Direct Energy Solar

As a customer with very high expectations — I know I can be difficult to deal with. I am very happy with my system and the process, which is not easy for anyone to accomplish because of all the moving parts like city permits, grants etc. Getting a system that can be managed at the panel by panel level is amazing. Doing the inverting at the panel saves of line loss. Micro Inverters are the way to go.
Financing options and the 30% back from Uncle Sam are great features of owning your own system. Direct Energy folks know what they are doing to get you up and running.
My first electric bill for April was $ 4.10 and that if after a week and a half of cloud cover and rain. Next month I will have a credit I am sure.
I decided to have the SRECs come directly to me. It will be the market value — but it will pay me for many years to come on top of the credits I get from the Potomac Edision.
Solar is the way to go.
Direct Energy Solar — great team.

A month ago, I made the annoying mistake of talking with a Direct Energy Solar representative who randomly called my home phone number. The guy was very nice and explained convincingly how solar panels on the roof of my house would result in a net savings on my electrical bill, even after the cost of the panels were into account. He politely asked if he might mail me some information so after a short hesitation I gave him my email address. Big mistake.
I have had about 65 telephone calls since then, and an equal number of e mails. Some on-​line research into this company convinced me this wouldn’t be the outfit I’d choose. Now there remains the long term task of putting a stop to the e mails and phone calls. Please understand, my friends, that unsubscribing from this outfit’s e mails does nothing, and that polite requests to discontinue the calls doesn’t dissuade this lot in the slightest. These people will bombard you with e mails and call when you’re on the phone with a client or a loved one and do so with the accuracy of an FBI sniper and with the persistence of a viral plague during flu season.

We had our system installed as part of a town wide initiative when they were still called Astrum Solar. The sales process was fine and they came out and measured for our system etc. That is when the good ended. Once we signed on the dotted line the «1 – 2 day» installation for which we would hardly have to be home was over a week of people in and out of the house and my husband or I having to be home the entire time. The subs would show up and ask *us* what they were supposed to be doing because there was not guidance for them. Then 15 mos after the system is up and running we get an email saying we were not eligible for the $ 2K state grant we were assured our system would qualify for. When I asked for more information they said «Sometimes a site falls through the cracks.» Now we are out 2K. I really think they sent a super terse email hoping we would not notice. Their design was bad too. Their guys planned a system that had a panel in the same spot as a plumbing vent… uh no. If I were to install a system in future there is no way I would work with these people again.

I chose Direct Energy Solar because they had the most competitive financing options. I did not have the money to pay for my system up front and I did not want a lease. Direct Energy had a very straight forward loan option.
Contract was signed in June 2015, however due to the permitting process by Pepco and Montgomery County it was not installed until October, and I was not able to turn it on until 3 weeks after that. None of these things are Direct Energy’s fault. In fact once the county gave the final approval they installed my system within 2 weeks.
The install guys were very professional and the system looks great on my roof.
What I find most impressive is Direct Energy’s commitment to their special offers. When I signed on to the system they guaranteed a 60 day install or I would revive a check for $ 500. My system install was closer to 120 days and true to their word I revived a check for $ 500 about a month after my system went online.
After 2 months of use the system works great. I can monitor my daily solar generation and I have not had any problems so far. I would recommend

Direct Energy solar took a deposit to install solar panels at my home, failed to install the panels at all, and failed to issue refund of deposit.

What a disappointment. Our town of Lexington, Mass selected Astrum as the preferred solar supplier. I eagerly signed up, buying the gold standard system, and although it’s been six months since the system was finally installed, we are still not hooked up to the grid. And our check was cashed long ago.
I get zero updates from Astrum, and am about to contact our attorney general.
At best this is a company who has grown too fast, taking every order they could without having the necessary systems in place to perform. At worst, criminals.

From start to finish Astrum Solar employees were professional, helpful and caring. So far this summer my Electric bill has been slashed by 75%, There are two ways to go with SOLAR, leasing and purchase. I chose purchase because I plan to stay in this house for many years. Every minute the sun shines I see money in my pocket.
With the Tax credits (30% from IRS, $ 1000 from Maryland, and the Solar Energy Renewable certs, county property tax credit) my system will be paid off in about 5 years.

We got solar panels through Astrum in Washington DC and we couldn’t be happier. Our average electric bill for the last 5 years has been less than $ 25 a month. Astrum did almost all of the paperwork for the installation and helped us work through some issues with Pepco. We highly recommend Astrum and in fact have convinced many of our friends to go with them.

Want to learn more about Astrum Solar? Just wait for their relentless unsolicited junk mail sent to your address every 1 – 2 weeks… even after calling to «opt-​out.» Being such a green company one would think that they’d be interested in being green with their mailings… but yet they continue to ignore my requests even after they assure me they’ve removed me from their database. I did not sign up for more info or anything. I hadn’t even heard of this company before they started spamming me. My information was bought from a list/​database, or so said the person I spoke with on the phone. Hey, at least they’re honest about it. I told this person on the phone that since I do not own the property I live in that there is no way this would apply to me. The guy on the phone was a bit slow… as in seemingly pre-​occupied and took several seconds to respond to me after I finished talking. I was polite for the entire phone conversation, as that is how I handle things regardless of how annoying a company is. Not rocket science, just please remove me from your database! Besides, even if I was in a position to obtain solar panels for a house in the future (which I’m strongly considering, as a matter of fact), I will be sure not to consider Astrum Solar. You just lost a potential customer for life. And you’re still wasting trees with your large, unwanted mailings. Go away and leave me alone.

This company has sure showed their growing pains. We went to a home show in Buffalo and were wowed by the consultants knowledge and readiness to help! Signed the contract and we were ready to get the project started. Well, from the start, things moved quickly! Measurements and all were done within the first 5 weeks of signing the contract. then came the problems.
No communications — I sent emails the the regional operations manager about my project and he could not give me any time line projects. Approx 80 days into the contract (Contract stated project would be done in approx 120 days) I get a notification for a payment I have to make for extra work. When I ask how to make the payment, the HQ couldn’t get me an answer! Neither could they give me a reason why the project was delayed! Come to find out, 96 days after the contract signed, they had leasing issues with the lending company about terms from their contract! Never did anyone inform me of this issue until it was too late… now I sit here, canceled my project, waiting for my deposit and it’s been 4 weeks!
The company has had so many good reviews but now it shows that they grew too big too fast and couldn’t handle it. Shame. next time I recommend going with someone LOCAL where the HQ is located LOCALLY.

If you like dealing with someone over the phone and not really looking at your property, than this is the company, Astrum is for you. It seems they want to sell you the whole thing or nothing at all. We were looking at just getting some type of system but they appeared that they did not want to do business. Said something about not enough roof space but if they would have come to the property and saw we have 4 out buildings also that has the area to do the whole block. But I guess they were to busy so I will look elsewhere. Very poor customer relations

Astrum solar was the most knowledgeable solar installer in the area. I installed panels with Astrum Solar in 2008 and the panels have reduced my power consumption by 80%. With state incentives and local incentives as well as the sale of SRECs the investment has already almost paid itself back, 2 whole years in advance of the estimated payback date. Astrum solar was really clear in making sure that we understood the process and making sure that everything was taken care of as part of their turnkey process. The company is also committed to protecting the environment with their estimators all driving fuel efficient vehicles. Keep in mind that as you go solar, if your house is not efficient, then your solar install will not have as much impact. Before installing solar, make sure that you are running the minimum number possible of fridges for your house (some people like to have 2, when they might only need 1) make sure that your appliances are not older than 8 – 10 years old, and update your central air conditioning to make sure that it runs as efficiently as possible. These are just a few of the changes that will make your solar panels do the best kind of work for you.

Early in the summer, I had panels installed on my house and have still continued to receive the usual high summer electric bills. No one in the company seems to take responsibility for fixing the issue and they keep saying next month.. .