California's solar industry has seen several high-profile bankruptcies, including Peterson Dee, one of the largest manufacturers.
Now another local solar company has closed, leaving homeowners with incomplete roofs that don't generate energy, save money on utility bills, and often still have the equipment and financing to install the customer's responsibility.
In Compton, Angela Dorsey's 83-year-old mother installed roof panels, but they don't generate power. Dorsey said the solar plant, contracted to installer Harness Power, will be completed by July 2022 and commissioned by September.
After 10 months, Harness Power filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors without warning in the spring, and Dorsey's mother, Teresa, will reportedly start making $32,000 in system fees soon.
"I don't think it's fair to pay a company that doesn't get the job done," says Teresa.
Harness Power has several negative reviews on Yelp where customers left unused solar panels. "We got to the finish line before they closed," said one review, while another said, "They took my down payment seven days before they closed."
Another Harness Solar customer in Orange County sustained $70,000 worth of broken roof panels. "Financially, the cost comes up, but the rest of the stress was too much," said Stephanie Foltz, a solar buyer.
Foltz tried to get another solar contractor to complete the job, but most people don't want to touch someone else's equipment.
"I think that's been the most frustrating part of trying to figure out the next step when nobody can help you with that step," Foltz said.
Josh Bushwell of the California Solar Energy and Storage Association said while Charco is embarrassing, there are steps consumers can take. It is necessary to first tell the loan company that the work was not done.
"See if there is a possibility of a payment delay or a payment waiver," Bushwell said. The customers can file their complaint with the State Contractors Licensing Board and attach a commercial bond, but the cost is only $25,000, which isn't much if it's split among a few people, he said.
Finally, you can file a complaint with the California Solar and Storage Association. "While we cannot make any promises, we will do our best to resolve disputes between contractors and customers," Bushwell said.
Harness Power released the following statement.
After 6 years of service to our customers, earlier this year we announced the closure of Harness Power due to insurmountable financial difficulties. Because of our closure, we know and understand our customer base. We are actively seeking solutions for those whose projects are left unfinished. Through social media posts or emails, we communicated several alternative solutions through local financial firms and contractors that could help them move forward. For those who have financed their project, we advise you to contact the appropriate financial company to check the solution, together with the company's managers. We thank our customers for their trust over the years and regret that we cannot continue to serve them.
