Solar power failure: NC energy company's feud with manufacturer causes customers to suffer
A North Carolina-based solar energy company promised that its customers would save big on their electric bill, then sold them pricey solar panels that didn't work, customers told WRAL's 5 On Your Side.
Phillip Harris, from Clayton, installed Pink Energy solar panels a year ago. He said he's making payments on his $39,000 solar system and still has a regular Duke Energy power bill to pay.
"This was supposed to be a guaranteed investment and it wasn’t," he said.
Pink Energy, formally known as PowerHome Solar, told Harris that his solar panels would produce enough electricity to reduce his power bill by 96%. But right now, only six of his 18 panels work.
"I figured it was going to be better [and] help my payments," Harris said.
Nine people have complained to WRAL's 5 On Your Side about the same energy company over the past three months.
Jayson Waller, Pink Energy CEO and co-founder, said the problem is a faulty component made by a third-party.
Pink Energy receives one of their parts, called the SnapRS, from the manufacturing company Generac.
"If we don’t make the part, we can’t fix a part that keeps failing," Waller said.
Waller wants the SnapRS from Generac recalled.
"If the government gets involved in a recall, those customers will be reimbursed in full," he said.
However, in a statement to WRAL's 5 On Your Side, a Generac spokesperson Tami Kou blames Pink Energy installers for the malfunctioning part.
"We are aware of instances where Pink Energy failed to install products in compliance with NEC (National Electrical Code) guidance, as required by our installation instructions," she said.
Waller said his company warranties installation of the systems for 10 years, but problems with individual parts are warrantied by the manufacturer. He says that’s why Pink Energy is directing all SnapRS warranty repair claims to Generac.
Kou said that process has slowed down their ability to address customer complaints.
"Pink Energy – the installer and service provider – has made the unilateral decision to stop offering Generac warranty support," she said. "Rather than helping expedite the resolution of their customer complaints, they have asked Generac to solely assume this responsibility."
Customer Harris tried to go through Generac for repairs, but he said the list of contractors Generac provided have gotten him nowhere.
"Out of those five contractors, three did not respond, one responded and said Generac does not pay enough, the fifth responded and said they’re an installation and not a service company," Harris said.
We asked Generac about that, but they didn’t address is in their response.
"We understand that consumers are frustrated with Pink Energy and their inaction. However, Generac remains committed to our customers. We have already contracted with high-quality third-party providers to perform warranty services on Generac’s products, now that Pink Energy will no longer be providing this service to its customers," said Generac spokesperson Tami Kou.
Pink Energy and Generac have since ended their working relationship over this dispute.
The solar energy company is now suing Generac, claiming these issues have cost them $155 million in sales and the company’s $1 billion dollar valuation has fallen by more than half.
Generac calls the lawsuit and Waller’s inflammatory public statements a distraction tactic.
Pink Energy also said they had to laid off 1,100 employees, 300 of them were based in North Carolina.
While the two companies battle in court and in public, there are thousands of customers just like Harris waiting for a fix or some relief.
"Until it is decided whose at fault, payments have to stop. That’s all there is to it," he said.
