BB
Flashlight Enthusiast
Just an FYI for anyone looking for Solar PV installation vendors...
There is a new company out there called Citizenre that has lots of Power Point Slides but, at this point in time, appears to be just marketing vapor-ware. A couple of their sites include (links disabled to link referrals back to CPF):
My concern is that they are talking about $650 Million+ in undisclosed investments, about a 500 MW/Year Solar Panel factory but no broken ground or even (at this time) any site picked/announced, a new Grid Tied Inverter at 1/10 the costs, using Multi-Level-Marketing (think Amway, Mary Kay, etc.), with 700+ sales members and 7,000+ customers and no installers...
At this point it appears that they are 2y years+ out before they can even deliver their first system--but are still "selling" 2007 installations.
Their hook is that they will, for a $500 deposit, install a 2-10kW system on your roof and sell you power at less than market rate (lowest numbers I have seen are $0.07 per kWhr and $4.00 a watt--their costs--installed) for 10-20 years. And the installers are franchises that sell for $75,000 (per share?--actual cost for franchise?). (Real numbers are probably closer to $0.14-$0.25 per kWhr and installed costs of $8-$10 per kWatt).
It is possible that some of the negative "press/blogs" on this company is the result of Solar PV distributors and installers getting ticked off from "new competition".
But it also appears that these marketing practices is causing potential customers to sign-up now (for what sounds to be to good to be true)--who will now sit around for 2-3 years waiting for something that may (will?) never happen and end up with blow-back against the current solar PV industry. And some of the people connected with "the company" have some interesting history...
Links for further reading:
Solar PV Vendor where I read the first warning (may require you to create an account to read post--a very friendly solar forum that a couple CPF'ers also participate in)
Wired.Com Article
Renewable Energy Access News
Green Options guest post
Green Volts Blog
Please be aware that there are a lot of people connected with this company posting their side of the discussion on these articles/blogs/etc...
If the moderators at CPF need to lock this thread if the same thing happens here--I will understand.
I have not had anything to do with this company but have read enough to recommend that others perform due-diligence before contracting/joining with them.
-Bill
There is a new company out there called Citizenre that has lots of Power Point Slides but, at this point in time, appears to be just marketing vapor-ware. A couple of their sites include (links disabled to link referrals back to CPF):
Code:
www.powur.com
renu.citizenre.comMy concern is that they are talking about $650 Million+ in undisclosed investments, about a 500 MW/Year Solar Panel factory but no broken ground or even (at this time) any site picked/announced, a new Grid Tied Inverter at 1/10 the costs, using Multi-Level-Marketing (think Amway, Mary Kay, etc.), with 700+ sales members and 7,000+ customers and no installers...
At this point it appears that they are 2y years+ out before they can even deliver their first system--but are still "selling" 2007 installations.
Their hook is that they will, for a $500 deposit, install a 2-10kW system on your roof and sell you power at less than market rate (lowest numbers I have seen are $0.07 per kWhr and $4.00 a watt--their costs--installed) for 10-20 years. And the installers are franchises that sell for $75,000 (per share?--actual cost for franchise?). (Real numbers are probably closer to $0.14-$0.25 per kWhr and installed costs of $8-$10 per kWatt).
It is possible that some of the negative "press/blogs" on this company is the result of Solar PV distributors and installers getting ticked off from "new competition".
But it also appears that these marketing practices is causing potential customers to sign-up now (for what sounds to be to good to be true)--who will now sit around for 2-3 years waiting for something that may (will?) never happen and end up with blow-back against the current solar PV industry. And some of the people connected with "the company" have some interesting history...
Links for further reading:
Solar PV Vendor where I read the first warning (may require you to create an account to read post--a very friendly solar forum that a couple CPF'ers also participate in)
Wired.Com Article
Renewable Energy Access News
Green Options guest post
Green Volts Blog
Please be aware that there are a lot of people connected with this company posting their side of the discussion on these articles/blogs/etc...
If the moderators at CPF need to lock this thread if the same thing happens here--I will understand.
I have not had anything to do with this company but have read enough to recommend that others perform due-diligence before contracting/joining with them.
-Bill
