“If you don’t stop asking questions about Legionnella and solar heating…

If you don’t stop pointing out that the STA put stuff into press releases which you have been unable to fully substantiate…

If you don’t stop running a £2500 solar panel prize competition on your wesbite in order to get the public to validate our press releases…

THEN perhaps we may not let you join us. Never again. NO we may not. In fact No WAY. We are bigger than you. We can blackball you. We have you by the short and curlies right now because – if you can’t join us then – you are not allowed to join the European Trade Federation, ESTIF. Haha! We all know that ESTIF have a lot of control over the the European regulations. We have good and proper blocked you from joining them already… We can stuff you again and again – we have – and we will again.

Remember “he wot writes the regs writes the market”. Fair and square: that’s the way of the construction industry works. It has always worked that way. It always will. Old solar is gold solar. Gold is heavy – yaya – we are the heavyweights. Forget old solar’s legion of shortcomings, the use of mains power, which negates its environmental performance in terms of carbon savings by 20%. Forget the wasteful replacement hot water cylinders. What matters is that we are better networked – better connected than you. We are the majority – the established interest group. So watch it. Frankly, you are ****ed. Nnyaah nyaa!(PS two fingers to the stupid consumer.) (PPS And the environment.)

OK, the above is certainly more petulant, definitely over-extended and possibly even more threatening (you judge!) than today’s diplomatic-speak email from   Mr David Matthews, the Chief Executive of the Solar Trade Association today. But he does seem to want Solartwin to censor its website right now and he even seems a bit miffed about us contacting the press. His actual words are:

In light of all the Solartwin website published information about the STA and your actions in sending out information [to the press] I have to remind you that the Solar Trade Association’s articles state that “If an application for membership is refused no fresh application for membership can be made within one year from the date of the application for membership (or the last application for membership if there has been more than one), whether or not the applicant has appealed.”   As such, there is unlikely to be any benefit served by continuing any correspondence at this time, though we will of course be willing to reconsider your membership application in January 2010, providing there have been no further instances where your action could potentially damage the legitimate business interests of other STA members.

Barry Johnston of Solar Twin Ltd commented today: “the legitimate business interests of other STA members referred to by the STA seem to include the marginalisation of superior zero carbon innovative technology such as ours. It disappoints me that the STA are not prepared to enter into a more wholesome and less thteatening dialogue with innovators. We seek to encourage STA installers to embrace change for the sake of the consumer – and the environment. Might this Luddite industry need a bit of fresh leadership?” he wondered.

“We appeal to the public to examine closely the regulatory games of the solar thermal industry. And for potential customers to ask their solar suppliers BEFORE THEY SIGN ANY ORDER:

“Can you show me precisely how your solar hot water system complies with the UK’s Health and Safety Executive’s Legionella Code L8′s Safety Guidance which requires you to heat right to the bottom of the hot water store every day to 60 degrees C? If not, why not?”