Path-Q Solar
What should I do if an installer promises savings but will not provide a production model?
Answer
Do not rely on the savings promise or approve the project until the installer provides a transparent production model and the assumptions behind it. If the installer refuses, treat the claim as unverifiable and obtain another proposal.
Key points
- Request estimated production by month or year, system size, panel layout, shading assumptions, degradation, and equipment details.
- Separate production from savings by checking usage, export treatment, fixed charges, rate assumptions, and financing costs.
- Ask which items are guaranteed, estimated, excluded, or dependent on future conditions.
What it depends on
- Quality and completeness of the production model
- Electricity use, billing structure, and rate assumptions
- System cost, financing, and performance terms
Risks and trade-offs
- Savings without a production model cannot be independently evaluated.
- An attractive savings estimate may depend on assumptions that do not match the home's use or billing.
- A model is still a forecast and does not guarantee actual production.
Information you may need
- Production report and design assumptions
- Historical electricity use and proposed pricing
- Financing, warranty, performance, and savings-disclaimer terms
Your next step
What to do next
Request the complete production and financial assumptions in writing; if they are not provided, pause the project and compare a provider that supplies verifiable calculations.
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