California Renewable Energy reviews

Rochelle Sweet hired California Renewable Energy two years ago for a roof-mounted solar install and an HVAC swap as part of a more than $70,000 project. After shopping around she picked that company and soon regretted it. The team promised the system would eliminate her PG&E bill and include battery backup, but the batteries never materialized and the true-up bills kept coming — nearly $3,000 over two years instead of the $0 true-up she was promised. The crew also replaced the HVAC for far more than she would have paid elsewhere and skipped the upgrades they'd agreed to, like larger ducting and a bigger unit; that “new” system required multiple technician visits in the past two years. Finally, after she pushed about the excessive true-up, the company admitted the system was engineered incorrectly and proposed adding more panels — then asked her to pay again to correct their mistake. The detail that sticks is simple and sharp: after spending over $70k and paying almost $3k in unexpected true-up fees, she was left with a bandaged solution that the installer wants her to fund.

Lisa moved from paying nearly $900 a month to a summer electricity bill of zero after installing solar on her Lincoln, California home in 2019. She financed the system with an installment loan so she could get panels on the roof sooner rather than later, and the payoff has been dramatic — she still pays for gas, but her electric charges in summer disappeared and, she figures, would otherwise be close to her mortgage were she never to have gone solar. The decision came after years of hearing from different companies; she’d lived in the house since 2008 and finally chose this team after a thorough home inspection and a conversation with Angelica, who pushed the urgency of switching before utility rates climbed higher. Angelica’s professionalism and enthusiasm convinced her to move forward. The install didn’t stop at hardware — the company set up real-time monitoring of watt production, and Jasmine and Angelica walked her through using the system to optimize output. She can check generation and usage from her phone, and five years later they remain easy to reach whenever a question pops up. The detail that stands out most: a measurable, ongoing drop in bills paired with a monitoring

Solaiman Noor, a California-and-Texas homeowner of more than 20 years, finally decided it was time to explore solar and set up in-home interviews with four top California installers. He received a spread of bids — the lowest from company D at $13,170 and the highest from company C at $27,772, with companies A and B in between — but what set one contender apart wasn’t price so much as presentation. Company A brought a physical sample of their panels alongside a competitor’s, and he discovered the panels were noticeably flexible and better built; that tactile demonstration, combined with a clear, professional walk-through of product options, workmanship, warranties, and after-sales service, left a strong impression. Throughout the meetings the company answered his many questions precisely and backed up their claims with warranty details he could understand. He chose California Renewable Energy to design and install the system, appreciated their knowledge and service during installation, and plans to maintain a long-term business relationship. The detail that stuck with him most — the hands-on sample and transparent warranty explanation — is what ultimately sealed the decision.