Give UK solar innovation a fair chance!
As just one of several affected technologies, here is my story. I hope it is interesting for you.
I commercialised a Scottish-invented solar water heating technology called Solartwin, a technology which twice won UK government SMART awards, for both innovation and achievement. Unfortunately Solartwin's technology is a seriously "disruptive innovation", in that it incorporates several superior features which threaten to make conventional solar heating technology either marginal or even obsolete.
Recognising this, and fearing a wipeout, our competitors have conducted a coordinated campaign of regulatory attrition against its suppliers, something which is easy to deliver because old solar numerically dominates the numerous regulatory committees which permit Solartwin to comply with building regulations, grants requirements, British Standards and so on. Even though old solar loses many technical arguments, in such technical and advisory committees the majority can, democratically vote that black is white, and in effect that is what they apparently sometimes do, even at the BSI.
One of our customers wrote recently" I do know that if the competition are talking about you they are concerned that your product is better and usually more cost effective than theirs." Nail on head...
The market-rigging (and, this is what it appears to be) has apparently reached such a high level that even the BSI is proposing to publish a Standard which, according to the MD of Solartwin, Barry Johnston, says virtually everyone on its committee knows will put them off the market. How? By secretly specifying that they must use old solar's materials, old solar's components and solve safety challenges in the way that old solar does, even though instead they use superior materials (which can freeze without cracking) which in turn design out the need for these components (which would instead make it malfunction) and so on. They say that this draft standard, is, in fact, a clever market limiting stunt.
I don't know if you are able to help, but a UK made and UK manufactured solar technology seems to be on the point of removal from the UK market as a result of the manoevres that Mr Johnston describes. If you might be able to suggest a way forward (he cannot afford the like of a Judicial Review) I would be most grateful for your comments.
There is lots more detail on the solartwin site in the news section.
Many thanks, in advance, for your interest. Please could you let me know if you have any thoughts on whether or how you think UK solar innovation might make progress.
The people to whom I am sending this petition need to be alerted of our concerns. Please be nice to them.