Jennifer Currie, Raymond Smith take SPS Energy to court after solar panel fire

Noosa hinterland residents have taken their fight against a solar company to court, alleging their home suffered more than $500,000 in damages due to faulty solar panel batteries catching fire.

A Cooroy couple allege their solar panels suffered fire damage due to faulty batteries, causing more than $500,000 in damages.

A Cooroy couple have alleged their hinterland home caught fire due to faulty batteries from solar panels, causing more than half a million dollars in damages.

Jennifer Currie and Raymond Smith allege in their statement of claim their Viola Pl home was gutted by fire due to defective or poorly installed solar panel batteries.

In a case management hearing decision published by the Federal Court of Australia in early May, it was revealed the homeowners had solar panels installed by SPS Energy Pty Ltd as part of improvements on their home on February 20, 2014.

The pair allege in court documents that a fire erupted at their Noosa hinterland home on June 15, 2021 which resulted in extensive damage to these solar panel improvements.

They allege in court documents the inferno was caused by a failure of, or defect in the batteries. Alternatively they allege it could have been from poor installation of the batteries.

In their statement of claim, the pair allege the loss and damages from the blaze was $535,968.92.

The couple lived in Cooroy where they had solar panels installed on their roof in 2014. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

It’s alleged by the Cooroy homeowners the damages and loss were due to various breaches of the Australian Consumer Law.

At a case management hearing Ms Currie and Mr Smith made an application for the proceeding to be transferred to the Queensland Supreme Court.

Justice John Logan said the matter could be directed to the District Court of Queensland if the Supreme Court was inclined, but conceded the Federal Court had jurisdiction to hear the proceeding.

Justice Logan said the amount in the Cooroy residents’ claim still fell within the District Court jurisdiction and queried whether there was an option of mediation available however this “did not have attraction” to both parties. The Federal Court Justice said a defence was yet to be filed, according to the judgement.

He transferred the matter to the Supreme Court of Queensland and said it’d be a matter for that court whether it would be remitted further.

Legal counsel acting for SPS Energy declined to comment, while counsel acting for Ms Currie and Smith have been contacted.