FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2022
MnSEIA Applauds Attorney General’s Lawsuit Against Alleged Solar Bad Actors
St. Paul, MN—The Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA) applauds the efforts of the Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to crack down on fraudulent sales of solar installations in Minnesota. Honesty, transparency, and professionalism are important to every industry—including the solar industry. MnSEIA continuously works with staff at the Office of the Attorney General, with the Department of Labor and Industry, and with utilities to identify bad actors and combat solar scams as soon as possible. MnSEIA supports these redoubled efforts to protect Minnesota consumers.
Member companies of MnSEIA are required to abide by a strict Code of Conduct to uphold their membership in the trade association. This Code mandates that:
“Members shall maintain the highest ethical standards when advertising, selling, installing and servicing solar and shall design, repair, install, or modify equipment in a manner that complies with applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations.”
Failure to uphold this Code may result in expulsion from the Association and referral to the Minnesota Attorney General. MnSEIA will continue to diligently enforce this Code. The Utah-based companies being sued by the Minnesota Attorney General are not, and were never, members of MnSEIA.
The vast majority of solar installations in Minnesota are completed fairly by ethical companies working hard to help Minnesotans go solar. These projects save homeowners, businesses, nonprofits, school districts, and local governments money, while supporting thousands of family-sustaining jobs across the state. The alleged misconduct by Brio Solar Energy and its affiliates has no place in Minnesota or in the solar industry.
MnSEIA has worked collaboratively with the Attorney General, the Department of Labor and Industry, and applicable utilities to fix any problems arising from bad actors in Minnesota. MnSEIA member companies often volunteer to complete projects (often at cost) that are left unfinished, including by the defendants in this case. Law firm members of MnSEIA have also represented the victims in these cases, and worked hard to make them whole.
“MnSEIA is encouraged by the Attorney General's efforts to combat solar scams in Minnesota. A few bad actors have hurt Minnesota consumers and the reputation of our industry,” said Logan O’Grady, MnSEIA’s Executive Director. “MnSEIA’s work with the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Labor and Industry to identify bad actors and safeguard Minnesota consumers is vital to our overall mission of protecting and enhancing the state’s solar industry. We want Minnesota to be a safe place for consumers to choose solar and for our member companies to do business.”
MnSEIA urges anyone considering solar to seek bids from multiple companies, and to verify that the installer abides by a code of ethics. MnSEIA’s Find an Installer page includes a list of its member companies that adhere to the Association's Code. Additionally, MnSEIA encourages consumers to use other resources, such as Questions to Ask Companies from the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERT’s), and Tips for Hiring a Qualified Installer from the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
###
About MnSEIA:
MnSEIA is a member-driven 501(c)(6) nonprofit that promotes and protects Minnesota’s solar and storage industries. We advocate in the state legislative and regulatory arenas in a unified and actionable way to move solar + storage forward. Find out more at www.mnseia.org.
Media Contact:
Abbi Morgan, Director of Business Development & Communications