Do you think that you may have been approached by a door to door solar sales scam?

Knocks on the door often hold the promise of adventure or connection. A friend inviting you to go for a walk or a neighbor dropping off a borrowed tool…  

Sometimes that knock is a salesperson – who enchants you with exciting products and enticing offers. However, behind those offers lurk those who seek to exploit your trust for their gain.  

In the world of solar, door-to-door solar sales have become all too common in our communities. In an age where technology makes designing and selling solar quickly – procuring loans even faster, and crazy deals that only last an hour – protecting oneself against deceptive tactics is paramount.  

A recent TIME Magazine article: “How Solar Sales Bros Threaten the Green Energy Transition,” brought light to the dark side of solar – the world of the door to door solar sales scam. 

In this blog, we tackle a few points on how Kokosing Solar works differently from some of the companies mentioned in the article.  

No Certification Process 

The biggest problem we can identify in our industry is that there is no barrier of entry to get into solar sales.  

Most door-to-door solar salespeople are 1099 contracted employees (protecting the solar company they represent from themselves – a liability) with very little training.  

We encourage you to go with a full turnkey solar partner – one whose salespeople and installation technicians are all employed by the same outfit.  

Here at Kokosing Solar, from sales to installation, you’re always working with one partner under one roof. This eliminates potential conflicting agendas (saves you money) and inefficient organizational redundancy. 

How to Avoid Door to Door Solar Sales Scams

Third-Party Certifications  

In the absence of a formal certification process, third-party certifications speak volumes about the experience and reputation of a solar company.  

Start with Better Business Bureau and Google. These testimonials and stories are usually great snapshots of the true customer experience.  

Here in Ohio, we’re proud to have helped initiate and to be listed on SolarEthics.Org – in partnership with Green Energy Ohio. 

We’re also founding members of the Amicus Solar Cooperative. Amicus Solar is a member-owned purchasing cooperative of 80 elite, highly knowledgeable, value-driven solar industry veterans who innovate, collaborate, and work together to set higher standards for the solar industry. 

Education, Consultation and Trust-Building 

Sometimes when you’re making a large purchase – you just have a feeling.  

Trust your gut.  

Our sales team is consultative and will give you an education about solar energy that you’ll be thankful for. Whether or not you go solar with us, you’ll be grateful for the wisdom we imparted along the way.  

Part of that is trust building. Our goal is to build lasting partnerships that generate referrals from our happy customers to keep us in business for the long haul. 

 

The Solar Door-to-Door Solar Scam Environment 

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of stories from homeowners who have been wronged by door-knock scams and deceptive solar salespeople.  

Let us be clear: we are not those people. And we’re doing what we can along the way to help consumers make the right purchasing decisions when they decide it’s time to go solar!  

 

 

What are Solar Energy Facts in 2023? Well, the solar energy industry is preparing for rapid growth as we enter a new year.  

In 2023, the year began with economic uncertainty and supply chain issues still holding over from the Covid-19 pandemic. These hang-ups dampened solar growth in the first half of the year, however, according to a press release published by the Solar Energy Industries Association, The U.S. solar industry expects to add a record 33 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in 2023, a 52% increase from 2022.  

And that number is expected to climb in the years ahead!  

The bright future that is expected for the solar energy industry is largely due to the historic clean energy legislation included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed in 2022.   

In the first year that the IRA has been in action, the historic clean energy legislation has already helped homeowners go solar more easily, buy electric vehicles, and electrify their homes. Also, we’ve seen businesses and manufacturers make investments in clean energy, investments that are truly moving the needle on electrifying our grid and reducing carbon emissions.  

 Solar Energy Facts 2023

Here’s a look at the growth of clean energy in 2023 alone:  

• In 2023, we saw $100 Billion in new private-sector investments in solar and energy storage  
• 51 Solar manufacturing facilities have been built or expanded here in the United States since the passing of the IRA. We saw big announcements from our partners at Enphase, Silfab and Qcell, just to name a few.  
• 155 Gigawatts of total new solar manufacturing capacity across the solar supply chain was announced. These announcements include: 
• 85 GW of solar module capacity 
• 43 GW of solar cells 
• 20 GW of silicon ingots and wafers 
• 7 GW of inverter capacity 

Here are key IRA benefits for homeowners: 

• 30% Federal investment tax credit for solar panels and solar battery storage through 2032.  
• Tax credits on electric vehicle purchases 
• Tax credits on home electrification projects and energy efficiency upgrades  

Whether or not you take advantage of these tax incentives, you will still benefit! Across the United States, people are taking advantage of these benefits and collectively are contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gasses that are contributing to climate change. And as a nation, we’ll all benefit from that.  

The IRA also has a big focus on job creation. As we see more solar and storage manufacturing and solar installations take place here in the United States, we’ll see more and more good paying jobs in the renewable energy industry.  

Finally, by taking advantage of tax credits for greener alternatives, people, in the long run, will have the opportunity to lower their monthly expenses (for things like transportation, electricity, heating, and cooling). So, practically, the IRA provides relief to people by reducing their monthly bills.  

 

Here are key IRA benefits for businesses and organizations rolled out in 2023: 

The IRA includes multiple opportunities for businesses and organizations to receive tax benefit “Bonuses” above and beyond the base 30% federal tax credit. In 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was busy developing and releasing guidance for who is eligible for these bonuses.  

• The Energy Communities Tax Credit Bonus is an additional 10% adder and applies to businesses, organizations, and non-profits that are located in eligible areas. 
• The Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit proves an additional 10% – 20% bonus for qualified projects.  
• The Domestic Content Bonus is an additional 10% tax credit bonus for projects that meet requirements tied to using equipment that are coming into production thanks to the United States based production investments listed above.  

 

The Outlook for Solar Energy Looking Forward  

• Over the next 10 years, the IRA will lead to 48% more solar deployment than would otherwise be expected under a no-IRA scenario. 
• By 2033, the U.S. will have installed 669 GW of total solar capacity, more than 4 times the amount installed today. 
• By 2031, solar energy will produce more electricity each year than all U.S. coal-fired power plants in 2022. 
• The solar industry’s annual CO2 emissions offsets will increase from 169 million metric tons (MMT) today to more than 459 MMT by 2033. 
• 10 years from now, there will be enough solar power installed to power every home east of the Mississippi. 

Facts provided by the Solar Energy Industries Association. 

Emissions Reduction Impacts  

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the IRA in combination with previous policies will help drive 2030 greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 2005 levels. Moreover, with additional expected policy at the local, state and private sector levels – the U.S. is positioned to reach 50 – 52% greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels in 2030.  

Analysis of U.S. Energy Policies in Reducing Emissions and Improving the Economy  

The IRA isn’t the only piece of United States policy that is impacting the solar energy industry. In conjunction with the IRA, the partner bill, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Together, according to the DOE, these bills are positioned to:  

• Save American families up to $38 billion on electricity bills 
• Reduce U.S. net greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 2005 levels by 2030 
• Strengthen U.S. energy security by reducing net crude oil imports by nearly 60% 
• Reduce industrial and manufacturing emissions up to 40% below 2005 levels 
• Double the share of American electricity generated by clean sources to 80% 
• Accelerate the electrification of the American vehicle fleet 

 

While these prospects are exciting, these bills are intended to jumpstart long-term emission reductions through sparking investments. Together, states, local governments, private industries, the federal government, and all Americans will need to work together to ensure progress towards the nation’s 2050 net-zero emission goals!  

 

Read more from The Solar Energy Industries Association about Solar Energy Facts in 2023 and the impacts of the IRA.

Installing solar on a new home is a fantastic decision for sustainability and to secure long-term savings right from the start. While there is a lot of information available online for installing solar on existing homes, there is less written about what to know about solar for new homes. There are many benefits to designing your new home with solar in mind and installing solar as part of your new home build process.  

Plan For Solar Early  

What to know about solar for new homes? Adding solar to your new home build plans is the first step you can take during your home’s design phase. This allows for integrated installation. When building a new home, you will plan the orientation of your home, where chimneys and vents are located, where shading obstructions like tall trees will be relative to your solar installation. These are all good things to think about.  

Ideally, a south facing roof works best for solar and east and west facing roofs work well too, with as few obstructions as possible.  

Here are detailed suggestions for designing your new home to be solar ready: 

• Position your home with solar in mind:  A south-facing roof is ideal for solar panels to capture the most sun.  
• Roof angle: A roof pitched between 30 and 45 degrees is ideal for solar in Ohio. 
• Roof truss: spacing of 4 feet or less. 
• Roof Material: We can mount panels on most roofs except slate and clay shingle.  
• Conduit run: of 250 feet or less for solar electric lines. 
• Built-in metal conduit: from the attic to a location near the electrical service panel— typically 1-inch conduit. 
• Large service disconnect as a point of connection for solar. 
• Minimize roof obstructions: Keep solar panels in mind when designing where to put vents and other roof attachments, like dormers and chimneys. 
• Load Bearing of the roof: Make sure that your roof will be able to bear the additional weight of a solar energy system. 
• Consider landscaping: For solar to work well, sunlight needs direct access to your roof.  
• Don’t install a utility meterbase disconnect. 

Determine Your Energy Needs  

Residential solar energy systems are designed to produce the equivalent amount of energy that the home typically uses.   

Because your home is new, you will have to make some estimations to calculate how much energy your home will use every year. Factors included in this estimate include house size, number of people in the home, and appliances.  

Work with a solar consultant who has tools to help you dial in the estimates for your home’s annual energy use.  

Select a Trusted Solar Partner 

In addition to working with you to determine your necessary solar energy system size, a good solar partner will also work with you to select the best equipment for your home. Because solar is a long-term investment, choosing quality, tier 1 solar equipment suppliers is in your best interest.  

These equipment suppliers typically have high-quality products and, due to their longevity in the solar industry – and will still be in business 20 years down the road when and if a part needs to be warrantied.  

Find a checklist for choosing a trusted solar installer on the last page of our “Guide To Going Solar” which you can download here.  

 

Financial Incentives and Cost Considerations  

The primary incentive for installing solar at your home, the Federal Investment Tax Credit, will remain at 30% until 2032. There have been big rushes in the past as the tax credit was on a step-down schedule. That won’t be the case again for a few years.  

Your solar installation partner will use your solar system size, current utility provider rates and will build a payback model to help you understand what the payback period for the solar installation will be.  

Planning how you will pay for the solar addition to your new home build project is also critical.  

If you’re not planning to pay in cash, you could roll the solar project into an existing loan or use one of the lenders your solar installation partners with.  

Solar for New Homes: New Homes Should All be Solar Powered  

Installing solar panels on your new home is a proactive step toward sustainability and financial independence.  

By carefully planning and integrating solar during the construction phase, you’re not just investing in energy; you’re investing in a brighter, cleaner future for your family and your home.  

Remember, each decision made during this process contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of your solar system.  

We hope these tips have been helpful. When you have an idea of the major appliances in your home, your heating and cooling plans, and a mockup of your roof that includes vents and chimneys, reach out and we’ll start designing a solar array for your new home.  

We look forward to working with you!