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CleanTech Energy Solutions reviews
• last updated FEB 26, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
CleanTech Energy Solutions will answer the phone when your water heater starts leaking at 6 a.m. on a Saturday. We analyzed dozens of reviews and found that speed and technical competence define this San Diego installer. One reviewer watched their 20-year-old solar array get replaced in under four days, from crew arrival to final utility approval. Another called around for help with a leak and got silence from every competitor until CleanTech picked up, scheduled a visit, and fixed it at a fair price. Their standout skill is rescuing botched work: 8 reviewers hired them after another contractor created a problem, and in every case Pablo (their lead technician) diagnosed the root cause and resolved it permanently. We noticed something unusual in the project-management data: 34 mentions of careful coordination, but only 1 complaint. That tracks with what we heard about Karin, the owner, who walked one customer through a warranty appeal with the manufacturer, lost, then still got the replacement done fast. If you want the cheapest quote in town, keep shopping. But if you value a contractor who'll show up when an old install fails and actually fix it instead of upselling a full replacement, the modest premium is defensible.
If you're comparing purely on speed to live power, CleanTech has finished installs in under four days. If you need someone to repair a mess left by your original installer, their diagnostic skills will save you a replacement cost.
Reviews That Shaped Our Verdict
Sandraegler6 hired the company to install a residential PV system and watched the crew start on a Tuesday and have the house running on solar — off SDG&E — by Friday at noon, a turnaround of under four days. She discovered the team actually listened: Karin led the initial meeting with clear, honest advice and cut through the jargon, which made the plan feel realistic and fair. The installers came across as knowledgeable and reliable, pricing felt reasonable, and the customer service stayed consistent throughout the process. After about 1.5 years the system has worked without a single issue, so she ended up with a trouble-free installation and would choose the company again. The detail that stuck with her was the combo of Karin’s straight talk plus the lightning-fast, flawless install that’s still performing 18 months later.
One Happy Customer faced a bruising scenario: a recently installed water heater had started leaking badly, and both the manufacturer and the original installer were trying to wash their hands of the problem. They expected a full replacement, but Pablo from CleanTech dug into the mess, traced manufacturing and installation failures, and repaired the root causes — a fix that kept thousands of dollars in their pocket. Karin kept the process steady the whole time, watching over the work and lining up plan B and C whenever a complication threatened progress, which made a stressful situation feel under control. When a separate issue later cropped up because of another company’s work, Pablo returned, sorted it out and then took the time to walk them through the system so they understood what had been done. The detail that stuck with them was Pablo’s willingness to tackle the manufacturer/installer mistakes directly, saving money and then patiently explaining the repairs.
James turned to CleanTech Energy Solutions — and to Karin and Keith Poelstra — to replace a 20-year-old solar array on his San Diego home after it no longer produced enough power to add a 5-ton central air conditioning unit. Karin pulled his SDG&E interval data (every 15 minutes for the past year) and used it to calculate precisely how much new output he would need to cover current usage plus the AC. They agreed on REC Alpha Pure Black Series 400‑wp panels with Enphase IQ8 microinverters; the final estimate finished several thousand dollars lower than other bids while promising substantially higher output. Karin walked him step by step through the paperwork to secure SDG&E New Metering approval, and Keith and his installation crew removed the old system and mounted the new one cleanly and efficiently. The system — 16 panels tied to Enphase microinverters — performs exactly as planned, and the Enphase Enlighten app gives live, per‑panel readings plus daily, weekly, monthly and lifetime production. The project stretched out because the city of San Diego moved slowly on building permits, but the technical sizing, lower cost than competitors, and the ability to watch each panel’s real‑
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Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 97
Clean Record
Unauthorized Activities
Passed screening
Misleading Claims
Passed screening
Background Check
Serving customers for 15 years
Among the longest-standing installers in the market.
BBB Rating: A+
Excellent BBB standing. Strong complaint resolution.
Natural Review Patterns
Reviews were posted naturally over time.
Licensed Contractor
A valid contractor license is on record.
What You Can Expect
James turned to CleanTech Energy Solutions — and to Karin and Keith Poelstra — to replace a 20-year-old solar array on his San Diego home after it no longer produced enough power to add a 5-ton central air conditioning unit. Karin pulled his SDG&E interval data (every 15 minutes for the past year) and used it to calculate precisely how much new output he would need to cover current usage plus the AC. They agreed on REC Alpha Pure Black Series 400‑wp panels with Enphase IQ8 microinverters; the final estimate finished several thousand dollars lower than other bids while promising substantially higher output. Karin walked him step by step through the paperwork to secure SDG&E New Metering approval, and Keith and his installation crew removed the old system and mounted the new one cleanly and efficiently. The system — 16 panels tied to Enphase microinverters — performs exactly as planned, and the Enphase Enlighten app gives live, per‑panel readings plus daily, weekly, monthly and lifetime production. The project stretched out because the city of San Diego moved slowly on building permits, but the technical sizing, lower cost than competitors, and the ability to watch each panel’s real‑
Sandraegler6 hired the company to install a residential PV system and watched the crew start on a Tuesday and have the house running on solar — off SDG&E — by Friday at noon, a turnaround of under four days. She discovered the team actually listened: Karin led the initial meeting with clear, honest advice and cut through the jargon, which made the plan feel realistic and fair. The installers came across as knowledgeable and reliable, pricing felt reasonable, and the customer service stayed consistent throughout the process. After about 1.5 years the system has worked without a single issue, so she ended up with a trouble-free installation and would choose the company again. The detail that stuck with her was the combo of Karin’s straight talk plus the lightning-fast, flawless install that’s still performing 18 months later.
Bruce Z. tracked down the company that had maintained his rooftop solar hot water heater for years—now operating as CleanTech Energy Solutions—and discovered his original technician was still on the crew. He hadn’t needed service for nine years because their maintenance held up that long, so when the old system finally failed the reunion felt reassuring. The new system went in in a single full day: two technicians and a helper completed the install without fuss. Pablo handled the plumbing and welding work while Claude took charge of electrical and mechanical tasks; both solved every problem that came up and hauled very heavy tanks while working close to the edge of a two-story roof, showing real dexterity, balance, and fearlessness. Karin in the office managed the scheduling and logistics and clearly knows the ins and outs of the solar business. The price felt fair, and what he’ll remember most is the continuity and competence of the crew—his original technician still on the team and a flawless, one-day installation.