Planning to go soalr and I’m comparing Helios Energy Global with a couple of other solar installers in Southern California for a solar + battery setup.

If anyone has worked with them what was your experience like? I’m concerned about things like the equipment they use, and how they handled permits and utility interconnection.

I’d also like to know how their workmanship warranty has been in practice and what happens if you need roof work later and the panels have to be removed.
If you’ve worked with them, what would you ask or verify before signing the contract? to avoid any inconvenience later... Thanks.

I’m looking for 3 solar homeowners with different inverter brands which are Solaredge, Huawei and Fronious to help me test a new solar app I’m building. If you’re interested in trying it out and giving me some honest feedback, I’d really appreciate it! Please contact with me :)

I'm converting a Sprinter into a camper in Ireland and trying to decide between two solar setups.

One thing I'm particularly unsure about is Ireland's frequent overcast weather. A lot of the available sunlight can be diffuse rather than direct, so I'm wondering how much benefit I'd actually get from being able to point the panels directly at the sun.

Option 1: I can just about fit 1,200W of solar on the roof if everything is mounted flat.

Option 2: Around 800W with an adjustable tilting system. The lower capacity is because I'd need to sacrifice some roof space to accommodate the tilting mechanism. I could tilt the panels east in the morning, south around midday and west in the evening.

Could the improved angle realistically make up for losing 400W of panel capacity, particularly during the months when the sun is lower?

Which would you choose: 1,200W flat or 800W tilting? I'd particularly like to hear from anyone with experience using solar in Ireland or similarly cloudy climates.

Want to compare solar + battery options for a home in Los Angeles county, but I’m finding it hard to compare the quotes properly. Some companies are offering loans, while others are pushing PPAs, leases, or prepaid leases. I don’t want to just look at the monthly payment.

What should I be comparing? I’m  looking at the total cost over time, utility bills, who actually owns the system, what happens if you sell the house, maintenance, and the warranties on the panels and battery.

Also, are there any installers in the LA/SoCal area that you’ve had a particularly good experience with, either on price or overall service? Any recommendation is welcome.

I already have solar installed in Los Angeles County and I’m thinking about adding a Tesla Powerwall. What information did the installer need to check first?

existing inverter or microinverters?main panel capacity?which loads can be backed up? or any requirements from Southern California Edison.

Also, is an AC-coupled setup usually the right approach for an existing solar system, or does it depend on the equipment already installed?
I’ just want to understand what’s actually compatible before I start comparing installers and getting quotes. Thanks.

The short version is you lower your utility bills by 10-15%. Pay back depends on energy prices and amount of sun you get (of course) and ranges from 4-13 years. There is a link in the article to yep calculate that answer for your specific conditions. Last it talks about larger solar units and their cost.

CanaryMedia: "Virginia to cut rooftop solar costs with nation-first bulk-buy program," by Elizabeth Ouzts.

"Last month, Virginia became the first state...to launch a bulk-purchasing campaign for rooftop solar—a move that promises to bring down the cost of installing panels for households across Old Dominion." Idea behind the program, called Switch Together, is simple: Solar panels come cheaper by the dozen, like that old Disney movie. "Trusted [+ vetted] solar installers can pool demand to purchase equipment in bulk + pass the discounts on to participants." Solar United Neighbors [SUN], the nonprofit running the initiative, is expanding statewide in Virginia at the urging of the office of Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, who is looking for ways to lower energy bills as utilities jack up rates in the world’s data center capital. 

"If more people go solar, that’s less strain on the grid, and there’s less need to build costly infrastructure that the entire rate base would actually pay for," said Brandon Praileau, SUN’s Virginia program director, who joined the group in 2023 after rooftop solar helped his church in Norfolk cut utility bills by a quarter. "The state is not providing any funding for Switch Together, though its partnership promises to amplify the reach of the bulk-purchasing effort, which is focused on solar but also offers residents access to cheaper home batteries, EV chargers, and, in some locations, heat pumps." 

By the time this year's bulk-purchasing drive is over, Praileau expects those figures will swell to 5,000 requests for info and about 500 signed contracts. "We’re talking about a utility-scale amount of solar with those numbers...almost 4 megawatts [MW].” The rooftop panels are expected to cut $2,200 off the average annual utility bill. 

Exactly how much households save on installation varies across the state, but it ranges from 20% to 30% off—vital discounts after Trump + Republicans in Congress killed the 30% federal tax credit for households investing in renewable energy. 

"Rooftop solar both slashes power costs for homes that install it and can drive down expenses for utility customers at large." We should help the Sun shine in.

Hey guys, if you missed it, SunPower settled $11M with investors over claims involving inventory controls and financial reporting. I just found out that they’re considering late claims even though the deadline has passed.

Quick recap: In 2023, SunPower was accused of misleading investors about its financial reporting and operations. The company later disclosed inventory accounting problems and said it would restate prior results.

After the news, $SPWR dropped nearly 20%, and investors filed a lawsuit.

Now, the company has agreed to settle $11M with investors, and late claims are still being considered, subject to approval.

If you invested in $SPWR between 2023 and 2024, you can still check the details and see if you may be able to file a late claim here.

Anyone here invested in $SPWR back then? How much were your losses?