Work In Solar’s Post

Solar companies are closing their doors, but the ROI on solar is better than ever. What gives? The lack of net metering throughout Texas is a blessing and a curse. While California's solar industry is being decimated by NEM 3.0, we've been living in no-NEM land forever (NEM = Net Energy Metering). This means responsible contractors have been using interval data to appropriately size systems. We never counted on NEM, so can't hurt us if it isn't there. Yes, no NEM means smaller projects. Those projects can still have very good ROI if pricing is fair. The residential solar space honestly needs some pruning. Not every contractor that is closing up shop was dishonest, but washing out those that counted on oversized systems, pushy sales techniques, and high margins will ultimately be beneficial for the industry overall. The right size system sold to an educated customers at a fair price is still a win-win. #solar #sustainability #netmetering https://lnkd.in/gzMpMTPA

As of 2016, there have been over 1.3 million solar panels installed on over 6,560,000 households in the United States. Arizona is the largest state utilizing residential solar energy. If solar energy seems to be so popular, why aren’t we all contributing to the environment? Just like any other construction job, solar panels and their installs have both pros and cons. These pros and cons can stretch from high costs to home damages, to even insurance premium increases. Whether you are a veteran homeowner or a first time home owner, is it really worth it to utilize residential solar energy? #solar #florida #energy

The residential #solar industry in the US is growing rapidly due to rising electricity costs, but some homeowners are falling victim to questionable contracts and poor service from profit-driven companies. With insufficient external oversight, residents are turning to state attorneys general to address issues, leading to a surge in lawsuits against solar companies. Examples include deceptive sales tactics and unpermitted work that leaves homeowners with nonfunctional systems and financial burdens. CEO of Smart Green Solar, Jay Gotra explains that to avoid such problems, homeowners ought to look for companies that offer full-service accountability, local presence, transparent pricing, education, and guarantees. Complaints about solar companies are rising, highlighting the need for consumer awareness and accountability to ensure progress towards #RenewableEnergy adoption and fulfillment of #ClimateGoals.

As of 2016, there have been over 1.3 million solar panels installed on over 6,560,000 households in the United States. Arizona is the largest state utilizing residential solar energy. If solar energy seems to be so popular, why aren’t we all contributing to the environment? Just like any other construction job, solar panels and their installs have both pros and cons. These pros and cons can stretch from high costs to home damages, to even insurance premium increases. Whether you are a veteran homeowner or a first time home owner, is it really worth it to utilize residential solar energy? #solar #florida #energy

PPM Solar is saddened to hear about the recent shutdown of Titan Solar and the impact it's had on many homeowners. Thousands of families now face uncertainty with their solar systems due to this abrupt closure. We understand the frustration and disruption this causes, and we want to help – https://lnkd.in/dK-n5En2 Unlike larger companies, PPM prioritizes local quality and customer satisfaction over rapid expansion. Despite the challenges facing the solar industry, our team remains a stable and reliable choice for your solar needs. At PPM Solar, we want our local community to make smart choices when choosing their solar contractor. That's why we've created an extensive guide on how to choose the right solar company. It's not just about solar panels but about finding companies that prioritize customer needs over quick profits. Good players exist in the industry; the key is to find them. Visit our website to access the guide and ensure you make the best decision for your solar investment – https://lnkd.in/eesJhy3a

Today, 83% of all clean-energy installs for homeowners come from direct sales and the dominant way to get renewable energy or home electrification pricing is from third-party sales reps or installation companies that take advantage of information asymmetry and try to pressure-close homeowners. Here's why that sucks: - 2.23 of 5 stars is the rating the 'best' Solar installation company has, SunRun - Door-to-door sales teams churn ~90% in 6 months - 40% post-contract cancellation rate Pink Energy and Titan Solar Power left thousands of customers stranded, it seems they were overleveraged, as an outsider looking in. A better alternative? Go with local installers (contractors). You can find them on Google Maps or Yelp (WattBot aggregates reviews, btw)

Looking at the #Solar Power World Top Solar Contractor list I agree with Ryan Wallace that volume is not the correct way to rank #residential solar companies. Here are my top metrics I would use to rank solar installers: *Close rate: Has to be under 10% or else you can't even make the list. Over a 10% cancellation rate is a red flag for fraudulent sales. *Online Reviews: At least a 4/5 rating across all rating platforms, including BBB. Good companies fix any bad situation, so while there can be negative reviews the solar company addresses each one and fixes most all situations. 4/5 is just 80%, that's a B- in school. *Installs a variety of equipment. If a company just installs Powerwall as their only battery option then how possibly are they serving the clients and not just serving their own interests? I want to see a variety of types of equipment, for example, offering both AC and DC coupled battery systems. *Considers more than just solar in the sales process: At this point the way to truly serve a customer is place the solar and/or battery project within the electrification plan of the whole home. What good is it to install a battery system with only 12amps if the home is switching from gas to electric hvac and the customer thinks that they are going to heat their home during a grid outage with that battery system? If a company sells only solar and the only question is "how big should the system be" then that is not in the best interest of the customer. *Bankruptcy: Has the company itself or the principal operators been involved in a bankruptcy of a previous solar company , and did that previous company have serious customer complaints? No one should just be able to run from their problems and leave many people with poorly installed systems and no service warranty just so they can start fresh and make all the same mistakes again. At the very least I'd want to see people learn from their mistakes and do better next time. *Policy and Community engagement: If a company is not apart of a local SEIA chapter or some sort of organization pushing policy and consumer protection forward for the local solar industry then I have questions. Solar needs to be pushed forward and someone has to pay for it, when a company does a lot of business in an area and has no detectable participation in pushing that local solar economy forward then it can't be considered a TOP company. All the good solar companies I know are involved locally, all the bad solar companies I know are disengaged locally. ***What would you add to the list? What have I missed that identifies good and bad solar installation companies?

Lots of headwinds in the residential solar space the past year - though this feels like the bottom of the cycle. Policy transitions + interest rates at recent memory highs popped the most recent boom. But the IRA and its massive tailwinds are just getting started. 2024 / 2025 will tell a different tale on interest rates and with it much needed fresh air. Lots of other distributed electrification opportunities will take off as well - EVs, batteries, HVAC, among others. #solar #residential #distributedenergyresources https://lnkd.in/e2uTNHKh

'California, once a leader in residential solar, is feeling the effects from unpopular policy changes like the introduction of Net Energy Metering (NEM) 3.0 and more recent market rate cuts for rooftop solar generation by renters, schools, and farms.  The two policy changes cut compensation rates for exporting local, clean solar generation to the grid by about 75%. State regulators said the change facilitating was a necessary evolution in the grid, but opponents argued that the move was a thinly veiled move to protect the profits of major utilities. “We are launching the solar and storage industry into the future so that it can support the modern grid. The new tariff promotes solar systems and battery storage with a focus on equity,” said the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) upon passing NEM 3.0. “The CPUC’s final proposal is a loser for California on many levels. For the solar industry, it will result in business closures and the loss of green jobs. For middle class and working-class neighborhoods where solar is growing fastest, it puts clean energy further out of reach,” said the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA). Which prediction came true? Unsurprisingly, gutting the return on investment for solar for homeowners, renters and small businesses in California did not encourage installations. Utility interconnection request data shows that solar sales have fallen between 66% and 83% year-over-year following NEM 3.0.  What’s more, there have been massive layoffs industry wide. CALSSA said over 17,000 solar jobs have been lost in 2023, representing 22% of all solar jobs in the industry...'

Does leasing solar panels make sense in Illinois in 2024? Or is it better to reap the benefits of owning your very own solar system? If you have had anyyyy questions about leasing solar panels, check out this comprehensive blog on leasing solar panels in this gloomy state. Also! If there happens to be a question you have that wasn't answered, throw it in the comments. https://lnkd.in/gbkmgvFG #ilenergyinfo #illinoissolar #SUNPOWER #IllinoisHomes #Illinois #solarenergy #SolarPanels #savings #savemoney #SolarPower #newyear #resolutions #budget #information