AEC Solar

• Battery/Storage Range
• NABCEP-Certified Installers
• Financing Options 
• Service Area

Battery/Storage Range

AEC Solar is a SunPower Elite dealer. That means that the company specializes in installing SunPower solar panels and inverters. In addition to providing SunPower products, AEC Solar is an authorized dealer of several battery and power storage brands including: the Tesla PowerWall, the SunPower Equinox Sunvault Storage, the Generac PowerCell Storage System, the Sol-Ark Storage system, and the Fortress battery.

Some solar installation companies do not offer battery or storage solutions, while other solar companies only offer one brand of battery or storage backup. AEC Solar excels in this area by offering five different battery and storage options to its customers. 

NABCEP-Certified Installers

Being a large scale operation has not kept AEC Solar from maintaining a high standard for installation. All solar installers for AEC Solar are NABCEP certified. This means that installers have completed rigorous training and have maintained a high standard of practice. Many solar installation companies do not have a single PV installer who is NABCEP certified which sets AEC apart from the competition. 

Financing Options

One of the biggest draws to the AEC Solar service is the company’s ability to help with solar financing. AEC Solar can help prospective customers in the northeast region of the United States looking to have a solar system installed. While many solar companies offer financing solutions to its customers, rarely do companies offer financing services to an entire region of the country and provide three different forms of lending. AEC Solar financing options include the following:

Purchase — Customer purchases the system upfront and owns both the system and the energy it produces.

• The SunPower solar system is bought directly
• Home equity loans can be used and are sometimes tax deductible
• Customer can keep any and all solar tax credits and/or state and local incentives
• This options maximizes savings and the system pays for itself the most efficient way possible

Loan — Customer owns the solar system and pays for it upfront with a loan.

• There are various loan payment terms and conditions available - including full repayment without penalty
• Customer once again can keep any solar tax credits and/or state and local incentives that they are eligible for
• Many customers will notice that the loan payment and remaining power bill is less than the monthly electric bill

Lease — SunPower owns the system on the customer’s roof.

• Customer makes a monthly payment to SunPower to “rent” the system
• Many customers also claim that the lease payment and remaining utility bill are less than the average monthly electric bill
• When the home is sold, customer can assign the lease to a new homeowner

Service Area

A vast majority of the solar industry is regionally based. Typically, a solar company will service one state, or just a few appointed cities within a state. A few solar companies will service a region of the country or several states with accommodating weather, but for the most part the solar industry is locally focused.

With AEC Solar, customers located in the Northeast region of the country can use the company’s financial assistance service. Additionally, AEC Solar can help with installation services in every continental U.S. state. The national service offering sets AEC Solar apart from the rest of the industry. 

• Undisclosed Workmanship Warranty

Undisclosed Workmanship Warranty

Despite offering installation services to the entire continental United States and being an elite dealer of SunPower solar systems, there is no information on what kind of workmanship warranty is available to AEC customers. Typically, solar installation companies offer a 10-year workmanship warranty to customers. This protects any mistakes, errors, or misalignments created during the installation process.

Since it is expensive to have a solar system installed, the workmanship warranty offers a buffer to clients taking on the project. Despite the industry norm of offering a 10-year workmanship warranty, AEC Solar does not appear to offer customers the industry standard.