Real Goods Solar

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Once the new roof was finished, the solar panels were installed. There was only one hiccup that did not cause a delay...The wrong "cables" were sent, however, they arrived before installation began.

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From first contact with Real Goods I had a feeling they would be the contractor we would go with for our solar system. Suzanna, the sales rep was friendly and knowledgeable. She really took the time to educate us about our options and provided us with multiple quotes for different size systems. Michelle took over from there and got us bumped up on the calendar almost 3 months! We were anxious to get our system during the sunny summer months and Michelle made that happen. The crew, led by Troy, was incredible. They installed our 22 panel system in under 8 hours. They arrived on time and got right to work. They worked thru the 90+ degree heat and got the job done. Professional, clean and courteous. As I write this our meter has been running backwards for the past hour. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

We were very pleased with what they've done and how they did it. They were quiet and clean.

In may of 2012, we decided to look at the feasability of installing a photovoltaic system to reduce our monthly expenses. We received quotes from three vendors and selected Real Goods Solar on the basis of: - proposed system: components, capacity, placement. - cost: not the low bid however very competitive. - expertise: the sales person (Mike Gallagher) has very good knowledge of PV systems and the PGand E tariff environment. The sales process was professional and the company was very sensitive to concerns with esthetics, return on investment (mine) and allowances for future expansion. I appreciated the Real Goods Solar ethos and expertise and believe they have the resources required to honor a 25 year warrantee. The installation process went very smoothly. All appointments were kept on-time and any communications were responded to promptly and satisfactorily. Real Goods Solar handled all of the permit applications and inspections. The panels and related hardware were installed without issue and as specified. The workmanship was done neatly and the installers and electrician cleaned up the site afterwards. A minor issue is the AC lines in the attic; this could have been done neater and routed out of the way. This is not visible and does not affect the system. The electrician minimized the amount of visible electrical conduit as requested. At the time of this writing, the system has been running for two weeks without issue and has been generating power at the levels expected. PGand E has yet to replace the meter and change us over to Time-Of-Use/ Net Energy Metering. It has not rained since the installation. Overall, I have been very happy withReal Goods Solar and have appreciated their professionalism and enthusiasm.

The installation went smoothly. We also needed a new roof, so we asked Real Goods to coordinate with our roofer so that the supports for the solar panels could be put in place as the roofer was working. We had been told that would help ensure a better roofing job. (The roofer was Excelsior, also an excellent company who coordinated well with Real Goods.) So on roofing day, Real Goods sent out a crew to work with the roofer, attaching the solar supports to the rafters. Two days after the roofing job, the installation crew returned to put up the solar panel racks on the supports, do the wiring and grounding of the system. It was an all-day job, but the crew was wonderful, even going so far as to paint the conduit they were putting up using paint we provided so the conduit blends with the house colors. Real Goods coordinated with us, working around a long-planned vacation to coordinate the inspection of the system. The first inspection by the San Francisco building department found some changes San Francisco wanted and a crew came out a couple of days later to make the necessary changes. One major change did not involve San Francisco's demands but was the result of an aesthetic consideration: the original panels were tilted 15 degrees off the roof to better catch the sun during the low-sun months of the year (November-February), but at 15 degrees, they were very visible to our neighbors. We asked Real Goods to calculate how much efficiency we would lose if the panels were dropped to 10 degrees. The answer was about three-percent, so we asked Real Goods to lower the panels. They did so at no charge, although it involved 4-5 man hours of work. On the second inspection, the system was passed by San Francisco.

Marin Solar did a very good job. They had a little problem with the city inspector but that was not their fault and they were able to do all the necessary work to be able to finish the job. Everyone that we met there is very conscientious and they have a good work mentality.

The problem went away. At the time of installations they were clean and professional. I had other bids but they were better. They did handle all of the paper for the rebate for me as well.