Don’t get burned by solar; get bad actors out of Texas

Don’t get burned by solar; it’s time to get bad actors out of Texas

Growing the Texas rooftop solar industry requires protecting Texans from unscrupulous salespeople and amoral companies.

The San Antonio Express-News and other publications have exposed the worst kind of behavior among fly-by-night or undercapitalized solar outfits. Wrenching stories from numerous consumers have exposed suspect characters dressed as solar salespeople.
 
These stories besmirch and undermine an industry that needs to succeed.

One of us runs Freedom Solar Power, one of Texas’ longest-standing solar and storage companies. The other heads the Texas Solar+Storage Association, a statewide industry advocacy group.

We believe in this industry. We have spent much of our careers working to advance solar power and deliver its benefits — lower power bills, better reliability, increased resiliency and a stronger economy.

We also know that growing the Texas rooftop solar industry means protecting Texans from unscrupulous salespeople and amoral companies.

When sold transparently and installed properly, rooftop solar systems help keep people free and safe from high bills and blackouts, strengthen the power grid, protect families and communities from extreme weather, and deliver power affordably and effectively.

Kevin Sherrod with ATMA Energy slides a panel into place on a 15-panel solar energy installation on a home in New Braunfels on July 10. Growing the rooftop solar industry in our state requires that the Texas Legislature take action during its next session to protect Texans, our guest columnists say.

The numbers also show that in the vast majority of cases, rooftop solar projects, such as those delivered by Texas Solar+Storage Association members, are being installed properly and customers are satisfied with their services.
 
But as the Express-News has demonstrated, there are far too many deceptive practices and victimized consumers. Rooftop solar supporters must not turn a blind eye to these unfortunate practices and experiences.
 
We also acknowledge that no one is perfect. That’s true for every company; even Freedom Solar has had missteps. But it’s every company’s responsibility to resolve mistakes as quickly as possible, be transparent and seek to continuously improve. Solar systems are complicated; things sometimes go wrong.
 
But even if customers can’t expect perfection, they deserve accountability, honesty and timely fixes when things don’t go as planned.
 
The 89th session of the Texas Legislature begins in January. As we have done in the past, the Texas Solar+Storage Association and its member companies, as well as other groups in the Texas energy policy space, are working with policymakers and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to further protect consumers from unethical salespeople, unprofessional behavior and installations lacking in quality and performance.

Legislation requiring new registration and training requirements, insurance and additional controls will give consumers full confidence in their solar investments and the peace of mind they deserve.
 
In the meantime, consumers should take steps to educate and protect themselves. Look for established companies that are in this business for the long haul. Get details on financing options and whom to call when something goes wrong.

And as a general rule of thumb, never buy from a door-to-door salesperson. Most of the companies that the Express-News has flagged don’t install solar panels; they just close a sale and hand off installations to someone else, leaving no one to take responsibility for problems.
 
Established solar companies want to engage with customers who genuinely want to “go solar,” not with unsuspecting homeowners.
 
With new policies to push out the bad actors, rooftop solar is poised to transform the way Texans generate and use electricity. The cost of solar keeps dropping, while the cost of energy from the grid is uncertain from year to year. Solar power is clean and predictable, especially when paired with energy storage.
 
This is where Texas consumers want to go. They must be able to trust us to get them there.

Bret Biggart is CEO of Freedom Solar Power, a Texas solar company. Mark Stover is executive director of the Texas Solar+Storage Association.