We have been extremely happy with our entire experience while doing business with California Solar. Everything was explained up front and we didn't feel dumb for asking questions throughout the process, and even a year later when I called about something as simple as how to clean the solar panels. Everyone has always been professional and straightforward. What a difference it has made to our electric bill. Highly recommend! read more

I highly recommend you get competitive quotes, at least on solar batteries and watch for change orders if you do business with these folks. This is what happened: 1. I had an original contract. 2. The first contract had to be dropped due to items outside of Cal-Solar's control. (Fair enough). 3. Cal-Solar provided an update battery contract to an installation (solar installation) they sourced, they designed, they permitted, they installed, and they completed. 4. Cal-Solar wanted a change order on a system that had no changes and yet Cal-Solar claims the installed system had unknown items. (Keep in mind they did all the work...ALL of it.) 5. Cal-Solar waited till the last moment to notify of the changes which pushed against a tax-credit deadline. (From my chair seemed to be the goal.) 6. Cal-Solar provide large price increases to perform the work or quit...from 3.5k (to lose half the battery charging ability) or charge another 9k to add another battery. (Tesla charge half for a second battery, btw.) I'm not saying this will happen to you. I'm just saying what happened to me. As to the contract you sign: From my chair the company uses it for your compliance not theirs. (If you want to force compliance, then what do you do: take time, sue them, force an organization to do electrical work on your home to hit a contract??) Go read more

I wanted someone to review our existing solar unit on a one year old duplex. Due to weather(no sun) it took awhile for them to come out to measure production and check out the installation. The technician was thorough and discussed the issues with the install. The invoice for the service was very reasonable. I will use them again once back up batteries become affordable. read more

We researched thoroughly for the right Solar Company. We selected California Solar Electric Co. Grass Valley. They offered the best warranty,25 years on the PV cells. From the original design & quote from Tom, project mgmt. by Melanie and exceptional install by Jay, Joe and Carlos all went seemlessly. Their liason with the utility and local building dept made life easy. Highly recommend. read more

This company was so easy to do business with!! We added panels & had them service our existing system. What a great company to work with, especially their staff. For example, their service tech on his way to our home spotted an eye glass case in the middle of Greenhorn Rd. He stopped his truck, picked up the glass case & put it on a nearby fence post. While he was here, Steve (my husband) took a call from my brother-in-law (who left shortly before on his motorcycle) asking if we found his glass case with his prescription glasses. The service tech overheard Steve asks our son if he found the glass case and told us he had stopped to pick up a case & where he put it. WOW, right? The service tech is someone I would be proud to call my relative or friend!! Many thanks for hiring such great people!!!! read more

Unresolved problem for 6 weeks. I reset solar breakers at panel daily and hope my system works properly. October 2019: Paid $53,355 for purchase and installation of 35 solar panels and system from SUNPOWER and CALIFORNIA SOLAR, an authorized SunPower installer. * Nov 2019 - Aug 2020: Very few issues; good production. * 9/23 - 9/28: SunPower monitoring system reports ZERO kWh produced by solar system. * 9/28: California Solar Project Manager Melanie Duggan noticed SunPower's monitoring system showing an internet communication error. She proactively sent me an email and arranged for a technician to investigate the problem. * 10/6: California Solar Tech Yusef came to our home, checked system and ran diagnostics. * 10/6: Melanie Duggan got the results from Yusef and opened a case with SunPower. Once the firmware was updated and the system was reporting properly, she would have them run a report to determine any lost production and request a reimbursement. * 10/11 - 13 no kWh produced * 10/19: Melanie sent email saying she was waiting to hear back from the rep with tech support department SunPower for confirmation that the firmware has been updated and system is producing and reporting as it should be. She again said that she would be requesting that they issue a reimbursement for lost production. * 10/19 PG&E Statement - YUP, there a bill for $53.50. * 10/20: Email from Melanie Duggan informing me "Regarding the reimbursement concern, I think it would be best if the homeowner calls in on the Customer Support Line for assistance and discussion. Number would be: 1-800-786-7693." WOW - After twice telling me they'd take care of reimbursement, now the work is on me. How the hell am I supposed to become a solar technician and determine lost production? * 10/21: Email from Melanie: 1. SunPower has attempted to update the firmware twice in the last 3 weeks, neither of which have been completed successfully. They are citing an unstable communication connection with the PVS monitoring unit as the problem. This can be due to either a poor internet connection or neighboring solar sites that interfere with their ability to perform remote updates. 2. SunPower has escalated your case to their "products team" for review, which they deem a necessary step before allowing us to attempt updating the firmware manually on site. 3. We have seen multiple sites with this problem and the solution has been the firmware update. The other thing that we are seeing across the board is that everyone in this area has experienced reduced production in late Aug and all of September due to the extremely poor air quality given all of the fires during that time. So it isn't as simple to conclude how much of the missed production was unavoidable and how much is the fault of the errors with the equipment. * 10/21: Lhet from SunPower attempted to call three times from 6:11 to 6:14pm. I was unavailable. She wrote "Our Products Team were unable to proceed with the remote system analysis. Please be advise that we'll be requesting the dealer to do a site visit again to re-establish internet connection to the monitoring system." * 10/23: I called the SunPower 800 number, an International call center. The rep gave me new facts: 1. On 10/12 SunPower sent a message to Yusef advising him to return to "reconnect" the system before the firmware update could be completed. Since then, SunPower has been waiting before they can proceed. 2. Their limited product warranty for a "sold" system does not include compensation. That's an issue for the vendor. 10/23 Email reply from Melanie Duggan. She had no knowledge of SunPower's status. She checked with Yusef and he did not receive the email SunPower mentioned. 10/27: Two phone calls with SunPower rep. She informed me that my system looked like it was now producing and reporting normally. I was stunned. I asked how she could tell that, since we were in a PSPS for two days. She apologized, said she was actually in the Philippines and didn't know. What a BS trick from a 925 area code # !! She said she'd send a message to California Solar & the problem was still pending. 10/28 - 11/9: Daily I reset panel solar breakers and hope system work......yes/no 11/09: Melanie Duggan sent an email to SunPower team asking: * "Will you please take another look at this site? The PVS is hardwired and the homeowner has not reported having any other connection problems with his ISP. When he cycles the PVS breaker, comms come back for a while only to drop out again." 11/09: Melanie Duggan called to inform me that she thinks the issue is the "PV Supervisor" unit, which needs to be replaced. She also informed SunPower that I have to reset the panel solar breaker daily, but then communication drops again. She needs SunPower to approve. 11/10 - 11/12: I reset breakers daily, but SYSTEM DOWN AGAIN read more

Recently had our Solar system installed and put into service. By California Solar and Electric. Staff is knowledgeable and patient. Don't try to sell you stuff you don't need. That even talked me out of something I thought I might want now. Install Crew were professional and respectful and very tidy after each days work. Company is awesome with following up and easy to contact. I would recommend no other A+++++++++ read more

I can't say enough about what a great company CA Solar is and how pleased I was with my solar purchasing experience in Grass Valley. I shopped around a little getting different quotes and decided to go with this company because they had both the license to sell the highest efficiency panels on the market--Sun Power--and because their price came in significantly less than the competitiors'. But I was even more impressed by the efficiency, knowledge, and teamwork of everyone I was in contact with. Top notch communication, everything done just as they said it was going to be. I would recommend them to anyone. Can't beat a 7.125% guaranteed tax-free return...at a minimum! read more

Totally delighted with CalSolar experience from start to finish. We did a full replacement system and had a very marginal true up largely attributed to the many smoky days last year affecting production. We went ahead and added 2 more panels this year to future proof while tax breaks were still available and the experience was just as painless as the original install. I've recommended to several friends and they are equally pleased. From our consultant Rob, Melanie the PM, the installers, the electricians and everyone else, all are first rate and a pleasure to deal with. Kept us totally apprised of progress all along the way and came in way under original timeline. We had permission to operate from PG&E in less than 30 days from contract signing. Highly recommended read more

California Solar is a NABCEP-certified installation company. The work they do is just wonderful. They are trust-worthy and easy to do business with. The installers are polite and respectful as well as professionally skilled. You can tell that the company treats its employees well. Cal Solar is a certified "1% for the planet" company, giving back generously to the community. read more

California Solar Company is the way to go if you need a solar electric system here in Nevada County! They just expanded their store and showroom space on Main St in Grass Valley to display all their great products! Brandon Davis (Head Sales Rep) is incredibly knowledgeable about all their products and has great incite where and how to place the system at your home. 5 star company for sure! read more

After initially working with a local solar company in Roseville, I went back to Laars, Kris and the team at California Solar Electric Company who installed my system in 2004. What I witnessed and continue to see demonstrated by Laars and his team is they run their organization as I operate mine. "Serve the customer in front of you to the best of your ability." After reaching a frustration level with the Roseville company and their lack of expediency, I reached out to Kris to help me with my problem. Although at the end of the day, I didn't end up buying anything from CSEC, they answered each and every question and volunteered valuable information to me that I may not have otherwise discovered. They offered this information KNOWING they would lose a sale. Now, as a result of this issue, we will exclusively use their solar company for the rest of my life. Life-long customer. I bet you haven't heard that in a while! I used the word team regarding CSEC because that's what they are. In assisting me with my issue, it wasn't about figuring out how to make a sale with me, it was about helping me and my family as a customer, find the right/correct solution. I'm as grateful as I could possibly be by their attention to my needs. And as they laid out the correct solution for my repair, it was clear it would not have anything for them to sell me. They didn't hesitate giving me this information. The big company in Roseville who charged me $150.00 just to come out and state the obvious offered me a solution which would have cost over $4000.00. Kris at California Solar researched an alternative for me and then the owner Laars called and instructed me on how to do the install myself. All of this over the phone! No service call, no $4000.00 bill. It cost me $449.00 to fix my problem. The Roseville company took over 2 weeks just to come out and tell me it would be another month. This entire time my system was down. Kris and Laars with California Solar Electric Company diagnosed over the phone and found me the best solution. My system will be back up and running in 3 days. I cannot recommend this fine organization high enough! Experience a difference by utilizing California Soar Electric Company. Regan J. read more

We just had our solar installed by Cal Solar, and we give them 5 stars all the way around. Martin, in the commercial area, helped get us set up with Travis, who came and worked up the proposal, and answered every question we had. We had gotten a bid from another company, but are happy we went with Cal Solar, as we are quite confident in their quality and solar expertise. Most of their business comes from local referrals, and I can understand why, as they offer top notch service and quality. It was such an easy process for us, as they handle all the permits, contact with PG & E, and easy financing if you choose. The crew that came out to install it was professional and efficient, got the job done in one day, despite having to deal with some challenging Wifi connections at our place. Everyone we worked with at the company was great, including the office project manager Melanie. We would highly recommend them to anyone considering solar. read more

Local solar company that provided great customer service. Thought I had a problem with older install. But all checked out ok. Very nice folks to deal with... from the call to schedule service this morning to the techs, Aaron and Jay, at my house this afternoon. Thank you, Dan M read more

My husband and I give California Solar Electric Company a 5-star recommendation! Everyone we interacted with from sales to design to project manager to electricians and installers were knowledgeable, honest, friendly, and professional. They matched an offer from another solar company we had dealt with. They were flexible and made us feel like we were the most important customers they had. Our project manager went out of her way to apply for and process an electrical upgrade application that required PG&E action. Our solar system went online faster than we ever expected. Even a family member who is in the solar business remarked "that was fast!" We can monitor our system from our laptop or phone in real time. How cool is that? Even when there were a couple of minor issues after installation was complete, California Solar Electric responded rapidly, sending someone out the same day to address our concerns and fix the issue. We LOVE watching that meter spin backward now. Buy local! read more

"California Solar Electric installed a customized off-grid solar system for my home outside of Nevada City. They are not only experts in both on-grid and off-grid solar systems, they also great electricians. In addition to the solar system, they upgraded my beat up old main electrical service panel and ran additional exterior lighting. They even automated my well pump to fill my holding tank when it is low. No more wheeling my generator out to fill my water tank! It is set to use excess power I am not using. They don't subcontract this work out like many solar companies do, they do it in-house. Lars and his crews are personable, professional, creative, and are very easy to work with. I have worked with other solar companies in the past and these guys are different. They love what they do and they are very good at it. They don't do what is easiest for them, they do what is the best for you. I had a solar system on this house before and I had a complete loss of that system. California Solar Electric not only redesigned and installed a better system than what I had before, they also patiently helped me with the authorities and assisted me through every step of the insurance claim process to replace it. They went above and beyond the call of duty to help me. I highly recommend them for your solar and electrical needs." read more