British Solar Trade Association [STA] and its unlawful Solar Thermal boycott of Solar Twin Ltd’s Innovative Solar Water Heating disruptive technology, Solartwin, which has been blocked, blackballed & case-referred to the Office of Fair Trading [OFT], UK’s consumer & competition regulator, is now asked to clean up its faces & governance at its AGM.
Solar News and Sleaze Comedy Update: 21 October 2011.
“Honest Cowboy” Howard Johns, The British Solar Trade Association Chairman, has just told us that we have been banned from attending the STA to speak to any of the “clean-up” motions listed below because we (not the STA) are “bringing the industry into disrepute”.
Jonty has also ordered us to remove this web page which, rather embarrasingly for him, points out that he lied to the British public and to the UK government about the environmental performance of “traditionally built” solar thermal, by asserting nonsense such as that it does not pollute CO2 during its operation, when, in fact, it does pollute CO2. We actually had to go to the ASA to get this false claim sorted because the teeth of the Real Code, the Renewable industry’s Conduct Regulator, were made of rubber. Or perhaps they were missing. Or masonic. Or maybe they were mates. Or asleep. Anyway, here is the STA’s new dodgy document.
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Solar Twin Ltd keen to undo the UK solar thermal industry’s concerted boycott of Solartwin’s product, business and personnel, particularly now that this unlawful behaviour has finally been acknowledged by an STA member, and alluded to by the Office of Fair Trading.
Here are our motions to the British Solar Trade Association’s AGM, which takes place on Friday 28 October 2011. They seek to promote inclusiveness, diversity, innovation and better governance, as well as some bright new faces at the top of the UK solar industry. I hope that my solar motions can be accepted for discussion, and that they will not be “rulebooked off the agenda” in some way by the Solar Trade Association. There now follows an extract from an email to the STA, which gives details of the motions:
“Having not heard back from you regarding the motions notice period for the Annual General Meeting of the Solar Trade Association and there being no mention of this in your email, I would like to submit the following motions to the STA AGM and to have the opportunity to speak to them.
The Solar Trade Association Ltd (STA) agree:
Motion 1: That the STA is an inclusive and diverse organisation which, in the solar thermal arena, welcomes, encompasses and includes, for example: technologies using both liquid ands air as heat transfer fluids, hot water cylinders with basal and non-basal heat exchangers, new cylinders and retrofit to cylinder systems, thermal stores, open vented and sealed systems, suitable metals and polymers as materials, antifreeze, drainback and freeze tolerance, also that it welcomes, encompasses and includes a wide range of business models including models which distribute via merchants and directly, and which sell both onsite or by phone plus aerial photographs, provided that there is an onsite survey before installation.
Motion 2: That the STA Chairman, Howard Johns resigns.
Motion 3: That the STA Solar Thermal Technical Working Group adopts an independent Chair.
Motion 4: That all STA trustees, board and council members who have been on the STA board before 1 January 2011 resign.
Motion 5: That the boycott of Solar Twin Ltd is totally ended and that that totality encompasses the company, its business model, its solar thermal products and its personnel.
Motion 6: That STA accepts liability for damages and will promptly pay compensation in respect of the boycott of Solar Twin Ltd, not only as as a company but also of its business model, its solar thermal products and its personnel.
Motion 7: That parties eligible for compensation include Solar Twin Ltd and may also include any related businesses, suppliers, staff and their families.
Motion 8: That STA will lead the solar thermal industry by increasing consumer transparency by requiring of all members that net energy benefits (ie thermal – electrical) are quoted to consumers from 1 January 2012 as well as an ISO standard life cycle analysis of typical installations along with statements of “years to carbon breakeven” and “years to energy breakeven” of typical installations to be implemented by 1 January 2014.
Motion 9: That STA will will lead the renewables industry by pressing for as much regulation as possible to be conducted via the BSI and that where this is not possible the provisions of the BSI regarding inclusion of and anticipation of innovation, and disclosure of conflict of interest are used.
I would be grateful if these motions could be circulated to members before the meeting.
Regards, Barry Johnston. Managing Director, Solar Twin Ltd.
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