ComplaintsforSustainable Energy Systems

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had my panels installed by them May of last year. The entire process took over 8 months. I was promised a grant from my county to pay 10k. This was supposed to go towards the 28k cost for the panels. I have been waiting months for my grant and finally I called my county office. They told me that Sustainable Energy never filled out an application and was never approved. Therefore they should have never gone through with installation. So now I am stuck with a 28k bill. They illegally installed panels on my house promising me back something that now I will never get because they did not file the proper paperwork. I will be seeking legal action if this is not resolved.

  Business response

  02/29/2024

  Hello, I believe Mrs ******* wrote this before she understood all the parties involved and who is responsible for what.

  It's a confusing situation because she worked with a consulting "sales" company called ****** who got her to sign a contract for solar. 

  that contract is with ******* who owns and finances the system until its paid off. 

  ******* hired ****** and ****** hired ***** workeman to sell solar to Nicole. 

  ******* hired us to build it. We did our job as contracted. No where in the contract does it say she is entitled to any grants.  The only incentive mentioned in the contract is the federal tax credit. 

  ***** workeman promised her these grants on the side in emails, text messages and verbally. 

  The grant she mentioned has been closed for 2 years and is rarely ever funded. Someone should get on PG County for advertising a grant with no funds available. That would be like me advertising solar for sale knowing I had no intentions of ever being able to get solar panels. 

  ***** most likely sold this not knowing that the grant had no funding. I'm sure he didn't mean to do this, but should have done his homework. That is on his training and the leadership at ****** should be held responsible. 

  Also, ***** no longer works for ******.

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We have complained about our roof being incomplete for the last 4 months and have been neglected. No one has come to complete the job and are ignoring our calls and emails because they feel they are not at fault. There is still remaining work to be done to our roof that they said they would come and complete and have yet to do it. We have started paying for solar panels that were installed by them already but we are paying for incomplete work right now.

  Business response

  01/03/2024

  Hello, I have researched your project and it looks as though we completed a roofing installation on 8-24-23. 
  All shingles were removed, rotten plywood replaced, new drip edge, new chimney flashings, new synthetic felt, new ice and water shield, new ridge vent and new shingles.
  It would help me get to the bottom of this situation if you could explain in detail what is unfinished. Include photos if possible. If you could also give me the names, numbers and times that you called us and were ignored. I'd definitely like to have a conversation with whoever is ignoring you.
  Thanks!

  Customer response

  01/09/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  09/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The service/repairs department is unreachable and does not return calls. I have been trying to schedule service since June. The installation in 2015 was outstanding and even my roofer gave high compliments to the installation quality! However, two of the installed modules now do not send data to the optimizer - might be a connector problem or a module problem or an optimizer problem. I called in June and spoke to someone in service/repairs who said they were too backed up to schedule but confirmed the problem and said it is under warranty. They never got back to me. I then called on dozens of occasions over the next 3 months until now and not a single time did the service/repairs department answer, on any weekday, at any time during business hours. I left messages some of the time, maybe a dozen times scattered across the last 3 months. I also talked to the customer service department several times and each time, they promised to immediately let the repairs agent know and ask them to call me back. I have after all of that never once been called back to schedule the repair. As far as I can tell, repairs and warranty service is all a fiction, it doesn't actually exist. It seems it would be so easy for someone to come out to check on it and if it's a connector problem, would be fixable in just a few minutes on the spot, and if something else, then they could let me know the diagnosis and a timeline for getting the parts and being able to do the work.

  Customer response

  09/25/2023

  Attached is a copy of the proposal which was carried out and contains the warranty on the third page - shows the company warrants workmanship for 10 years from the date in 2015 and the components are warranted by the manufacturers for longer periods. The company already admitted that the service is covered under warranty and I am sure they will be agreeable to that. The difficulty has been that the company is completely unresponsive regarding scheduling and performing warranty service, such that it is impossible to actually get that service.

  Business response

  01/18/2024

  For ******* ********, I really want to get him taken care of. 

  
  I also want to know what number he has been calling and who he has been talking to. Sounds like I may have someone I need to re-train or replace. 

  
  

  Our Service number is either

  
  

  301-788-4003 (I believe Option 4)

  
  

  or 240-356-3637 (direct)

  
  

  I'll have someone reach out in the meantime to get his experience. 

  
  

  Thanks

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  In answer to the question, I called the business number 301-788-4003 option 4 for service on dozens of occasions between June and October without getting a single call back. I also sometimes selected option 1 instead to talk to someone since nobody answered option 4 nor returned messages left on option 4. Several times that way I was able to talk to someone in sales (option 1) who promised that service would call me back and they would personally talk to the service scheduler to call me back, but I never got any call backs.

  More recently, after having posted the complaint, I did get a call out of the blue, after I had given up, from Jeannette ******* and I have been working with her to schedule repairs. She has been responsive. Repairs were scheduled for January 9 but that turned out to be too rainy and windy. I never got any call or notification that it was being postponed, but obviously it should have been postponed given the weather that day, and nobody showed up, which under the circumstance was to be expected. Then there was no attempt to reschedule until I called after a few days asking if it was be rescheduled, and it wasn't, there were no notes of any sort, so Jeannette rescheduled it for me for next week.

  I will be able to update this complaint as resolved, not yet, but AFTER the repairs are completed and it works properly (maybe next week if I am so fortunate!) and it should stand for visibility so that readers can see the type of service that SES provides and that it took this complaint to initiate the repair process. To recap, the install workmanship was terrific and everything was very good in the sales and install side, the problem has been the extreme difficulty in getting repairs during the warranty period.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

  Business response

  01/30/2024

  Thanks for the detailed response! It was very helpful to us. It is definitely not our intention as a company for the phone not to be answered and you to get called back when they feel like it. We currently have a team of people in scheduling to answer phones Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Management has been operating under the assumption that the phones were being answered and people were getting appointments. You've helped us to identify a personnel, management and a systematic problem that we are sorting out to provide better service going forward.

  SES has been around for 16 years and has been in pretty high demand the last 2 years, we now have over 7000 systems to maintain, as well there are 10's of thousands of customers in our area who were built by now bankrupt or closed companies like sungevity, nrg, suntuity, sigora, sunedison, pink energy, code green, direct energy ... and more. We are committed to building out a strong service department with trained technicians to service the industry into the future. There's nothing worse than an expensive solar array with monthly payments that doesn't work.

  Thanks for your patience and diligence.

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We've been working with Sustainable Energy Systems (hereafter SES) to have a solar energy system installed on our roof. Unfortunately, they've made several errors during the installation process. While we can appreciate that mistakes happen, our chief complaint is that they've proven unresponsive and/or make false promises to contact us whenever we reach out. We are demanding accountability because 1) we've already spent ~$24k on a solar system that has (since its installation on May 23rd) produced no energy and 2) we're frustrated that we are chasing them to rectify their errors. A recent timeline: -On June 27th, the roof with newly installed solar (May 23rd) began leaking. We contacted the company and it turns out solar installers left a gap between two panels directly above an exhaust fan while also removing the cap from exhaust, thus pooling all water down the exhaust fan. -On June 30th SES sent two roofers to rectify leak. They fixed the leak but needed to make cuts in the ceiling drywall of the bathroom as well as remove the light fixture to make repairs. They promise someone will come to fix drywall "within a week." Nobody has come as of the time of this writing (August 2, 2023) despite our calling many times to report the issue. -In the meantime, on July 25th the electrical inspector came to assess if the solar installation was done properly and ready to be connected to the grid. The inspection failed because SES installed the energy meter too close to a fence. SES promised to be in touch "within a day or two" to reschedule the Service Team to rectify the issue. For this issue, we've also made several attempts to contact SES -Despite repeated calls and emails to SES, we have heard nothing from the company about when they will be out to move the meter and to fix the hole in the drywall.

  Business response

  01/18/2024

  It seems as though all her information is correct. I am really not sure what took so long for us to get these things done for her. It really isn't the normal situation. I would like to say that one of the owners of our company went out personally to fix the leak.
  
  It does look as though her drywall was repaired on December 12th and the system has been up and running since September 29th. So I think the situation is resolved.
  
  I would be wondering what number(s) she was calling, who she is talking to and what days she tried to call. So we can improve our communication and follow through.
  
  This job was sold by a company called Soleil, so it is possible that she was calling them. I'd like to find out. 
  
  I'd also like to know if anything is still out standing
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Started solar panel project & signed contract in April of 2022. Was told it would be a few months before install. After 7 months of waiting, I was finally told my project had been lost due to someone leaving the company and was scheduled for installation in December of 2022. System was installed and "commissioning" was complete. Immediately I noticed there was an issue. The mobile app told me there was and the system showed an error light. Contacted the company and was told it was because we did not have PTO (permission to operate) from the power company yet. Received PTO from power company in January 2023. System was turned on. Still was not working. Contacted the company again. They said it was just a communication issue and the system was producing. Communication card would be replaced. Actually promised by them it was producing. It was not. Went all of February with a non functioning system. Waited to get bill to prove it was not working. Contacted the company again. Finally got a technician to come out on 3/14. Replaced communication card and he found that all the panels were wired incorrectly. I was then told the system had to pair. Called the next day because it was still not working. I was told it might take one more day and I would receive a call the next day (3/16). Did not get a call. Tried to call Friday 3/17 with no answer. Tried calling again 3/20 and again no answer. System is still not working. Finally got a call back and was told the inverter is bad and they are now waiting for a new one to be delivered. No ETA. They sent the lender notice of completion back in December so I have been paying for on a 43,000 dollar loan for something that does not work, on top of paying for my full electricity bill. How was the commissioning completed if it was wired incorrectly? Why was it marked as complete to the lender when it has never functioned? Why didn't they listen in December when I first reported issues?

  Business response

  05/26/2023

  Thanks for helping us out here! Letting you know his PO was created today and funds were processed to him. 

  
  

  Best,

  
  

  Rollie ******

  Partner

  ###-###-####

  ********************************

  Master Electrician MD-VA-DC-WV-DE-PA

  NABCEP Certified PV Installer 2011

  Customer response

  05/29/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Douglas *******

• Initial Complaint

  12/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Solar System was designed by *************************** and installed by Sustainable Energy System. The salesman ***** told me the system would generate enough electricity to cover all my needs and I would not receive any additional charges from PECO. Todate I have been receiving invoices for PECO in varying amounts. I have contacted *************************** (***** Consultants LLC ************) several times to have this resolved. ***** has responded to me early on and reiterated that I should not be receiving invoices from PECO. ***** has stopped returning phone calls. System was installed at the end of April 2022.

  Customer response

  01/24/2023

  Any follow up or updates?
  Case number ********

  Business response

  02/07/2023

  There are 3 parties involved in this sale. Unfortunately the complaint is with the consulting company *****, so I feel this is mis directed. We are just the builder.

  the Signed contract is with Sunnova, which is the lending institution.  I've attached a screen shot of the contract. They offer a production estimate and a production guarantee. 

  The economics of the System are around the cost of the system vs the amount and value of the energy it will produce. It's percentage of the existing electric bill is an abstract number that varies greatly based on use.  We are not a sales company and there is nothing in our contracts that says it will do a certain percentage of an electric bill.

  this system was purchased from Sunnova under the understanding that it would produce approximately 9158.06KWH a year. So far it has produced 6890KWH in just 8 months well on its way to outperforming the proposed production. I've also attached a copy of the electric bill used to size the system which showed 8030KWHs of usage in the year up to the sale. So the system should well out perfrom usage.

  It's possible that your consumption habits have changed. It's also possible that the utility is not billing you correctly. A current utility bill would be needed to determine what is going on 

  I hope this information is helpful, and i may be coming off as an expert in the subject matter, but this is really sales stuff that we dont do. We dont employ any sales people. These questions should be directed at your consulting company. 

  That said, I will reach out to them to assist in getting them in touch.

  As far as SES in concerned. The Contracted work is installed and producing as signed and agreed upon. 

  Best,

  Customer response

  02/09/2023

   
  Complaint: 18935364
  
  I am rejecting this response because: No one has denied I was promised zero electrical charges from PECO.  No one was stated the system was designed to produce insufficient amounts to off set the total amount of electricity to zero out or over produce electricity.  All they are saying is system is working as designed.  since it is not zeroing out my electrice needs is must be an inadequate design. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  12/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I signed a contract with Sustainable Energy Systems for the design and installation of a Tesla Power Wall Battery backup power system on 11/02/2021. I was told I might have to wait as long as July 2022 for the installation to be completed, but it is now December 2022, and I do not even have a date when it will be installed. This is totally unsatisfactory. Note, I paid a deposit of $6,750 in November 2021.

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/12/19) */ Hello, yes this is all true. We contracted in November 21. The purchase order was placed December 21 with Tesla. Tesla has been taking appx 12 months to get us any batteries. However, they have finally started to have a steady stream of battery supply again. This battery has been paid for and is expected to deliver in January 2023. Due to the lack of batteries from tesla and then the mass fill of our backlog of batteries. We are experiencing a backlog in our ability to install these batteries as they come in. We currently have this project on our schedule for install March 13th and 14th 2023. Apologies, it looks as though our scheduling department has been dropping the ball on reaching out since the install is tentatively planned so far in advance. Hope this helps and that you are still excited about the project. I'm my 16 years of Solar and battery experience. Tesla makes the most reliable battery on the market, has the best post install customer support and is worth the wait. Best, Rollie Consumer Response /* (2000, 10, 2022/12/19) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) They have scheduled to complete the contract in February. Hopefully all will go well.

• Initial Complaint

  08/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had solar panels installed by this company in July 2020. As of August 2022, they have not contacted PEPCO to enroll my panels in the net metering program so that I may receive credit for the power produced by my panels. I sent emails and left voicemals at all addresses and phone numbers I have and am awaiting a response and/resolution. However, based on the reviews I read regarding lack of response and communication from business, I decided to reach out to you guys for assistance in getting some type of resolve.

  Business response

  09/09/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2022/08/22) */ We received PTO on july 31st 2020. Attached to this complaint. Along with screen shots of the production, consumption , import and export values. The net meter is installed and the system has produced 30.59 MWHs to datw. Everything appears to be working correctly. It appears as though 90 percent of all production is consumed in the home before the net meter functions. To me everything looks to operating excellently. Is there something that I am missing? Thanks! Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2022/08/22) */ ***Document Attached***

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  They installed my Solar System last June-August. I have one panel that has not worked well from the beginning and produces a fraction of the power all the other panels do. I've complained about it to them and especially to their local representative. All I ever heard from them was "Oh, that's due to a shadow from your fireplace vent pipe following on it". Unless the earth started rotating in the opposite direction, the shadow falls in the opposite way against a Gable that has no panels on it. I sent pictures to their representative last year that there was no shadows on that panel. I never heard back from them again. I suspect their representative has not either. The problem could very easily be a defective or poorly connected balancers module. The problem has gotten worse this year. I had to suggest to their representative that I will have to pay another contractor to fix the issue since Sustainable will not. They will not show up even to look at it. I guess the 25 warranty is a sham?

  Business response

  05/27/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2022/05/06) */ Hello, yes you are correct, there is a problem with that module. On monday, please call 301-788-**** and select the service department. Jeanette should be able to get you scheduled. Any problems please ask to speak with **** who manages that department and reference that ****** has already reviewed your project and that you have a module out that once produced and is most likely an optimizer or module failure. We'll get out there and get you taken care of. Best, Rollie Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2022/05/16) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) They were here last Friday 13 May 2022 and fixed the problem. It's a shame I had to enter a BBB complaint to get them to show up and do the repair.

• Initial Complaint

  10/24/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed a contract for solar panel installation with this company with the understanding that it would be part of a home renovation. Language was added to the contract that the project would not begin until the home renovation plans were complete. The salesman assured me that I would be able to get my $6112.80 deposit back as long as no work was done. The project manager (pm) told me nothing would be ordered or started until my drawings were complete and a site inspection was done. After many delays due to the pandemic and contractors completing the drawings, prices for the renovation skyrocketed and I had to cancel my plans, along with the solar installation. The contract states that the contractor can deduct from my deposit if they have done work on it or if they have ordered materials, but neither had been done for my project. When I emailed to cancel, I was shocked to learn that not only would they be keeping my deposit, but they either want me to buy the panels for $1500 more or for me to complete the project, because the pm claims they purchased panels for me. I asked for evidence. The 2 documents the pm sent are: 1) an order acknowledgment for an order of 94 panels for their inventory that far exceed the 20 for my project and 2) a photo of a loose sheet of printer paper with my name handwritten on it, sitting on a pile of solar panels. He also claims I agreed to the purchase on a phone call that didn't occur until 6 days after the order. The timeline of events based on emails, phone records, and the order date in the supporting documents show that what he's claiming not only goes against his own stated policies, it is impossible. I've spent months trying to work out a resolution with the pm. He is stubbornly uncooperative, will not return calls, continues to try to gaslight me into believing that I agreed to the purchase. This company is dishonest, severely lacks integrity or accountability and customer service, and is illegally holding my deposit.

  Business response

  02/11/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/25) */ This is a gross misrepresentation of the facts regarding this situation. Our contract, which this client signed in early 2020, clearly states that you can cancel with no penalty after 30 days and in most situations we will extend that based on extenuating circumstances on a case by case basis. The cancelation policy includes a clause that states we can purchase materials for the project for any reason at any time. We explained to this client on multiple occasions that the solar panel they selected when they signed was slotted to be phased out by the manufacturer. We offered them the chance to sign for a different but still comparable panel that we stock, meaning no material order would have been necessary and the risk of losing any deposit would have been non-existent. The client insisted on moving forward with the original panels and did not sign a change order for new materials. We discussed with them on the phone that we needed to order these in order to fulfill their contract and they provided a verbal confirmation, so we completed the order and marked their materials accordingly. The project remained idle while we waited for the client to confirm the status of their project. Fast forward to Jan 2021, the client informed us that they still intended on moving forward with their project and would contact us when they were ready for us to begin. Approximately two months later, the client contacted us and requested to cancel with a full refund. We explained that a refund was not possible due to our purchasing those panels, at their request, and that those panels are now outdated and would be very difficult to re-sell, especially at the original value (these were top shelf panels at the time and therefore quite expensive relative to other panels). Clearly, they did not agree with this and have since attempted to spin the facts of the matter in their favor. We offered reasonable solutions based on the circumstances and to date have yet to receive any indication from them as to which direction they would prefer to go. Our communications became circular and unproductive prompting us to cease communications with them pending any legal intervention. We take no joy in these types of situations and were willing to work with this client and be patient while their remodeling project went forward. We cannot, however, take a several thousand loss when this client was given the opportunity to avoid this situation on several occasions and expressed to us multiple times that they intended to move forward. If this client chooses one of the options we presented we will happily provide the best service possible in order to close this out on as positive a note as we can. If not, we hold firm out position and wish them best going forward. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/10/30) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) A few months after I signed the contract, the salesman did send me an email saying they'd be switching me to a different brand of panels because the original ones would be phased out. I agreed to switch to REC, the new brand, in an email, which I uploaded with my original complaint. So contrary to the false claim in their response, I did not insist on the SunPower ones, and there was no need to buy anything for me. Both the project manager and salesman had clearly told me in emails dated 4/16/20 and 4/28/20 (note this is the date they claimed they ordered my panels) that they don't buy panels until the site survey is done, and if they made an exception, I'd have to pay in advance. This is why I agreed to switch to the REC panels: I wasn't sure if my reno was going to happen, and didn't want to pay for panels I didn't know if I was going to be able to use. Following my agreement to switch to REC panels, on 4/30/20, the salesman emailed that they would send a change order. Then, all of the sudden, they changed their mind and told me on 5/1/20, in an email, that they could still order the original brand, so nothing would have to change. I spoke to the project manager on the phone on 5/4/20 and he told me the same. This is the phone call on which the project manager claims I agreed to the purchase, yet the call occurred 6 full days after the 4/28/20 order acknowledgement he sent me as proof of purchase for my panels, so unless he has a time machine, that's entirely impossible. Though we communicated multiple times in the year between that phone call and the day I asked to cancel my contract on 5/21/21, at no point was I told that panels were ordered for me. I was never sent an invoice, nor have I, to this day, been shown any evidence that panels were purchased for me. I have backed everything I'm saying with emails which I've uploaded with my original complaint, so the dishonest response to this complaint is unbelievable. I'm also stunned by the response because apparently, they don't know what's on their own contract. I looked at the contract, which I also uploaded with my complaint, to find this clause that states they can purchase materials for any reason at any time. There is no such clause. What is does say, because they added this at my request, is "final solar layout to be determined after final roof/design renovation plan is provided by homeowner", as well as "Materials payment will be invoiced within 30 days of Site Technician visit". None of this happened, so again, it's simply not credible that panels were ordered for me without any evidence, before the reno design was complete, and against everything stated in their own emails to me, their own policies, and their own contract.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩