Solar energy company scams archdiocese

A Archdiocese of Campo Grande went to court claiming to have been victim of a scam applied by a company in the solar energy sector, which would have failed to carry out the services contracted for installation of photovoltaic panels on the entity's premises. 

In an official statement, Dom Dimas, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mato Grosso do Sul, explained that the elaborate project with the company (which did not have its name revealed) aimed to seek sustainable solutions for church facilities.

“It was with this spirit that a significant project in the energy area had been prepared, following the necessary steps so that the result was the generation of clean energy with reduced costs in the energy bill for all Parishes, Chapels and Communities”, he wrote the pontiff.

According to Dom Dimas, the project was presented to the Economic Council and the College of Consultors, canonically official bodies to help in the extraordinary administration of the Church's assets, and discussed at a general meeting of the Clergy, before being approved. 

"The chosen supplier, that had presented the least costly proposal, did not fulfill his part of the contract, which forced us to civil and criminal measures, which are already underway. In this new process, we were surprised by the realization that the same company also harmed other customers". 

Dom Dimas also asked for prayers from the faithful to help the Archdiocese in the measures that will be taken to raise resources and resolve the debt acquired by the religious entity. “Together, with the grace of God, we will overcome this storm”, concluded the archbishop. 

Coup could have been avoided?

O number of crimes applied in the solar energy has become a increasingly common practice in Brazil. This is because, many criminals take advantage da lack of knowledge of the vast majority of consumers and companies to practice the most diverse strikes.

Read also

• Truck driver is kidnapped and has a load of panels stolen in ES
• Police arrest company owners for receiving PV panels 
• Man arrested after scamming solar panels

Gustavo Tegon, co-founder of Esfera Solar and professional with experience in the photovoltaic systems sales sector, explains that the financial loss incurred by the Archdiocese of Campo Grande, for example, could have been avoided if the religious entity had not made two crucial mistakes:

• Having negotiated with a company without checking its market history;
• Having purchased the system with your eyes very focused on the most attractive price.  

According to him, it is essential to always understand who the company is behind the proposal. “There is no miracle proposal. In a comparison with other companies, there will hardly be a balance in values. Then, it is necessary to speak to customers who have actually already been served by this company, to find out whether the entire process was in accordance with what was promised at the time of sale”, he highlights. 

Tegon points out that it is also important to understand that in no business sector does the non-standard price match the guarantee that delivery will be made at the expected level, given the cost reduction that this project may be experiencing.