Luke Burnham

Review of New England Clean Energy

Overall, I m extremely happy with the system insta...

Overall, I m extremely happy with the system installed by New England Clean Energy. I've had the system for just over a year. I installed my panels mostly for environmental reasons to reduce my impact on the environment and less so for financial reasons so the cost of the system wasn t a top priority. I place the most emphasis on a job done well. I m willing to pay more to ensure the job is done correctly. During my research I learned from several other people about long-term problems with other companies. Although these other companies offered a less expensive solution, the potential drawbacks just weren t worth the savings.

Pros
1. Sales process was nice and easy. No pressure. All details were clear and all questions answered.
2. Although the initial installation plan had to be changed at the last minute, the process was easy.
3. The electrician was great to work with and explained things as he went.
4. The panels have worked flawlessly.
5. No roof leaks. No problems of any kind with the roof.
6. The system has easily generated more electricity than the amount they guaranteed.
7. The SolarEdge inverter monitoring and self-reporting is simple and has worked flawlessly.

Cons
1. The initial installation plan/design was incorrect. I was told all of my panels would fit on my main roof but when the installers showed up the plan had to be changed.
2. They suggested I connect my inverter to my router using Powerline network adapters devices which let you run ethernet over your household wiring. These devices worked initially but eventually kept failing. I have replaced them with a hardwired connection which is what I should have asked for in the beginning.
3. The communication among the installer, our power utility and me wasn t as good as it could have been. My net meter was installed without NECE knowing. Not sure who dropped the ball.
4. Getting my questions answered has been somewhat of a hit or miss proposition. I asked many technical questions during the initial few months. Sometimes they were answered right away and other times the questions were never answered. It wasn t clear to me who was the contact person.