EnergyPal Overview: A Handy Strategy to Go Photo voltaic

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EnergyPal

Like

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  Licensed and vetted native community of installers and companions
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  A number of {hardware} decisions for panels, batteries and inverters
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  Aggressive pricing and bidding course of
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  Responsive customer support assist

Do not like

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  Does not deal with the set up themselves
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  Warranties can range by model or product

When you’re a home-owner hoping to scale back your electrical payments, photo voltaic panels are a good way to defray prices whereas additionally going inexperienced and decreasing your dependence on the grid. In lots of states and on the federal stage, there are additionally wonderful tax incentives for putting in them, particularly in case you personal or plan to get an electrical car. The greatest photo voltaic firms available on the market can information you thru the usually difficult residential set up course of, however it may be arduous to know the place to begin, particularly with lesser-known firms like EnergyPal.

Based in 2008, EnergyPal began a web-based procuring and clear power advertising agency. Since then, it acquired two US photo voltaic marketplaces in 2011 and 2012, and it was acquired by NRG and Sunrun. Like many photo voltaic installers, EnergyPal acts as an advisor platform and market, with consultations that may give you quotes, guarantee assist, and numerous packages and financing.

Whereas EnergyPal would not carry out the installations itself, it’s going to contract with a neighborhood firm that does and can prepare all the pieces via the complete course of, together with allowing, coordinating the set up and dealing with utility firms. We significantly like the numerous choices EnergyPal gives for photo voltaic {hardware}, with clients capable of decide panels, batteries, inverters and microinverters from numerous prime photo voltaic manufacturers, together with Qcells, Enphase, Tesla, SolarEdge and others. 

For this overview, we evaluated EnergyPal’s companies, warranties and financing choices intimately and spoke with a consultant. The corporate was forthcoming about its choices and course of, however as with many firms, the upfront pricing is not all the time very clear with out taking the time to talk with a consultant and generate a quote. 

Whereas this overview is as complete as attainable, CNET did not undergo the ordering and set up course of with EnergyPal. The photo voltaic market is thought for having its ups and downs (the well-known photo voltaic coaster), and photo voltaic scams aren’t extraordinary. It is essential to do your personal analysis, store round and get a number of quotes earlier than committing to a photo voltaic firm. 

What do I get from EnergyPal?

EnergyPal is likely one of the many photo voltaic installers and sellers working within the US and Canada. It is essential to know that EnergyPal is a market that connects you with a number of photo voltaic installers and an advisor platform that crafts personalized suggestions. Whereas EnergyPal would not carry out photo voltaic installations itself, it will possibly information you thru the complete course of from starting to finish. 

The corporate begins with a photo voltaic system session and gives numerous financing choices, resembling photo voltaic loans, leases, energy buy agreements, dwelling enchancment loans and direct money purchases. The corporate additionally has an inner database to assist clients reap the benefits of all potential federal, state and native incentives, tax credit, and rebates. After that, EnergyPal will work with a licensed installer to put in your photo voltaic system and give you ongoing buyer assist and power monitoring. 

What photo voltaic gear does EnergyPal set up?

The gear put in by EnergyPal is determined by your photo voltaic session and preferences. In contrast to many photo voltaic firms, EnergyPal offers you flexibility when selecting photo voltaic {hardware}, together with photo voltaic panels, batteries, inverters and microinverters.
“EnergyPal’s position is to advise and supply suggestions based mostly on the client’s wants, location, power targets, and price range and assist clients to slender down choices,” mentioned Ian Hilborn, Co-founder and COO at EnergyPal. “By means of a digital or cellphone session, EnergyPal advisers will share totally different choices, explaining the professionals and cons of every part, so clients could make an knowledgeable choice.” 

Photo voltaic panel {hardware} choices embrace ones from QCells, REC, Silfab and Aptos, with all of them coming really helpful by EnergyPal. With QCells, you get choices just like the QCells Q.TRON BLK-MG2+, which has a 440-watt wattage per panel and an effectivity of twenty-two.5% for a glossy, black panel. REC panels rank extremely in CNET’s checklist of the greatest photo voltaic panels, with the corporate coming second solely to Maxeon in effectivity (by simply 0.5%). The panels are all black or principally black, giving them a glossy look, with a 25-year guarantee that ensures the manufacturing of 86% or 92% of their rated energy.  

Battery {hardware} choices embrace QCells, Enphase, SolarEdge, FranklinWH, Tesla and extra. The Enphase IQ Battery 5P options on CNET’s greatest photo voltaic batteries. It is a 5 kWh battery with 7.68 kW peak energy and three.84 kW steady energy. It has a 90% spherical journey effectivity and comes with a 15-year guarantee. Whereas clients can categorical their {hardware} preferences, EnergyPal may also advise you to make sure the preferences work along with your photo voltaic system and steadiness financial savings, effectivity and efficiency. 

EnergyPal additionally gives each microinverters and string inverters, with choices from SolarEdge, Tesla, Enphase and Qcells, which all function on CNET’s greatest photo voltaic inverters roundup. 

What warranties does EnergyPal provide?

Photo voltaic installations managed by EnergyPal embrace warranties on workmanship and merchandise and efficiency ensures for a lot of photo voltaic financing applications. The workmanship ensures lasts for five to 10 years and covers points with the photo voltaic set up course of itself. The product producer warranties are as much as 30 years, relying on the part and canopy photo voltaic panels, inverters, batteries, and monitoring throughout the lifetime of the system’s parts. 

QCell panels are assured to provide 85% of rated capability after 25 years, although some fashions additionally go as much as 92%. Tesla batteries usually include a 10-year guarantee. Most Enphase batteries additionally include 10 years, however a number of the new IQ 5P batteries include a 15-year guarantee. 

Does EnergyPal provide monitoring companies?

EnergyPal gives monitoring companies as a part of the photo voltaic system bundle. Monitoring is normally built-in into the inverter or battery system. Nevertheless, EnergyPal would not run its personal app, although it does provide buyer assist after set up to assist with any points, together with monitoring.

As an alternative, it makes use of the apps or on-line platforms supplied by Enphase, SolarEdge or Tesla, all of which can be found on the Google Play Retailer and Apple App Retailer, respectively. These apps assist you to monitor your system efficiency, power manufacturing, analyze efficiency towards historic climate knowledge and extra. 

Which of them you will must obtain will rely upon the {hardware} you’ve got put in. When you have Enphase {hardware}, you may get the app from Google Play the place it is rated 4.1 stars or the App Retailer the place it has 4.6 stars. For SolarEdge customers, the mySolarEdge app has 4.4 stars on Google Play and 4.6 stars on the App Retailer. Tesla Powerwall customers can obtain the app on the Google Retailer and App Retailer the place it has 3.8 stars, although this contains house owners of Tesla automobiles. 

Does EnergyPal use subcontractors? 

EnergyPal makes use of a neighborhood community of pre-vetted and partnered, licensed photo voltaic installers. All contractors EnergyPall works with are licensed and vetted. Native installers are licensed, insured and have mandatory certifications, such because the North American Board of Licensed Vitality Practitioners. 

EnergyPal additionally tracks contractor metrics. “EnergyPal additional vets suppliers based mostly on historic efficiency and actual undertaking critiques, and can take motion to transition clients to larger performing contractors when essential to get the undertaking carried out proper,” Hilborn mentioned. 

EnergyPal additionally has unique gives from numerous installers, financers, roofers and guarantee suppliers, with clients with the ability to get all the data on pricing, service and merchandise via the corporate’s advice and engine. 

How a lot do EnergyPal panels price?

Like many photo voltaic firms, EnergyPal would not make its pricing available. Nevertheless, it did share with us that typical photo voltaic panels will price between $200 and $400, relying on the make and mannequin. That does not account for issues like inverters, racking, set up prices, allow prices and administration prices, which the corporate estimates may vary from $600 to $1,000 per panel after incentives. 

Filling out the contact type will get you a response from an EnergyPal consultant who can give you a quote and stroll you thru the method. 

This pricing is in-line with evaluation by photo voltaic consulting agency Wooden Mackenzie, the median value per watt for a photo voltaic system was $2.99 in 2022 for a 8 kW system. The median price of a photo voltaic system will run you $23,920. When you issue within the 30% federal clear power credit score, the US nationwide common price comes out to $3.60 per watt, or $18,073 for a 5 kW system. 

Does the corporate provide a value match?

EnergyPal does provide a value match for like-for-like packages. Nevertheless, this will not apply in lots of circumstances for the reason that firm claims that it “typically” offers higher gear, warranties and repair than nearly all of the trade. 

What financing choices does EnergyPal provide?

EnergyPal gives all main financing choices through financiers like Enfin, Lightreach, GoodLeap, IGS, Everbright and over 20 different choices. These financing choices embrace photo voltaic loans, dwelling enchancment loans, photo voltaic leases, energy buy agreements and money buy. Additionally notable is that EnergyPal compares totally different financing choices for every buyer and lays out their choices with its proprietary advice engine, with phrases, rates of interest and funds buildings tailor-made to every home-owner. 

It will additionally use an inner database that can assist you reap the benefits of all potential federal, state and native incentives, tax credit, and rebates. Lastly, the bidding course of can be aggressive since EnergyPal works with a number of suppliers and installers. 

1.Photo voltaic Loans: EnergyPal companions provide low-interest photo voltaic loans with phrases of 5 to 25 years. Prospects can personal the system and profit from tax incentives, rebates, and credit. They are often installer-financed and work equally to a private mortgage. They might have variable rates of interest, month-to-month funds and mortgage phrases.  

2. House Enchancment Loans: Loans at fastened price APR are sometimes supplied by basic dwelling enchancment lenders with no vendor charges. This is usually a good different to photo voltaic loans. 

3. Photo voltaic Leases: Mounted month-to-month funds can be found to lease the system with out possession, providing quick financial savings on the home-owner’s utility payments. Nevertheless, federal tax credit or different incentives aren’t obtainable and a few leases embrace escalators that improve fee quantities over time. 

4. Energy Buy Agreements: These have the benefit of no upfront prices. Owners purchase the photo voltaic power produced at a decrease price than shopping for power from their utility energy, however the photo voltaic panels and different {hardware} belong to the corporate. 

5. Money Buy: When you can afford it, an upfront fee to personal the system may also help you maximize long-term financial savings, tax incentives and rebates supplied on the state and federal stage. 

Does EnergyPal function in my state? How do I order?

EnergyPal operates within the majority of the US and Canada. It is current in 40 US states and Washington, DC. It additionally operates in six of Canada’s provinces, together with Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. 

To begin an order or get a session with EnergyPal, merely fill out the contact type. An EnergyPal adviser will then attain out to stroll you thru your choices, financing and extra. After filling out the shape, I acquired outreach from an EnergyPal consultant the identical day by e mail and cellphone. 

EnergyPal’s course of for offering a quote is finished via the corporate’s quote builder engine, which is overseen by an power advisor. You will need to fill out title, cellphone, e mail, property handle and an estimate of month-to-month electrical payments. The quote builder will account for property attributes, power utilization and future wants. Throughout the session, EnergyPal’s quote builder additionally conducts a extra detailed overview of utility payments, anticipated future electrical utilization, satellite tv for pc imagery (LiDAR) of your own home roof orientation, shading and power manufacturing potential. 

EnergyPal additionally gives quite a lot of instruments to assist with buyer orders, together with a photo voltaic EV charging calculator, dwelling photo voltaic information and guides for photo voltaic panels, dwelling battery methods and photo voltaic inverters. The MyEnergyPal buyer portal will get shared through the quoting course of. It offers quotes, comparisons, product spec sheets, guarantee data and assets on incentive applications and financing. Photo voltaic designs and shading reviews are additionally supplied through the advisor session. 

EnergyPal critiques: What are clients saying?

EnergyPal is not listed on the Higher Enterprise Bureau, nevertheless it scores a stable 4.7 ranking on Trustpilot. Customers rank it extremely for effectivity, simple communication and pleasant brokers. We could not discover any notable adverse critiques on Trustpilot, however checking Reddit gave us extra adverse experiences. These critiques have been barely edited for readability, spelling and punctuation with out altering the message. 

H3: One-star EnergyPal critiques

“(sic) Feb. 2023, I signed three Full Photo voltaic/EnergyPal houses/contracts for San Diego and Los Angeles. On the finish of Oct. 2023, thus far  After 9 months, no photo voltaic, not even shut. Panels [are also] blocking the driveway for six months in LA,” mentioned Reddit person u/lauraechristine. 

H3: 5-star EnergyPal critiques

“What an outstanding discover. These guys are nice at what they do, environment friendly, excellent at communication and usually a pleasure to work with. I’ve a number of websites, and I’m completely sure Paul and his group will save me priceless hours renewing contracts and looking one of the best offers. Positively suggest them x,” mentioned Ismail on Trustpilot. 

H2: Is EnergyPal your best option?

With any main buy, however particularly one as massive as a photo voltaic system, it is essential to buy round and get a number of quotes from totally different sources. That mentioned, EnergyPal might do not less than a number of the procuring round for you. Its proprietary engine offers you with quite a lot of financing choices on your photo voltaic system and engages in a aggressive bidding course of for the set up. 

EnergyPal is an efficient choice in order for you a single level of contact that may deal with all the main points of a photo voltaic set up, from planning to allowing to coordinating contractors. The corporate works with licensed and vetted native installers and companions, although it will not carry out the set up itself. You additionally get loads of {hardware} decisions with regards to photo voltaic {hardware}, which is uncommon to seek out, although this would possibly add some variation to guarantee size. 

Customer support can be a robust go well with, with a excessive Trustpilot ranking and usually constructive buyer critiques on-line. It is essential to notice that CNET did not undergo the complete photo voltaic set up course of with EnergyPal and we did not buy or take a look at the {hardware} instantly. It is all the time essential to do your personal analysis earlier than committing to a photo voltaic firm. 

EnergyPal execs and cons

Execs

• Licensed and vetted native community of installers and companions 
• A number of {hardware} decisions for panels, batteries and inverters
• Aggressive pricing and bidding course of
• Responsive customer support assist

Cons

• Does not deal with the set up themselves 
• Warranties can range by model or product

Steadily requested questions

How we consider photo voltaic firms

Reviewing photo voltaic firms in a hands-on manner is tough. Accounting for all of the variations undertaking to undertaking is unattainable. To offer a useful overview, we targeted on what we are able to measure and meaningfully evaluate amongst firms.

We deal with three buckets of standards: gear, warranties and repair. 

Throughout 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 towards leaks. Corporations earn factors for service if they provide a value match, a significant stage of value 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 may learn an in depth have a look at how the scoring breaks down.

We do not take into account the common value of an organization’s installations in its rating. This data is tough to seek out and arduous to check throughout service areas (and even roof to roof). Corporations are sometimes gradual to reveal it too. We additionally miss simply discovered however not helpful data like what number of states an organization operates in.

Learn extra: If a rooftop photo voltaic system is not for you, you possibly can nonetheless reap the benefits of photo voltaic turbines, which pair with moveable photo voltaic panels.