Net Metering 2.0 and Mandatory Warranties

As the San Diego region becomes the first in California to reach the solar cap set by the California Public Utilities Commission by passing Assembly Bill 327, new solar rules referred to as NEM 2.0 are about to go into effect.

While much of the discussion around NEM 2.0 has focused on the changing benefits associated with going solar and the introduction of new rates, one change to the regulations has received little attention despite the positive impact it will have on the California solar industry. This change is the introduction of a 10-year warranty on all equipment and the installation of that equipment and the ruling that all major solar PV system components must be approved by the California Energy Commission.

By reaching this significant milestone, it proves that solar is here to stay and that the future for solar energy customers is more secure and safe than ever.

Better Protections for Solar Consumers

This aspect of the NEM 2.0 rule changes helps ensure a better level of protection for solar customers. While Sullivan Solar Power has constantly exceeded these minimum warranties, it is good for the solar industry that other companies must now reach the minimum standards.

In the development of the legislation, San Diego Gas & Electric was opposed to the establishment of these regulations, believing that minimum warranties should be a matter for the customer and installer to deal with. However, this requirement is an added protection for the customer and with over 200 solar companies in the San Diego region, all with varying types and durations of warranties, it should help support the positive development of the solar industry in the future.

Setting the Standards, Then Exceeding Them

Sullivan Solar Power has long set the standard for warranties and guarantees that we provide our customers. While the new solar rules state that a minimum 10-year warranty must be provided for equipment, Sullivan Solar Power exceeds this requirement by offering an industry-best 20-year warranty on all its products.

Most solar installers will provide a 10-year warranty on the inverter, yet it is most likely that the inverter will fail around this time. With this in mind, Sullivan Solar Power is one of the few solar companies that provides a 20-year warranty on the inverter.

Sullivan Solar Power only uses solar equipment from manufacturers who have been in business longer than the warranty period and for that reason we are very selective about the equipment we use on our customers’ roofs. Currently, we use SunPower and Kyocera panels, which are locally sourced and are from companies that are financially secure and operate in a socially responsible manner. In addition, we only we only choose suppliers who believe in our mission and purpose.

This new regulation rewards the solar installers who go the extra mile for their customers and who help ensure that their system will stand the test of time. Sullivan Solar Power is not only content with guaranteeing that the equipment we use will continue to work, but that it continues to produce the power we say it will.

To help ensure this, we provide an industry-leading production guarantee of 10 years, with a money-back clause in our contracts for the unlikely event your system does not perform as promised.

This aspect of the new solar rules promote the safety and reliability of solar power, something that Sullivan Solar Power has been devoted to in our role as a local industry pioneer.

The changes associated with NEM 2.0 mean that now is still an opportune time to go solar provided you go solar with a company that can use their deep expertise to make the regulatory changes work for you.