NRG Clear Energy: Small Footprint, Huge Guarantee

NRG Clear Energy brings one of many photo voltaic trade’s most assured approaches to its work, providing a worth match and 40-year guarantee. This helped push NRG to one in all CNET’s highest scores we have seen from the photo voltaic firms we have reviewed up to now.

One massive caveat: In case you do not reside in California or Texas, you will must preserve buying. In case you do reside in one in all these two states, NRG is value contemplating. 

NRG Clear Energy has its origins in a California-based heating and air-con firm that has been round for 3 many years. Twelve years in the past the corporate cut up, with NRG Clear Energy focusing solely on solar energy as “type of its personal entity,” in response to gross sales director Andrew Cohen.

Considerably confusingly, the corporate has no relation to worldwide power behemoth NRG Power, which has dabbled in photo voltaic and different renewables over time. 

NRG Clear Energy focuses on residential photo voltaic installations throughout California, and more and more in elements of Texas. 

Lately there’s been a little bit of a rush so as to add solar energy to many a roof or residence. It simply appears to make sense with a brand new spherical of economic and tax incentives that may pay for a considerable quantity of a brand new system. (Regardless of inflation and different financial turbulence, the residential photo voltaic market broke its file for installations once more in 2022.) And with the ravages of local weather change within the type of unprecedented wildfires, warmth waves and highly effective storms making headlines, including extra renewables to our power combine can be a socially accountable funding. 

This has created one thing of a growth, with quite a few photo voltaic installers popping as much as provide all that demand. This may make it a bit bewildering to navigate the trade. NRG Clear Energy appears to be like to reassure householders by standing behind its work longer than some other firm we’re conscious of, with a guaranty that extends throughout the lifetime of your system or roughly half of yours (40 years), whichever comes first. 

Take into accout we do not immediately assessment gear or companies (you’ll be able to be taught extra about our methodology under) and it is necessary to do your personal due diligence and accumulate a number of quotes from native installers earlier than signing a contract. 

What do I get from NRG Clear Energy?

NRG Clear Energy presents photo voltaic system installations for buy and is prepared to assist householders discover financing by means of a photo voltaic mortgage. NRG Clear Energy has additionally began providing photo voltaic leasing or energy buy agreements. 

Not like many photo voltaic firms, NRG additionally does roofing. This implies it might probably change or improve a house owner’s roof earlier than putting in photo voltaic to spice up effectivity and be sure that a very powerful basis of any rooftop photo voltaic system goes to final at some point of its lifetime. 

One other non-standard service provided is photo voltaic panel cleansing, an necessary upkeep service the corporate says can increase house power manufacturing by as a lot as 25%. Although to succeed in that mark, these would possible be some soiled panels. 

What photo voltaic gear does NRG Clear Energy set up?

NRG installs a variety of title model photo voltaic panels, batteries and inverters, together with plenty of photo voltaic modules from REC, Panasonic and Qcells in addition to “just about something that is going to make the design optimum for that specific house owner,” Cohen mentioned. 

He notes that NRG is a licensed installer for a lot of producers, which may generally imply longer warranties. 

Enphase, SolarEdge and Tesla are the corporate’s hottest decisions for batteries in addition to inverters, together with both microinverters or string inverters. 

What warranties does NRG Clear Energy provide?

NRG Clear Energy usually depends on producers’ warranties for gear. Business requirements are round 25 years for panels and inverters and 10 years for batteries. Cohen says as a result of the corporate is a licensed installer with REC, it is doable to get an extended, 30-year guarantee on their parts. 

What actually units NRG aside is its 40-year or lifetime workmanship guarantee. The corporate ensures its set up work in opposition to leaks, unsatisfactory power manufacturing or different efficiency points for 40 years or the lifetime of the system, whichever comes first. 

On the time this was written, this guarantee is by far the longest workmanship guarantee we have come throughout within the residential photo voltaic trade up to now. 

Does NRG Clear Energy provide monitoring companies?

The NRG Clear Energy app lets you verify the standing of undertaking approval and set up earlier than the system is activated for the primary time. The app is comparatively new and has not but been reviewed on Google or Apple app shops. 

For system monitoring, Cohen mentioned it is often greatest to depend on apps offered by the inverter producer, such because the Tesla or Enphase Enlighten app. 

He added that NRG itself does not monitor individuals’s power manufacturing, however recommends you make weekly checks and reap the benefits of a photo voltaic panel cleansing service a few times a 12 months. 

“It is actually necessary that householders are monitoring their methods constantly,” Cohen mentioned. 

Does NRG Clear Energy use subcontractors? 

NRG covers all of California and most of Texas utilizing all-remote, digital power advisors and an inventory of installers, together with subcontractors.

“We discover that it is the greatest enterprise mannequin for us to have the ability to leverage native execs in addition to our personal,” Cohen defined.

Whereas the corporate employs some in-house installers, it is prone to contract out work in additional distant areas. 

Cohen mentioned NRG has a strict onboarding course of for subcontractors and needs to see a portfolio of labor from all of its potential installers. 

We at all times think about it a bonus to see extra worker installers on an organization’s roster, however it’s not an element that counts in our scoring system. NRG’s strategy will not be uncommon for the trade. 

How a lot do NRG Clear Energy panels price?

Like almost all photo voltaic firms we converse with, NRG Clear Energy didn’t provide particular pricing info. This is not shocking, given how a lot householders’ wants and challenges can fluctuate from one state of affairs to the following and market to market.

After I requested about photo voltaic pricing, the very first thing Cohen talked about was the corporate coverage of offering a worth match, which is certainly not an trade customary. 

“In case you can present an apples-to-apples quote that has premium supplies, in all probability the identical inverter, similar photo voltaic module or not less than similar wattage with an identical effectivity, we’ll worth match that quote so long as it is a exhausting quote,” he was fast to clarify. 

He added that he considers NRG typically “aggressive” on pricing. 

“We’re extra of a excessive quantity installer and we’re in a position to preserve our charges low by leveraging native installers.”

Here is a take a look at the nationwide common costs from three completely different knowledge sources together with: Lawrence Berkeley Nationwide Laboratory, FindEnergy and the power consulting agency Wooden Mackenzie.

To get an thought of what photo voltaic prices appear to be in every state throughout the US, this is a take a look at the common complete price, system dimension and value per watt of photo voltaic panels, in response to knowledge from FindEnergy.com.

What financing choices does NRG Clear Energy provide?

NRG works with a variety of credit score unions and monetary establishments, together with Mosaic Federal Credit score Union and the Power Mortgage Community to assist householders discover photo voltaic loans and financing for a brand new system.

Moreover, Cohen mentioned the corporate can be prepared to work with different credit score unions or loans that householders safe on their very own.

“If you may get a greater mortgage than one thing we provide, no downside,” Cohen mentioned.

The corporate presents leases and energy buy agreements in addition to loans and financing, Cohen mentioned.

Does NRG Clear Energy function in my state? How do I order?

NRG Clear Energy presents photo voltaic installations throughout the overwhelming majority of California and elements of Texas, together with the Dallas and Houston areas.

Ordering from the corporate begins with offering current utility payments and fundamental details about your home earlier than a digital session that is often a Google Meet lasting 30 to 60 minutes. NRG’s power consultants use Aurora design software program to create a 3D mannequin of the property utilizing lidar and satellite tv for pc imagery. The dialog additionally consists of dialogue of financing, if desired. 

To maneuver ahead, a deposit (often about $1,000) is collected adopted by an in-person web site analysis the place a technician and drone are despatched to examine the property and home totally. Cohen mentioned it is also doable to request an categorical web site analysis for a house owner that may present their very own images. 

Subsequent comes a extra detailed design for approval by either side. The corporate then collects a second “progress fee” and strikes ahead to the allowing course of. Lastly, the system is put in, and as soon as an inspection is accomplished and there may be permission to activate the system, all the pieces is completed. Cohen estimated it is usually a two- to three-month course of from begin to end. 

NRG Clear Energy opinions: What are clients saying?

Total, there aren’t that many on-line opinions of NRG Clear Energy, in comparison with a number of the bigger firms on the market. It was a mixture of adverse and optimistic opinions. The corporate is accredited with the Higher Enterprise Bureau, however has a rating of “B,” which is decrease than most accredited photo voltaic firms. 

5-star NRG Clear Energy opinions

“I used to be referred to NRG by a neighbor, and am glad I took the advice! Put in in simply a few months and no issues to report. Good communication.” — Paul R, March 3, 2023

1-star NRG Clear Energy opinions

“Run, do not stroll away from this firm!! We ordered photo voltaic panels in April, 2022 and did not get them put in till October, 2022. They’re nonetheless unusable and the set up crew has no thought why or the way to repair it. We have now NEVER been in a position to converse to anybody at NRG until they had been wanting cash.” — Jackie D. Jan. 1, 2023

Is NRG Clear Energy the only option?

One of the vital necessary issues to do when selecting an organization to put in a photo voltaic system on your own home is to get a number of exhausting quotes to your particular person state of affairs. Critiques like this will solely let you know a lot. Additionally, needless to say CNET doesn’t immediately assessment any of the gear or companies described right here. 

We don’t undergo the ordering course of with NRG Clear Energy, however as a substitute depend on our personal analysis, conversations with the corporate and information of the trade to place collectively this assessment. 

That mentioned, NRG could possibly be a compelling possibility, particularly given its spectacular workmanship guarantee and emphasis on its worth match assure. 

There’s some trigger for concern in opinions and complaints in regards to the firm submitted to the Higher Enterprise Bureau. Typically talking, although, we do not suggest making a call primarily based solely on on-line opinions. You may think about asking an organization consultant about a number of the patterns you see in adverse opinions to learn the way they have been addressed. 

NRG Clear Energy execs and cons

Execs

• Business-leading workmanship guarantee
• Value match assure
• Big selection of manufacturers and parts provided

Cons

• Higher Enterprise Bureau grade is decrease than many opponents
• Operates in solely two states

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 not possible. To offer a useful assessment, we centered on what we are able to measure and meaningfully examine amongst firms.

We concentrate on three buckets of standards: gear, warranties and repair. 

Inside the gear class, firms obtain scores for the panels, inverters and batteries they set up. Warranties embody the ensures on the panels, workmanship and weatherization in opposition to leaks. Corporations earn factors for service if they provide a worth match, a significant degree of worth 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 at all times be detailed within the assessment.

You’ll be able to learn an in depth take a look at how the scoring breaks down.

We do not think about the common worth of an organization’s installations of their rating. This info is tough to seek out and exhausting to match throughout service areas (and even roof to roof). Corporations are sometimes gradual to reveal it, too. We additionally pass over simply discovered however not helpful info such because the variety of states an organization operates in.

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