I-Team: Hidden cameras reveal dark side of solar power

[@scottmyers909]

This isn’t the “dark side of solar.” This is the dark side of crappy companies and not being able to hold them accountable.

[@RhennMakeupArtistry]

THIS NEWS PAID BY ELECTRIC GREEDY COMPANIES SO THAT THE PEOPLE STICK TO THE USUAL ELECTRIC POWER THEY SCARED THE PUBLIC NOT TO USE SOLAR POWER SAME HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES MAINSTREAM MEDIA ARE MONEY MONEY BUSINESS THEY USE TO MISINFORMED THE PUBLIC THE TECHNOLOGY OF SOLAR POWER ARE NOT THE PROBLEM THE COMPANIES WHO NOT CAPABLE AND INCOMPITENT TO DO THE SYSTEM OF THIS TECHNOLOGY , BETTER BUY ONLINE AND STALLED BY YOUR SELF I SAVE ALOT OF ELECTRICITY AND IT DID NOT COST ME ALOT ,

[@twojstarypijany3182]

Yeah, the fact, that those companies are able to exploit a loop, to rip off people, is the fault of the state, not the solar panels.

[@Snugggg]

Shhh 🤫 you’re interrupting the agenda.

[@kennethdzengedza8978]

Lol this is Fox news , lol these are the same guys that are pro Oil and Pro coal

[@JeroenJA]

wtf, paying 10s of thousand for solor pannels? mine 7 yrs ago costed only some 5000€ ... battery and stuff is more if you are affraid of blackouts to me, you can gain some bit back, but you will probably never earn your investment back for a home battery, or is that so much more rewarding in the USA? ;-)

[@1001Hobbies]

They paid $91,000 to SAVE ON ELECTRICITY COSTS!!!! How long would it take to use $91,000 in electricity so that they could break even????? These people are nuts.

[@EileenTheCr0w]

You'd be surprised. Take your current average bill, let's say it's $200, then multiply it by 12 and get a compound interest calculator to account for yearly price increases, which are almost always at least around 2-3% but possibly more. A bill that's $200 today, added up over 25 years (how long the system is financed for, after that it's just free power) is about 90-100k in that time frame, and with steeper price increases than 2-3% per year, you'd spend even more. I think that particular system was still a rip off, but, people VASTLY underestimate how much they spend on electricity.

[@noahhowellstone1264]

Yes people are that dumb

[@1001Hobbies]

@@EileenTheCr0w - After buying a high efficiency washer and dryer (gas dryer) when they were the new rage, a new furnace and AC unit after that (needed to replace old), and LED lighting while replacing light bulbs, and a high efficiency refrigerator, our electricity bill is relatively low (actual electricity usage). Most recent bill (spring time) was $60 (6 bedroom house, 2 people). In summer when we run AC it will be $120. Let's say an average for my home of $100 a month. Still going to take too many months to ever come out ahead at a price like that. I will likely be dead in 25 to 30 years (58 now). By the way, our high efficiency washer cut our water bill in half. Nothing to do with electricity but there is an argument to update appliances even if they don't need replacing.

[@sbf432]

Also the panels are only good for 25yrs! 1

[@Aaron25thinfantry]

You would have to replace them before you would break even lol

[@pheddupp]

The salesman was crapping himself when the reporter came out to confront him. This is good investigative reporting. We need thousands more just like you all over the world.

[@DxBlack]

"I didn't know she was underage! I SWEAR!" "She...she's elderly, we're not here for that..." "Ah..."

[@pheddupp]

@@DxBlack Hi, I'm Chris Hansen...

[@deerlord2363]

@@DxBlack LMAO 🤣🤣

[@glenndice1]

Any dollar figure on that contract is the home owners responsibility and loan pal does not check to see if they were truthful like my salesman said when I asked him who pays this 6000.00s he said that the government paying us . Well I didn't know I had 18 months to come up with 6000.00 or I would see a payment increase from 181.00 to 261.00 and then got another contract to sign that went from 20 years to 25 years time to get a lawyer. Tom Fenton from judicial watch says thats a breach of contract.

[@pheddupp]

@@theselfmadecollective7876 Well aren't you judgmental and arrogant. Solar technology is not efficient. Solar energy is not reliable, plus the destruction to the natural environment, and misuse of child labor to extract battery materials is criminal. Add to this the catastrophic effect of miles of solar panels all over the world, the whole ill thought out plan is disgusting, and unnecessary. Speaking of who do you shill for, how many of the noble activists that you listen to are investors in "Green Energy Technology" companies that have a vested interest in selling more solar products? What happens to the people that live in areas with high cloud concentration most of the year? Where I live we are always getting thunderstorms and showers especially during the summer when the humidity is really high, and central a/c units are essential? Solar panels don't produce electricity in the shade.

[@MojoPup]

Tip: If you have the land, don't mount the panels on your home's roof. I have them mounted on my pole barn, workshop. and out in the yard providing shade for my dogs...but not my home's roof. No problem with homeowners insurance and since I preformed the installation myself, no weird leases with shady companies. I also don't have them tied into the grid because our utility is a pain when it comes to solar. In my area, AC is a must...so they provide the majority of the power demand that my HVAC system needs during the hot summer months. The electric utility still gets some money, just not nearly as much...and I have basic power when hurricanes come thru thanks to battery backup and a small generator.

[@FranLu-qs2xv]

OMG mojopup you are knowledgeable and I am in the beginner phase of reading and learning. Advice on good systems that are part and part as well as the yard mounts I think is my route. It's a 1500 sf house but I have air cleaners everywhere for my asthma. Good articles to read would be appreciated. (I've been reading up on the Jackery 1000 as a small design to set up in the yard for off grid homesteaders-but I've read for the interest and it doesn't seem way over my head, but not equipped to do the big job, just devices.) Thanks for advice.

[@BohemothWatts-vz1lc]

Now imagine living in Puerto Rico where we get lots of storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and a rainy season. I have solar energy with wind turbines and hydro electric turbines. But I often have to use my Propane Generator which uses methane gas from my septic tank. Like you said Air Conditioning is a must. Living completely off the grid is a full time job without benefits for overtime. I have a seven bedroom house and each bedroom has a full bathroom. No wires coming into my house. Satellite TV and Satellite phone service with a satellite phone docking system. Still mother nature wins. Sometimes I feel that nuclear power is the best option for the planet. But.............>

[@rehabmax]

Solar panels makes your roof look crappy. What happens when your roof needs replacing ? Someone has to come and take all those panels off and put them back on again. For most people the cost of solar outweighs the benefits, Don't believe the hype that you will get 30 cent electric bills.

[@tedhead70]

Maybe do a youtube video on the project? I would be interested to see it!

[@Colton.Palmer]

How did you tie them in if not through the grid your house runs on?

[@anthonyromo8684]

It's astounding that none of the cited companies are being charged with any criminal violations.

[@QuantumFengShui]

Well, when most homes installed with solar power then power company profit is down and can't keep up the book. Now the power company must raise your power bills.

[@alexucon]

@@QuantumFengShui wtf does that have to do with the comment?

[@pcast2005]

Police and DA's are weak and lazy. They will say it's a civil matter.

[@Kaboomnz]

@@QuantumFengShui Power companies are predatory, electricity is as necessary as the air we breathe. I have no sympathy for them when they over charge while failing to upgrade their grid.

[@michiganlineman357]

Leftists protect Leftists

[@richardgarrett3188]

When I had solar put on my house, I entertained a couple of these company's sales pitches. What they didn't know is that I did enough research to know what the panels and inverters cost, how many I would need to achieve my goals, and the efficiency for different parts of my roof to fit 50 panels. I was quoted $45k-$65k total price for ~$20k in materials. They had no answer on why the costs were so high when I showed them the retail prices of the components used (exact panels and inverters). I ended up finding a contractor to do the install, purchased the panels and pulled the permits myself. My total cost was $28k before my 30% federal rebate. There are many people that seem to be against solar due to ignorance in the comments. In many cases, solar may not ever pay for itself. In my case, it will do this in < 8 years. I'm almost 3 years into this journey and have produced 57.4MWh in electricity on my roof. My average electricity bill was $260 and now I average $10/mo ($25 when the FU minimum kicks in). I did a time-lapse of my installation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/laDUpqpjm5qKo5o

[@Ornelas11B]

Lmao! $30,000? You’ll never see any of that return before you die.

[@John-lf8bj]

But you have no warranties now right?

[@6gunbeaufordiii514]

hahaha sucker! It's going to take decades for your solar panels to get your money back I work at an electric company edit: you're lying about your numbers...i saw your video and all the panels you installed. You will not do it in 8 years guaranteed

[@mustseevideos7777]

Hats off to you! You have manufactures warranty on every component and you saved all the mark up costs and bs that these people are going through. You know you have the permits and have gained tremendous knowledge in researching. You've empowered yourself and can also make it a business as a consultant for DIY's. Great job!

[@mustseevideos7777]

@@6gunbeaufordiii514 ha ha not really. Electric costs are going up , there is an oil, gas and deisel shortage and he can go off grid. Lol

[@user-cp7fo7im1s]

I like it when news stations get back to doing stories and investigations that actually help people.

[@kate2create738]

We need more stories like this, everyone is not blind that scamming is happening but it would be nice if it was reported so we can at least avoid being duped.

[@user-cp7fo7im1s]

@@kate2create738 I was actually thinking about calling one of these companies. I thought it was like a 5 or 10 thousand dollar thing. I would've still told them no at those prices, but salespeople try to pressure you. There's no way I'm taking out basically another mortgage. It defeats the entire purpose.

[@kate2create738]

@@user-cp7fo7im1s Right? I'd rather put that investment into a car or other values to improve the property. It probably doesn't accommodate with upgrades as well which is why I want to wait to see how it pans out. I just don't trust that many people these days.

[@cmerighe2]

Miracles happen

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@MH-oc4de]

Ten years ago I used to have coffee at the same cafe every day. Many mornings a couple of guys from Solar City would sit near me and brag about how they strong-armed their customers. A few years later they were purchased by Tesla. I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole.

[@user-zu5do6ri6r]

Solar is only a scam. Every solar company is a scam company.

[@By-s]

I really miss this kind of investigative journalism, especially these days.

[@1miguelcortes]

This was published like 2 weeks ago

[@mrniusi11]

they only do this for small fish, like tiny solar companies, never the government that Fks us all.

[@kate2create738]

@Miguel Cortes “These days” is a term that can mean from a few days to a few years, whether it’s reported yesterday or a few weeks ago, it’s still relevant .

[@BGIANAKy]

@@kate2create738 he’s probably autistic and doesn’t understand. Don’t be too harsh on the boy.

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@noelleonard2498]

Yes, there are scammers out there, but paying 300+ dollars a month for 25 years just to pay for the system is insanity.

[@101perspective]

I think "stupidity" is a better word for it.

[@kirkstickney7394]

You mean like paying $4.50+ for a gallon of gas because this administration wants us all to spend $60,000+ for an electric car that is recharged by fossil fuel burning electric plants🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪 THAT kind of insanity??? 🤨🤨🤨

[@101perspective]

@@kirkstickney7394 Your comment was so full of idiocy that I find it hard to believe that you actually think your comment really makes sense.

[@granny58]

@@101perspective that's what I thought.

[@Valkyrieslikemead]

@@101perspective except we actually pay $300 to $500 to the electric company WITHOUT solar. So, if you think paying $300 a month is STUPIDITY, forgive me for questioning YOUR sanity. Also, as the woman in the report; you're welcome. I certainly didn't have to come on television and warn others of this predatory company. But, instead of many of you reading through and finding out ALL the facts, you are judging us as stupid. I'm sure you feel superior and that makes you think it could never happen to you. I hope you're right. But. If it DID, I wouldn't call you stupid. I would blame the company that sold the lies and has harmed THOUSANDS of people.

[@cklindo4646]

Gimme me $91K and I will pedal the water-wheel to produce the power for the house.

[@kensmechanicalaffair]

Ima bring snacks.

[@CoachCreesh]

Okay 😂😂😂

[@mayberryfiya3528]

I heard that! 😆Legs gonna be fit too 😂😂😂

[@dmo848]

That's what I'm saying. 91k hell I'll figure it out

[@milliedragon4418]

Get fit and earn money, win-win to me

[@magicmegan4290]

I’m glad this news report helped that family get out of their contract and get those panels taken down.

[@AppaTalks]

I built an off-grid solar battery (after the great Texas Freeze last year), have 6x100W panels and a 300Amp-hour battery connected. Spent about 3K total on the project and super happy that it can take anything I throw at it. Not a 1-1 grid replacement but definitely Peace of mind.

[@blazeroranger]

Bet many dead birds and eagles around your panels

[@blazeroranger]

Your panels burnt em down……. I’m sure you won’t tell the truth and denied it

[@AppaTalks]

@@blazeroranger lol yep yep lots of birds, gots' me some free fried chickens too

[@blazeroranger]

@@AppaTalks Texas, of course. We went to Texas from Iowa and couldn’t believe how much hot it is in Texas. Got out of our ACed trailblazer and 1 second later I got sweaty like pouring rain.

[@AppaTalks]

@@blazeroranger for sure, same where I live; actually there have already been power failures this month, and our governor explicitly said it wouldn't happen do'h

[@fargoloomis3569]

As a solar installer, this is infuriating! Salespeople can turn any industry into a money pit even if the industry as a whole has good intentions.

[@lilblackduc7312]

Considering how many days are "overcast" in the Southeast, commercial solar isn't capable of delivering what's expected of an Off-Grid system, or what an 'electronics's junkie' like me would expect. (limited, or supplemental) In other words: I'm sold out on alternate 'Homestead' systems. But, it's never going to be the cure for burning fuel & nuclear.

[@chrishenry5945]

I wish solar power was feasible but my research has shown, at least in my case, that the initial investment just doesn’t make sense. I live in South TX, we have plenty of sunshine and it still doesn’t work out.

[@ccjohncc1]

But if people stop blindly believing salesman this won't happen and they would be out of business. I guess the adage a sucker is born every minute is still true. Double check any and all claims by sales people. Never sign a contract on the first visit ever!!! If they say if you don't sign today you will miss saving 500 dollars. Immediately show them to the door because that is total B.S.!!

[@willybones3890]

@@chrishenry5945 You need to do more research. You have plenty of sun where you live.

[@ccjohncc1]

@@chrishenry5945 it only works with people that have an adequate souther exposed roof, own their home and plan on living there long enough to see the savings. The tax benefit with the power savings may take 10, 20 or 30 years to pay for the setup. Lots of variables!!

[@ellisvener5337]

This is good job of consumer interest reporting. It rightly targets dishonest sales people using hard sell tactics, not solar power.

[@rexrobo2512]

@Ellis Vener allow me to target the foolishness of solar power, since the news report failed to do so. Installing solar power is NOT a way to save you money. Even if you buy all of the equipment and install it yourself, when it's all said and done you will still lose money. Buying a solar system from a company and having them install it will cause you to lose even more money. Unless you worship at the church of environmentalism, and you ignorantly believe that solar is a cleaner source of power, or you just want to show off (the desire to show off, as foolish as it is, can be seen as a legitimate justification in the minds of some people) to the people who actually do worship at the church of environmentalism, there's no justification that you can come up with to justify the expense. Those sales people were probably encouraged, on the unspoken threat of termination, to use those exact tactics. An unspoken threat of termination is the same thing as a spoken threat of termination, you will lose your job either way. Those salesmen were thrown under the bus. It's highly doubtful those companies will change because of how extremely unprofitable solar is for the customer. If they were completely honest and transparent with their customers they would never sell any systems.

[@rexrobo2512]

@Ellis Vener allow me to target the foolishness of solar power, since the news report failed to do so. Installing solar power is NOT a way to save you money. Even if you buy all of the equipment and install it yourself, when it's all said and done you will still lose money. Buying a solar system from a company and having them install it will cause you to lose even more money.

[@rexrobo2512]

I keep shortening this comment because it's being blocked apparently. The real new story is the waste of money that is solar energy.

[@ellisvener5337]

Solar power makes sense for some people and businesses. And while their are environmental costs to manufacturing solar collectors and batteries, as best as I can tell from my research over the past twenty years, those don’t compare to those from mining, drilling, processing, transporting, and consuming fossil fuels.

[@coreyclemons1069]

Ask the Pop-Up Solar Company. What is the system voltage? A solar sales person will say well we need to analyze your bill. This is not true you the customer are asking what voltage their system is running. This has nothing to do with the customer. As a representative of a company the sales person should have no issues answering this in an honest and factual way providing simple specifications of the system they are selling. This question will prove the knowledge and ethics involved in this solar company. A few other questions also can be asked, but posting here may allow these Pop-Up Solar Company's to take these questions and answer them misleadingly to unaware solar customers. I am a Renewable Energy student and would like to see renewable energy given a good name.

[@andyg806]

Spending 10's of thousands of dollars, even as much as $100k, to save a couple hundred bucks a month! Solid thinking there.

[@LMTipping]

our customer average spend is about 15000 so this is just crappy companies

[@fredAstaresee]

that is correct Andy, but people are falling All Over themselves to bailing in on the New Green Deal by the government. almost like a religion has sprung up around it. they are happy to lead the entire country along with them. is there anything that cannot be accomplished with the correct media partners and adverts. Any thoughts?

[@javiercoronel1169]

Cus it's attach to the value of the home

[@julianchillby1024]

Nobody should be spending more than 30K before rebates and they would know this if they did their research. Even if they didn't, getting multiple quotes would have saved them. I don't feel sorry for very low IQ people who get scammed.

[@danny_the_K]

As an engineer this really upsets me. These con men need to get jail time for this. These systems are not "rocket science". Your air conditioning and heat (if electric/heat pumps/etc) are your major power consumption devices. Changing a 100w light bulb to a

[@katniptime4me]

Excellent advice. Thank you. We are going to be replacing windows, as this is where our biggest energy consumption is. Cost is less than a solar system would be and will save us just as much money on power bills. Bonus, less stress on A/C and heating units.

[@glycerosfournaris2512]

So after you have renovated your house in order to properly cut down your power usage, after you paid for changes according to where you live in heating and cooling systems, after you have paid to install EXPOSED components for your energy production and more components for storage just in case. After you have done ALL that you SHOULD have a FOSSIL FUEL alternative but that's just in case right?!

[@janetyeoman1544]

We installed a Generac standby natural gas system , rarely use the AC , went LED , have lots of south facing windows for winter greenhouse effect. Blinds closed in the sunny summer days. Some neighbors have AC on daily , very expensive here in central Ontario.

[@tomjacobson7623]

Kilowatts are units of power, not energy.

[@bigal1863]

That’s what I did, new high efficiency AC, ducts doors and windows and my light bill was cut by more than half

[@ivanzepeda6216]

These people don’t realize if your paying 90 grand for a solar system and your payment is 450 a month for the next 25 years and your regular monthly electric bill is only 200 doesn’t it make more sense not to get solar at all 😂

[@lenac3587]

It may be $200 today but with inflation and rising cost of living as the years go by, it might not be

[@EileenTheCr0w]

Where did you get 450/mo.. that's terrible financing. Though your electric bills with $200/mo does total to about 90-100k over 25 years. And a good solar system will easily last longer than that and cost much less.

[@ivanzepeda6216]

Obviously some of us aren’t seeing that these people got ripped off if you still think that their getting a deal will then let me hold 90k 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@vinnymac1]

Lol why would they pay 90k for solar with a 200$ bill. They need more like a 15k system. Unfortunately there are scam companies.

[@slingblade01]

@@EileenTheCr0w $200/month for 25 years equals $60,000. Also, most solar panels will only last 20-25 years. Furthermore, at the end of the lifespan of the solar panels, you will pay a disposal fee to rid these panels that contain toxic metals.

[@slumlordracing8054]

I'm a roofing contractor and my contracts to remove solar panels far outweigh my contracts for installing them.

[@davidcoylejr.3967]

I believe this! As a realtor, sell more homes that had to have them removed.

[@jamesfiske1905]

That's crazy😌

[@vibelife5133]

Do they need a new roof after removal? And another issue, I can only imagine how much more it costs to replace a roof if you need to remove panels and replace them after installing a new roof🤯

[@joeisslow1638]

I was an electrician in Massachusetts for a long time and I had a conversation with a rep. from sun solar on a project one day. He said he and the company are raking in money, he will do it for 10, 12 more years. Then open his own business specializing in removing and disposing of the toxic metals waste from the panel hahahahaha, he said he will "screw em on both ends, install and removal".

[@davidcoylejr.3967]

@@joeisslow1638 second time I've heard this as well😂😂👌🏾

[@ezrollerj]

There's a reason they have no experience hiring ads everywhere for "sales" people

[@michaelsteen9396]

That’s the CONTRACTOR’S fault ! As a framing and remodeling contractor I take it upon myself to check regulations in every area I do work as all places are different as to what permits you need, what they cost, or if they are required at all. Most homeowners have NO IDEA about regulations where they live unless they are some type of contractor themselves. Very unprofessional on the part of that company.

[@mrwascallyt9865]

salesmen's only motivation is about the sale/commission once he gets his $ the rest is someone down the line's problem

[@rdcarbonk1885]

@@mrwascallyt9865 especially in US where the search for money makes people mad literally.

[@mrwascallyt9865]

@@rdcarbonk1885 i've been to jobs where the salesmen/women didn't figure on xtra material and labor to do it right then when u call them out on it some try to get u to haggle with the builder or owner homie don't play that if the sales man under estimated it he eats it in my book i tell em to pay up to do it right or i walk and i've done both many times when bldrs say anything to me about shortcuts or lowering my standards i ask them where are they gonna be when the owner moves in and complains about it are u takin fault then no and what does it say about my rep to know somethings wrong and not do it right aannd a little ranty sorry too many yrs in const

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@davidb2206]

Vote out the little tyrant city councils in these towns and change the "law." Bureaucracy and paperwork that hinder a property owner belong in the third world, not here.

[@kentmiller4363]

this is some good investigative journalism. this is the kind of thing that all journalists should be doing. wish it ha happened on a national level.

[@jacobunderwood4957]

The 'national level' of Fox is what made them try to tie this to solar, rather than reporting the problem as corrupt, unregulated business practices.

[@jdgoesham5381]

Yea there's not many that do exposes like this today to show ppl the truth. There's these guys, Rob Wolchek and Project Veritas that I can think of. Funny today the ones who get caught usually call this type of journalism "not journalism" when it's the BEST form of it.

[@party4keeps28]

@@jdgoesham5381 It's funny how people praise investigative journalism when it's done by mainstream outfits such as this one but when Project Veritas does the same exact thing, people will say they're unethical.

[@DStabs720]

Check out rob wolcheck he’s the best journalist in the nation

[@party4keeps28]

@@DStabs720 I wouldn't say he's the best but he's definitely one of the best. He does a lot of good for his community and he does it in a city that needs more people like him, Philadelphia.

[@dutchroll]

This is not the “dark side of solar power”. This is the “dark side of dishonest contractors”. We get it here in Australia too. The solar industry has grown so rapidly that too many “sharks” have made their way in and consumer protection authorities are having a tough time weeding them out. We have many people extremely happy with their solar and slashing their power bills selling power back to the electrical utility, or like ourselves, living off the grid completely. But buyer beware - you need a reputable installer who knows what they’re doing!

[@Factsnotfox]

Exactly!

[@pjt3887]

I used to sell home security systems same thing lots of dishonest shysters that are literally putting people in danger it was the most frustrating situation to walk into. I did so much educating and explaining how the system worked so that they would understand that the five other people who came before me didn't know what the hell they were talking about!! All made false promises. It really goes to show that the various municipalities need to be policing these companies better. Charging someone $90,000 for solar panels that is utterly insane. That's about a 200% markup?

[@joe5hm03]

Is there a bright side to dishonest contractors?

[@antoniobrown8726]

good point

[@MatthewSlaymaker]

Not clickbait enough

[@MrGregTrumpower]

I've been using Bluetti AC200MAX generator with three 285 watt panels and my electric bill is reduced by 60%. Also, if I need to take the generator anywhere like camping, or to a job site for equipment all I have to do is load it in the truck. I keep the panels plugged in and it is running my TV, Stereo, Computer, living room lights, guitar amplifier, microphones. I'd never put on FIXED PANEL SYSTEM. Going Portable is the way to go. I haven't got the money to buy an additional battery yet but maybe next year. But when the power goes out...NOT IN MY HOUSE. Thank you Bluetti.

[@justanother240]

Rigid panels tend to be A LOT more durable. You can make the smaller 100w ones portable, too.

[@anongal7875]

This just goes to show how the sales profession is organized. Their employer gives everyone aggressive sales targets that are skewed due to the unethical sales practices of a few top salesmen.

[@ElCid48]

One salesman told me that I should get ALL the trees in my property cut down in order for the system to work and I told him to go fk himself.

[@Tipsythomas]

Yea only to sack them when caught but the company gets away with it.

[@flinch622]

Or... just a regional company officer edict. I recall learning a little something about a large retailer years ago: store manager had ZERO say on sales growth - ingenuity prohibited regarding inventory selection/ordering. Corporate would declare a volume increase ahead of time [say 9% or whatever] and just ship merchandise. So you would see parking lots in city after city with 8/9/10 trailers of stuff parked outside at all times that was dead inventory customers couldn't even get at to inspect, much less buy.

[@danh5368]

I briefly worked at a company like these solar companies. They gave us no base pay, and would promise huge bonuses if we reached a sales milestone. Problem was the price was so high that it was basically never a profitable deal for the customers, which means you either had to lie to get a sale, or you had to be dumb enough to not understand the numbers yourself because the company intentionally makes it so convoluted.

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@elwoogie1963]

Good report. I have a hard time with these companies..."we're going to replace your $260 electric bill with a $10 electric bill plus $348 monthly installment plan for the next 25 years." Not exactly the electric company getting screwed over.

[@daydreamer8662]

Sales pitch: Don't worry, in 25 years, your monthly electric bill will be over $1000 / month due to inflation. Me: in 15 years I'll be dead of old age. I want to save money today

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@sko1beer]

The companies are the scammers here I paid around 30k usd for my install in Hong Kong and I know it’s even cheaper in mainland China. That is one fat profit margin

[@kidneycarecoaching3766]

These customers must have failed 4th grade math…

[@johnmichaels4172]

so, in other words, let's decrease the bill payment but add an addition bill to pay that's even more expensive than before the original 1st bill was decreased. What total bs. Smfh🤦

[@bsusak09]

"Saying our clients will save 100% of their bill is a fireable offense but we absolutely won't be firing him"

[@kensmechanicalaffair]

Deals a deal.

[@coreyclemons1069]

Ask the Pop-Up Solar Company. What is the system voltage? A solar sales person will say well we need to analyse your bill. This is not true you the customer are asking what voltage their system is running. This has nothing to do with the customer. As a representative of a company the sales person should have no issues answering this in an honest and factual way providing simple specifications of the system they are selling. This question will prove the knowledge and ethics involved in this solar company. A few other questions also can be asked, but posting here may allow these Pop-Up Solar Company's to take these questions and answer them misleadingly to unaware solar customers. I am a Renewable Energy student and would like to see renewable energy given a good name.

[@gjoniny]

must be the boss's son. we will retrain him now you can save 99%

[@mrwascallyt9865]

yeah i caught that too fast doubletalking conmen

[@davemellott5060]

Your a horrible Company, and should lose your license immediately. Anyone who's been sucked into your fraud should sue you ass off. Solar is not perfect but it most certainly is well worth getting into asap. But check around get muti quotes and don't get sucked in by these crocks who should be in jail, they lie and steal. and it's price is not anywhere near what the quoting, and just buy solar and stay away from add ons that are not needed, know you need to do maintenance and replace batteries every once in a while, but overall you will save a lot of money and its a no brainer for people living in SW USA you should be in a continuous + on your electric bill IE they will send you a check or direct deposit.

[@stevelopez372]

$91,000.00 I could buy electricity until I’m 130 years old and I live in SoCal. Lol.

[@davidyu4014]

91K??? With my $100 electric bill, it'll take me close to 100 years to offset the cost.

[@gallardo360]

are you ready to sign up ? lmao 🤣

[@elainecongo3827]

Yeah I didn't get that either 91K...Didn't make any sense

[@cenahater5002]

With a bill like that your total cost of a system shouldn’t have been more than 20k. Unless your location is just bad for solar

[@brandondulle]

100$ electric bill? HAHAHAHAHA, you must split it with your parents... My home runs 350$ a month, lights off, oil heat, no ac, no fish tanks, no grow lights, no electric car charging, no hair dryers no washer or dryer. Just everyday items.

[@gallardo360]

@@brandondulle damnit man, mine is around 159.00 a month from April til August. then 85.00 after that, 2600sqft home in Georgia

[@magmajctaz1405]

Several years someone else in my household arranged for a solar salesman come out to provide an estimate. I started by asking how much a system would cost. He spent the next 45 - 60 minutes avoiding the question. During that time he spent a lot of effort trying to convince me the system would "only cost $X per month". He seemed confused by me asking what the total cost of the system would be. So I explained: "material + labor + margin = total cost". When he eventually told me the total price, something around $25,000, I thanked him and sent him on his way. He asked if I was going to buy the system, and when I told him "no" he wanted to know why. I told him I did not have the money, and I thanked him for telling me the price, and once I saved up that money, I would call him. He demanded to know why I wasted his time if I was never going to buy the system. I explained to him that I never wasted his time, he wasted his time and mine, because he spent so much of his time avoiding my question. Had he just answered my question, I would have dismissed him much sooner. The reality is this is over a quarter life commitment for most people. Some of us prefer to pay for power as we go, not finance it for decades. Additionally, when you consider we have most cost effective ways to improve energy efficiency, those options have a greater ROI. For example, if you have single pane aluminum frame windows, you would get a quicker ROI on new energy efficient double pane windows. Or if you have a 10 SEER R22 air conditioner, perhaps upgrading to a newer multi-stage compressor AC would have a greater ROI. The reality is there is no money in home solar for contractors, only the financing. Try this! Next time a solar contractor sends a salesperson, ask him/her how much to pay cash for the system, and they will stutter.

[@StCreed]

25000 dollar is theft. I paid about 8000 euro for 18 panels in a community project. That will supply more energy than I need now, and will take care of charging an electric vehicle if I ever buy one. Had I put them on my roof, it would likely have been less panels (for tax reasons it's not attractive to put up more than I need) and I would have paid maybe 5K.

[@bigguy7353]

@@StCreed And its still overpriced, inefficient, and will be obsolete before it ever "pays for itself". You got robbed as well.

[@reesegt0]

GEESH! Thanks for the info…ROI

[@Thunderbird2935]

@@StCreed Totally agreed.... companies in USA know that there's a federal tax credit for 26% of the total system cost, and the solar contractors are in bed with the lenders to wring you for that 26% tax credit. When I got my solar system installed, I took a 20 year loan via Loan Pal. This was a couple years ago when there was still a 30% federal tax credit. The loan terms provided an "introductory rate" for the first 18 months, and demanded that I make a significant lump sum payment for the loan equivalent to the 30% federal tax credit that I was due to get back! If I didn't make this lump sum payment (approximately 13k USD), then my payment would go up by almost 2x for the next 18.5 years. Fortunately, this was when the housing market started to go up and interest rates started to drop, so I refinanced my home, pulled out some equity, paid off the scammy solar loan, and got a lower interest rate. My overall monthly payment went down $100 after all this and I was able to keep my 30% federal tax credit! Fk you, loan pal!

[@NeoAutodroid]

Even hybrid water heaters pay themselves off in a shorter amount of time. I think solar (at its current level of efficiency and cost) is only practical for very young homeowners loaded with cash which is only a small portion of the market.

[@etownzu]

As someone who works in solar in NY, I've never heard of a company being so incompetent as to not get the basic paper work and permitting done. That being said NY also has a completely different way you can purchase solar without having to spend 100k on panels and the system. I keep in touch with my customers here in NY especially those in my town and have yet to hear a story like this.

[@joeisslow1638]

I worked as a licensed electrician in Massachusetts and worked in NY as well for almost 20 years. New Yorks electrical inspection system and licensure requirements are a joke, literally a joke in surrounding states haha

[@thesunrisechick6878]

@@joeisslow1638 what does this have to do with the comment???

[@jaxstax2406]

@@joeisslow1638 what point were you trying to make?

[@electfishingfun8017]

@@joeisslow1638 yeah. All are joke as long as it earn money

[@Soulsurviver22]

Solar panels are a scam because you still have to connect to the power company .when you say solar panels I’m thinking of no more electricity bill I’m thinking the solar panel is doing what a solar charger would do when you charge your phone ..why would I want to pay $30,000 for solar panels when I still have to pay for electricity I’m better off just giving the $30,000 in advance to the electric company and not have to worry about the electricity bill for awhile .

[@josemedeiros007]

Great job on this investigative reporting.

[@strongereveryday2302]

There is NO reason solar installation should cost $43,000 or $91,000. I installed solar in my home and cut my power lines for less than $10,000 and did it myself.

[@iluvtheblues]

Completely disconnecting from the grid is VERY difficult to pull off. Perhaps you should create a video showing how you did this. Until then...I'm not inclined to believe your claim.

[@foxtayle683]

Friend of mine got it for around $10k installed by a professional but that's because the government paid the rest of the cost which was about $30k. Had a negative electric bill each month. So it's possible if you find a reputable company.

[@matthewlarison2720]

In alot of states and municipalities, they will condemn your home if your not connected to the grid, essentially calling it abandoned

[@svtkilr]

@@iluvtheblues hahahahhaa foreals it’s pretty much impossible to do!

[@svtkilr]

@@foxtayle683 no one with solar will get a negative bill every month it’s impossible! I have solar and I only get them here and there but I do get a nice check tho.

[@toddburgess6792]

General Motors had a Solar Program back in the 70's. My dad was a part of it, and even brought home the injection molded prototypes for testing the shrinkage of the cured plastic against the tempered glass panels that would often explode if the plastic shrank too much. Fun times. Solar could have been far more mainstream had GM stayed with it, but they gave it up in '79, and my dad was devastated. He retired soon after.

[@FRECKLYRAGE]

thanks for sharing

[@alyssahamlett]

yea I never knew!

[@mikelisteral7863]

pink energy? sounds like some woke feminist crap

[@mjolnirswrath23]

Old LCD screens = Photovoltaic Devices...if it can emit energy it can pick up energy.. No matter the medium of energy Transformation.. Light Emitting Diodes can Gather Sunlight..4k television makes far More Efficient method for collection and chemical reaction for Eddy Current Production...

[@computer_freedom]

@Jasen Vernor Arco did as well. I think they saw it as a threat, and later decided it wouldn't take over the energy market.

[@Enyuno916]

I’ve been a electrician for 25 years. The craftsmanship I’ve seen from these solar companies has been sub par

[@ZaafiraSev]

Would you recommend in investing in your own bought solar pannels with a personally hired contractor/electrician/architect & permits??

[@antoniogrijalva2038]

Oh it’s ridiculous, a lot of guys out there that think they know what they’re doing

[@derekperez1418]

I'm a solar installer/electrician from Socal and I agree. This is the most productive region in the whole US, yet I've seen a wide range of build quality and craftsmanship around here. The city, county, and state also have a hand in the customers woes. Some are great to work with, others not so much.

[@ElGoogKO]

These are not "solar companies". These are just regular businesses in america, making money off the simple intellect people. The quality reflects that level of expectation from the buyers. If the buyers are low level, so is what they receive.

[@PhantomFilmAustralia]

The solar technology looks archaic. It's large, ugly, and messy. The prices charged for domestic dwellings is so unbelievably high. The red tape regarding taxes and rebates is so bureaucratic and complicated in the US. After moving to Australia from the US, my entire system cost me AU$16,000, and aside from the roof panels, you can hardly see the system at all. As my bills are now in the negative, I've never paid a power bill since, and I get paid by the power company by selling my excess power back to the grid.

[@joshm3342]

When sales people knock at my door, somehow the dog slips out, and they quickly move on. DON'T GIVE SOLICITORS THE TIME OF DAY. I have been told every imaginable lie by door-to-door sales people. That's not to say they're all bad. Due diligence & research required. YOU need to be the one to initiate the process.

[@tee4222]

These companies charge outrageous prices and often give you outdated technology. Setting up a solar array with some batteries and an inverter is rather simple. With some shopping around and a bit of motivation, you can accomplish a better result at a fraction of the cost.

[@AJohnson0325]

Quite possibly one of the worst things is the financing that some of these solar panel companies offer. It can be a total ripoff.

[@bobs5596]

you used to be able to buy panels at home depot for around $750 each, but obama put tariffs on chinese panels and put them out of biz, leaving only super expenseve usa panels left. by doing so, he effectively kneecapped usa solar adoption and put the installers out of business. see suntech power, solar cities, LDK histories. it's very enlightening to see climate change is about money, not climate change.

[@EileenTheCr0w]

"rather simple" lol.. the average homeowner doesn't know how to replace their garbage disposal.. forget finding high efficiency panels, knowing where to put them to maximize production, installing securely for storms, wiring without causing leaks.. lol, not gonna happen. And as for batteries, that's just a complete waste of money if you're able to get net metering.

[@coreyclemons1069]

Ask the Pop-Up Solar Company. What is the system voltage? A solar sales person will say well we need to analyse your bill. This is not true you the customer are asking what voltage their system is running. This has nothing to do with the customer. As a representative of a company the sales person should have no issues answering this in an honest and factual way providing simple specifications of the system they are selling. This question will prove the knowledge and ethics involved in this solar company. A few other questions also can be asked, but posting here may allow these Pop-Up Solar Company's to take these questions and answer them misleadingly to unaware solar customers. I am a Renewable Energy student and would like to see renewable energy given a good name.

[@James_T_Quirk]

@@EileenTheCr0w Very True, Some are not up to the Task, but It is simple, Some Research for Best Panels & Batteries & then buy Some Panels, A Inverter & Regulator, Batteries, Some thought about where the Sun Rises & Sets, Placement, but of Course growing in size with your needs .. As a Example, Not by Me, Solar Basics in under 3min, kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZiop3aCf9p1ock , but of Course if you cannot do the math, & need a Larger System & need it installed Professionally, it will cost more ..

[@forrestgreene1139]

The video title seems to blame "solar power" instead of rightfully blaming a crooked, lying contractor.

[@bigguy7353]

While solar is still incredibly expensive, highly inefficient and the tech will be obsolete in 10 years and will never "pay for itself".

[@Monkeyseemonkey79]

It's because this is a larger issue plaguing the residential solar industry. Sales sharks, non-transparent pricing... Most of these outfits are primarily in the game of selling bad loans rather than saving the customer any money

[@bl8388]

@@Monkeyseemonkey79 It's also the promise and exaggerations about renewables. People constantly say it's, "Free." It hardly is. There are pros and cons to everything and solar works better in some parts of the country than others. Some areas pay you for the excess solar power in the day time, others don't. It also leads to increased deaths. Roofing fall fatalities increased 15% in 2019. It continues to rise, and solar installations, and maintenance are a major factor in that.

[@deadfIag]

Unfortunately the whole industry is like this.

[@MrRabbit772]

So the argument made by this news network is a company is bad and is scamming people who don't understand how solar power is suppose to work and therefore all solar power is evil? instead how about saying this industry is new to most people and so opportunists are out there and may try to take advantage of the situation. Be wary and smart but remember that such scammers have always worked their way into anything new.

[@rickoshay6554]

A basic rule of life: "If something requires a salesman to convince you that you need it, you don't."

[@danstrayer111]

yup, that's good

[@dharmappabarki9557]

Very well said

[@dharmappabarki9557]

Yes. No one has ever got married after a “salesman’s” sales pitch!

[@pluto8404]

yeah my doctor keeps trying to sell me on some product called chemo but I aint buying it, nice try doc.

[@lococomrade3488]

@@dharmappabarki9557 Consideting that for the majority of History, arranging marriages was the norm... I'd say, historically, most marriages probably started as a salespitch.

[@issameQ]

Companies are completely out of control. The funny part is that they get mad and uncomfortable when you start asking questions and digging into the details before you sign a contract.

[@skepticalfox5885]

I am a Solar Salesman in Los Angeles and I can say that everything about this video is what annoys me the most about this industry. A few points to make. 1: Solar is absolutely legit when done correctly. Solar is simply math and science. 2: I absolutely hate companies like the one featured in this video. They are the reason some people have a negative perception toward Solar. They are overcharging people for their systems, and on top of that lying to homeowners about the amount of kWh their systems will produce. They prey on the ignorance of people and take advantage. Having said that, this brings me to my third point… 3: Ignorant homeowners who don’t do their due diligence as a BUYER are unfortunately adding to the problem as well. Like I said, Solar is simply math and science. A typical residential solar power system usually costs between $20,000-$80,000 depending on the system size. As a homeowner you should be doing adequate research so you have an understanding of how solar power systems work. You should then gather your own kWh you have used over the last full year by looking at your bills or calling your utility company so you know how much electricity you need. When buying a solar system, you should always be looking to get a system that will produce about 15% more annual kWh then what your current usage levels are. 115% offset. By having that extra 15% you are able to collect a 1:1 credit for any excess energy produced by your system. Then at night while your system isn’t producing power but you are still using electricity, you won’t be charged by the utility company because you will be using your credits. This makes it so you won’t get a true up bill at the end of the year. As a homeowner you should also research the equipment the company is going to provide you with. Make sure the wattage of the panels is up to par with the current industry standard. As of now 400 watt panels are what you should be looking for. Research the inverter as well. There are also micro-inverters. Make sure you know and understand what they do. Find a company that will put a system kWh production guarantee in their contract as well. 4: Find a company that does not sub contract out. Look for a company that does everything in house. Also make sure that whoever your salesman is will continue to be your point of contact even after the contract is signed, so if any problems arise you always have someone who you can contact to get it taken care of. Happy to answer any questions anyone has.

[@midnull6009]

Yes yes and yes!! 99% of the Americans don't do their own due diligence especially after covid...

[@lesliesavage9229]

Do you need 2 meters? I have done solar off grid, and have found that your average electrician doesn't know enough about power formulas to set up such a system. So your friend who works as an electrician might not be the one to go too. In my opinion the best way to go is like Fox describes, and that is with a power sell back system from an expert.

[@mattnewrocki4943]

How does it feel to sell snake oil?

[@jonjohns8145]

@@lesliesavage9229 Never liked "sell back grid tie" systems because they basically put you at the mercy of the Utility company and what they are willing to "buy" your excess solar for. Plus you lose the Main advantage of a solar system, when the grid goes down, you go down too. Off grid with a battery and a grid tie in is a better setup in my opinion because You get to use what you produce from the Panels or the Battery, but if your need exceed those two sources, you get to pull from the grid as needed. No feeding back to the grid, no lock ins and the systems are MUCH cheaper to setup.

[@jonjohns8145]

@@mattnewrocki4943 Solar is not snake oil. It's only suckers who buy systems they don't understand from companies with terrible reputations.

[@Dave_9547]

This is interesting because when I lived in California prior to 2015, we had 6,000 watts of solar installed in a ground mount system. At that time there were Federal tax and utility company rebates available. Our system did reduce our electric bill and had around a 9-10 year amortization of the system. I could look at the meter on a sunny day with low load and watch the meter spin backwards. It kept us out of tier three and four, which is where it got expensive. We were on a well and had a pool in an area where it could get to 110 degrees on a hot day. The cost of these systems from what was shown in this video is outrageous.

[@temujinkhan6326]

this is what happens when you have a government that is pushing for solar power. Prices would not be this expensive if there was no government mandate

[@jasontrewin123]

Yeah, I live in NC. Paid 19500 for 8kwh system, based on pre-covid usuage, even with the increased usage from being home, I just have my connection fees. My solar company was up front on tax credit, duke energy credit (they said i won’t get it because there only X number allocate per year) ended up getting it regadless. They install the deck, using a flashing system versus a compression to hold the track onto the house. No leaks, i can’t say it’s been smooth sailing. Same optimizier has had to be replaced 2x and inverter died. I didn’t pay for labor on the invert but i did get a break on optimizer. Real hidden cost of solar is labor fo installing warranty parts, solar edge doesn’t provide enough to cover it. Add in squirrels this year and i lost a full year of saving in repairs and adding anti-squirrel mess. :(

[@bjvu9460]

Man are people dumb, cant count and are ripe for being taken advantage of. 60,000 in finance means by the time you pay off that useless solar power crap, its just in time to replace it because technology would have changed and the payoff would be close to a 100,000 considering the interest rate. This is taking out another mortgage with the stupidity that you will reduce your power bill but instead taking up another huge debt with a higher monthly payment. It amazes me how easily people are tricked because they cant think for themselves and cant do a simple math ...Replacing your 300 dollar electric bill with a 350 dollar solar panel bill isnt actually saving you any money ... Wonder what happens to things that are out in the elements all day for 25 years in the hooooot sun and then in the cold winter with rain and birds taking a dump on it? Bunch of morons

[@jimburdin]

so the rest of us paid you a rebate for your power... thanks , i could use some help with heating oil... would you like to chip in on that?

[@this_epic_name]

@@jimburdin That's exactly how feed-in tariffs work. The wealthy get the panels, and the less-wealthy pay for them. Utility companies still need revenue, and a certain amount of it. When grid consumption drops (either through energy efficiency, solar, or both), they raise rates, which hurts the lower class the most. In Seattle, energy efficiency (and potentially solar, not sure) put the public utility in such financial peril that they had to drastically raise rates over a period of a couple years just to remain solvent.

[@IesKorpershoek]

I live in the Netherlands and installed my own solar system with 10 panels 3-phase system (Enphase certified). Reduced my grid dependency by 63% and my electrical cost by 50%. Total cost for the solar system $4000.00. Now I am installing my home battery and reducing my cost by another 25%. The mentioned prices $ 40.000 - 90.000 are insane. The going rate here in Europe is approx. $ 1000 - 1250 / kW wp

[@jimburdin]

a big reason for that is we have no credible oversight in the current administration in washington monitoring scammer companies and construction outfits installing solar projects...every single commercial solar project goes way over budget with some going bankrupt altogether... a lot of these companies run until the heat is on, then just change their federal id number and business name and move on to the next available contestant... it is like a perverted version of the price is right...trillions of dollars being spent on waste in biden's magic energy policy, they hook people with "oh but you will get an incentive rebate for installing this system" yeah, right straight out of my pocket, or my childrens and grandchildrens pockets down the road... the whole scenario here in the U.S. is corrupt from the top down....

[@Mar-sz2ug]

That is because those companies are charging for that high. Their own costs would be comparable to yours, plus labor. So, yes way too .much.

[@TheBlacktom]

It works with people operating on 100% beliefs and 0% understanding.

[@LMTipping]

I agree why so high for cost just bad companies I have been designing and selling solar for 17 years average spend in Canada is about 15000 and they get rebates back on that. so we do load shaving like what you have only a off set and that is the best way to do solar..

[@MrBobochow]

I can’t believe anyone would put a solar system on their house and spend 60k just to save $ 10 a month.

[@Mikey196601]

Maybe they just want to be a good comrade

[@nomanejane5766]

If u hire a reputable company the system actually pays for itself, so they would've been saving more than $10

[@JonOffgrid]

I don't have that much in my system maybe 7 Grand and it's done paid for itself

[@rfphill]

@@JonOffgrid How long did it take to pay for itself? Just curious, I know it's all relative to many factors, just curious...

[@julianchillby1024]

I did it for less than 20K after rebates now. 100% worth it, but keep being a low IQ fool

[@hydroaegis6658]

This is actually very important to report on. I had two solar panel companies quote us on solar install for price and capacity. Even when I realized that the math worked out to little to negative benefit, they still tried to sell the system to us. I don’t particularly blame them for it but be VERY aware of anything this expensive.

[@Anon54387]

Solar, even under the best of circumstances, is a shell game. Hydroelectric and nuclear are far less expensive.

[@hydroaegis6658]

@@Anon54387 I would love to have a personal hydroelectric dam and nuclear reactor but it's not available lol

[@Moose803]

As long as they don't force you to buy.

[@joeysplats3209]

Don't forget these things wear out and you gotta put in new components periodically.

[@johndor7793]

y dont u blame them for it?

[@Valkyrieslikemead]

I am the woman in the report. After reading these comments, I am surprised at the amount of negativity we received from people we are trying to inform and help. I am aware that some of you feel superior and think this could never happen to you because you are so smart. I hope you are correct. But, when you are lied too and make decisions that affect your family based on those lies, you won't be feeling so superior. Randy did a wonderful job investigating this company. There is even a part 2 that reports about the federal solar tax credit that is also part of the company's lies. Even with all the exposure from Randy, there are more facts than he could cover on the limited time given for the report to air. So let me help some of you who are unable to understand how this could possibly happen. 1) my husband and I have a large home with a family of five as well as a hobby farm. Our power bill runs around $500 a month during the summer (We have two HVAC units), we run around $400 during the winter, and around $300 in fall and spring months. In 25 years we would have paid at least $120,000 to the electric company. So, $91,000 over the same time with only a $320 solar bill seemed like a better deal. 2) we were told our electric company participated in Net metering. This meant we would receive point for point return on what we give back to the grid. So, if we pushed 30 kwh to the grid, that would remove 30 kwh we might use from the grid at night or on cloudy days. Eventually we would not have a bill at all and we would be paid for what we produced. Our electric company does not participate in Net Metering. This was a lie. 3) we were promised a federal tax rebate for 26% of the purchase price. For us, at $91,000, the return should have been more than $20,000. We were told we needed to put that on the principal of the loan or after 18 months the interest would increase by about 1%. However, we would put that 26% on the principal of the loan, bringing the principal down to $71,000. Only, that too, was a lie. The 26% solar tax credit only lowers tax liability. We would have had to paid that much in to actually receive the credit. My husband is a disabled veteran and we have no tax liability. Therefore, we have no liability to lower. 4)Now add in that there were lies about the number of circuits per battery, how much we would produce, how long our batteries would last, and the fact that one inverter never even worked properly, we were royally scammed. We discovered the lie about how many circuits were given per battery after the panels were on the roof and the installers were asking which circuits we preferred. I contacted the salesman and he came out to look my husband and I in the eye and tell us there was a new type of battery being tested in Texas that would run the entire house except the HVAC, and once it was approved for Georgia, we would be the first to get them. This lie was backed up by a customer service person months later, only to be refuted by some repairmen who came to try and fix the inverter. Those batteries do not exist. They just didn't want us to stop the install. They also lied about solar production during cloudy days. At one point there was a video here, on KZbin, with Jayson Waller giving a testimony before Michigan congress stating these lies. Interestingly enough the video has been removed. Because of all these lies from this company, they have canceled our loan. There is no longer a $91,000 loan for us to deal with. We are still waiting for them to come get their equipment and repair our roof where they were placed. Others have been harmed even more than us. Some have had their homes burned down from bad installation. I have read the comments. I know many of you think we were just stupid suckers, maybe we are. But, we came out and told our story to save OTHERS. There are thousands of us who have been harmed. If laughing at us makes you feel better, then good. My husband is just a disabled veteran trying to save money and give something to our children with less reliance on the system. It will be their house in another 20 or 30 years. We want them to have little to no power bill. I HOPE that those who may have been considering Solar will go with smaller, local companies. Maybe those people will know what questions to ask. And even if you are promised a "year on them" if you sign up that day, don't. Get several quotes.

[@weaksupremacy3799]

This comment is very eye opening. Your comment might not get hundreds of views but I want to thank you for taking the time and effort to post this. This comment is very valuable information for me. Our society has a problem with dealing with victims of scams. Rather than learning from other's experiences public wants to mock them, only to make same mistakes themselves. Even worse thing is people do not even have the courage to admit they got scammed. This is why scammers get away with scamming thousands of people.🙁 Thank you again for showing the courage and strength to help even strangers. May karma give you good things in return.😇 🙏

[@Valkyrieslikemead]

@@weaksupremacy3799 thank you so much. I knew I would have to deal with some backlash and have some negativity coming, but I didn't expect the outright ugliness. We could have never said anything at all. The point of coming forward was to stop this from happening to others. I absolutely 💯 believe in Karma. I also know people tend to judge. I already feel stupid for allowing this to happen. But, we aren't the ones wrong here. This company was. Again, thank you for your kindness. It is truly appreciated.

[@weaksupremacy3799]

@@Valkyrieslikemead You are very welcome. Predatory business practices are increasing all around us. Not only average people but also rich investors are getting scammed today. The mortgage crisis of 2008, Bernie Madoff, startups like theranos, we work, nicola etc have scammed BILLIONS OF DOLLARS from investors! Recently a huge list of both Republican and Democrat representatives who engaged in stock market manipulation and insider trading created public anger. These politicians and their family members have made several thousands and even millions from recent pandemic. For average people the cost of getting justice is way too expensive than what they lose to scammers. This is why scammers are confident and do not have any fears. Our judiciary is clogged with pointless issues that serves no good for society. Even many police officers are refusing to investigate and prosecute the offenders because the scammers have very good lawyers. Most common people cannot afford justice! Justice is a luxury. Integrity is mocked by everyone. Vulnerability is exploited. Victims are humiliated. And they wonder why people are losing trust in many government agencies and institutions. I am very sad to hear about what you are going through. 😔 It is very painful for me to watch good people suffer. All I can do is pray for you and your family's well being. Never lose your hope. 🙏 One day your good deeds will get rewarded because when the world is filled with bad people, good people will have higher demand. Nobody wants a bad person as their friend. No company wants a bad person as their employee. This is why Karma works. Karma works because everyone knows they can trust good people. Thus good people are in high demand especially when things go wrong. I have seen Karma works for many people I know and one time for myself. It always happen when we least expect it. Hope my words gives you strength.

[@antronx7]

These solar companies are not only lying to customers but also grossly overcharging too. It looks like you have about 46 panels for 17 kW system. At $92k it comes out to over $5 per watt. Unless you had large battery installed this system should have cost you about half or about $2.6 - 3 per watt or $44 - 50k before tax rebate. It sounds like you did not have large battery since they promised you that your utility had net metering. The retail costs of similar grid-only components are: 17kW of panels = $9300, 46x microinverters = $7000, racking is about $3000, misc stuff = $2000, permits, drawings, engineering = $1000 for $22,300 not including labor. An honest small local installer could have done this for around $46k and would still have a healthy revenue of $24k to pay for salaries, taxes, insurance and towards expanding the business. This shows you how much went towards these scammer sales guy's commission. I hope you get all your money back and try again in a few years but with a better company. Wait 3 - 5 more years, solar and batteries will get cheaper.

[@Valkyrieslikemead]

@@weaksupremacy3799 those were beautiful words and I couldn't have said it better. I agree 100% that justice is a luxury. It's why there are two sets of rules. One for us and one for the rich and powerful. The insider trading of congress members was a perfect example of those two different sets of rules. And both sides of the aisle took ample opportunity to makes millions on the deaths and hospitalizations of thousands of us. And they continue to get away with it. I believe in Karma as well. Karma is beautiful and perfect justice. This situation with us is also a perfect example. This company set out to scam us. They knew from the jump that they were going to over charge us and lie about what we would get in return. But, in turn, they have harmed themselves. We have their equipment on our roof. It will cost them to bring out a crew to remove them. The cancelation of the loan hurts them tremendously. The name of the company has changed to Pink Energy, but there has already been a campaign to inform the country about Jayson Waller and his tendency towards bankruptcy. I know you mentioned Karma, but I will go even one step farther and add positive and negative polarities. The world has moved into a positive polarity and we WILL start to see justice. The TRUTH will overcome. Just keep sending your kindness and light into the world. We need it. And there are MORE of us than those in "power". Have a wonderful week. Stay safe!

[@kristenkern4247]

I live in Florida and this has happened to many of my neighbors. It’s horrible because some of them are elderly and have been taken full advantage of ! Had I lived here before they all agreed to it I would have gave them the real truth!

[@jaycole5353]

​@weekendwarrior3420Some parents don't deserve to be taken care of. Not all are good and if they are not, to hell with their money 😂😂😂

[@stew6662]

@weekendwarrior3420 unfortunately, some parents don't want help and are hard-headed.

[@donbrloks3959]

FPL doesn’t offer net metering. Wholesale metering.

[@lazarohernandez6292]

@@donbrloks3959they had net metering a while back - and then I imagine they lobbied and then laws got changed to stop it - now like you said it is at wholesale. I have had several quotes - and the prices are ridiculous - the incentives our government offers are at the end of the day for the companies - it only jacks up the prices - not to mention I have heard far too many nightmare stories. They price your system based in your kilowatt usage and what you would pay the power company over 15-20 years - so you end up with about 5 years of feee electricity I call it - and you better save that money for new roof and panels…..or at least the removal - price me a system based on materials, labor and reasonable profit….it’s all a money grab….. just check the background of majority of the companies

[@Wilem35]

Some of them are elderly in Florida? LOL

[@michaeltyre38]

Some insurance companies are canceling home owners policies that have solar panels installed on their roofs !

[@Appealabled]

91k for solar power ???? wtf never

[@jaywholoveseveryone1721]

😂...that was for the SYSTEM. The actual 'power' was on a different bill. That sh*t is CRAZY!! There is NO WAY...EVER!!!

[@ellisvener5337]

Dishonest sales people abound. As the reporter says “do your homework.”

[@kensmechanicalaffair]

@@ellisvener5337 Yea, there basically everywhere. The sales people are just the face, it's the company thats p.o.s.

[@dylandavis3231]

Thats before tax credits. You guys need to do your homework lol the federal government is giving back 26% to the project cost through a tax credit and here in ny we get an extra $5,000 from the state towards the project cost. Idk the utility rates in other states but on Long Island its 24 cents per kw hour and all of my customers love the results. Some people do add 90,000$ to there roof and after they receive the tax credits it comes down over 30% so your only paying like 70k over 25 years rather than what it would be with the energy increases and adding all that value to your house.

[@Emy53]

A few bad company's is going to drive that entire industry OUT OF BUSINESS.

[@bobbygzzz7116]

Good

[@SFXD24]

It's not worth the cost

[@alienandroid2012]

It’s a shame that these scammers are using technology that can actually help people lower bills

[@brentbeaty453]

its a scam when your promised clean affordable energy that you have to obtain building permits just to be installed if it was good for you they dont want it or you would be using TESLA

[@rustusandroid]

But it actually didn't, 90K later...

[@jaffrayburk1]

I am building a solar install for around 1,500 which can power my AC. It puts out around 400-500 watts. Setup: Solar charge controller/inverter; 800 watts total solar panels; lithium battery, right now I only have have about 2,500 watt hours though, but the controller switches to grid if needed. I will see how it does during the peak of summer, but I am just so amused by running my AC off the sun.

[@brentbeaty453]

A man with 1 of the highest IQ testing results known to man invented a tower and multiple other genius inventions to give people of EARTH free electricity to the world through his inventions..... They burned his laboratory and house down after taking what they wanted raped his wife and told him if he valued his life he was to stop trying to give free energy to the world.... Like I said THEY dont want you to have anything GOOD they cant profit off of it.... Why did elon musk use the name TESLA for his company? Maybe to wake people up about what happens to GOOD SCIENTISTS idk 😒

[@christins.1481]

@@jaffrayburk1 The concept is easy if you know how to install it yourself and have an independent system. For instance, it would work having big enough panels hooked up to a system with regular outlets, running on batteries big enough to hook up a window A/C to. Just plug in the window A/C and it runs off the battery, just you have to check the battery. To me I think a golf cart battery could run a small window unit, but I don't know for how long before it loses it's charge.

[@JohnD6280]

They take it back down BUT, your roof is already damaged from the holes of the mounting brackets! Soon after that, you'll notice mold inside your attic..

[@gunsole64]

I was really close to buying solar one year.Had a contract signed. I crunched the numbers and realized more than 80% of my payments would be going to interest until my tax credit kicked in. Also the interest alone was actually larger than my average bill. The solar company didn't know how to respond to that. Contract cancelled.

[@johnchuba912]

I was told, by a solar energy company, that you never recoup the costs, but you'll "feel good about helping to save the planet". Meanwhile, China is opening a new coal fired plant every week!!

[@jafquist27]

In a nutshell, solar is foolishness. It may change, eventually but, for now, you'd be better off burning your cash. At least you could feel the heat for a bit.

[@snorttroll4379]

If that depends what the energy cost is in your area and solar is already profitable if you integrate it into new build homes in the walls or on the roof youth or on the roof instead of the traditional cladding

[@LifeInFrame]

What solar company did you get the quote from? You should be able to get a 4.5% loan for solar panels if you're wanting to finance them for 25 years. There is a lender fee though for low finance rates like this. There is also an 8.9% finance option that has no fees or early pay off penalties. Many cash buyers decide to go with that option. I am curious why you were quoted such a high rate. Did you try getting some competitive bids from other providers? With a fixed finance rate for the term of the loan one should easily be able to come out ahead once inflation rates are factored in. At least that is the case out where I live.

[@johnchuba912]

@@LifeInFrame I live in North Central Minnesota, company is Real Solar in Backus,MN. Not many solar companies here.

[@jasono2139]

I love how the company threw their employees under the bus for "failing to follow their sales ethics policies". Those companies know exactly why they have such written policies... Because they tell their employees and customers about their "very ethical" policies, but then word of mouth within the company will contradict everything those policies say to maximize their sales.

[@enginesllc9877]

Commission sales.

[@chind0na]

Policies😅😂 . The only paper between the employee and company is probably just a w9.

[@jasono2139]

@@chind0na just because the employee hasn't seen or been shown every "company policy" doesn't mean they don't exist... FFS... The only manufacturing plant I've ever worked at where management made a special point to not let anyone into the plant area without safety glasses and steel toe boots was at Caterpillar... Everywhere else they just throw up the "safety glasses required beyond this point" sign and then safety be damned if anyone actually followed that. It was merely a "CYA" for if OSHA showed up.

[@fingers900]

I was literally fired from a T-Mobile 3rd party in Vegas because of my managers ego I literally made our presidents club which is all of the top sales reps in the company and my manager told me to do fraud on this one guys account cause he said we need the lines his exact words and I straight up tell him no and report it and not even 2 weeks later I’m out of a job so yes sales can be shady but now I sell solar and I do it in Nevada where in a all honesty rates are going up dramatically Nevada energy sends out notices of increases like crazy even during the pandemic so I like what I do now and I promise I have not and will not deceive a customer and with the right company Solar is a great thing but a lot of these smaller solar companies give it a horrible rep

[@AllDogsAreGoodDogs]

And that's what "the dark side of solar" is all about: bad installation companies with lying salesmen , not solar energy. Pretty sad but expected misinfo from Fox.

[@JA-vv8wy]

And don’t forget that you’ve got to put it on top of a brand new roof because when it comes time to get a new roof (like some insurance companies may require), you’ll be paying extra to have the solar panels removed while the roof is replaced. Don’t forget to ask solar panel companies about this when shopping!

[@bazoballislife]

Let alone if they cause a leak when installing. Chances are the solar panels would void your roof warranty.

[@chadleach6009]

Depends on the company, many will take them down as part of the contract.

[@V0lk]

You don't have to put them on a brand new roof. Anything less than 15 years or so is fine. Your roof will last longer once the panels are on, since the roof will be shielded from the elements more.

[@petero2693]

Absolutly... roofers dont care about your solar..

[@Beofware]

​@@petero2693 They should.

[@bombbaby9870]

“Retrained to tell more lies” & “Fired for telling the truth”

[@kevinstenger4334]

My brother built a very large new home in North Texas about 20 years ago and he installed solar panels on ground level steel structures away from the house so they could optimize the angle and to ensure they never got any shade from the house or landscape. He also installed a wind generator. I asked him once how it was working out long term after they had been in service for over 10 years. He repaired the wind generator a couple of times and replaced it once but overall he was very happy and he figured it payed for itself a couple of times over. The solar on the other hand he didn’t think it was ever going to break even even though he was in an optimal location with no shade and at the optimum angle to the sun. The average homeowner could save more money and greatly reduce the amount of energy they consume by investing in real serious upgrades to their home, substantial insulation and air leakage work, as well as much higher efficiency heating and cooling equipment. Forget about replacement windows unless they need replacement for other reasons, you will never get your money back in energy savings on windows. Keep in mind that almost all builders install the least efficient heating and cooling equipment allowed because it’s also the cheapest.

[@wrathmachine7609]

Ive moved from house to house, townhouse to a 7 bedroom house and I can tell you the building is very sloppy. These construction companies are just trying to get their work done as quickly as as close to regulation as possible, thats if youre lucky. Poorly insulated homes always leak around the window frames and the walls get cold very quick, we spend about 1000$ cad every 2 months on the electric bill due to heating that isnt even working properly because of the poor insulation. We set the thermostat at 25C and but it feels like 15-18C

[@WilliamDeanPlumbing]

Solar panels today versus 20 years ago put out a considerably higher amount of electricity. No overtime if he ever decides to replace them at least he already has the infrastructure in place to connect.

[@pkwithmeplease]

thanks for your hidden gem comment. i search for these, the real advice.

[@robevans5222]

I have 2 engineering degrees and was at one time a part owner of an alternative energy company. Kevin Stenger, you are absolutely correct. The average home's envelope is far from optimal, and the owner of a typical home would get a much quicker payback from adding insulation, improving infiltration leaks, installing more efficient equipment, etc. My 2200 sf house has 14" of fiberglass insulation in the attic, very high efficiency heat pump, and strategically situated deciduous trees that reduce my solar exposure during the warmest months. My monthly utility bill for my all-electric house averages no more than $100. The payback for photovoltaic solar will never be feasible for me, unless electric rates quadruple.

[@encinobalboa]

@@robevans5222 The tip off is solar sales people can tell me what the payback period is. From what is being posted here, solar never pays for itself. Scam.

[@user-yv7kw1nr2q]

Going off-grid or buying a grid tied system should be a trouble-free experience. Its sad to learn that there are so called "professional" companies charging insane amounts of money and not even providing a fully functioning permitted system. These individuals should be held accountable and loose their license at the city, county, state level. A complaint with the Attorney General, BBB, and others may help. Suing them in court also.

[@giffordely2289]

Yep, and they will pop up next county over under another name,,,,sad...

[@mrsikes410]

Well Sunrun’s program is fully funded and insured (no leasing) and guarantees to either lower your bill or keep you locked in if you already have a lower bill. And on top of that they’re rates only go as high as 3.5% and never more unlike PG&E which is expected to rise to 25% by next year

[@HazardWolfCorp]

And this is why doing it yourself with a bit of research and study is the ultimate best way to achieve true off grid solar.

[@bankruptsee]

Your $300 power bill cuts down.. but your loan is $375/mo for 20 years LMFAO

[@poopywelder]

Just buy the panels and do the install yourself…it ain’t hard …get the permit which will take the longest …then you’ll just have to hire an electrician to hook it up for ya

[@mgweir3252]

I live in Colorado and used a solar co-op for purchase and installation of 7.5 kwh system. It has eliminated my electric bill except for a $15 a month connection fee. After tax credits, it cost approx $15K for the system and it works fantastically.

[@yaimavol]

15K is what I would pay the utility company over 15 years. Doesn't seem cost-effective

[@robertomendoza6236]

​@@yaimavolevery case is different, he may use more appliances than you do and still only pay $15k over 25 years while you pay $15k over 15 years, which means you pay $25k over 25 years.

[@yaimavol]

@@robertomendoza6236 My electric bill in the winter is never more than $ 40. We get hydro power from a nearby dam and it is cheap. Solar panels are not worth the investment for me

[@3dmaxers]

@@yaimavoldont forget about blackouts

[@d3nza482]

@@yaimavol That very much depends on your location and the price of utilities. At 15k per 15 years, or 1000$ per year, you would get about 20 kWh per day in Seattle, but only 6kWh in Hawaii. And then there's the thing of what kind and how much of heating and cooling one is using, size of home and family etc.

[@StetsonMgtSolutions]

When these entities ring my doorbell, I kindly ask them to leave after saying no….several times I have to demand (loudly) to the GTF off my property. I will never convert my home to solar, nor will I buy one that is converted. Structurally alone, there are way too many issues.

[@eddiel7095]

For real I rather spend money on a backup generator then solar… several of my neighbors got them and they say not worth the investment.

[@sheli4239]

I have solar, it's great, I paid for it myself and installed it myself. These systems they're selling are scams.

[@pottnosticator3907]

Could you send me in the right direction for more information? Would love to do the same.

[@keithhancock8570]

watch out for these snake sales people.they lie about everything .its to bad because you think your doing a good thing for the environment but get screwed by there bs.it will take me 5 yrs to get my 26% rebate on my taxes.my salesman overcharged me over $9,200 but he was dismissed after i complained .i did get my money back and he was the president of the company. i hope walmart hires him

[@geraldbuncum3861]

@@pottnosticator3907 What state are you in? I can try to help you out.

[@pottnosticator3907]

@@geraldbuncum3861 Massachusetts

[@FkTheGov]

Same Here. Did EVERYTHING Myself For $1.40 Per Watt. I Put Up 18 Panels, 18 Enphase IQ7+ Microinverters, Enphase AC Combiner Box For A 5.34kW Solar System. My Electric Company Owed Me $5.20 Last Month For 46.2kWh In Excess Production. Its Been VERY Rainy Here This Month But My Bill As Of 5/24/22 Is Only $19.50 And I Keep My House At 68 Degrees. So, Is Solar Worth It? Absolutely Not If You Pay Someone $3.85 Per Watt To Install It. DO IT YOURSELF AND IT'S AWESOME!!!

[@FRMN8R_T4R]

Any "utility" contractor should be able to tell you EXACTLY what permits are required in your county. And should be itemized in the costs. The costs for home solar doing it through these companies are INSANE. You also would have to live in your home for 10-15 years to even break even on the costs BEFORE you see any reduction or "elimination" of grid power billing.

[@GonzoDonzo]

The moment i heard that i laughed out loud. Instant proof of their incompetence

[@AaronHorrocks]

I worked for an electric utility company, and I was involved in the process of connecting the solar system to the utility grid. The solar companies, like Solar City (in my area), were practically "fly by night" companies that did work without permits, and performed illegal work on our facilities (utility side), and then dropped the ball on the customer to call us after the fact.

[@suziecreamcheese211]

That’s what I was thinking at almost 65 years of age I won’t live long enough to see any savings.

[@gosolxsolar]

There is no such thing as a "utility contractor." Electrical contractors install solar. Its common for local city inspectors to show up on work sites and have no clue about the specific codes that govern solar, demand extra work be done that is pointless, or insist on building permits when the project is exempt per state law.

[@AaronHorrocks]

@@gosolxsolar I worked as an engineer for an electric utility for 13 years. I can assure you that "utility contractor" was a real thing. Our construction crews hated them, because they "stole work", and they pressured the company to stop the practice. The argument was, if there was more work, then they should hire more employees. The company argued that work flow fluctuated, and the contractors were temporary, to help with surges in demand. Of course the union was able to point out that some of these contractors had been working for us for over a year...

[@zzaa2691]

I've worked on the roofing industry for several decades. Solar installations on residential properties are an absolute nightmare. Have seen relatively new roofs destroyed during PV installation, forcing the owner to pay for removal of the solar system as well as a new roof. Hire a professional roof consultant/inspector to review the flashing system and inspecting the installation.

[@abc123fhdi]

good to know, I got a new roof a few years ago and it is working great against rain. would not want it being destroyed by some shady solar company. Not really worth it for me since I don't pay that much in utility to make a 25-30 year solar loan worth it for a $70K solar system. Especially because reimbursement rates have dropped from the utility company here in CA and now no one wants to get solar which makes it harder for the grid to keep up with everyone getting EVs and they tell us not to charge the EVs in the summer lol, and then they have an EV mandate as well.

[@DiceMaster740]

Best time to get rooftop solar seems to be when you're already having the roof redone (or built for the first time). Saves some money upfront, and if you hire quality installers, they can make sure the roof is set up to properly support the panels, and avoid water intrusion.

[@peacenow4456]

Excellent reporting!!

[@mafiaseargent]

This is the type of journalism I like to see. Real reporters getting real answers to real problems.

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@mafiaseargent]

@@harryricochet8134 I was going to respond with something along the lines of "how do you get lying transgenders from a story about solar panels?" But I decided to rewatch that section and I'm glad I did. You definitely had me in the first half, not gonna lie. Well played! Lol

[@RBYW1234]

At the most, Solar panels = 30 years of electricity prices, but all paid for at once.

[@SuperTubbyTube]

Don’t blame “Solar Power” for the bad experiences related to these shady companies.. that is just as misleading as these companies were.. The title of this video seems intentionally irresponsible, although the reporting was excellent. However, the cases in this video are not the normal experiences. For example: A family member of mine has a $12k solar panel system and pays an average of $16 a month in electric. No issues, no scams. Standard 2 bedroom house with electric cooktop.

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@StCreed]

Yeah that sounds about right. Although I use even less in a 5 bedroom house, but our house is brick, fully insulated, the floor has 30 cm of insulation, we have heating in the floor, and triple insulated glass. Makes it very low-cost.

[@bigguy7353]

That's a tiny house and doesn't change the fact that it's incredibly expensive, not as efficient as they say, and the tech will be obsolete in 10 years, not to mention the efficiency plummets when the sun beats down on it for a few years.

[@nephilimdj]

How will solar be obsolete in 10 years? Only reason why solar isn't as popular as it should was Obama agreed to heavily tarrif solar panels as part of a trade agreement with EU to keep Germany happy.

[@eduhensan]

Funny thing... my system works flawlessly here in Brazil. The title is really misleading. The price of the system is quite lower than in USA. Having at least 70% to 80% of savings. Everything legal, linked to the system and, we also have a credit system. When we produce more than we use, credits are generated in 1 to 1 ratio. Great investment!!

[@user-ci1kz1cc6t]

A 25 year contract for solar is nuts. I'd never sign anything like that except for a mortgage. I learned a good lesson when a company tried to sell me what they called an energy package (which turned out was basically to add insulation in my attic) which they said would save me $97 a month on gas. When I read the contract I found out that the contract was for 10 years. If I had gone with it, it would have cost me a ton over those 10 years. Much cheaper to have it done and pay the cost right away even if you have to borrow from the bank.

[@EL_Pivio]

When you sell the home youre still on the hook or theyll take the equity

[@The_Lone_Aesir]

that is basically the dealers trying to scam people with their "in house financing" much the way a car dealership does. the 25-30 year terms are sold as operating just like a mortgage and is a way to show the payments can be "super low" in reality those long terms accrue crazy amount of interest over the course. when i went solar i went with the 30 year financing option, because i lacked the funds at that time due to being locked up in some crypto staking. Once that crypto came off hold i put the money toward the loan and transferred the remaining balance to my home equity loan. i would have used my home equity loan to begin with, but it was capped at 10k and my bank had put a freeze on new HELOC loans.

[@Muckin-Fuppet]

Those prices are absolutely ridiculous are there Rolls Royce systems, if look on the internet at systems, those prices is just theft.

[@EL_Pivio]

@@Muckin-Fuppet all part of build back better plan

[@AndragonLea]

To be fair, not every home owner has between 35 and 65k just sitting around. That said though, you're obviously correct. Going into debt should only ever be an option of last resort - you never know what life might bring. Speaking from experience as my family was just about ruined during one of the oil crises. Took on debt to open a gas station just before the oil prices sky-rocketed. There was literally nothing we could do but watch our costs go up every month until we eventually ran out of money to tread water and had to sell. As this was happening all over the world, gas stations and apparel went for a pittance so we ended up with massive debt and out of house and home. If we had saved the money instead, at least we would've been left with the building to hold onto and sell during a less disadvantageous time.

[@bctw9004]

Here in Nashville Tn I was quoted $69k for solar. Payment was way higher than my electric bill! But… the kicker was Tri County electric charges us .12 per kWh. They only pay back .04 kWh. Yea… No!!!

[@RussellFineArt]

I installed my own 5kW solar PV system 7-years ago and my power bill has been: $10.20/month, which is my utility company's connection fee. I overproduce from my solar every month, and we have net-metering. The shady, dishonest sales reps. should definitely be fired for overpromising and flat-out lying as solar is a GREAT investment, when you pick an honest, legit company.

[@jvcardoso1997]

I live in Brazil. In my house there is solar energy, but the price is MUCH cheaper. While at 1:20 the value is 43 thousand dollars, the installation in my house cost 25 thousand reais, which at the current exchange rate is around 4 thousand dollars. The installation took place in 2019, today prices are more expensive... but it is not close to the value practiced in the USA. Also, my house is quite big... we spend around 550 kWh

[@whos8069]

@@jvcardoso1997 ..... your very lucky ... I live on a desert and my power bill is 620 a month...but what are you going to do when it's 110 degrees F.

[@jvcardoso1997]

@@whos8069 very expensive. do you know the origin of your energy production? nuclear energy is usually expensive... when there was no solar energy here at home, we paid approximately 450 reais for consumption. nowadays, we pay the public lighting and electrical transmission fees (about 30 reais), and sometimes we pay a little energy, but it's a negligible amount.

[@tedbell4416]

@Karl with a K baloney

[@tedbell4416]

@Karl with a K solar is trash not me Karly

[@JBoy340a]

These scammers should be prosecuted. We are happy with our Solar and Powerwalls. Between the two we have no electric usage charges and pay only a $20-ish/mo. connection free to have a grid connection. Previously we had electrical bills ranging from $150-400/mo. More importantly for us, we work from home and cannot work without power. So far, we have not had any outages even when the rest of the area is without power.

[@bos3835]

What company did you use?

[@thewatcher4552]

☝🏽 scammer😂

[@mikelisteral7863]

pink energy? sounds like some woke feminist crap

[@showmeanedge]

Doubt.

[@equinoxb8711]

Probably cost you 100k$ though...

[@ssreaper06]

So let me get this straight, telling a customer that they will have no power bill is a fireable offence, but they are going to retrain that salesman instead of firing him? It sounds like they broke their own rules.

[@alanwannemaker2518]

It's the Obama Green energy plan ! Be careful what you say they have the Clinton Cartel on Their side ?

[@bpbpbpbpbpbp]

Maybe it’s a new rule

[@deadfIag]

@@bpbpbpbpbpbp or they're corrupt assclowns

[@ssreaper06]

@@bpbpbpbpbpbp I would think if it's a new rule the news might have mentioned it.

[@mynameisprivate158]

A fireable offense means it is something they can fire you for not that firing is manditory! If that salesman is maning the company a lot of money they aren't going to fire him!

[@c.h.r.i.s2253]

That's why they keep changing company names. They get in trouble, get sued and file bankruptcy and open as a different company

[@fulanichild3138]

In Florida, some solar power users did have negative bills... for a while. Then the power company decided that everyone needed to pay a minimum whether they used the power or not.

[@braddl9442]

Yup.

[@FadedDreamzTv]

Then upgrade your system with battery banks and remove yourself from the grid.

[@Utubedeletescomments]

@@FadedDreamzTv Removing yourself from the grid in Florida is ILLEGAL ! Welcome to the republican south .

[@matthewfetke8488]

@@Utubedeletescomments lol, what does republican have to do with it? Removing yourself from the grid is illegal nearly everywhere.

[@Utubedeletescomments]

@@matthewfetke8488 Not true , it's legal in MANY states but some counties/cities have restrictions ( lobbied by the electric companies ) . It's no secret that republicans don't favor going green , think global warming is a hoax & get bought out by oil, electric & coal companies.

[@seriouslythink.834]

Went with a reputable solar team, and so far happy with it. Each company uses different solar exposure prediction, and can have different estimation, but not this dramatically variable.

[@sws212]

The solar industry is literally full of scams. There's a couple good guys but a sea of groups either doing hidden costs or going after grant money.

[@omgkill437]

Yes this comment should be highlighted , not every solar company or energy efficiency company is a scam I’ve seen multiple people go from paying 150-200 to 20$ a month some even getting credits back from their utility bill

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@Hero11170]

I live in South Carolina and the same thing happened to me . Salesman promised 100 percent of my bill would be generated. Long story short I had to go through the BBB and threaten with a lawyer to get my money back

[@MonkeyJedi99]

My brother (a licensed contractor, former roofer, commercial roof design drafter and well-read person) was called by a solar salesman. When he invited a solar salesperson in to talk, he just kept a notepad running of the lies, errors and omissions from the spiel. When the guy paused, my brother explained everything that he was wrong about including the licensing/permitting requirements, the state's rules about "selling" power back to the grid (you can only build credit against your bill in our state, never get paid), the salesman's incorrect measurements of the roof joists, and whether or not there could be a storage mattery installed in the house (there could not, because National Grid lobbied VERY well in the state). The salesman packed up and left without giving a quote or leaving a business card.

[@Commentator541]

Do you think actual experts go door to door, selling for commission? The sales rep probably doesn’t even know what a kw is. They told them do what you have to do to sell, this brings you money. I mean look at all the “natural” products we have these days! Insane, and it’s all lies. Same for cremes, if the cremes worked, we would all be fetuses at this point.

[@rey_nemaattori]

You're not _allowed_ battery backup? Perhaps not in conjunction with a grid hookup, but since you have a battery you don't really need the grid anyway...

[@maskcollector6949]

@@rey_nemaattori I think it has to do with being IN the house instead of outside/somewhere else. Just build a little hut thing for it outside your house in such instances.

[@Valkyrieslikemead]

God bless your brother.

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@calmsounds3632]

Thank you for exposing these crooks

[@sbdr.1241]

This is why I installed my own solar by myself, no middleman lying b.s., no salesman b.s. I know what I put in & what & how it works & safety measures & limits.

[@tr4shy_ch1ld46]

Not everyone has that luxury.. but good for you man 👍😊

[@terrestrialtoker]

Fr

[@sbdr.1241]

@@tr4shy_ch1ld46 I did it for less than $ 1,500 just gotta look around for deals, left over stock (as I did) if you spend the time you will find it, my $1,500 solar setup solar companies will charge you near $10,000 & I make less than 30k a yr I consider myself poor & still managing.

[@Jimm7676]

@@sbdr.1241 Sure ya did. $1,500. 🥴😂😂.

[@theotheleo6830]

$1500? Do you live in an RV?

[@justinparker5104]

Good to see investigative reporting make a come back

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@lantrick]

This kind of consumer oriented investigation by local TV stations have been going on for decades.

[@tpolerex7282]

Crazy! We paid $11k cash for a solar PV system, rolled a new roof into the project to get 30% credit off that, five year ROI, 100% offset (we’re on year six) $40/year bill with 20+ years of the same in the most expensive (by far) electricity market in the nation. Now that’s how you do solar!

[@LorddVader]

What company?

[@stoutsprout4297]

Which company did you use?

[@allison447]

Cash is a huge savings. The vanks are criminally overpricing the funding. People save a bundle when they can pay cash. 5 year payback is common

[@jefflynch9559]

Solar has alot of issues, Permits, Insurance upgrade. You need to notify your insurance company for a quote. It can get up to $5,000.00 more per year depending on size of system and Battery storage.

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

This didn't even scratch the surface of all of the things that can go wrong. In August of 2020, I decided that since my roof needed replacing and that we sometimes have power blackouts, I'd replace my roof with solar shingles and connect that to three Tesla powerwalls. First off, the process is painfully slow and opaque. There were a lot of issues, but the worst part of all, two weeks before construction, once everything was agreed upon and I already had financing lined up, Tesla increased the price by 25%!!! And they had already come out to inspect the job and I have a super simple roof line. I cancelled. My friend got solar panels with two powerwalls and while they didn't mess with his price, they took THREE FULL MONTHS ***AFTER FINISHING*** to finally turn the system on, with the power company blaming Tesla and vice versa. It can even get worse than that. In some cases, people have gone through the entire construction, only to be told by the power company, "Oh, but we don't have the ability to accept backfed power! Why didn't your installer tell you that???" There's more. Even if everything goes PERFECTLY, remember, the town can change what they pay for your solar at any time. Let's say you're paying 10 cents/Kwh and they buy it back at 6 cents. Well what happens if they say to you one day, "Yeah, we're now only going to pay you 4.5 cents."? Does that all of a sudden screw up the affordability of the system? Well you have no recourse if they do that. The industry is in too much flux. I personally would wait until things are more predictable and you can truly calculate what you're getting yourself in to.

[@amyfletcher9481]

Yes the pitch is do you need a new roof? The tax rebate, the $500 gift card? Anything to get you to sign. You get excited about the tax rebate and they say it has to be reinvested back into the ppa lol these ppl are a joke. They say anything to get you to sign 47k contract. SMH it’s horrible

[@nunyabiznez6381]

My landlady had it installed and in the end will end up having paid more than if she hadn't had it done in the first place. Before, her electric bill for three units (all on one meter) was an average of about $500 per month. She now pays $300 per month to the electric company and $2400 a month to the scam artist who sold her the system and lied to her 20 different ways. That $300 per month to the electric company reflects her getting a credit of roughly $18 per month for electricity fed back to the electric company. She was told her meter would spin backwards during the day at such a fast rate that she would have zero electric bill and make roughly $300-$500 per month selling electricity to the electric company. We don't have mechanical meters here. We have digital meters that don't spin backwards. It took her six months to get approval from the electric company to feed electricity back to the grid and that included obtaining a special "private energy company permit." Basically everyone who feeds electricity to the electric company is a private energy company and must be permitted as such annually. They have to have their system inspected by state inspectors annually and at a cost of around $500 each time which exceeds the amount most people get for feeding electricity back to the grid. This was put in place as a law years ago by our state legislature who was paid by the electric companies to do so. Basically the utility companies own our legislature. In some counties solar power, windmills and private electric generators are illegal altogether and if they catch you they can take your home away.

[@AuntJemimaGames]

As usual, the problem isn't with the technology, it's with shitty companies. If I'm not mistaken, solar shingles are not as good as separate panels are, and Tesla has proven itself to be a shitty company, time and time again. The price and efficiency of solar has improved a ton over time, and should continue to improve. Prices aren't great right now for a number of reasons, but you'd expect people to do a more thorough job researching and educating themselves when they're looking to commit tens of thousands of dollars to such a thing...

[@TinkerBellLace]

@austinschlack

[@brandonlink6568]

That's happening in Florida right now, power companies have instituted minimum electricity bills, something anyone thinking about solar needs to consider a possibility.

[@Randy_84]

Interesting take on this. When my solar was installed, they wouldn't touch anything till all permits were in place and inspections were done. I paid $16k for twenty 400 watt panels. With state and federal tax credits, I ended up paying $10k out of pocket. Had the system for 3 years and I just paid it off. So far, super happy. People just need to do their research.

[@ifonlyicared]

Which company did you use?

[@dknowles60]

800 watts wount run much of a house

[@dknowles60]

@@ifonlyicared that is 8kw

[@mikelisteral7863]

pink energy? sounds like some woke feminist crap

[@user-bj4lp3fr1o]

$1.25 per watt seems too low.

[@allen_p]

Good report! I'm outside of Houston, Texas and work as a commercial HVAC tech, so I have some electrical knowledge. My neighbor got a solar package with battery and all the promises. In addition, my neighbor had to get permission from surrounding homeowners to install system. My neighbor misrepresented the scope of the system or I would have warned him. The Solar company installed panels on backside of roof that faces "away" from the sun. You heard correct. A complete swindle. 30 year financing and neighbor put solar panels onto an older roof. His composition roof needs replacing and it will cost $10,000 to remove panels and reinstall panels after new roof is installed. That doesn't include cost of new roof. Ouch!

[@jahrastaeasygaming2372]

10k to take down panels and put back up???? that's a bad quote buddy. usually it's 500+ and 100 or 90 per panel maybe 3k ? lol

[@thepitpatrol]

@Jah Rasta Easy Gaming I have never sen a roofer yet that would remove a roof of panels for that price.

[@MountainMan.]

Yep. Eventually a new roof is needed. It'll be thousands extra to take down and reinstall solar panels. Plus the panels damage the new roof you just got. No solar panels for me. I'll pass.

[@thepitpatrol]

@Mountain Man I have a buddy that does appraisals. He is constantly going to houses with solar and the owners says "hey we just out in a 70,000 solar system to our house is worth 70,000 more", to which he has to tell them sorry but no. In some cases they don't add any value. And the payment on the system is more than their electric bill would be. My advice; if you just have to have solar get a ground based system. Roofers in our area charge a premium to put new roofs on or repair storm damage roofs.

[@Rattlerjake1]

@@thepitpatrol - Not to mention paying on the system for 20-30 years which also happens to be the "LIFE" of the system. These solar panels degrade and after 20 years will produce significantly less power.

[@Cornelius87]

This is nuts, even if the panels worked just as advertised by the shady salespersons the price is still insane. They're charging decades long of electric bills.

[@celestrio]

I was so close to sign up for the solar energy but since I live alone, my electric bill is $40 a month. If I got the solar panels, I'd have to pay $89 a month and if I don't surrender my credit to solar, it'll bump my solar payment to $149 a month for 15 years. 149 plus my regular $40 electric bill, $189 a month for 15 years! When I canceled my order before anything can happen, the salesmanship supervisor call me to try to save the sale. He was extremely aggressive and always asks me why, why, why. I got mad and started giving him smart-ass awnsers. I know I dodged a bullet.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Don't get mad, you get roped into their sh*t.

[@celestrio]

@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 I almost did. And as I said, I got out on time before I'm in a position I can't back out. The only debt I have right now is only my mortgage. That's all.

[@ericwooden6938]

The OMG! I'm busted sound of his voice is priceless. Like to be a fly on the wall hearing the conversations back the office.

[@DarkPrinceNeo]

When the sales person said he wasn't comfortable, he sounded so guilty. If your voice starts shaking when you've been caught it calls into question the confidence in your product and the integrity of your sales. I'll leave room for doubt that he had anxiety issues or just panicked though.

[@lcloon]

Most probably his balls also shaking, if he really got it 🤣🤣🤣 stupid Leech salesman

[@jaysofasttv6624]

Can’t blame the sales man he just work there they should talk to the company head not the lowest employee there. My dude just trying to feed his family like everybody else

[@ByHoaga]

Keep in mind someone trained him to say that, typically it doesnt start with the front line reps

[@ByHoaga]

Keep in mind someone trained him to say that, typically it doesnt start with the front line reps

[@arthurmilano2920]

@@jaysofasttv6624 you’re the problem with the world. Whenever I hear a gangbanger say the words “feed family”, it automatically proves to me that you KNOW that you’re gaming those around you for exploitative money. There are so so so many damn jobs out there that you could get that doesn’t have to do with exploiting other families who actually have mouths to feed. What a terrible excuse.

[@burtonwhitehead4345]

I have a question. If I have solor panels on my roof, how much does this add to the cost of replacing my roof in the future?

[@garyries2036]

Thanks for telling us about this scam. To me this is criminal not a civil matter only. It should be felony fraud punishable for up to 3 years in prison for each victim. I think there should be a law that buyers can record all sales pitches, whether for a vehicle, solar, time share, etc. Lawmakers need to act and stop this now. Always get at least 3 estimates and look at the reviews of the company. A 25 year warranty will not help you if your solar company is out of business in 7 years. My 7200 watt solar system costs just under $26,000 and I'm over producing by 30kwatts a day or more. When summer comes, there will be less overproduction as I will use my a/c more. I live in a California desert.

[@astudentpilotlife]

Very true. I install a solar panel from sunrun with the PPA agreement because I don't have the money right now to buy it up front. But this also benefits me as it is a free installation to my house and lock a rate of .16/kwph. I live in Bakersfield and during summer, the electrical bill can get up to $500 or more. But with the agreement and solar, I have been buying only $141permonth with a few give or take cost from PGE if I use over my baseline. This to me is a big win because I am not paying 300 to 500 a month on electrical but only $141.

[@user-dn1zf3vo7z]

Usually the manufacturers have the warranty so even if the solar company goes out, you'll keep your warranty. Just something to check when getting a quote

[@robevans5222]

It's satisfying to see a news organization shedding light on a deceptive industry, thereby helping many misinformed potential buyers avoid this type of fraud. Ironically, youtube forced me to play a "Pink Energy" solar commercial just before playing this video.

[@Sandor.s]

I’m a technical sales rep at an industry leading solar company in the Bahamas and even at our high costs those prices are insane! $63k for a 8kW PV system???

[@JoeSmith-mp2fn]

different contractors in general, fox literally found the worst of the bunch for narrative purposes.

[@chefgav1]

8kw system fully installed here in Australia will set you back 6k US

[@Psartz]

Middlemen rip off people.

[@anthonyharris8390]

Won’t continue once the ability to finance dries up.

[@azcountry6064]

I live in Arizona. LOTS of sunlight here. I have seen ad after ad after ad saying the state and feds will pay for, or SUBSTANTIALLY reduce the installation of your solar system. I don't have a large home it's a solid 1,200 sq ft home. My cost to install $83,000. Not one cent of it is covered by the state or federal government. When I asked them about it, every one of them said that's not entirely true. If the system works, the supposed reduction in monthly bill is supposed to offset the initial outlay. Hmmm. Seemed like NONE of it was true. IMHO it's a complete misrepresentation and scam.

[@CherylMotherofSeven]

Around 2004 I met a couple in Tenn. that had set up the solar for their 2,500 sq.ft. home theirself, with panels and 8 Semi-tractor trailer batteries. They said It produced more electricity than they needed and that their electric company paid them nearly every month for the extra energy. They were so proud of it, they showed me the battery set up and the panel placement. I would love to have done that to my home myself, but I am not that techy. It didn't look to be that expensive of a set-up. There has got to be a Do-It-Yourself kit for solar.

[@angelacarter6593]

There are lots of DIY kits. Renogy is a very popular one. It's higher priced than learning how to create your own setup though. If you learn how to create and install your own solar system the price is a fraction.

[@DBT1007]

Solar energt getting cheaper and cheaper these days. Like smartphone. At first it was expensive and for low tech level. But now, we can get cheaper ones and with better tech level.

[@ogcowboy5743]

@@DBT1007 Really, smart phones are cheaper now. The prices I've seen are over $1,000. My phone cost about half that two years ago. Doesn't sound cheaper to me.

[@trifln8434]

@@DBT1007 nothing about smart phones has gotten “cheaper and cheaper”

[@DBT1007]

@@ogcowboy5743 uhh depends what u buy. If u buy iphone then and iphone now, obviously it just getting expensive. But if u see like.. from iphone, we get samsung. And then it's getting cheaper and with higher specs. And now the best logic deal is xiaomi phone. Cheap but with good specs. Im not sponsoring xiaomi lol. It's a fact. Just check their phones. Xiaomi Redmi series for example. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro there. Go check that phone. With that cheap price, u get some good specs.

[@jaywires717]

Buying a $90,000 solar panel system to save on the cost of electric is dumb, that's like someone buying a $120,000 electric Tesla car because of the gas prices.

[@JettBlast]

Let me strike a match to see if I blew my candle out!

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

I never got the appeal of the sound, tho. It's horrible, to my ears. I'm shocked a sound guy I know isn't VERY offended at that whiny sound.

[@davidrosa9901]

8 years in the solar industry in Houston Tx and having it on my home for 4 years, this lacks a lot of information.

[@Want2cJesus]

You don't mean it!? Is the news media lying just like the solar companies? I would bet money they are.

[@JBoy340a]

Agreed. It would have been nice to hear from customers that are happy with their system. But I guess that is not news.

[@CyborgHGWF]

Its the same results when they sell you a home. They tell you will make 1000x or 10000x profits. In the end your compound interest says it all. Waste of money.

[@nobillclinton]

Good on you Fox 5. Thank you for reminding America that true journalism is still alive in our land, even if it is hard to find.

[@harryricochet8134]

That woman and man at the start of the news item who work for the two different solar providers look so very similar that they either may be related or could in fact be the same person pre and post gender reassignment. If a person will lie about their gender then lying about solar power is a far more minor act of dishonesty........ just sayin'

[@lococomrade3488]

It's an anti-solar slam piece to sway the masses away from solar so that we continue to pay the oil barons. *"Don't get scammed by them! (Continue to be scammed by us)"*

[@aSqueaker]

LOL, good one! Yeah, they stated the real cause of those two solar project failures -- government -- but then still blamed it on "solar"...

[@lantrick]

You shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet. This kind of consumer oriented investigation by local TV stations have been going on for decades. Y

[@brutus6574]

I had a system installed 5 yrs ago and got quotes from Powerhome and another large national company and both quotes (50K) were much higher than what I ended up paying a local installer in Michigan (29K) for a superior system. Five years and going strong. Until covid forced us into work from home, had no power bills Mar-Nov. 1 year not until January. Is working as exactly as advertised. Wherever there is money to be made there are going to be grifters, shop around. Look for reputable local businesses that have been around for a while. They tend to treat customers better

[@wazza-au]

I'm in Australia, and am absolutely amazed at the price you are paying for solar over there. One of the quotes listed a 6 kW system for something like $52,000 (US), not including some other fees and taxes. 1 year ago I put in a ~7 kW system, with really nice panels and micro inverters plus monitoring, and paid around $12.5k (Australian - 1 Aussie dollar is about 70 cents US at the moment) outright, no loan, free and clear. Our government rebate was only in the order of $1350 or so. How are you guys paying so much for a similar sized system?

[@brutus6574]

@@wazza-au mine is a 34 panel system (10.2 kwatt) with micro inverters, 10kw inverter monitoring. The cost of material at the time was around 17-18K. The rest was installation on roof. Labor costs are very high here. We also have a very large population with a significant number of uneducated and very naïve people who end up on the news a lot.

[@satanspit4101]

I don't believe you at all. You probably are a solar dealer. Nobody saves anything with these. Con artist.

[@jspeed04]

This is a salesperson issue, not a solar issue. Be careful which company you decide to do business with.

[@justinchapman1001]

Still drinking the kool-aid

[@stuartharrison9944]

@@justinchapman1001 Bet you voted for the "Orange Clown" too!

[@alexkarout1586]

@@justinchapman1001 right, because fraud only exists in the solar industry…

[@mikelisteral7863]

pink energy? sounds like some woke feminist crap

[@justinchapman1001]

@@alexkarout1586 this scam is being ran all over the nation. They are ripping off working middle class families. Charging them insane prices at 6-10% interest and if you don't pay they file Liens against your home. Yes solar is a scam. Natural gas and nuclear produce so much more usable clean electricity. Keep drinking the kool-aid you minion

[@mell1650]

Nice report. Loved the reaction to the guy he interviewed at the end ;)