Pink Energy Solar Closes Amid a Tidal Wave of Complaints

Pink Energy launched in 2014 and has helped thousands of customers across the U.S. install solar at home. This nationwide solar company grew from just 15 employees eight years ago to more than 2,000 employees, all of whom lost their jobs last week when the company shut its doors.

Why has Pink Energy Solar closed down?

The short answer seems to be that the company’s reputation took too much of a hit from multiple complaints alleging shoddy workmanship and misleading sales practices. And that was before the Ohio Attorney General announced an injunction this week preventing Pink Solar from selling or installing any more solar projects.

“A pattern of complaints”

Pink Energy has long been plagued by complaints. In the last three years alone, there were at least 1,200 complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) about Pink Energy Solar. This includes a staggering 832 complaints closed in the last year, far more than I’ve seen for any solar installer.

This ‘pattern of complaints’ prompted BBB to contact Pink Energy on May 6, 2022, to seek voluntary cooperation to resolve the issues. The complaints fielded by BBB included:

• Sales practice issues, such as misrepresentation of potential savings and earnings by going solar
• Long delays in system activation after signing a contract
• Problems with inspection or equipment
• Underproduction of home solar energy systems versus estimates given during the sales process
• Communication issues when customers try to get help from Pink Energy.

To its credit, Pink Energy responded to the BBB request by agreeing to a variety of steps. These included implementing a 7-day minimum penalty-free cancellation period for customers who sign a contract for home solar. Most reliable home solar providers offer this kind of cooling off period to ensure customers are happy with their decision to go solar.

See also: The best solar panels for home use

Pink Energy also promised to launch a digital customer portal where customers could get real-time updates on the progress of their installation. Again, for a larger provider such as Pink Energy, this is fairly standard practice.

Pink Energy also extended its workmanship warranty to 10 years. In danger of sounding like a broken record, this is the minimum to expect from a quality solar installer.

Other steps the company promised to take included eliminating commission-only sales associates and reviewing all sales training materials and requirements. It also promised that sales associates would complete two weeks of training and a three-part Ethics in Sales course.

BBB updated the file on August 24^th, 2022, to reflect a decrease in customer complaints over Pink Energy’s sales tactics. Pink Energy also canceled its relationship with Generac, the maker of the batteries Pink Energy alleged were causing production issues. There seemed to be no improvement in customer service issues, however, and any progress in other areas is now moot, given the demise of Pink Energy.

The downfall of Pink Energy Solar

Pink Energy sent its employees emails the week of September 22^nd announcing the company’s closure. The Better Business Bureau has confirmed Pink Energy Solar has shut up shop, though there’s no record of it filing for bankruptcy.

A couple of weeks before announcing the closure of the company, Pink Energy’s CEO and founder, Jayson Waller, told WBTV that it was trying to remedy the situation and make things right for its customers. The company, Waller said, had terminated ‘knucklehead sales reps’ who had been doing ‘their own thing’.

Waller also continued to assert that any underperformance of its installations was the fault of Generac batteries. Indeed, Pink Energy filed a lawsuit against Generac on August 1^st, 2022. This suit alleges that Generac’s batteries contain a defective part, the SNAP RS, which poses a fire hazard and causes underproduction of the solar energy systems to which it is connected.

For its part, Generac has said that any failure of its equipment is due to improper installation by Pink Energy. In a statement, the company said:

“Generac is a leading manufacturer of solar + storage solutions, and we sell our products to a wide range of distributors and solar contractors. We’ve been in business for more than 60 years, and we’ve done that by standing by our promises and products.

“In certain situations, especially when product installation guidelines have not been followed, as appears to be the case with some Pink Energy installations, customers may have experienced certain issues with a particular Generac component of their solar energy system – the SnapRS 801 or 801A. We have introduced a new next-generation rapid shutdown device, which has been designed and engineered to the highest reliability standards. We are committed to getting those upgrades and warranty replacements taken care of as quickly as possible and those steps are well underway. It is unfortunate that Pink Energy, as the installer and service provider of such products, has made the unilateral decision to quit offering Generac warranty support despite the availability of parts. Instead of helping expedite the resolution of their customer complaints, they have asked Generac to solely assume this responsibility. Although Pink Energy does not appear to put the needs of these customers first, Generac has – and always will – stand behind our products and honor our customer commitments.”

Generac is a popular and longstanding brand for batteries and other solar energy system components. It is often favored by top solar installers in the U.S. and worldwide, with very few, if any, issues reported by installers other than Pink Energy.

Legal issues for Pink Energy

A week after the closure of the business, the Ohio AG announced a permanent injunction against Pink Energy (named as Power Home Solar in the complaint). This prevents the company and its officers from selling and installing home solar in Ohio. The complaint alleges that Pink Energy used deceptive and unconscionable tactics to convince customers in Ohio to buy solar energy systems, then carried out poor quality work that failed to live up to the promises made to homeowners.

The Ohio injunction also seeks an order to require Pink Energy to reimburse customers for damages. This could run into millions of dollars, with more than 100 consumer complaints included by the Ohio AG in the injunction. The complaints range from allegations of aggressive sales tactics to savings misrepresentations, along with installation and warranty issues.

There are also dozens of complaints filed with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office alleging underperformance of Pink Energy residential solar energy systems. Many of these complaints detail higher utility bills and loan payments after going solar, rather than the savings promised by Pink Energy sales representatives.

So far, the North Carolina AG hasn’t announced an investigation. However, the Missouri AG announced an investigative demand against Pink Energy back in March 2022.

What to do if your solar installer goes out of business

Customers of Pink Energy have now been left out in the cold, with no recourse for service and repair from the company. Any customers with a grievance against Pink Energy should consider filing a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection online at www.attorneygeneral.gov. Customers can also email the Bureau at scams@attorneygeneral.gov.

It’s also worth noting that many of the installations carried out by Pink Energy use equipment covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. Before doing any work on the system, it’s best to check with the manufacturer, so as not to inadvertently void any warranties.

What else can you do if your solar installer goes out of business but you need help with your home solar energy system? The best option is to reach out to two or three reputable installers in your area that have the skills and capacity to repair and maintain a system installed by another provider.

Many fly-by-night home solar installers install cookie-cutter systems and don’t have the depth of expertise to do any more than that. This is why we almost exclusively recommend solar installers with at least one NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional (PVIP) on staff as part of a team of experienced in-house electricians and solar technicians.

We also strongly favor solar installation companies that can also maintain and repair every kind of solar energy system, even if it didn’t install the system itself. This is a good sign that the company knows the equipment inside and out and can handle any issues that crop up, without just passing blame onto others.

Pink Solar Alternatives

In the case of Pink Energy, the company may have simply grown too big too fast, forgetting its ethics in the process and cutting corners. This is why we’re rather wary of companies that boast about being the ‘fastest growing’ solar installer in any given city, state, or region. As with so many things, a growth mindset can become your undoing unless it’s coupled with a sustainable, ethical business model. Pink Energy may act as a lesson to other installers not to burn too bright for danger of burning up entirely.

If you were considering Pink Energy for your home solar project, don’t let this one company’s downfall sour things for you. Home solar may still be a good fit for you and your home.

One of our top choices for home solar, Freedom Solar, works in many of the same cities and states as Pink Solar. There are also plenty of hardworking, reliable, longstanding smaller solar installation companies to choose from in most places in the U.S.

Check out our guides to solar installers in Arizona, Texas, and Colorado, and if you live elsewhere, keep an eye out for future guides to solar installers in other states.