Avolta
3.6
5.6
Overall Score
Author: Kaitlyn Short
Avolta is a sustainable-living solutions for homeowners and companies throughout the country. With a team of highly trained experts and innovators, it provides world-class solutions including solar technologies, water capture and filtration systems, smart home security tools, insulation and roofing improvements, energy-efficient appliances, etc. Avolta works to cultivate a brighter future for its tens of thousands of customers and for its more than 500 dedicated team members.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Solar Product Partnerships
- Widely Available
Solar Product Partnerships
Avolta boasts a number of industry-leading partnerships to deliver quality solar energy systems and solar financing options. In terms of solar equipment, the company has partnered with both Enphase and SolarEdge — the two leading string and micro inverter manufacturers in the business. Products from these two companies convert energy for any size of solar power system and can be adapted to add solar backup batteries to an existing system. Avolta has also partnered with IronRidge and Pegasus Solar, both pioneers in solar roof mounting and racking technology.
The solar installer has also partnered with a number of well-known solar financing companies:
- Loanpal
- Sunlight Financial
- Mosaic
- Dividend
Each of these lenders provide homeowners with robust financing options flexible to almost any budget and often for zero money down.
Widely Available
Although Avolta Power is headquartered in Utah, the company serves homeowners across seven U.S. states:
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Texas (Dallas and Houston)
- Utah
Considering that most solar providers only cover one or two states, the fact that Avolta has maintained such wide availability since its founding in 2015 speaks to the company’s high-quality systems and customer service.
The Bad
- Fraud Complaint
- Undisclosed Workmanship Warranty
- No Panel Disclosure
- No Lease or PPA Options
- No NABCEP Certification
Fraud Complaint
Avolta Power, along with Brio Solar, Bello Energy, and Sunny Solar Utah, were all at the center of several fraud complaints filed by Minnesota solar customers in the spring of 2022. Homeowners accused the Utah-based solar companies of misleading sales practices and aggressive sales tactics that included solar sales reps presenting themselves as energy consultants, and convincing homeowners to sign contracts disguised as solar quotes or estimates. After installation, panels were often not connected to the grid or didn't perform as promised.
These complaints led to a civil lawsuit filed by the Minnesota Attorney General against the companies and their executives. Avolta and the other solar companies named in the lawsuit have changed names multiple times to continue operating, often using "doing business as" (DBA) filings. Brio Energy LLC, Bello Solar Energy LLC, and Avolta Power Inc. have undergone several name changes, causing customer confusion. The executives and companies have continued to rebrand without customer knowledge.
In spite of the lawsuit and subsequent consent judgments demanding Avolta Power to complete all projects in Minnesota as well as pay a fine to the state, these companies are still considered active, and their executive have since founded new companies, such as Elite Solar Group LLC and Nova Solar, again without customer knowledge.
Undisclosed Workmanship Warranty
Although Avolta has made clear that every solar installation comes with a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty (which protects against damaged or defective solar panels), the company has not disclosed its workmanship warranty, which would protect the system against errors or damage caused during the installation process. Leading solar companies provide labor warranties good for up to 25 years.
No Panel Disclosure
As with most companies, Avolta likely sources its solar panels from multiple manufacturers; however, the company has not publicly disclosed which, if any, solar panel manufacturers it has partnered with. The brand and model of solar panels built into a solar system greatly informs the price, durability, and energy efficiency of the system at-large, so providing this information prior to the customer obtaining a quote will empower homeowners comparing multiple providers.
No Lease or PPA Options
Avolta’s partnerships provide customers with solid solar loan options; however, Avolta does not appear to provide solar leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs) for customers on a more fixed budget who would still like to invest in solar energy for their home.
No NABCEP Certification
Avolta Solar does not appear to hold an NABCEP certification. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners provides leading certification programs in the solar industry. While the lack of a certification does not imply poor quality on the part of Avolta, companies with this designation are true experts in all things solar installation and technology.
The Bottom Line
Avolta’s partnerships and large number of completed installations are great plusses for the company in terms of system quality and proven track record. That said, investigative reporting on Avolta Power, its subsidiaries and Utah-based sister companies should raise some concerns among diligent homeowners. Solar customers living within Avolta’s service area are encouraged to read verified Avolta reviews and compare the company’s products and financing options to other leading companies in their neighborhood.
