In a bizarre twist of the rules of the space-time continuum, the Chief Executive of the Solar Trade Associaion (STA) has become a Time Lord!

Yes – we have found indisputable evidence of this almost unbelievable event. It is that David Matthews, the Chief Executive of the STA has simply turned one year into two. How did this amazing feat of timelordwizardry happen?

Simple – as a way of delaying Solartwin’s acceptance into the great lodge of mainstream solardom, Dr Who sent a clumsy email via the interweb to Solartwin saying that the long-blackballed solar water heating company now has to wait until 2010 until they can apply for membership of the STA. One truth which sems to have been abandoned in some lost interplanetary hyperspace is the crumb of a fact that Solar Twin applied in 2008 and the matching crumb that the STA rules say that you need to wait a year to rejoin. This would actually allow a re-application this year, in 2009.

But only if the STA actually followed its own rather inconvenient rules (something which they also ignored when they improperly excluded Solartwin in the first place as shown in this news story from 2007).

“The Great Time Lord at the STA has turned one year into two! But what’s a year among competitors?” Asks Barry Johnston, managing Director of Solar Twin Ltd, rhetorically. “Well, it is another year of delay before we are able to gain a foothold at a European level to start to change to outdated solar standards which have lined the pockets of the suppliers of old designs of solar at the expense of the consmer and the environment, for a start.” he explains.”

Not only are the STA the home of a Time Lord. They are also Truth Lords! Yes –   this is evidenced by their factstretchy approach to Legionella compliance with the Health and Safety’s guidance on the bacteria, as part of an “industry position” which is summarised below. Be ready to suspend all disbelief…

1/ STA say they do “extensive research and testing“. The STA claim that they conduct “extensive research and testing” into Legionella. We have been unable to substantiate this claim. Can you? We offer a prize to whoever can winkle evidence out of them. No success yet. But this is no laughing matter.

2/ A questionable Legionella compliance claim. The STA are claiming incorrectly that their installations comply with The Health and Safety Executive’s Code of Practice and Guidance on Legionella, hereafter called L8, when in fact most do not comply. See the LCI report.

3/ An incorrect “HSE’s L8 Code and Guidance document on Legionella does not apply” claim. The STA are claiming incorrectly that their systems are not covered by L8 when they clearly are, at least in the context of rented homes and businesses according to a document on Legionella Residential Property from HSE in 2003.

4/ A disputed best practice claim. The STA claim that their approach is best practice when it is clear that Government official at DCLG (where the building regulations originate) regards our approach to legionella management in the water store, as best practice, NOT the STA’s usual approach, the practice of which they question.

5/ A safety reasurance based on what may be little or no data. The Solar Thermal Industry are claiming that existing solar water heating is safe because no cases of Legionella have ever been traced to solar water heating. Given that the source of data on Legionella infection is the Heath and Safety Agency (HSE) or the Health Protection Agency (HPA), that HSE/HPA only record Legionella outbreaks (ie multiple infections from infected cooling towers) this means that HSE/HPA will not be recording single cases – which are the most likely to happen in homes. Logically, the absence of data does not mean no infections and should not be conflated into meaning no infections . It is a bit like saying “I can see it is not raining because I have my have my eyes shut and all I can see is the inside of my eyelids.” The HSE or the HPA should be able to substantiate this outbreaks / cases distinction.

Time Lords and Truth Lords in the STA unite! You have nothing to lose but your competition!