Review for Renu Energy Solutions

Office location: 801 Pressley Road Suite 100, Charlotte NC, 28217

04/16/2023
Carrie Lexington, NC

Bait and switch

When we got a quote for solar we made it clear that we did not want our power bill to be more than we were currently paying, because if it wasn’t going to save any money then what was the point after all. I understand that there is a cost with the panels but if we are generating our own power then our actual energy costs should be minimal or nonexistent. When the Renu rep came to the house to discuss the options (because there are several ways you can use the panels), he explained that some power companies will allow you to stay on their grid for a “facility fee” of $3.00/ kWp/month. For our home our system is 8.03 kWp, so I was thinking ok not too bad, roughly $24-$25/ month to stay on the grid and be able to still pull off the grid if we need to. This option was in leu of being strictly off the grid with batteries. The way it was explained is that we would sell our power we made to the power company (Energy United) for the same rate we would buy back the power we used. In essence if we made more than we used, it would go back as a credit on our account. This is how it was explained to us. We had this option or we could get the battery packs and disconnect from the grid. For us, this sounded like the best option. We agreed and actually had a second house installed with panels as well. It did take a while (like 3 months or so) to get all the paperwork and approvals before they actually scheduled an install date. The install was quick. They did both houses on the same day (one is across the road from the other) and were done shortly after lunch. It then took another month or so before we got the okay to actually activate the panels. (This was apparently due to something on Energy United’s end). When we finally got our first bill after activating the panels, it was a lot higher than we expected. It did not show where we had been given a credit for what we had made but there was that new facility charge. When I contacted Renu they said it was an Energy United problem. I spoke with the Energy United rep and they said they have 2 different options for solar with them (this had not been explained). The scenario I was sold on by the Renu rep was not what they signed me up for. I had never even been told about this other option. I was able to get Energy United to switch me to the option I had initially agreed to, but was told I could only change it once. So, the next bill comes after the corrections, and now there are all these extra fees. I am now being charged not only the “facility charge”, but also a “standby charge”. These fees for one property are $56.20 every month, regardless. The. There is tax and a renewable energy mandate. Before solar my power bills were usually around $70-$80 or less in the spring and fall and $130 a month in the summer (costs more to cool). Now, they also advertise a 26% tax credit and sell it like you’ll be getting 26% back of the purchase price in tax refund. They even discount the payments for 18 months to allow you to get that tax money back. You can then apply that to the loan to keep the payments the same or keep it and the payments go up. Well, you do not get 26% tax credit on solar. That is a flat out lie. We got like $1,300 credit for this system, which costs about $30,000 (without batteries!). I am now paying 2-3 times more with solar than I would if I had just stayed on the grid. I have even reached back out to Renu to see about adding the battery packs and getting off of Energy United’s grid (because if I’m going to be paying that much I might as well apply it to payments that may one day be paid off). I cannot get anyone to talk with me about just adding packs. They keep calling me to discuss adding a solar power system even after I’ve explained that I have ready been duped into but not one but TWO systems from them already. I was just looking at my power bill from this time last year with solar and even though I generated $65.97 worth of power and only used $24.13 worth, I still had to pay an additional $25.98 thanks to the fees Energy United added on. I very much was hoping this would be an economical and sustainable energy source, but it is not. Please make sure you contact the power company you are with first before you agree to staying on the grid. Do NOT rely on a Renu Energy representative to give you all the facts and details. If you’re power bill is <$150/ month on average, you are better off to stay where you are. Solar is NOT for you. At least not now anyways.