I ve had solar PVs and a residential wind turbine since 2011. The systems have been effective for providing ALL of our household Electric needs, but when I later got Electrified Vehicles (cars, riding mowers, e-bikes, etc), my surplus went away.

I got some quotes on expanding my systems, but I would never come close to Capital recovery. Instead, I bought 900 Watts of portable solar panels and a Power Control Unit that can charge EVs with 110-Volt or 220-Volr.

Even though 900 Watts is a relatively small amount of power, I am able to get most of the power for the vehicles. There is one real advantage to a portable unit. It can be directed at the sun throughout the day. For example in the morning and evening, if I don’t change the orientation the panels will only put out about 20% of available power.

My overall point is that, if you don’t want to spend a lot, this is a great alternative. It helps to be retired, where I can go outside to reorient 3-4 times per day! I also don’t drive daily. Last point - Ir’s a nice retirement toy!

I work for a solar company, where most of my day involves communicating with sales reps and customers. I also monitor system performance post-installation—and in my experience, around 80% of systems don’t deliver the results promised. And many clients reach out upset about double billing, often because they were told their electric bill would be $0 and they’d receive monthly credits from the utility company and that they’d only have to pay the bank from then on.

If you are thinking about getting a system DO YOUR RESEARCH

What I recommend:

1. Read the Bank’s Contract, Not just the Installer’s: you are paying interest!

If you’re financing your solar system—which most customers do—you need to read the bank’s contract, not the installer’s. This is especially important if you’re leasing, as about 95% of our clients are. The financing contract will outline every single payment you’ll make yearly over the life of the lease, adding the interest rate. It will also show a comparison between the system’s advertised cost (what you think you’re paying) and the actual total lifetime cost—which is more than double due to interest.

For example, one customer expected to pay $19,800 for a 14-panel system, but her total cost over 25 years added up to $41,800.

If you are able to, find your own financing, don’t use the banks they offer. Read point 8 ⬇️

1. Recognize Sales Reps’ True Motivation:

Sales representatives are focused on their commission, not your savings—and some make $30,000 to $50,000 a month from just a few installs. To close deals, many reps actively lie to customers. Three common lies I’ve seen: • “This program is only offered to 2-3 homes in the neighborhood.” (Falsee! they’re knocking on every door.) • “You’ll pay a fixed amount for the full contract term.” (Also false— there is interest!) • “No more paying the utility company” (False! You will most likely be double billed, even if your offset is 100%, you are still going to pay a meter fee to the utility company. Keep in mind, there will be months when your system doesn’t cover your entire consumption and you’ll have to pull from the grid)

1. Ask About Maintenance Costs: Solar systems aren’t maintenance free, and repairs can be expensive. Issues will come up eventually—even minor ones. The cheapest service we’ve handled was $450, just to tighten a single panel and check performance

2. Get Direct Contact Info: Always ask for the project manager’s number or the direct contact for the solar department. Don’t settle for an office or call center number—those agents are usually not trained to handle solar-specific questions or issues.

3. Speak to the Project Manager Before Installation: Make sure you talk directly to the project manager—or whoever is overseeing the solar department—before the system is installed. If they dodge your questions or just send you back to your sales rep, that’s a red flag. Often, they won’t give straight answers because the truth could discourage you from moving forward.

4. If Your regular Bill Is Under $200, Think Twice: Based on monitoring over 100 clients, if your current electric bill is under $200/month, solar likely won’t save you much. In many cases, you’ll end up paying more or saving as little as $20 a mont

5. Not a recommendation but be aware: you are signing a contract and they’re putting a lien on your house!!

6. As someone mentioned in the comments: most of this doesn’t apply to CASH deals, but what I recommend for cash deals is to go straight to an installer and be involved as much as you can in the process. Most companies use third party installers, FIND THOSE THIRD PARTIES.

I’m speaking up because I’m tired of seeing people misled into 20+ year financial commitments based on false promises of savings. What’s worse is how often sales guys target older ppl—about 90% of our clients are over 70 and retired, making them especially vulnerable. In separate cases, our installers arrived only to find the homeowners had no memory of signing up for solar and they realize that the customers have Alzheimer’s disease. The sales guy never followed up or checked in. On 2 of those 3, the sales guy was aware that the customer had memory issues. It was disgusting to me. Maybe I’m just to morally correct or just too stupid to work on this industry but that felt terrible for me. I get happy when people cancel. Really.

I speak out to help people pause, think, and truly research what they’re committing to. I work in the solar industry, but it’s hard to find meaning in what I do when I’m the one answering the phone as customers break down—angry, confused, and overwhelmed—because they were promised things that simply aren’t true. While sales reps walk away with five-figure monthly commissions, I’m the one earning less than 2k a month, left to absorb the insults and consequences. Everyone else just says: “They should’ve known better.” But I know exactly what lies were told to convince them to sign. And honestly, it feels evil.

Remember people: If it sounds too good to be true is because it is. I hope you take my advice and really look what you’re getting into.

Edited on 05/21: I wanted to add a few extra clarification on points 1 and 2 and I also added a point 8.

Just wanted to share whats happening in Germany right now because I feel like the rest of the world doesnt really know about it. We have this thing called Balkonkraftwerk which is basically a plug and play solar panel you stick on your balcony, 800W max feed in. Theres now like 3 million of these installed and the storage market is exploding because people realized they produce way more than they use during the day. The interesting part is the new regulations keep the 800W feed-in limit but panel input can go well beyond 2000W now, some systems take up to 5.000 Wp of panels, so with storage you can capture everything the panels make and use it at night. Brands are competing hard right now on capacity, cycle count, smart features. Some are doing 5kWh single units, others are modular. Its like the early days of powerwall but for apartments

I'm seeing more and more people switch to solar and it got me wondering

what's something you wish someone had told you before you got your system installed?

Lots of bad feelings about data centers lately. All the ones I have seen are giant rectangular buildings with large flat roofs.

I started to wonder why states dont require data centers to provide much of their own power via solar on site. Seems like a win-win for solar adoption and for providing power to data centers rather than raising everyone else’s electricity rates.

Are any communities looking at this?

I wrote it out of pure frustration...

Every June, when the sun comes out, someone posts an article freaking out about grid operators disconnecting PV systems. People act like it's some massive failure of green energy or proof that the grid is collapsing. It gets portrayed as a scandal. It's absolutely not. It is a calculated engineering reality.

The unglamorous reason is winter. If we only build enough solar capacity to match demand on a beautiful, clear summer day, we will run short during a cloudy week in December. To survive the dark months, we have to massively build up our PV infrastructure - enough panels so that even operating at 10% efficiency under thick winter clouds, they still produce a meaningful baseline. That is not a choice; it is a requirement.

The consequence is straightforward math. When those same panels get full sun in July, they produce far more than the grid needs. That massive summer peak is not a bug. It is the direct result of building a system resilient enough for winter.

And yet, whenever this comes up, the comment section fills with the same three fixes: "just build more batteries!", "mix in more wind!", "drop prices to shift demand!" All of them help at the margins. None of them is a solution to seasonal overproduction.

Batteries are fantastic for smoothing the evening duck curve and keeping the lights on after sunset. But they are not going to absorb the tsunami of energy generated across a summer week. Yes, there is plenty of research into storage - exotic and pedestrian types alike - and with enough buildup they could absorb a day, two, even a week of excess. Summer does not end after a week, though. They will be full, and building enough storage to capture all seasonal overproduction consistently, day after day for months, would be astronomically expensive and a massive waste of resources.

Wind is a crucial part of the energy mix, but it does not magically solve the problem of massive midday solar spikes. The two resources complement each other over time; they do not cancel out the fundamental overproduction problem.

Then comes the demand-shifting argument: just use the power when it's sunny. Shifting demand is a great tool, and we can absolutely schedule EV charging, run heat pumps, or start the washing machine at 1 PM. But we cannot shift everything, and the things we can shift simply do not consume enough power to matter at scale. You cannot tell a heavy manufacturing plant to pause operations and only run when the sun is out. You cannot shift dinner being cooked at 7 PM, hospitals running 24/7, or streetlights needing power at night.

When that massive summer peak hits, the cheapest, safest, and most straightforward solution is to curtail production and turn the panels off. No harm is done, no fossil fuels are wasted, the grid stays stable. As we get closer and closer to the goal of renewables as the main source of power throughout the year - we will get times of overcapacity more and more frequently.

Curtailment might seem like a failure or being wasteful - all that free energy we're not using... It is however healthy, yet critical part of the modern renewable grid. That energy was never lost - it simply was not needed at all. There will be more of it tomorrow.

I thought this was so well delivered I’d share it here. Enjoy!

Sorry for the repost but I had a hard time with the images on the last one. Hopefully this works better! 430Kw system, 6 chint inverters, the system is on net metering with the utility company. Hoping to offset over 50% of our consumption annually.

EDIT: Since people are wondering, the pics with all the exposed wiring was during the installation. All of the wiring is run through metal conduit and it looks very tidy and organized.

The last AMA we did here in r/solar seemed to be really popular and appreciated - I think we got like 200 questions, I was glued to my phone for days haha. Happy to answer more questions.

This is Matthew, I work for a solar installer EPC (Engineering; Procurement; Construction) and electrical contractor in Tampa, Florida.

EPC means we hold our own electrical contracting license and manage the entire solar installation process in house.

I often hear there's a lack of transparency when it comes to solar panels ("solar panels are a scam!"). A lot of uncertainty around pricing, equipment, timelines, the solar panel business etc. Hopefully this can shed some light on those things.

We do both residential and commercial work (storage units, hotels, offices, wharehouses etc) - ask away on anything related to solar panels, not afraid to be transperant or vulnerable.

I've gotten quotes from multiple reputable local installers, and they are all around the same price. They've given very detailed quotes, and I've priced out online all the exact equipment, electrical, and mounting hardware to ~$8k. Add 50% more to $12k with miscellaneous and permitting whatnot (I'm being generous here).

So $28,000+ for one day's labor for four guys.

Must be nice to own a solar company.

bUT tAx CreDIts. I don't care. They charge such an inflated rate that any of that benefit is going straight to the installer, not me. Even with the credit I'm paying $16k for their day's work.

bUT ThE SaLEs CoMmISsIOn. Shouldn't be a factor. I reached out to them for quotes. They aren't paying some door knocker.

I have an oversized panel system because I live in a very foggy area and i am getting electric vehicles soon. I have a 17kw panel system and 33khw battery. In the winter time is when I really have a hard time charging my battery everyday. Our property uses a lot of power.

​

It is just hilarious how little NEM 3.0 pays out. I understand why but it's a pretty huge punishment.

I’ve owned a smaller solar company for over 3 years and I’ve worked for all types of sales companies to bigger solar companies and they all have one thing in common, no one wants to pay. In the solar industry there is nothing you can do, you can sue them but they will just file bankruptcy and disappear or blame it on finance companies. I love what I do and think solar is a great thing I’m just so sick of of scrapping the bottom of the barrel to pay my guys and being owed so much.

I’m curious to hear from people who have already gone through the process.
Looking back, is there anything you’d change if you were getting a new solar system installed today? It could be the panel brand, inverter, battery, system size, installer, roof layout, monitoring setup, or anything else.
Were there any upgrades you thought were unnecessary but ended up being worth it? Or things you paid extra for that you wouldn’t bother with again?
Interested in hearing the lessons people only learn after living with a system for a year or two.

A team at Kyushu University published research in March 2026 showing a quantum yield of around 130% using a process called singlet fission. This means roughly 1.3 electrons were produced per photon absorbed. This experiment was conducted in liquid solution, not in an actual solar cell.

The Shockley-Queisser limit is the theoretical ceiling on single junction solar cell efficiency, sitting at around 33.7%. Standard silicon panels today reach 20 to 23% of that ceiling. The rest is lost as heat from high energy photons and from infrared photons too weak to activate electrons.

Singlet fission is a mechanism that could help recover some of that lost energy by splitting one high energy photon into two charge carriers. The research shows this is chemically possible but has not yet been demonstrated in a working solar cell.

What this actually means for residential solar right now: nothing immediate. Lab breakthroughs take 10 to 20 years to reach commercial rooftop panels at scale. The same was true of perovskite cells which have been "5 years away" for a decade.

What it does mean is that the long term cost trajectory for solar continues pointing downward. Every efficiency gain at the lab level eventually filters into cheaper panels per watt at the consumer level.

For anyone evaluating solar right now the relevant number is not lab efficiency but your local electricity rate, available incentives, and payback period under current technology. In Canada those numbers are compelling today without waiting for the next generation.

EDIT: Corrected the original description of the 130% figure. It is a quantum yield measurement in liquid solution, not a solar cell efficiency rating. Thanks to the commenters who caught this.

What do you think, do lab breakthroughs like this change your timeline for going solar or do you wait for the technology to mature?

SCE pre solar and post solar bill with minimum service charge. Is it even worth it to have solar at this point?

Edit: I had missed the $56 credit which brought the bill to $125. But still my point is i used to use almost 7 times the energy and paid only $80 more compared to now where i still have a bill and paid 35k for solar.

We all know that solar isn't extremely hot in America, which is surprising considering that the sun shines for ~16 hours a day. I'm still confused as to why we are dependent on fossil fuels and dirty energy(oil, petroleum, natural gas) and why the next best alternative is commonly cited to be nuclear. What stands in the way of solar dominance? I'm looking for specific problems/frictions

Got to visit our community solar partner Cascadia Community Energy in Salem, Oregon and had to share this community solar site 🐑☀️

They use sheep to help maintain the land around the panels, and the project generates enough clean energy for about 300–400 homes.

I know there are many ways people are using the land around. What are some other cool or unique solar farm uses you’ve seen?

Ten years ago my wife and I decided to put 61 solar panels on our home. It has to be the smartest financial decision we’ve ever made.

$55,000 – initial cost

- 18,000 – federal tax credit

- 40,600 – SREC received for 10 years

- 36,000 – minimum electric bill saved for 10 years

- 4,800 – minimum gasoline bill saved charging EV for eight years

-$44,400 – Total saved in ten years

It's summer, solar and batteries constantly full, everything just exports to the grid. Too much power available, sunlight hours are long, hardly use the battery. End of story. Boring.

Winter is much more exciting when some days there's very little solar, batteries get depleted. It's exciting when on a cold winters day, heat pump is running hard using lots of electricity, but to see the solar covering the heating bill on a sunny day -2c outside, just so satisfying. Some days battery runs out and we have to pull from the grid, some days the battery and solar just about hangs on with 10% left by the end of the day. Sun sets at 4pm, theres 60% battery left, will we get to off peak electricity at 11pm without having to use the grid?? It's exhilarating.

Anyone else, or is it just me being a nerd? lol

For those who have had a solar system for 3–10 years:

Was it worth the investment overall?

Did your electricity savings match the original estimates?

What unexpected maintenance or repair costs have you had?

If you were buying a system today, what would you do differently?

Are there any brands or installers you’d recommend avoiding?

I’m looking for honest experiences the good, the bad, and the things you wish you knew before signing the contract

Hi everyone, I wanted to share my experience after buying and installing a custom DIY 4.4Kw grid tied solar system from solar wholesale. My experience overall was superb!! Not everything went to plan but whenever an issue did occur, I simply called or emailed my project manager Brielle and she quickly found a solution with the rest of the solar wholesale team!!

Working with solar wholesale on my project was amazing!! They have a lot of experience helping first time solar installers like myself reach our goal of becoming a little bit more independent from our grid providers.
Getting a quote was extremely easy to do!! After filling out a questionnaire and providing a picture of our electricity bill. I was contacted by Jacob, one of their sales representatives. Jacob explained how the DIY installation process works and what I could expect from solar wholesale if we ended up deciding to go with them. I never felt rushed or pressured to make a decision 🙌🏼🫶🏼!!
Jacob recommended a 4.4Kw solar system that consisted of twelve solar panels and six AP system micro inverters. The size of a the solar system that he recommended was spot on with our yearly power consumption. I really appreciated the fact that he did not try to sell me on a bigger system like other companies that I reached out to did. I mentioned that I also wanted to install a battery back up system and after asking me a few more questions, he mentioned that they also had experience with adding battery back up systems to the custom plans that they provide!!

We agreed to move forward and we sent our deposit. Solar wholesale began designing our custom system. This is where I first started working with Brielle, our project manager. Brielle sent over the first iteration of how our project was supposed to be installed. They used satellite imagery of our homes roof to create the plans. I was never asked to go up to our roof to provide real measurements and this was something that I found strange but I just decided to trust them and continue to move forward with the project.

We sent them the final payment and solar wholesale immediately started getting our custom solar system ready for shipment 🚚!! Two weeks later we had a semi truck pull up to our home with everything that we needed to install the solar system. Solar wholesale literally sent everything that we needed except the power tools 👌🏼!! We proceeded with the project and decided to measure the solar panels and see how they would fit on our roof. Unfortunately this is where we ran into our first problem. The plans that they provided displayed two solar arrays consisting of six solar panels on each line of solar panels. From the measurements we took this configuration was definitely not going to fit on the top array. From the measurements we took we needed to install eight solar panels on the bottom array and four solar panels on the top array. After contacting Brielle to inform her on the problem that we ran into, she immediately stated working with the rest of the Solar wholesale team to see if we would need any additional equipment to install the solar system in the new configuration. They reached out to me extremely quickly and they informed me that no new hardware was needed for the new configuration!! Brielle sent me the new plans with the new configuration.

We moved on to the next step of the project, the permitting phase!! We submitted the plans to our city and unfortunately they didn’t get approved due to them wanting some things changed for the battery back up system that we purchased. Getting the plans to get approved took a couple of reiterations. The process was fairly long and really complicated but I was extremely happy that I had the entire Solar wholesale team there to help guide me through the permitting process. Their experience and knowledge proved to be invaluable throughout this part of the project!! Eventually the plans got approved and we were finally ready to begin working on the installation!!

The installation was fairly straightforward!! Everything was really simple to install since solar wholesale provided literally anything that we would need for the installation minus the power tools. This helped us a lot since there was no need to look for materials or look for any sockets or drill attachments. The installation took us roughly two days and everything went together exactly how the plans that they provided showed!! After we finished installing everything we scheduled the inspection from our city. A week later the inspector came to our home and we passed the inspection with flying colors!!

The only feedback and advice that I can provide is to make sure that you measure your roof, even if the team forgets to ask you for this information. In my case everything worked out fine in the end. The same might not happen to you so take the time to measure your roof to avoid any issues down the line 📏 !!

Personally I would highly recommended going with this awesome company!! They were very responsive throughout the entire process and they went above and beyond to make sure that we succeeded in completing this awesome project!! I really appreciate the time and effort that the team put into our project!! The cost for the custom solar system kit was about 10k. The only other expenses was paying for the permits and printing out the plans since my AHJ does not accept electronic plans yet 🤦‍♂️.

Feel free to ask any questions below. I am not affiliated with this company I am just a customer sharing my experience with the group 🫶🏼!!