Sungevity

I looked at a couple of different things and one was the difference between Trinity Solar Company, Vivint and Sungevity. I went into the customer testimonials, their replies and what they had to say about the companies. When I looked at the ratings, Sungevity was up at 8.9. while the other ones were down at 6.2 and 6.8 and they had some real horror stories in there. I also went online and saw Sungevity's website. They talked about mounting the systems, just kind of showing off a lot, whereas the other ones just talked about how they were the biggest company and installer. There was no fine tune. I like to take a look and see how things are being worked, and that was well-explained in Sungevity.

Plus when I asked the other company what kind their panels were, they said that the panels just come out of China and that everybody uses the same thing. But no, they don't. This was after I had done a little bit of research and found Sungevity's is German-engineered and Korean-built. I like the idea of that aspect of it as well. Christina and Alex were the two main people that I was dealing with at Sungevity and they were very good to work with. When I left a message, they called me back as long as Alex wasn’t on vacation and Christina was pretty good.

The company whose people did the install was Solar Mate and I had to leave them a little bit of a nastygram. But the owner of the company called me back and did an awful lot of reassurance that they were gonna get a particular item taken care of and they did so rapidly. So that was dealt with pretty well. They said they were gonna be here at 7:30 in the morning, and they were. They did what they said they were gonna do.

The federal tax deal, the 30% back, was good although it could have been explained a little bit better. But I was lucky because I got into the 15-year deal just before our Governor changed it to 10. The way that works is that although you do get a 30% credit on the cost of your system, they use the tax credit to offset whatever taxes you would pay for the year. For this particular year, my personal taxes came out to be about $7,000. What they do is they use a tax credit to offset that $7,000 then from there, they cover the liability. That means the federal government would refund me back money and the other eight or seven and a half, that's hold on to for the next year or the year after that. So the credit is there. It just deteriorates. So you don’t get that back in one year. It takes a couple of years more to do it.

The other thing about signing up for SREC is that in terms of the company for trading them, it seems like there are multiple companies that you sign up on for those. You sign up for one but you can pick one. But I still haven’t done that. I’m still kinda lost on it in terms of what I’m supposed to do and who I’m supposed to sign up with. Sungevity told me I had to get signed up but they can't tell me with whom. I gotta shop around and figure out who does what.

My energy bill normally was at about $225 to 250 a month, and it's down to $2.38 right now. The panels went online the first of November. That was going right into the winter season. We had an extremely wet and damp couple of months, and my November bill was $35. December bill was something like $50. Right now, I have over 2,200 kilowatt hours banked in the system. The other thing that’s pretty cool is that because I’m on the solar, I also watch how much electricity I’m burning. That helps out an awful lot. So it’s doing exceptionally well and I’ve told a lot of people about Sungevity's deal.

I went out to bid for three companies, and Solar Spectrum was one of those three companies.They were large and I felt like they would have the greatest likelihood of being in business 20 years from now, when I need to replace my converters. However, their initial bid was the highest and they had all the same hardware that I was familiar with and wanted. The price was too high, so I tried to negotiate with them. They negotiated and it got to where they were a fraction low. Having the hardware that I recognized and felt like I wanted to put on the house, having good warranties, being large, and finally giving me a good price, I felt like I got what I wanted.

The enrollment process was very similar to my other solar experience and they took care of the paperwork fairly well. They sent me documents to sign up for the funding and offered me a good interest rate. Paperwork seemed to be typical for what solar is but their contract was much longer than the other one that I had on my Concord house, and I thought it was a little contradictory. So, I spent a lot of time on the phone with someone from Sungevity getting comfortable with the contract and I did, so I signed it. Financing was straightforward and easy. Then, the rest was them working with the city permitting agency to get the permits approved, and with PG&E to get approval to turn it on. Both did not take very long and they were the front man on all that, which went well.

I live out in the country and their subcontractor showed up with no identification. The truck wasn’t marked, he wouldn’t show me his driver’s license, he wouldn’t give me his full name, he didn’t have a business card and he didn’t have any proof that he was a subcontractor for Sungevity. It’s like you’re 99% sure that they’re there to do the work because they show up with all the equipment, but still, you expect them to be able to identify themselves. I almost told him to go away. I was really upset with him but he had the project manager’s phone number on his cellphone, and he called them, and I knew who that was. So, she confirmed that he was their subcontractor. I told her that the guy should come prepared and he should be able to identify himself and demonstrate that he works for Sungevity.

Once Sungevity got started, they were very effective. I’m an old roofing contractor and I saw a ladder leaning up against the house which wasn’t tied off. They weren’t on it yet and so, I reminded them to tie it off and they did. They were very efficient, safe and they did a good job. They also cleaned up. They did all of the things I would expect them to do. The only issue I had with the whole experience was that they were a little impersonal. Sungevity does everything over the phone. If you wanna see a body, or if you wanted to have a feel-good feeling, you don’t get that. It’s kind of very corporate, very internet-oriented. I would recommend Sungevity. I would suggest to anyone to make sure that they’re getting a good price. So, they have to do their research. I had to do some negotiating but it was a fair price, and it’s producing.

I kept dealing with other companies and finding more information as I went and not having them agree to my terms. I realized I'm the one who has the power because I could say, "Yes" or "No" so I have to find somebody that's gonna be transparent. I told them that I wanted complete transparency and they kinda waffled here and there. I wanted the prices later when I make the final purchase or decide to go with one. After going through so many procedures, I ran into Solar Spectrum. I asked them questions that I didn't get answers to so I was impressed with that. They piqued my curiosity and I told them that I'm gonna go further and we'll talk as it goes. I also told them to be patient and I'll be patient as well.

They kept coming back and I would ask more questions and they would answer more, but I was not giving in yet. Then a friend of mine did a background check on them for me and through the BBC and she said that Solar Spectrum has really good to high rating. She said it looks like a very reputable company, and she gave me the green light. That kind of did it to my final decision to go for it.

Solar Spectrum worked with me to customize my solar system. In the beginning, the process was going pretty smoothly with the gentleman that I started working with. Our interactions were open and honest. They went through the step-by-step process of giving me the best thing for the buck. They told me what solar panel to use and how many I'd need. They strategized on the roof and they showed me examples and comparison of how much I would get when I put these so many panels in a day.

They tried to find the best situation for me and I asked them for a connection to the battery. I wanted that put in place until further notice when I could afford to get a battery if it's feasible, and they didn't. They said it was gonna cost and that was the hold back as well. I told them that I would not move forward because every other company I've talked to did not do this. To their credit, this was what finally would seal the deal even further.

The gentleman called back and said they found out that it was actually cheaper and it could be done, but I was the first customer to ever ask for something like that. I thought I was just trying to be proactive. I know it's gonna cost me again to get someone else to do it, so I'd rather do this whole thing now and be ready for that time when I can put a battery in there when I need it. I just wanna have that option. So they finally did it and they got it at a cheaper cost.

But then there were some things that did not go very well. My account went through different hands because the reps' hours are different. Then they ran into a certain wall. They were supposed to have the panels installed sometime mid-summer and it didn't happen. It took longer than it should have but I was extremely patient. I was getting frustrated though and I was short of yelling sometimes. Still, I've been trying to be understanding but then it started getting stressful later when I wasn't getting any calls anymore.

Finally, I got a call from the last guy. He was very polite and he apologized for the delay. Things were going according to plan except for the waiting for PG&E to do their part which was most of the issue. They stopped because they had to do some upgrade or change in the system. I'm a responder for oil spills and I'm on a ship for three weeks, so I gotta live there and then come back, and then I get three weeks off. So I lose connection and a lot of things felt like they were trying to get that figured out as it went. But they coordinated with my family who's here.

My interactions with Solar Spectrum could have been improved, however, if they had told me the truth. I know it was hard when they got everything done and they were not getting a response from PG&E. It made them look like they were holding back although they were doing their part. It was a hard thing to answer for PG&E. But I was freaking out because there were no calls from Solar Spectrum. I kept calling but it would've been nice if they had updated me and reassured me. But when they were no longer answering, I wanted to default. They dropped the ball and they were not communicating in the end. That almost cost me to call an attorney because I was getting worried that I'm gonna get stuck.

I called the HERO Program and told them I didn't know what was going on. They told me to call Solar Spectrum too and see if they can hold up and make arrangements to change things. HERO was confused too, so they ended up calling and they probed as well. The installation happened only last month or so when I finally got the green on it. Things were running differently than from before when the gentleman was there the last time they were installing. He brought something like a processor and in the end, they replaced it with another one. Going solar is a good thing and I really like Solar Spectrum. I haven't received the bill yet but going solar feels good right now. I feel comfortable with it and I'm hoping to feel like I made the wisest choice.

I’m not in the position to buy equipment, so I was sort of giving up. And he explained then that I could kind of work out a lease basis. I’m still not quite sure how that all works out but at any rate, I got a solar system without any out of pocket expense, and I appreciated that enormously. They came and installed the system very nicely. They were very, very nice people that come and do the installation. But they had trouble with my roof because it’s cement tile, which is very old and very brittle.

They were careful, but they couldn't help damaging the tiles up there. And the repairs were not permanent-type repairs. They were kinda glued-down-type repairs. Fortunately, I have a handyman who knows my roof and has repaired it a couple of times, and he sort of took over. So I would recommend that Horizon Solar have people who are very much more expert in roof installation, at least with old-style roofs like mine. Mike repaired everything, but they provided a lot of equipment. They were here. They brought a pallet of tiles, which I appreciated, and they worked along with Mike. Between his work and their work, I explained to the workmen who came how delicate those tiles were. Overall, did a wonderful job of installation.

They had to come back a couple of times because they repaired my big box. There were two units that they installed. One, the main box, and then there’s the control mechanism and the big box had to be in the place where they had put the control mechanism. There was a delay reinstalling the equipment and a couple of crews came out, but with incomplete information and no resources to do the work. They were given not very good information about what they were expected to do.

The third crew came out after I called and explained that I was getting a little frustrated. They sent a very professional young fellow out who brought a handy back-up person with him to do some of the work. He knew exactly what to do. He installed the equipment and the house met all of the code inspections from the city. And it is clearly working well, so I’m very, very happy with it. He did a wonderful job. I have a little paint to put on the wall. But other than that, the house looks just fine.

The unit is now working. My first power bill from Edison was for $5 and 2 cents so that was better than I could imagine. I don’t know how long that will go, but we’ve had lots of sunny days, and I appreciate having the solar system. I feel very good about having it up there and Horizon does a very fine job of follow-up. Bob, from Horizon, came by this morning to convey the contract and to give me a quick overview of the equipment. He’s a very nice man. I’m 84 and not as sharp as I used to be but he was very clear and very patient. I appreciated the time and energy he put in on his explanations and left me good documentation. Everyone who made an appointment showed up on time. I will highly recommend Horizon Solar.

At one point, I almost canceled with them but Alex got back on and he explained everything very much in detail. He said that come 2019, the government is gonna send me $11,000 check and Sungevity said that I can keep it or I can give it to them. If I keep it, then my payments will go up to 283. I’m gonna give it to them because then I’ll only owe 21 instead of 32. I would just continue to make the payments. He also said that I can sell the racks and I can collect the full amount for that. And for every 1,000 I sell, I get $250 or more depending on what New Jersey is sending up.

That was very pleasing for me because I have a friend that has solar who has had it for years and she's to get $650 for each thousand she sells. Now, its production has dropped down. I also know that the system would make 21,000 for a 15-year contract and I know less and less is going to be produced. But because I’m being reimbursed for the racks that I’m selling, that is paying a lot of it. So I'm not really paying anything and that was what I liked.

Alex was also very upfront. One company called me and said that Sungevity is a very bad company. They said that Sungevity went bankrupt, lots of people lost their money, and this and that. Alex said that they did go bankrupt but another company from California stepped up to the plate. Alex said that he felt that what the other company did was really wrong though and that I'm gonna lose my money if I use them. That bothered me because that is not really good salesmanship by the other company. But Alex was the one that won me and fast. He was absolutely wonderful in explaining everything and I thought I was gonna give it a shot. Hopefully, they stay in business.

Also, I went for the better panel. I’m a big fan of monocrystalline, not polycrystalline, and that was the reason I didn’t put Vivint and all those other ones on because they use all the polycrystalline. They make them overseas so they may get it in bulk for cheap prices and make a lot of money. I did a lot of research for the past five years and now, I’m gonna be an owner and I’m pretty happy about that.

Sungevity's reps have been very courteous, informative, and they have been doing the best they can. But there were cancellations when they were coming out to inspect and the paperwork wasn’t finalized even if they said they did. It’s a game of going back and forth. But I understand these things are gonna happen. I just wish it would have went in time for the next summer. But the problems are coming from within my township and from Atlantic City Electric Company, not Sungevity. I applied for this way back in May and we’re not gonna be finalizing until the end of October. The reason being is I bought the system. So it is really dragging along and I’m very disappointed.

Everything has been installed and Sungevity has to come out again next Wednesday. Their rep, Lisa, has been setting up everything with me when the guys are coming out with the inspections. They have to go to PG&E, the Atlantic City Electric Company, get their approval, and that’d be another two weeks before they’re gonna come out and change the meter. That is terrible and I lost all of the best sunshine that I could’ve ever had.

Despite all that, I would recommend Sungevity. I know many people on the block are gonna wait to see what I do. We’ve got a lot of Vivint here, but they rented. And there is another one out there, SunPower, where a girl rented it for a few panels. Her electric went down to $48 a month but she had a small house. I also like the fact that Sungevity put 28 panels on. They knew I didn’t wanna use that many panels and many people were talking about 42 to 48 but I’m not doing that. If I didn’t put enough panels, that is on me.

Enrolling was really easy. They have a lot of experts in a lot of different areas and everyone I have dealt with is very good at what they do in their role in getting the solar service started, getting the work done and to its completion. They've been very kind and helpful and they've taught me a lot. We're a couple of days away from flipping the switch on but from the start to documentation, to permits, to installation and now to waiting for PSEG LI to get the last bit they need to give me the thumbs up, everything has been fine. Everything went a little bit quicker than I expected. I know it's a long process, especially with utility but everything seems to fall together pretty well. I've not been let down at any point so far and I'm excited to turn my system on. Also, it looks really good.

Installation went great. I only had one issue, so far. There's an issue with pigeons going underneath them, and nobody ever mentioned anything about having an issue with that, or whether I needed to put something. So, now, they want me to install something, but it's only something that either Horizon or Sunrun offer. I can't do my own, it will void the warranty. So, they were never upfront with that. And so, it's an additional cost now and it's pretty steep-priced. If they would have been upfront, I would have, since the beginning, either install it or plan for it at least. But their customer service has been good. They've been communicating. And overall, I would recommend them.