is working with states and territories to develop a safety framework, but some experts say the process is being rushed and could result in similar mistakes to the 2009 pink batts scheme, which led to the deaths of four installers.
A draft technical standard in Western Australia aims to legalize the technology but has been criticized for not mandating that panels and batteries be plugged into dedicated circuits, potentially allowing users to overload their systems and increase fire risk.
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