Case Study #3: Green Conception

G. Sutton found Green Conception, a Burbank, CA-based SolarReviews.com Pre-Screened Solar Pro, when he started looking into going solar in February 2015. The Pre-Screened Solar Pro badge, helps ensure potential solar customers that the solar installer has been both recommended by peers and further vetted by SolarReviews.com.

Sutton first discussed solar installers and equipment with friends that had already gone solar but found their experiences confusing. “I received all kinds of information and none of it seamed like anyone had done their homework,” he said. “So I got on the Internet and watched every youtube video on DIY Solar I could find.”

Sutton said that the people who did DIY solar had systems that were unlike the type of system he was interested in installing. So he started looking for reviews of installations and came across SolarReviews.com and started digging in. “I read many of the reviews,” he said. “Next I used the SolarReviews.com title bar that listed by category the installers, the panels, and the inverters, etc.”

“On the installers list at number 4 with a 5.00 rating (the highest) was Green Conception in Burbank, CA,” Sutton said. He then researched U.S.-made and designed products finding that SolarWorld’s solar panels carried a 4.77 rating and Enphase Energy’s microinverters were third in that category with a 4.39 rating. 

Green Conception is a solar power installer for residents and businesses in southern California that’s received nearly 40 customer-generated reviews on SolarReviews.com. Each reviewer has given the company an overall rating of 5 out of five possible, saying that it’s services were excellent or exceeded their expectations. 

Both SolarWorld and EnPhase have offices in the U.S. SolarWorld manufactures its modules in Oregon. EnPhase manufactures its many of microinverters overseas but it is American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, allowing its products to qualify for certain incentives.

“So with an installer close to my home and the parts made in the U.S. it all sounded great,” Sutton explained. Then he read reviews of Green Conception in more depth. “All the reviews were so complementary…that I had to find out for myself.” He reached out to the installer and received a call back from Nick, the installer, the next day. “Nick said he could show me a house a half-mile from my house that he was putting solar on.” The installer explained what materials and equipment the company uses and how the company does the job. 

Green Conception quickly worked up a quote for 28 panels and 28 inverters, according to Sutton. He also was able to make sure the solar panels weren’t visible from the front of the house. 

After the initial consultation with Green Conception the installation was scheduled. Sutton said it was completed and turned on by the utility on April 14—just over two months after the initial meeting. “I could not be happier,” he said. “My DWP rebate was more than I paid for electric for all of 2014 and as of Aug. 1, 2015, my meter has a Negative 595 kilowatt hours already. My DWP bill for Aug 2015 was Negative $9.39.

“Nick and his crew are very professional and they clean up after themselves every day,” Sutton contends. “If you are lucky enough to get Nick and the Green Conception team to do your job, I know you will be happy.”

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