Solar Brokers Canada - NF

[John Bacon]

Has anybody dealt with Solar Brokers Canada? I received a call from them about installing solar panels.

 

Are they any particular concerns I should have about solar power; or in dealing with this particular company?

 

I do have some good southern exposure, so my house may be a good choice for solar power.

[Gerritt]

I have made it a policy long ago.... To never deal with companies that telemarket, it has served me well...

 

Add political parties to this list as well.

 

If I am in the market for something I will shop around and ask for advice.. I do not need Omar in Istanbul calling me telling me I need new windows and a roof job.

 

If you want to go solar do yourself a favour, call around, do your research and make an informed choice. Don't be taken by some telemarketer.

 

My 0.05 cents.

 

G

[tb4me]

Do they want to sell you solar setup or rent your roof? Thats the first question I would have..If its a rental agreement then they supply the equiptment at no cost to you, You simply collect a rent cheque once a year. After the 20 year contract is up you own the system.

[John Bacon]

Do they want to sell you solar setup or rent your roof? Thats the first question I would have..If its a rental agreement then they supply the equiptment at no cost to you, You simply collect a rent cheque once a year. After the 20 year contract is up you own the system.

 

Based on the short conversation with them; I think they want to rent the roof. I am scheduled to meet with them on Tuesday. I will know more then.

[adam lancia]

 

Based on the short conversation with them; I think they want to rent the roof. I am scheduled to meet with them on Tuesday. I will know more then.

Could you forward me their contact info via PM please? That sounds like a conversation I'd like to have as well. Thanks!

[woodenboater]

I believe there was a thread here about solar systems and the companies that rent roof tops. for some reason, I think I recall some caution mentioned re: rental/lease agreements. will dig it up if I have time

 

here the thread...http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=72942&hl=%2Bsolar+%2Bsystems

Edited December 8, 2014 by woodenboater

[John Bacon]

Could you forward me their contact info via PM please? That sounds like a conversation I'd like to have as well. Thanks!

 

Here is there web site.

 

http://solarbrokerscanada.com/#gotohome

 

If you want, you can touch base after I meet with them on Tuesday so I can let you know if any red flags come up.

[irishfield]

Not sure for a max $1600/yr, by the sound of their website, I'd be letting anyone drill mounting holes in my roof!

[tb4me]

I have the panels on my roof. The company that rents my roof pays me well for the space they rent. Drilling holes is a non issue if its done correctly..You want to be there on the install date. They use metal plates with rubber backing and pump silicone or thermo plastic sealant where ever mounting brackets go in. The roof itself will leak long before the mounting holes ever do. Most companies will allow for one roof change in the contract term. This means they will come uninstall the system once to change the roof. You still pay to have your roof re-shingled, they will come reinstall the system when the roof is finished. From what I understand the roof under the panels rarely needs changing due to the protection from the sun and weather from the panels. One thing I wish I had thought of is the snow..It sticks to the panels and when it lets go its like an avalanche and you best not be standing under it...

[Steve]

at minimum, inquire about the following:

 

upon signing the 20 year lease, can I sell my home, and if I do, what happens to the roof lease.

 

who is responsible for damage to the panels on my roof (weather damage or vandalism, some of the leases put that back on the homeowner).

 

do I still have access to my roof for basic maintenance. (including things as simple as gutter cleaning).

 

who will be doing the solar maintenance and will they give me a heads up or will they just be on my roof unannounced. (many agreements will read that the maintenance company will "try" to advice the home owner previous, but cannot guarantee contact will be made).

 

will my roof be checked for damage prior to the installation and any repairs required be covered as part of the lease agreement

 

what happens to the equipment installed on the roof upon completion of the 20 year lease (Don't let them have you "keep it"...it will be obsolete and possess no material value - similar to a 20 year old tv)

 

will the local fire department be contacted to advice my house has a rooftop solar array installed.

 

will an auto shut off switch be installed on the ground for disconnect in the event of a fire. (you would think this would be automatic, however, by laws have not been updated, nor has building code, to include the installation of solar panels).

 

will the leasing company you are dealing with directly pay for damage to your property caused by the panels, or will you have to submit a claim to a 3rd party company.

 

and finally, when your lease is up, 20 years later, who will complete any roof repairs to bring it back to the state it was prior to the install (if that is in agreement).

 

things you need to do aside from the solar leasing company:

 

- advise your broker or agent you are considering having panels installed on your roof which will be operated by a 3rd party leasing company. this increases your risk as a home owner, and depending on your insurer, may consider this a commercial operation within your residence. your company will require the details of the 3rd party leasing company, including their insurance information. right now less than 50% of residential insurer's here in Canada will allow for residential rooftop panels ...

 

 

personally, i'd be careful dealing with a solar leasing "broker". many companies out there can be dealt with directly.

 

pm me if you have any specific questions.

 

we insure a vast majority of these leasing companies....some are quite good, others not so great. (like anything in life).

 

** i'd even go so far as to consider having the lease agreement reviewed for a legal opinion **

[tb4me]

 

what happens to the equipment installed on the roof upon completion of the 20 year lease (Don't let them have you "keep it"...it will be obsolete and possess no material value - similar to a 20 year old tv)

t

You have great points, except for the one above.

 

Why would the system be "obsolete"? If it still generates hydro? You could run your house off this deal afterwords. Or at the bare minimum re sell the power back to OPG. I wouldn't consider the system garbage after 20 years if it still works..

Edited December 8, 2014 by tb4me

[Steve]

well...how to best explain this.

 

solar panel technology is rapidly improving....at exponential speed.

 

in 20 years, panels produced today will generate what a solar watch produced in 20 years from now will produce.

 

it truly is like saying, why am I throwing out this 20 year old tube tv when it still has a picture.

 

panels manufactured only 9 years ago already produce less solar power than a cheap solar cell sold by Canadian Tire.

 

truthfully, developers are already factoring in an equipment change "mid way" through that 20 year lease...developers are weighing costs vs increased revenue by increased solar generation power.

 

right now it appears that developers will exchange the existing panels in 11-13 years for cheaper and more efficient panels to ride out the rest of the 20 year contract.

 

if this happens, and I do believe it will, who will be responsible for the first set of rooftop arrays, already deemed obsolete, 12 years into the 20 year lease.

 

there is quite a disposal cost to solar panels. the developers who are able to convince the home owner that they are benefiting by keeping the panels after the 20 year lease are very good salesman..and saving their company huge money in disposal costs.

[irishfield]

Exactly Steve.. I still have my Radio shack cells from 1976, from my solar town project that took me to the Canada wide science fair in Victoria BC. Three of those panels back then wouldn't charge a 1.2 v AA battery! Todays technology in a similar size would charge your car battery.

[Gerritt]

Panels degrade upon age.the older they get the less efficient they become....

[Old Ironmaker]

A very unsettling thing happened here in \Haldimand a few years back. A solar panel salesman knocked on a homeowners door and sold them 60K worth of solar panels with the aim to sell power back into the grid. Long story short after a 20K down payment and signing a contract after re mortgaging the farm the installation of the panels on the ground was done. When it came time to notify Haldimand Hydro power was coming they were told that the Dunnville system couldn't handle one more watt until the new substation was completed "sometime in the future" because of all the solar arrays now. It was in our weekly rag and I have never heard a follow up story. There were too many screw ups to list. Another thing on the to Google list.

 

A local farmer and acquaintance has a very large solar system on his new barn that has the one sided sloped roof. The build up of snow is the biggest problem, generating far less or no power when covered and leaves enough snow it needs to be moved by front end loader. And unsafe to be under it. The other is not enough sunlight this past summer, supposedly it will average out. This system was big money, he says he should have gone with the lease. The other thing was insurance for the building, His insurer which was a local Mutual wouldn't touch it, it cost him money he didn't factor into the overhead.

 

As a residential property I would check for insurance for sure. This is fairly new to all players. And I would never do business with anyone cold calling me or knocking on my door, ever.

 

The Marine company that builds commercial vessels down the road put in what was then a huge a windturbine 13 years ago and the local building inspector finally raised his hands and said do what you have to do, they had never seen one before. Now there are 300 locally that tower over this toy system he has. Technology changes and quickly.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Old Ironmaker

[Old Ironmaker]

Found a follow up done last year. I do have to give kudos to the couple. Most people scamed or that do something somewhat stupid generally keep it to them selves. At least this family decided to share this sad saga so others may learn from it. I was close with the numbers and the story. My memory isn't completely gone. Actually this Winsor papers article is a readers digest version of the Spec article.

 

[url=http://www.ourwindsor.ca/news-story/4286341-dunnville-couple-feeling-burned-by-certified-solar/]http://www.ourwindsor.ca/news-story/4286341-dunnville-couple-feeling-burned-by-certified-solar/[/url

Edited December 8, 2014 by Old Ironmaker

[irishfield]

There's a large number of farms in the Arcona / Forest area that have nice solar arrays.. and have been forced to sell the family farm because of them and their cost. Remortgaged to get on board because of "snake oil salesmen" and then no lines or capacity to be hooked in. Good for the wheat farmers that use their land now.. not so much for the families that had to sell.

[Steve]

grid capacity was (and still is) the single largest hindrance to the generation of renewable energies (including solar, wind, bio, etc).

 

micro grids may alleviate the issue, but that technology is still in relative infancy.

[John Bacon]

Thanks for all or your help. You did come up with some questions and points that I had not thought of.

 

I actually just spoke to the person I was supposed to meet tomorrow. We have put off the meeting for now. He said I do not qualify for free installation; plus, my roof is too old.

 

I would qualify under the investor program; but I am not interested in that at the moment.

[tb4me]

Ya good on you to wait it out..Like I said I lease my roof out and am very happy..As for insurance the panels and the system are insured by the leasing company and has no effect on my house insurance at all..This from my State Farm broker himself. As for the panels after 20 years, I could care less what they do with them..Ill gladly keep them..A 7 kilowatt system is 7 kilowatts no matter how I slice it..If it still works Ill use it..If it doesnt work there is more then enough scrap aluminum up there to more then cover the costs of disposal. My local landfill charges 45 dollars a ton and anything under 200kg is 5 bucks...Im very happy with my rooftop lease and have no complaints other then snow sliding off..Take from that what you will..Good luck no matter what you choose to do