Real Deal: Solar-Powered Homes

PHILADELPHIA - It’s the time of year when you may start thinking about saving energy and making your home more energy-efficient.

Consumer reporter Michelle Buckman has a warning about who you hire to do that work for you.

For Further Information:

Program provides cost savings for consumers, yet some business practices remain shady

This past May, Pennsylvania launched it's Pennsylvania Sunshine Program to provide $100 million in rebates to make solar photovoltaic and solar hot water systems more affordable for its residents and business owners.

The program, which will provide $100 million in rebates to help fund solar electric (solar photovoltaic, or PV) and solar hot water (solar thermal) projects for homeowners and small businesses in Pennsylvania, has been widely endorsed by many politicians and embraced by the general public.

Yet, Sal DePrisco, Director of Operations for Russell Solar, LLC, has seen a dark side. Many consumers, anxious to implement these projects with hopes of future cost savings, have been meet with questionable business practices by contractors - many who claim to be certified to install sustainable-energy projects.

"Since the inception of the Sunshine Program in May, we have uncovered an influx of faulty or inaccurate Solar PV System designs." These systems, which can be in excess of $100,000 in up-front costs, would not qualify for the rebate program, which provides a state incentive of up to $22,500 per system.

"Pennsylvania's Department of Energy requires solar contractors used in the Sunshine rebate program to be highly trained and tested, but consumers still need to do their homework. The ethics of the contractor must also be determined."

So what's a consumer to do?

The Pennsylvania Sunshine Program maintains a list of registered installers on its Web site. Pennsylvania's solar rebates are available only to homeowners who use installers registered with the state, and all those contractors listed on the commission's Web site will qualify.

"As is always the case when dealing with any type of contractor, personal attention and responsiveness are important. If you find that one solar contractor seems to be able to communicate more clearly and is more responsive than others, you will probably want to take this into consideration when making your choice. Ultimately you want to be able to deal with a contractor that can design sell and install a system for your home. Do not choose on price alone." said DePrisco, "To do this you will need to find a contractor that has a good track record and good references. The longevity of their business is also important, as you'd want to be able to go back to the same installer in the future, should you experience any problems."

Program Overview:
Funding will be deployed in the form of rebates for residential and small business projects. Rebates will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis to approved applicants. Households may receive one solar photovoltaic (PV) rebate for up to 10 kilowatts (kW) of installed PV generating capacity and $22,500 rebate plus one solar thermal rebate not to exceed $2,000. A small business may only submit one PV and one solar thermal application at a time and must complete the project and rebate process prior to submitting another application.
Russell Solar is a certified Pennsylvania installer for solar electric and solar hot water systems for your home or business. We will be happy to provide you with a free assessment to determine what would be best for a solar electric system. Learn how you can save money on your energy bills while having a positive impact on the environment. Russell Solar will also complete the paperwork required to secure the Pennsylvania Sunshine Program Grant funds.

For more information on Russell Solar please visit our website at www.russellsolarpv.com

Attorney General Corbett urges consumers to shop carefully for "energy efficient" products or services
HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today urged Pennsylvania consumers to shop carefully when considering products or services advertised as being "energy efficient," and to thoroughly review claims about financial savings or tax benefits related to certain purchases or home improvements.

In addition to carefully reviewing the energy efficiency of particular products, Corbett stressed that consumers considering home improvement projects - including the replacement of windows and doors, or other large-scale changes - should verify that the installation business or contractor is registered with the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Corbett said that all home improvement projects, including the installation of many energy-saving products, are covered by Pennsylvania's new Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, which went into effect on July 1, 2009.

"This new law requires written contracts for all projects over $500, including specific information about the total price, a start-date and end-date, details about the materials being used and an explanation of a consumer's three-day right to cancel a contract," Corbett said. "The law also requires contractors to register with the Attorney General's Office, so consumers can learn about past problems, including lawsuits, bankruptcies and other issues that may impact their selection of a business."

Corbett encouraged consumers to file formal complaints with the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection if they believe they have been targeted by deceptive advertising or high-pressure sales tactics, along with homeowners who are directed to use unregistered contractors. He also urged consumers to report incidents where they believe that products they received do not match the specifications for the items that they ordered.

More information about the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act is available by using the "Consumer Information" link on the front page of the Attorney General's website.

Consumers can file complaints by calling the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or file an online consumer complaint at www.attorneygeneral.gov  (Click on the "Complaints" button in the main menu and select "Consumer Complaints" from the list)

Questions to Ask Your Solar Contractor
1. What is the "Dollars per kilowatt-hour produced" cost? (not the cost per watt installed)
2. What is the wind rating of the installed system?
3. How much of my roof (or yard) will it cover?
4. What will be done to the roof during the installation?
5. Will my roof be warranted against leaks?
6. What warranty do the solar panels come with and is it parts only?
7. What warranty does the inverter come with and is it parts only?
8. Where is the equipment made?
9. What solar industry credentials does the company possess?
10. What roofing industry credentials does the company possess?
11. Does the company have public liability and worker's compensation insurance, and to what level?
12. Is the company paying prevailing wage? (a requirement of the PA state rebate program)
13. Is the contractor PA state based or just an office in the state (many out of state installers are coming in from more than 100 miles away for some quick sales)
14. Is the company a member of the local trade organization MSEIA?