The renewable energy industry has grown quickly, and with that growth has come no shortage of new entrants eager to call themselves experts. Growth of this kind is a good thing for the industry. It also means the burden of diligence sits, more than ever, with the homeowner. Here is what we believe is worth asking before you commit to a partner.
1. Why is this company actually in the solar business?
Every business needs to make money to survive. The distinction that matters is whether that is the only reason the company exists. A partner worth choosing cares as much about guiding you toward decades of flawless performance as it does about closing the sale.
2. Who actually installs the system?
A significant share of solar companies do not install their own projects. They sell, and subcontract the installation to the lowest bidder. Given that a typical system adds thousands of pounds of equipment to your roof, mechanically fastened and exposed to Ontario’s full range of weather extremes, this is not a detail to overlook. A company that employs and trains its own installers, and stands behind every part of the work, is accountable in a way a subcontracted relationship simply is not.
3. What equipment is actually being specified?
Not all panels, inverters, or mounting systems are built to the same standard. A company worth partnering with will walk you through the components being proposed, their performance characteristics and warranties, and will have real project history to show you: measured performance against what was originally predicted.
4. How credible is the production estimate?
Every solar company models expected system performance before installation. The quality of that model depends entirely on the inputs: a genuine site visit, shade analysis, and roof measurement, versus a generic estimate generated from a satellite photo. Ask what data informed your projection, and ask to see how past projections compared to actual results.
5. Is the pricing genuinely all-in?
Get more than one quote, and read each one closely for what is not included. The right partner offers a turn-key price, in writing, with no fine print and no return visits asking for more once the project is under way.
An experienced, disciplined company should be able to answer every one of these questions without hesitation. If yours cannot, that is the clearest answer of all.