The Stewart Family of Walnut Creek just installed a 2.7 kW SunPower solar system and are very satisfied with it.

After first researching 2 other solar companies, the Stewarts were not sure what to expect when The Solar Company came to visit.

"Our sales [consultant], Dominic, was very friendly and informative. No pressure," remarked Mr. Stewart.

He also appreciated how "clean, courteous, and accommodating" the installers were. "They worked fast and did a professional job."

Mr. Stewart also added, "The office personnel that I dealt with, Randi and Andre, were also first rate, willing to go the extra mile to make sure we were entirely satisfied with the system and dealing with the bureaucracy at PG&E."

They just received their first electric bill and were thrilled to see that it was only $12 - a far cry from their usual $200 monthly bills.

And they look forward to many more years of happily reaping their electrical rewards!

2008 was a big turning point for the Braile family of El Dorado Hills. Bill and Margaret were looking to not only lower their electric bill but also wanted to be more environmentally friendly.

Bill and Margaret wanted to include their family in their green goals. “We have two kids and we wanted to set a good example for them. We want them to see that everyone has to do their part.”

Even after switching out their light bulbs with fluorescents and upgrading to a more efficient pool pump, they were still looking for more ways to go green. And then they thought of their best idea yet: let’s go solar!

Now it was time to do their homework. They looked into 8 or 9 different companies to see who would be able to not only install the best product for the best price but would have the knowledge and experience they were looking for. From large companies to small, they gave each one a fair chance. When The Solar Company came out, they were happily surprised.

Bill and Margaret were very pleased with the solar consultant who came out for their site analysis. “David was a great, low-pressure sales [consultant]. There was no hype; he was very informative and answered all of our questions. And what really impressed me was that he has solar himself so he had a lot of experience with it.”

Since the Brailes live in an area with a strict HOA, they were concerned with restrictions that could be imposed on them. They were relieved when David was able to take care of everything with the HOA and their solar project could go on unimpeded.

Margaret also commented that the installers were very nice, professional, courteous, and experienced.

She added, “Overall, we were very happy with the service. The Solar Company made the whole process painless. We would definitely recommend them.”

April Robertson of Castro Valley is really loving her sleek, black SunPower panels! She is the proud new owner of a 3.8 kW SunPower solar photovoltaic system.

She writes: "My daughter researched our requirements and we decided on The Solar Company. After completing and analyzing the return-on-investment, it was logical to proceed with the installation. From the beginning, we were impressed with the knowledge and speed in which our questions were answered and the follow-up requirements met."



As an interesting twist on this particular system, the Discovery Channel contacted us to request filming of the installation to feature in an upcoming program about renewable energy. April's house was a busy place, but everything ran smoothly.

"Installation was "painless" and efficient. Even with the Discovery Channel team filming the installation, which took one day, everyone was courteous and demonstrated considerable business acumen.

"We are delighted with our decision to find an alternative power source - thank you!"

Mr. Robert Jensen of Stockton had been doing research on solar panel systems for quite awhile and was very impressed by the high efficiency ratings of SunPower panels. He was familiar with what he wanted, which included the most stable company available, so he was very happy to discover a SunPower Premier Dealer in his area. He also had some definite reasons to go solar.

He comments, "I switched to solar because I wanted to insure that my electric bills would not increase in the future. I also wanted to insure a lifestyle that did not include making PG&E a beneficiary of my income."

The Solar Consultant, Robert Colón, worked with Mr. Jensen to help make his solar dream possible. There were a few shading issues to be worked out, including a chimney and some roof overhangs. Also, Mr. Jensen wanted to ensure that his roof warranty would not be made invalid by any work that was going to be done. The Solar Company contacted the original roofer and hired him to join the crew for part of the install to insure the footings, flashings, and tiles were installed properly for the sake of Mr. Jensen's warranty.

Mr. Jensen's solar system was recently selected by the California Solar Initiative administrators for review. The system passed with flying colors.

To further his solar system benefits, Mr. Jensen also made other energy-saving improvements around the house by installing new windows, CFL's, energy efficient washer and dryer, and an energy efficient heating and air conditioning system.

Because of his great experience with The Solar Company, he has also referred us to his friends and neighbors and speaks highly of our installation crew.

"I am very happy with the solar system."

Fernando and Kathy Seisdedos of Windsor, CA had wanted to go solar for years. They were already trying to live a green lifestyle; they replaced the light bulbs with fluorescents, replaced their large appliances with more efficient models, and even dried their clothes on a clothesline to cut back on energy usage.

Kathy was amazed at the benefits from even these small changes. She said,”These green things were better than the originals and saved money and the planet!”

Fernando was concerned about the benefits and wanted to make sure they didn’t end up with a solar panel system that was overpriced and inefficient. They explored several different solar installation companies but were still confused about what they really needed and delayed having a system installed for a few years.

“When I looked at catalogues from [one solar company], I was very confused. What size did we need? How many? Which type of panels?”

Then, at a recent home and garden show in Santa Rosa, they registered at a booth to win a car and requested information about solar installation from The Solar Company. They also saw another booth for a well-known solar installation company and spoke with one of their representatives to request an estimate.

Kathy remembers, “He called us, we sent in our PG&E bill, and never heard back.”

A short time later, they received a phone call from The Solar Company and, recognizing the name from radio spots during the Giant’s games, decided to set up an appointment for an estimate with Sonoma resident, Jason Nelson.

“Jason came out to explain and take measurements. He came back later and gave an estimate, explained some more, this time to both of us. Fernando, an accountant, was very impressed with the tax benefits, getting rid of the electric bill, and that the panels would be on the west side of the house completely out of sight of the driveway.

“When the workmen arrived they were polite to me and explained what changes they were making to the plans and why. The teams worked well together and installed the panels, conduits and boxes out sight and then cleaned up well. I watched as the building inspector checked their work and saw how well prepared Darwin was for all the questions the inspector asked.”

Kathy and Fernando are very happy with their solar panel system. And the best part?

“We just got our first PG&E bill--no charge for electricity!”

Cameron & Kathy Jarrett of Sonoma had been looking at going solar for years and decided this was the time to install.

After speaking with a knowledgeable sales consultant of The Solar Company, Cameron felt sure it was the right thing to do. “Jason [Nelson] was very professional and I had a good conversation with him. I was convinced that solar was the way to go.”

Cameron was happily impressed by “the professionalism and expertise” of the install crew. “They really knew what they were doing. I was proud of every single one of them!”

The Jarrett’s took further steps to conserve energy, such as switching out a majority of the light bulbs to fluorescents. Cameron commented, “It was amazing that we were still able to get the same amount of light while using less energy.”

They are very happy with their new system and are looking forward to seeing the meter spin backwards. Now, Cameron loves to talk about solar with others: “I tell them two things - 1. go with SunPower[panels] and 2. you can’t beat the professionalism of The Solar Company’s install crew. My advice is to install solar as soon as you can.”

If you want to know if going solar is worth it, just ask Castro Valley resident Larry Piekarczyk.

In 2004, Larry decided to break from the herd and start saving money by installing a 2.4 kW roof mount system for his home. He went from paying $100 each month (with current energy rate increases, today that number would be about $180!) to a mere $60 per year.

"At first, I was pretty skeptical about installing a solar system," Larry admitted. "I didn't feel that my electric bill was big enough to do anything about it. But after doing a little research and speaking with a representative from The Solar Company, my perspective began to change. I saw that I could really be saving a lot more money."

Larry says that he saw his savings start right away. He no longer pays a monthly bill to his electric company; it's now paid on a yearly basis.

"My bill is roughly $5 per month so I pay annually now. One less thing I have to worry about," he commented with a big smile.

Now Larry is a big advocate for solar. He has referred family and friends to see how they can start saving and do something good for the environment at the same time.

"I can't say enough about it. It's one of the best investments I've ever made."

The PG&E guy came by and changed my meter. He looked over the installation and said it was the nicest one he has ever seen!!!

Congratulations on a great job!!