This is a recommendation to strongly consider NRG Energy, Inc. (nrg.com) for the acquisition of residential solar generating plants. Our achieved goal was to use a grid-tied solar plant to generate enough electrical energy/year for all appliances and other equipment on the premises, in addition to charging our next cars. We chose NRG after consulting with four Solar companies. Based upon my entire experience, it is abundantly clear that NRG employs competent, efficient, customer-centric professional staff and operations methodology to provide high quality solar generating systems that are very competitively priced. After deciding to purchase Solar for our house (after enjoying Solar at our previous house for 10 years), I learned about NRG through perusal of internet web sites. I have no connection whatsoever with NRG and have no obligation to provide the instant Recommendation. I am capable of making the judgments shown in this Recommendation by virtue of a very long career in physics and electronic engineering product and system design that includes inventorship of more than 20 US patents. Two of these patents resulted from work in a Solar product development group at a major semiconductor company. The only other serious offer we received was from a nationally recognized provider whose representative was knowledgeable and professional. He offered a system having high quality components (very similar to that of NRG) for a very similar price to NRG. However, his quoted system had less than half the number of 400-Watt solar panels, and the quoted placement of them would have made installation easy but performance very much sub-standard. NRG immediately demonstrated its efficiency by adeptly performing all sales work using internet and telephone, saving the high cost of fielding sales personnel. Inasmuch as the local electric power mains provider allows a system generating capacity that is based upon demonstrated need, NRG provided cost numbers for a wide range of solar panel module quantities. All materials to be used were specified in attractive, engineering-grade documents. Also specified was performance to be expected, derived from the equipment to be installed, the property's immediate environment, and expected weather conditions. Throughout the project, thorough and attractive drawing sets were updated as needed and submitted to the permitting authority whenever plans changed. The installer chosen for my project was extremely reliable, hard-working, and experienced, including expertise in solar installation, electrical equipment, and wiring. He also worked skillfully with the local governmental agency (as did NRG's home office) and the electrical mains provider. He recommended and implemented system design changes that improved electrical efficiency and physical attractiveness. Project steps: -Quotation and contracting -Initial site surveys by NRG and the electric power mains provider -Initial engineering and site plan provided by NRG -Negotiations with and final approval from electric power mains provider regarding maximum allowable solar power capacity -NRG Engineering provided initial drawings to governmental agency and obtained permit -Notification from electric power mains provider that service entrance must be moved -On-site meeting with NRG installer and electric power mains provider to work out details on re-location of service entrance -NRG Engineering modified drawings, modified permit obtained -All materials received on site -NRG's installer furnished all equipment and wiring, ready for electric power mains provider to transfer the service point. -NRG's initial inspection by the permitting authority passed. -NRG's installer built solar generating system, including interface and monitoring platform. -Extensive testing performed -NRG's final inspection by the permitting authority passed. -Electric power mains provider installed Solar Power Meter, and NRG initiated operation. Throughout the project, all NRG personnel treated me like Family, cheerfully providing status reports, technical and administrative documentation, discussed alternatives, and were always promptly available to answer questions. This included the manager for each phase of the project as well as friendly and knowledgeable representatives of each department as needed: Sales, Finance, Engineering, Permitting, and of course, the installer. Courtesy and prompt actions extended to the governmental permitting agency and electric power mains provider. The only thing that could have been done better is to optimize the elevation angles of the solar panel modules to achieve even better performance. I forgot about this design issue until installation was underway, and it was never mentioned previously. However, the number of KW-hours per year is shown in the contract and applies to the system as installed. read more

Overall, I give NRG a B- for the project. I would strongly recommend them for any solar installation and I would choose to use them again. However, I think there is a lot of improvement that can make the process smoother and better. As a technical person, I was ok with most of the oddities during planning and installation, but a less knowledgeable person is going to be very unhappy. Positives: - staff was friendly, helpful, and highly competent - down payment to material delivery notification took several months, Dec.1 to Mar. 12, but it went quickly from delivery of materials to final inspection within 3 days - the installers cracked multiple tiles on my roof as I expected, but they replaced it fixed them from my spare tiles at no additional charge and were honest about it. - Ritchie and his assistant (name?) during final inspection were helpful and spectacular. Kudos to them! - the app provided to measure power generation of the panels and their overall health is easy to use and understand with good in instructions for other questions Negatives: - the cost of the project went substantially lower from the initial signed contract, $17k, but instead of sending a new contract with the updated value I was only sent a 3 page change order, $13k. I now have two documents: one signed and another unsigned, which is a bit odd from a record keeping standpoint - the contract is a behemoth (40 pages) followed by a change order (3 pages) and then a plan (15 pages). Some of this may be statutorily required, but it's entirely too complex. I bought a $900k house with a contract of only 12 pages, so a $13k installation should be a bit easier. - THERE IS NO SIMPLE ONE PAGE CHECKLIST FOR A CUSTOMER TO CHECK PROJECT PROGRESSION, AND more importantly, payment milestones with values. This resulted in multiple phone calls from an unknown number the day before they decided to deliver the materials and a plea to pay now for the materials followed by a plea the following day to pay ASAP for installation to get the inspector onsite. That was a bullshit move from NRG. - there is no easy way to determine who is in charge of your project for questions as multiple people reached out via email (Julius, Elaiza , Aracely, Bryan, Sabrina, & QuickBooks payment ) plus multiple in person. This project needed one person to be the point of communication for all inquiries from start to finish not just during installation, or at a minimum, at least a name list of individuals who would be doing various portions in their contact info - sending a foreman whose crew did excellent work was stymied by neither he nor his crew speaking proficient English - a "surprise" plan (layout) change of panels AFTER THE INSTALLATION HAD STARTED was completely inappropriate. Sending me a drawing weeks in advance for approval and then finding out that the aerial images from Google upon which they were based were insufficient to make that layout work. This required a manually drawn marker on cardboard discussion with an installer who did not speak English. That was completely unprofessional and unnecessary for a $13k installation. - when asked AFTER installation about how to reach NRG for support in future for issues, since the email listed on their app is not in service, their response "Phone number 800-698-6627, listen to the prompts for tech support. Or use our online portal they respond within 72 hours https://nrgcleanpower.com/support/" should have been an upfront discussion. - The installers left two items to monitor my solar panels uninstalled on my fuse box. I only found out when I asked the very last NRG person to visit my site on how those would get installed that he said " I guess that's me". He then proceeded to install it but required a lot of tech support to ensure he was doing it right. That was not confidence building for me goes back to my very point of a checklist for the installation and payment milestones. - All of the payback financials presented were relatively valueless and hodgepodge. I gave them a multiple year history of my power usage by time of day, so NRG should have should have been able to tell me based upon my consumption and panel power generation: 1.) how much power & money I will save from having solar panels generate during the day based upon my electric rates and 2.) how much credit I will receive from Edison based upon the solar panel plan power generation. I did it myself and got a better sense than what was provided by NRG. This isn't that complex and should be done by NRG. read more

First let me start by saying this is the second project completed on our home. Our home was a new build and wanted to put solar on it right away. So a few months after it was purchased we added solar. We enjoyed the sales person was helpful and frankly wish I would have been able to speak to them throughout the project. Unfortunately because you do not have one point of contact information was lost in the transition but over all satisfied with the project. However less than a year later we still have an electric bill and had to add additional panels. We contacted NRG since they did the original project for us. Unfortunately this time it was just a cluster. From the installers not showing up in the time frame we were given. To having to enter the home when we were told they would not have to. Lastly, installers actually installing the panels on the wrong side of the roof. The project manager showed no concern, just said they would send someone out to fix. I wanted an explanation to how and why this happened and details as to how they were going to fix this, on our only one year old roof. Especially, since it voids our builder's warranty. The Project Manager just made excuses and lied. I would send her proof and she just ignored the emails. It has taken a very long time to get an explanation out of them. If I do they are short and require a lot of follow up. When I asked to speak to someone else. The Project Manager would tell me no, I could talk to her she was in charge. Questions were typically avoided or left unanswered. Reluctantly, In order to get the project going again I let them know that I wanted before, during, and after photos of the repair. After I received photos and an addendum for the additional warranty on the side of the roof they damaged and the original addendum. I would make the last part of the payment. I have been badgered from them for the week since the project for payment. Right after they left the house, before I was able to see it or have someone to talk to about how the repair went. Before I had the pictures and addendum they demanded payment within 2 hours of the installer leaving and hours before I would even be home. It took me til Monday 3/23 to even get an explanation to the pictures I received and answers the questions I had. After reviewing the photos with the Representative I realized they did not even send the before correction photos. But pictures from the original project. I finally received all the pictures yesterday 3/24, but they could not be opened the way the file was sent. I asked if we could get jpg's so we could keep them for our records and actually view the photos. I also received confirmation that the original addendum that I requested was correct. These addendum's state I was to be provided before final payment was to be made. I also have an email stating that the final payment would be made after I was satisfied with the project, after the pictures and addendum's were received.I have had them badger me for payment over and over but still have not fully satisfied their promises of what would be done prior to final payment being collected. I would never do business with them again. Being treated like this, voiding my warranty on a new home and harassed over the last 8% of the project, when they have not even done their completed their obligations. I am astounded that my husband and I had to find the mistake ourselves and now we have more damage to the tiles on our roof as well, many tiles are cracked from the installation and or inspections. I would be happy to post the emails from this company. They do not even stick by their word written or spoken, or contractual addendum's. read more

I tried many different solar providers during the proposal stage. Eventually went ahead with NRG Energy. Most other solar providers would not want anything to do with a ground mount system, as they are much more complex to do than roof mount. For my home, it was particularly difficult as the ground installation was on a 30 degree slope and had limited access for mechanical equipment. In addition had a ground squirrel issue. NRG Energy had no problem providing a reasonable bid for this system. I am glad I went ahead with them. To start with, Antoinette did the initial proposal. She was excellent in accommodating my unique requirements (including rodent protection and warranty) and putting a reasonable proposal together. I also had a very positive experience with her when it became necessary after the design to make adjustments based on the design team's input. Her flexibility and efforts were crucial to making it possible for this project to proceed. Later on came the installation and the many issues that had to be overcome due to high slope and poor access. Aracely was the manager assigned to overseeing the installation. I am so happy about that. She was superb in navigating all issues encountered with persistence and making sure everything was addressed along the way. If I do another solar project with NRG (system expansion), which is quite possible down the road, I can only hope Aracely can be the installation manager for the project. Not only was she good in managing the complex installation, I found her to be particularly responsive to my inquiries and in keeping me posted every step of the way. She is a true star! I can not thank the installation team of Martin and Karen enough. They performed with a high degree of professionalism and attention to every detail, so there were no surprises when it came to passing the inspections. They went way beyond my expectations in every way and came up with very good solutions to the installation issues. I wish every contractor could be as professional and detail oriented as these guys. Too bad it is not possible to give them 6 stars. Throughout the process my experience with NRG has been very positive. It is clear to me this is a company that cares about quality of their work and customer satisfaction. read more

Exceptional Solar Experience with NRG Clean Power and Aracely Lopez I recently had the pleasure of working with NRG Clean Power for my solar installation, and I must say it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. From the initial consultation to the final installation, every step was handled with professionalism and expertise. Aracely Lopez, the Installation Coordinator at NRG Clean Power, played a crucial role in making the process seamless and efficient. Her attention to detail and dedication to ensuring everything went smoothly was truly commendable. Aracely kept me informed at every stage of the installation, answering all my queries promptly and providing valuable insights. The installation team was punctual, courteous, and efficient. They worked diligently to install the solar panels, and the end result exceeded my expectations. The quality of the workmanship was evident, and I am now enjoying the benefits of clean, renewable energy. NRG Clean Power's commitment to customer satisfaction is evident in every aspect of their service. From the initial assessment of my home's solar potential to the final activation of the system, the entire process was handled with professionalism and expertise. I highly recommend NRG Clean Power for anyone considering a solar installation. With a team as dedicated and capable as Aracely Lopez and the rest of the NRG Clean Power staff, you can trust that your solar journey will be a positive and rewarding experience. Thank you, NRG Clean Power, for making the transition to solar such a smooth and enjoyable process! read more

I like to wait and see what ongoing support and service exist for a big-ticket item (such as solar) before leaving a review. You can depend on a review that I write because I've lived the experience. NRG is who I purchased my system through; and Sean is the man! He is the person that you involved in your purchase from day one. As for follow-up, well then Aracely is the person you want for service. This lady has handle held our issue from start to finish. Her attention to detail and commitment to the client (myself) has not gone unnoticed and I would like to thank her for making the unexpected repair to my system a seamless and painless process. read more

I had a perfect transition from traditional electricity to solar with NRG Clean Power. My rep, Dominque, was a professional through and through in every aspect. He followed through with everything and was very attentive in contact and responses. The entire crew did a great job when installing my panels and the inspector was extremely helpful in ensuring everything was ready to go and providing further info on my house. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I've had other companies provide info, and make offers and deals, but I am extremely content and satisfied with choosing NRG Clean Power. read more

I chose NRG Clean Power because their quote was among the lowest while still providing the highest quality panels and equipment. The process was efficient and whenever I had a question, they were quick to respond. Aracely Lopez was our project coordinator and she did a great job of making sure everything went smoothly. read more

The whole installation process went by amazing thanks to Aracely Communication was on point and she answered all the concerns i had at the moment. I definitely recommend this company to anyone thats looking to save some money and a fast and easy installation. The cost beat all the other bids we got. read more

NRG Clean Power came through for us after our solar installer went bankrupt half way through the CA Solar Rebate process. A. Lopez in customer service took over our SolarEdge account and guided us through the reports needed to complete our rebate application. Excellent service and communication. read more

Aracely Lopez, the installation coordinator from NRG, was excellent at working with our new solar installation. NRG process was super streamlined and effortless. I highly recommend Aracely and the NRG team for all your solar installation needs. read more

We are so happy with the whole process. NRG was very professional and quick to respond to all our questions.