New England Clean Energy

The process started with a great estimate in July. It took two months to get the panel installation scheduled. The installation took two days. The power was shut off by the contractors after the first day and wasn't turned back on as they should have (and we didn't know if it was safe to turn it back on). Then we waited...A building inspection was supposed to happen in November but some engineering documents were missing. There seemed to be a lack of promptness to get the process moving. The electrical inspection did not happen until late January. Turns out another time was needed to install the wi-fi communicator properly through the proper electrical box. There was another hold up with their engineering partner provide proper documents for the building inspection (which was supposed to take place early November). It took several weeks to get the final document from the city and I had to reach out to the city myself; I would I have expected them to handle it without me having to support. Then, the utility said the signage on the system was not adequate, so they had to order new signage and install them, which delayed the process.The contract we signed with them said the work would be done in 6 months and it wasn't. It took about 9 months. The COVID-19 situation probably extended the work but that was already 2 months after they promised to get the work done.With that said, I'm not sure if this was a one-off thing for this company but I wanted to share my experience. I plan to update this if any future work is required.

Nicest people ever but the slowest process on the planet. Regardless of National Grid, they need to drive the process, not the owners chasing them. I have had a system on my roof for 4 months and no hook-up. To put it into perspective, we had our last system up and running in less than 3 months start to finish. I won't divulge how long this has been going on...

Overall, Im extremely happy with the system installed by New England Clean Energy. I've had the system for just over a year. I installed my panels mostly for environmental reasons to reduce my impact on the environment and less so for financial reasons so the cost of the system wasnt a top priority. I place the most emphasis on a job done well. Im willing to pay more to ensure the job is done correctly. During my research I learned from several other people about long-term problems with other companies. Although these other companies offered a less expensive solution, the potential drawbacks just werent worth the savings.Pros1. Sales process was nice and easy. No pressure. All details were clear and all questions answered.2. Although the initial installation plan had to be changed at the last minute, the process was easy.3. The electrician was great to work with and explained things as he went.4. The panels have worked flawlessly.5. No roof leaks. No problems of any kind with the roof.6. The system has easily generated more electricity than the amount they guaranteed.7. The SolarEdge inverter monitoring and self-reporting is simple and has worked flawlessly.Cons1. The initial installation plan/design was incorrect. I was told all of my panels would fit on my main roof but when the installers showed up the plan had to be changed.2. They suggested I connect my inverter to my router using Powerline network adapters devices which let you run ethernet over your household wiring. These devices worked initially but eventually kept failing. I have replaced them with a hardwired connection which is what I should have asked for in the beginning.3. The communication among the installer, our power utility and me wasnt as good as it could have been. My net meter was installed without NECE knowing. Not sure who dropped the ball. 4. Getting my questions answered has been somewhat of a hit or miss proposition. I asked many technical questions during the initial few months. Sometimes they were answered right away and other times the questions were never answered. It wasnt clear to me who was the contact person.

Two installations, the first in a field, the second on the barn. Both went in quickly, no fuss, have worked reliably and I have no electric bills to pay. Who could ask for more?

New England Clean Energy installed our solar panels in July 2018. I appreciated their informative and no-pressure sales tactics (especially compared to a couple other companies we had contacted for estimates.) They were very good at keeping us informed about all the steps of the planning and permitting process. When the installation happened, I was incredibly impressed by how well they managed to customize the installation to fit all the quirks of our older home -- the inverter is hidden in a formerly-useless exterior cupboard, the panels are mounted on a rack system because of our widely-spaced metal roof trusses, and the electrical connections worked out beautifully in a very cramped space. New England Clean Energy was also so on-the-ball with the utility company that I was able to switch the system on within a few days of installation -- this was a full month ahead of my coworker whose own solar installation by a different company had happened at the same time. So far, I've been getting the amount of electricity produced that I expected, and am very happy with the system, and would highly recommend New England Clean Energy.