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6.5
Sunnova
Like
25-year service assure
Numerous financing choices
Buyer-centered strategy
Do not like
No worth match
Attainable customer support considerations per the BBB
For those who’re searching for a customer-centered strategy to getting photo voltaic panels, it might be price getting a quote from Sunnova. It gives assurances that your system is working because it ought to with a easy course of for rectifying any issues together with your solar panels.
Sunnova’s pitch is designed for these searching for a set-it-and-forget-it strategy to photo voltaic: No want to fret about cash upfront, an settlement that ensures your photo voltaic system is producing for 1 / 4 century and a single telephone quantity to name with any questions for the complete length.
“Whether or not it is a lease, a mortgage or an influence buy settlement, we’re making certain that buyer’s energy flows for 25 years,” Kelsey Hultberg, Sunnova’s government vice chairman for company communications and sustainability, advised CNET in spring of 2023.
One of many newest evolutions on the planet of photo voltaic is the notion of “vitality as a service” supplied by among the larger gamers. The concept is to simplify going photo voltaic and make the transfer to renewable vitality — whether or not you are all in favour of combating local weather change, slicing your vitality payments or hopefully each — so simple as switching web suppliers. An internet of tax credits and other incentives, to not point out the free vitality produced, additionally makes it an attractive proposition for customers.
Sunnova is a number one energy-as-a-service supplier and has been a public firm traded on the New York Inventory Change since 2019. The Houston-based outfit has been round for 10 years, and with more than 400,000 customers across the US on the finish of 2023, it is one of many greatest photo voltaic firms within the nation.
It is also partnering with the US Division of Vitality to offer solar loans to communities that won’t in any other case be capable of entry such financing via an initiative referred to as Challenge Hestia. The federal authorities has dedicated to offer mortgage ensures on as much as 90% of $3.3 billion in loans originated by Sunnova. The general public funding is supposed to extend entry to photo voltaic for households with credit score scores that may in any other case disqualify them.
CNET hasn’t gone via the method of ordering from Sunnova, having a system put in or testing the gear talked about right here. As an alternative, now we have studied the {industry}, had an in-depth dialog with the corporate and, to a restricted extent, considered exterior opinions from those that have interacted with the corporate.
With this in thoughts, it is vital that any dwelling or small enterprise proprietor contemplating a photo voltaic system get a number of quotes from installers of their space and do their very own analysis. (You are off to a very good begin by studying this overview.) You’ll find loads extra solar companies right here at CNET as properly.
What do I get from Sunnova?
Over the previous few years, Sunnova has centered on growing what it calls the Sunnova “adaptive dwelling,” which works past simply placing just a few panels on a roof to incorporate integrating batteries, load controls and EV chargers, amongst different choices.
“We’re packaging that up for the home-owner so they do not have to fret concerning the burden of bringing collectively all these expertise items, after which we’re managing that for the shopper for 25 years,” Hultberg defined.
What gear does Sunnova provide?
Sunnova works with a community of vetted installers to supply its photo voltaic packages nearly anyplace within the nation. Native installers additionally work from an inventory of apparatus producers and particular merchandise which have been authorized by Sunnova, together with a big selection of panels, inverters, batteries and EV chargers.
“Nothing’s occurring a roof that we have not already vetted and authorized,” Hultberg stated.
The corporate makes use of panels from a wide range of producers, inverters from SolarEdge and Enphase, and batteries made by Tesla, Enphase, Generac, SolarEdge and Franklin Home Power.
Does Sunnova provide system monitoring?
The Sunnova net portal and app gives data on how the shopper’s system is performing, the state of battery cost and extra.
One fascinating beta function is the power to see when the shopper is pulling vitality from the grid and the way “soiled” the grid sources are (i.e. coal vs. renewables). The corporate did not provide a selected timeline for when the function can be totally practical.
The app has additionally been comparatively properly reviewed on Google (3.5 stars) and Apple’s (4.5 stars) app shops.
What warranties does Sunnova provide?
Sunnova guarantees to service and in any other case deal with its programs for 25 years. Hultberg stated that when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the corporate fastened each broken Sunnova system on the island at no cost to prospects.
When service or guarantee considerations come up throughout the 25-year interval, prospects name Sunnova and are prone to see a Sunnova truck roll as much as make repairs.
What else does Sunnova provide?
In early 2024, Sunnova introduced it had partnered with The Home Depot to supply its providers to prospects within the chain’s {hardware} shops nationwide. Sunnova and native installers will workers House Depot shops to reply questions and advise prospects.
The corporate additionally offers virtual power plant networks in several states, together with California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and Texas. A VPP integrates your house’s vitality system extra intently with the grid, permitting a house battery to deploy vitality to the grid when wanted to keep away from blackouts, amongst different issues. Prospects who enroll in VPPs can usually earn monetary incentives or credit on energy payments.
“We’re revolutionizing the function of photo voltaic and storage whereas placing a refund into our prospects’ pockets — and the response has been overwhelming,” Sunnova CEO William J. (John) Berger stated in a statement.
How a lot do Sunnova photo voltaic panels value?
Sunnova declined to offer pricing data, which is fairly normal observe industry-wide. Hultberg stated the corporate does not make it a observe to cost match, however that installers do have worth thresholds that they are not allowed to go above or beneath.
For those who have a look at the typical value on gear and set up earlier than factoring within the federal clean energy credits of 30%, the US national average cost is roughly $18,073 for a 5-kilowatt system and $3.60 per watt, in response to FindEnergy.com.
Different incentives from state, county and municipal governments, and generally even banks and credit score unions, would possibly deliver that complete out-of-pocket expense down even additional. One evaluation from Wooden Mackenzie reveals the average purchase cost of installed solar power is $2.99 per watt for an 8-kilowatt system.
In fact, the above figures merely mirror nationwide averages. Make sure you examine costs in your personal space earlier than signing a contract.
To get an concept of what photo voltaic prices appear like in every US state, this is a have a look at the typical complete value, system dimension and price per watt of photo voltaic panels, in response to knowledge from FindEnergy.com. The states shaded in grey had no knowledge out there.
What financing choices does Sunnova provide?
Sunnova gives energy buy agreements and a variety of methods to buy, lease or finance photo voltaic programs. Hultberg famous that not all states enable leases and different program choices could fluctuate by locale.
Sunnova says it could usually get prospects up and working with a brand new photo voltaic system with no upfront value, although the lifetime financial savings of a bought system are usually increased than they’re with leases, energy buy agreements or different zero-money-down choices.
Does Sunnova function in my state? How do I order?
Sunnova works with native sellers in all US states and territories. The order course of begins with getting related to an authorized Sunnova seller or installer, both via the Sunnova web site or from direct contact with a seller.
The native seller has a dialog with the shopper, checks out the property utilizing satellite tv for pc imagery, places collectively a bundle of apparatus from Sunnova’s authorized checklist, and presents it to the shopper for approval.
The seller will focus on choices akin to batteries and EV chargers as properly. The ultimate system design is then reviewed by Sunnova for a quality-control verify, then authorized. This triggers the method to provoke new photo voltaic service, together with allowing, set up and, lastly, account activation and flowing electrons.
“Then we’re working with you for the subsequent 25 years to ensure that system is working and producing vitality the way in which during which we promised that it could,” Hultberg stated.
Is Sunnova your best option?
Solar and photo voltaic panels means electrical energy.
Sunnova gives a straightforward strategy for including photo voltaic to your house and guaranteeing your system’s manufacturing for 1 / 4 century.
All of it sounds fairly nice, however needless to say we weren’t supplied with any substantial details about pricing and the vary of apparatus supplied. We’re additionally not excited concerning the seller mannequin that primarily doubles the analysis requirement — you need to ensure that each Sunnova and the native installer they join you with are each firms you belief.
The Higher Enterprise Bureau has additionally flagged a sample of complaints in opposition to Sunnova that provides us pause. The corporate assures us that the extensive majority of its prospects are glad, and it says it has moved to handle all complaints. Sunnova does additionally seem to have a variety of glad prospects from what we will inform.
Keep in mind, CNET has not really gone via the ordering or set up course of with Sunnova. Make sure you do loads of analysis earlier than making a 25-year dedication.
Professionals
- 25-year service assure
- Numerous financing choices
- Buyer-centered strategy
- Recipient of DOE funding for individuals with decrease credit score scores
Cons
- Required to undergo community of installers
- A sample of complaints in response to BBB.org
- No worth match
Sunnova opinions: What are prospects saying?
It may be onerous to place a lot inventory in on-line opinions as we speak. It is easy to search out each optimistic and adverse opinions of Sunnova. Nevertheless, we do take particular be aware of the Better Business Bureau’s “sample of criticism” for the corporate.
“Buyer disputes alleged misleading gross sales practices, poor customer support, and so they additional report set up and restore technicians don’t arrive as scheduled,” the BBB reports.
Sunnova’s BBB accreditation was not renewed beginning in 2019 because of the sample of complaints — together with over 500 prior to now 12 months — and a authorities motion in opposition to the corporate in Puerto Rico that has since been resolved.
“Client’s complaints acknowledged Sunnova assigned decision specialists who’re unreachable by way of telephone or e-mail inflicting delays in diagnosing and repairing under-producing panels or panels that aren’t operational in any respect,” the BBB alert reads. “Whereas Sunnova Vitality Company has responded to complaints and plenty of of which have been closed as resolved, (prospects) felt their considerations have been addressed solely after submitting a criticism with the BBB.”
Photo voltaic panels turning daylight into electrical energy.
Sunnova says it “engaged in roughly 1.3M interactions with present prospects via e-mail and voice calls. Of these interactions, solely 537 (0.041%) have been related to BBB circumstances.”
Sunnova and the BBB confirmed that almost 99.9% of the above circumstances are at the moment marked as resolved.
The corporate additionally says it has made latest investments in a brand new nationwide operations management middle that “gives real-time monitoring, optimization and management of over our total fleet of 300,000 photo voltaic and battery storage programs all through 55 states and territories throughout the US, permitting us to determine and reply to points with unprecedented pace and efficiency.”
Do not be afraid to ask pointed questions of solar companies. You possibly can even ask them what they’ve performed to handle the problems you noticed on the BBB web site. It additionally does not damage to teach your self about current scams in the solar industry.
How we consider photo voltaic firms
Reviewing photo voltaic firms in a hands-on means is tough. Accounting for all of the variations from mission to mission is unimaginable. To supply a useful overview, we centered on what we will measure and meaningfully examine amongst firms.
We concentrate on three buckets of standards: gear, warranties and repair.
Inside the gear class, firms obtain scores for the panels, inverters and batteries they set up. Warranties embrace the ensures on the panels, workmanship and weatherization in opposition to leaks. Firms earn factors for service if they provide a worth match, a significant stage of worth transparency and a well-rated app for monitoring photo voltaic manufacturing. They lose factors if there are main points pertaining to customer support (lawsuits, investigations or clear reputations for shoddy service). These points will all the time be detailed within the overview.
You possibly can read a detailed look at how the scoring breaks down.
We do not take into account the typical worth of an organization’s installations of their rating. This data is tough to search out and onerous to check throughout service areas, and even roof to roof. Firms are sometimes sluggish to reveal it, too. We additionally miss simply discovered data that’s of restricted use, like what number of states an organization operates in.
Doubtlessly. For those who’re searching for a “set it and neglect it” photo voltaic answer, Sunnova guarantees 25 years of worry-free dwelling vitality manufacturing.
What panels does Sunnova use?
A range. Make sure you ask detailed questions on what they’ll give you on your scenario.
Does Sunnova provide financing choices?
Sure, in addition to leases and energy buy agreements. The corporate likes to pitch a financing plan that provides photo voltaic set up with no cash down. Make sure you run the numbers and skim the high-quality print earlier than signing something, although.
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