The Wild Wild West of the Solar World

Updated: Mar 20

Exposing Deceptive Practices in the Solar Industry: Navigating the Landscape with Precision

Something that has always frustrated us here at SolarandBattery.com is not only the bad practice and installation standards that can happen in the industry, it is the mis-selling and tactics employed to get customers' contact details. These tactics, reminiscent of the less savoury aspects of other trades we hear of, cast a shadow over the reputation of the solar sector. Below are some of our opinions and advice on the matter.

Navigating the solar market can feel like the wild west when looking for a reputable installer.

Unveiling the Facade of Lead Generation: Where Authenticity Fades

When seeking information on solar installations, consumers often encounter a domination of paid advertisements as well as lead generation sites making up the first page of the search engine results. A lot of the time, the ads primarily originate from lead generation sites masquerading as advisory platforms.

Their primary objective is to collect contact details and sell them to installation companies as "interested leads," sometimes surpassing the claimed limit of companies to which they're sold. Consequently, consumers find themselves inundated with unsolicited calls from numerous companies.

While reputable establishments do exist, they often struggle to stand out amidst their less scrupulous counterparts.

Our Mission: Shedding Light on Deceptive Practices

Some of these companies are really really good at coming across as a professional company, or a company that is friendly and there to give you advice, fact is that the advice they give may not be accurate. So, how can you distinguish trustworthy solar providers from those employing dubious tactics, especially if you lack expertise in the field? This is where we come in. Our aim is to make you aware of the prevalent strategies used by unscrupulous entities, supported by a glossary of what, in our opinion, they mean.

Differentiating Fact from Fiction

Have you ever encountered a company that seems professional on the surface but provides inaccurate advice? Unfortunately, such scenarios are all too common. These companies entice potential customers with appealingly low prices, only to reveal hidden costs upon closer inspection—a classic bait-and-switch tactic. Additionally, social media platforms capitalise on users' interest in solar energy, bombarding them with clickbait content ranging from flashy installation showcases, incorrect information to misleading imitations of governmental sites. Quotes like “Approved UK Solar scheme”, “if you live in a qualifying postcode”, or “No upfront cost”.

Data Mining

Data mining is the process of discovering patterns and insights from large sets of data. It involves extracting useful information from data sources, such as databases. These databases can be collated in a number of ways and one of them is by promising social media users like Facebook and Instagram special discounts or “UK approved solar schemes”.

Data Mining Scams

Data mining is the process of discovering patterns and insights from large sets of data.

Data mining scams typically involve malicious actors exploiting personal or sensitive data for fraudulent purposes. Now whilst the social media posts may stop short of fraudulent processes, they certainly don’t have your best interests at heart. If you click for more information on the social media posts for example, you are taken to a short survey where they gather your information, and then sell it, without your permission to companies that are doing targeted advertising. This is known as data harvesting and the companies buying the information may also not have your best interests at heart, they may also be unaware of the process to obtain those details.

Sometimes, you can click on the more information button and then open it in your phone browser. You can then identify the URL and maybe get an insight to the company name. We have done this in our research and sometimes search engines find the webpage, but the owners of the webpage are purposefully blocking the search engine from being able to create a page description. You would have to ask yourself why any genuine company would want to hide this. Equally, you can then search for the company or webpage on trustpilot. Every time we have done this we have seen people leaving reviews that the sites are scams, not trustworthy or just after your data.

Unfortunately it’s practice such as this that give the solar industry a bad name and these companies are preying on the uninformed and uneducated.

Peeling Back the Layers of Misleading Pricing

Think you've found a great deal? Think again. Those enticingly low prices often serve as bait to capture contact details. However, when the final quote arrives, the reality is often disappointing.

Dissecting Deceptive Quotations: Bridging the Gap Between Truth and Fiction

Below are the kind of statements made and what in our opinion they mean:

"New UK Approved Solar Program/Scheme" - The term "UK approved" is used to create the impression of a nationwide scheme. However, there are currently no UK-wide schemes available to the general public for grants towards solar and battery installations unless specific benefits are met, falling under ECO4. These benefits are aimed at low to no income households for example and need to be low energy efficiency housing stock (an EPC rating of E-G).

The "UK approved" may also refer to what is commonly known as a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). This is when private investors contribute funds to install solar panels on houses with suitable roofs, typically south-facing or within a specific angle range. Homeowners are then approached with the offer of a "free" installation, with the benefit of reduced energy bills by paying a set amount per kWh of energy used from the panels. This rate is usually lower than what would be paid to an energy company, perhaps around 22-24p compared to the current standard 28p.

However, such agreements entail signing long-term contracts, usually lasting between 10-25 years. Homeowners must also grant the system owner access to their roof for maintenance, either through a licence or another contractual mechanism. Notably, mortgage companies may raise concerns about such arrangements, potentially complicating property sales due to reluctance to offer mortgages on properties with such agreements in place.

PPA’s are a positive mechanism in the solar industry and are great for certain situations, but in the past people have signed up to these without being fully aware of the restrictions they can impose. We recommend doing your own research to see if this type of product is right for you.

"You Must Live in an Approved Postcode" - This requirement typically signifies that the company has evaluated the roof and surrounding area's potential to yield favourable returns for investors in the PPA scheme or it’s an area that they feel will qualify for ECO4 funding.

"You Must Own Your Home and Be a UK Citizen" - This stipulation arises from the fact that non-homeowners or non-mortgage holders lack the authority to decide on installing a "free" system on the property. As such, those who do not own the property may not qualify for the installation.

"Solar Panels on Your Roof for Little to No Cost" - Occasionally, if the installation does not meet certain criteria, homeowners may be required to contribute a nominal fee to ensure the system meets the desired return on investment of the fund provider. If for example, the cost of the installation does not provide the margin required to a company for them to do the install (maybe through ECO4), they will request the top up.

"Most People Don’t Know They Can Get Free Solar Panels from This Approved UK Solar Program" - The term "UK approved" is used to imply national endorsement, but it simply means the program may consider locations across the UK based on investment criteria or ECO4 qualification criteria. There is no official nationwide approved scheme. Prospective participants should inquire about the approval's source.

"*Insert Local Area*This Month Only We Are Looking for 100 Homeowners" - This tactic aims to instil a sense of urgency by limiting the offer to a specific number of households, serving as a pressure sales technique. However, it's possible that there are genuine limitations to the funds available for installations.

"Solar Panels Designed for the British Climate" - This claim lacks substance, as there are no solar panels specifically designed for the UK market in any way. Solar panels function based on light conditions, like all other panels on the market.

"Add Thousands to the Value of Your Property" - Contrary to this assertion, there is no conclusive evidence from independent studies supporting the claim. Homeowners should question any evidence provided to the contrary.

"No Cost Up Front and Decrease Your Energy Bill by 80% and Get Paid for What You Feed Back into the Grid" - This statement could be misrepresentative. While significant bill savings are possible with efficient management of solar and battery storage systems coupled with being on the right tariff, outright ownership of the system is necessary. Without an upfront cost, homeowners do not own the system (if obtained by a PPA), and another entity earns from energy usage payments. Additionally, while the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) pays for unused energy fed back into the grid, the rate is substantially lower than what is paid to import energy, making the quoted 80% savings scenario unlikely. An ECO4 funded system however could theoretically provide a homeowner a system for free (provided they are on certain benefits such as disability benefits or income support benefits), where the installer is paid by the government for the materials and labour.

There are tariffs available where you can sell your stored energy back to the grid during times of high demand and high prices, and the no upfront cost could be an interest free credit agreement - but we would advise to tread carefully with statements like this, as it highlights all of the best possible scenarios, and not all of them are available to benefit from as one.

"Recent Technological Advances" - Contrary to claims, solar panel technology has not significantly advanced over the past 20 years. While panel sizes have increased, resulting in more powerful individual panels, the efficiency improvement is minimal. Claims of significant efficiency advancements are either knowingly misleading or based on a misunderstanding of efficiency versus panel size. The argument for efficiency is further weakened by the fact that sunlight, the energy source, is free. Consequently, efficiency concerns are less critical unless limited roof space is a factor.

"Before You Install Solar on Your Home, You Need to Hear This" - This phrase attempts to capture attention and may be followed by misinformation or manipulation.

"People Think They Cost £1,000s Because of How Expensive They Were in the Past, But Because of Modern Technology…" - There is no "modern" technology specific to solar. The reduction in battery costs has made domestic solar installations viable again since the Feed-in Tariff ceased. The perceived high cost of solar in the past is not due to technological advancements, but rather changes in the economic landscape.

"The Reason UK Homeowners Don’t Have Solar Panels Is Because They Are Not Aware of This Incredible New UK Approved Solar Scheme" - This statement implies ignorance as the primary barrier to solar adoption, rather than addressing the various complexities and considerations involved in solar panel installations.

"25-Year Performance Warranty" - Companies may inaccurately present themselves as providing this warranty when, in reality, it's provided by the manufacturer. Homeowners should inquire about the workmanship warranty instead. All MCS-approved panels come with a 25-year performance guarantee.

"Little to No Cost Out of Pocket" - Again, if your property doesn’t quite meet their funding criteria, they will ask you to contribute to the installation.

"The Government Is Currently Funding 20% of the Cost" - This claim is inaccurate; the 20% purportedly funded by the government essentially refers to the VAT exemption on solar and battery installations.

"Energy Companies Credit You for the Energy You Generate and Don’t Use" - While this statement gives the impression of bill crediting and energy usage reimbursement, the reality is different. Through the SEG, homeowners are paid around 5.5p per unused unit of energy, significantly less than the standard import rate of approximately 28p. Thus, relying solely on this method for energy usage may result in financial losses. Homeowners should utilise or store generated energy themselves.

Whilst you can be paid a higher price to sell the energy in your battery at high demand times, the use of the phrase “Energy you generate and don’t use” is misrepresentative and gives the impression of surplus energy. Whilst you may happily sell it at a higher price, it isn’t surplus because it is energy that you will likely use yourself later that day when you could need it.

"Largest and Most Experienced" - Numerous companies make this claim without substantial evidence to support it.

In Conclusion: Embracing Transparency Amidst the Shadows

While not all solar companies engage in unethical practices, the prevalence of some underscores the importance of due diligence. Seek multiple quotes, verify references, and exercise caution when encountering dubious social media advertisements.

Please note that the opinions expressed here are our own. However, in combating deceptive solar practices, we remain committed to honesty and integrity.