1st Light Energy
reviews and complaints

Having a connection issue with our solar panels. Have left several messages with no return call back over several days. Every time that I call their many phone numbers I get a voice mail leaving me the option to leave a message for the same person. Would really appreciate a call back so that we can find out what the problem is with the connection issue.

First off, I have to mention that I never leave reviews so for me to do so things must be pretty bad. If I could give these people negative stars I would. Complete frauds. Sold us on the "BEST" solar panels and service and here we are, 3 months with a non-functioning inverter during the hottest month in history and can't even get a call back. This company should be put out of business as they do nothing but take your money. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to get an attorney involved an will update this post with new info as it comes. Hopefully by doing so, it will detour people from getting taken advantage of. Pretty sad that people could actually run a business like this.

Very poor customer service.

We had to get our roof repaired and 1st light had to come to remove some panels. That step took over 4 weeks.

Then the roof got repaired in 1day and 1st light was notified to reinstall the panels, that step took another 4 weeks. At this time the Tech determined our Inverter needs to be replaced...This was on March 22nd, still waiting for them to come and replace it so our system is down for almost 2 months

I'm told the inverter is there but the optimizer is not there so they are waiting for it.

I have no idea when that may happen.

Very, very poor management and organization.

I have been calling and emailing for weeks now with a promise of receiving a call from the Supervisor. I have not received a call back! I was told that I would receive a rebate as well as a tax credit and now I'm told there is no rebate! I was counting on that check so I could apply it to my loan and reduce my payments. As it stands now, I am paying more per month with solar than I was through SCE! This is not acceptable!

Worst decision I ever made. This company is totally incompetent and unprofessional. It took forever to get my panels installed. The installers failed inspection and never followed up. I had to call 1st light energy and literally harass them because them to get my panels working since no one answered my emails and answered my calls. I made the huge mistake of referring 2 of my friends and they both have similar complaints. I started the process 8 months ago and still havent received the referral money they promised. The sales person does a great job selling the service but dont believe anything he says. Its all lies. No one educated me on how to sell my SREC''s. April Baptista needs to be fired. She never returns call or answer email and has no clue whats going on. I have to track her down to only receive misinformation time and time again. I warn anyone reading this to stay far away from this company. SCAM SCAM SCAM!

UPDATE: Since my last review the vice president of 1st Light Energy, Todd Steck, contacted me to remove my review. Todd threatened to withhold my referral money until I took my review down. I reiterated to Todd my grievances with the installation process and customer service but after 5 mins of speaking to Todd I realized he had no idea about my ordeal or the similar dilemas all my referrals were encountering. He proceeded to give me the same misinformation I received from the other reps and showed no empathy. It was clear he didnt care about anything except getting this review down. This is a very small company. You have your choice of 2 reps Tammy and April. This establishment is crooked and appears to be working out of a very small office. At this juncture I can care less about the referral. I pay extra for good service. None of my issues were resolved and the call ended with Todd Steck, the vice president, unsuccessfully trying to bully me to take my post down and abruptly ending the call. You cant make this stuff up. The culture of poor customer service appears to start at the top and trickles down to the employees.

This is really and eye opener for people, you need to listen understand what some solar companies are doing.

1) 1st Light Energy is not here to save you money and they count on you taking their word for it, read the contract details.

2) It has taken them 5 months to get our study completed, way too long by industry standards.
3) We were informed verbally that since we would be leasing we could at anytime call 1st Light Energy and have them un-install the equipment. Well I read the details and it is for 20yrs and you must still pay them even if it is removed, or sell your home.
4) Like their website states you can "lower your electricity bill immediately and hedge against inflation by locking in your rate for 20years". Lets see, after reading the contract that is incorrect. they will increase your monthly bill for inflation as the years pass to include raising your kWh rate you pay. The second part of this YOUR ELECTRIC WILL NOT GO DOWN, saving you monthly expense while saving the environment. With 1st Light Energy our monthly bill will increase over our current electric bill? The reason is they have increased there kWh price just under PG&E meaning you will save so little on you monthly electric bill it wouldn't be worth the effort on your side as a customer. They charge for inflation at a higher rate than most other companies, their rate increase for inflation at 11years is the same as most others at 20years. So you are paying them way more for the same service, it makes no sense for long term financial planning. Stay away from this company as their interest is for themselves and not the customer.