Choosing a solar energy equipment supplier depends on many factors such as the pricing, quality, capacity, and the environmental impact of the equipment.
Apart from that, there is the vendor’s experience, manufacturing process, license, certification, and the type of warranty and support that they offer, all of which play a crucial role in purchasing a solar system of your choice.
Being a one-time set-up that lasts for years and decades to come, missing out on any of these areas could eventually cause a lot of problems for you both financially and environmentally.
To avoid getting caught up in the implications of buying a wrong or incorrect unit, it is better to carry out your research well in advance with priority.
Tips To Choose A Reliable Solar Equipment Supplier
Here’s what you should be doing before choosing a solar energy equipment supplier:
1. Compare prices and quotations from several installers
First step, i.e. shortlisting the companies that provide solar installation in your locality. Followed by selecting a few, at least two or three of them based on the customers’ feedback and online reviews.
Once you have a clear idea of the top suppliers in your area, comes the part of checking and comparing their pricing and financing options.
Most companies these days offer flexible payment options to consumers given the high initial cost of installing solar panels. These include power purchase agreements, green energy loans, and leasing methods among others.
Nonetheless, when finalising a solar energy installer, don’t just look for the lowest price as it can compromise the quality of services and power generation. Instead, try to assess the cost of every aspect of the system including the equipment, its installation, and any additional fees or warranty charges that may apply and are listed in the quotation.
2. Go through their experience, service record, license, and certification
Verifying the company’s portfolio is yet another key ingredient in finding the best deal for your solar plant.
To make sure that it is legit, run a thorough check on their license and registration, and look for all the certificates required by the law and local authorities. Most commonly the license for general contracting, home improvement, home performance, and electrician services, plus a general liability insurance policy.
Having these certifications means the supplier is well approved by the government to carry out the delicate and risky job of installing a solar power plant for different purposes.
Also, look into their record and experience to better understand the quality of their work.
3. Check for carbon neutrality or minimum carbon footprint
Since carbon emissions have become one of the major worries in the last few decades, the adoption of solar energy is at an all-time high.
Thanks to their minimum carbon footprint, solar energy systems are considered relatively safer in generating free electricity at your home compared to fossil fuels and other renewable resources.
But while the production of solar energy is almost free of any carbon emissions, the manufacturing process of various parts such as the solar panels and cells; is not so much!
Infact, a large amount of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases take place during the mining of rare earth metals that are used in the manufacturing of solar plants. Albeit, the latter is known to make-up for the damage by not having a significant carbon footprint during their operation, thus aligning perfectly with the Net-zero carbon emission goal by 2050.
4. Ensure they have a transparent supply chain
Having a transparent supply chain is yet another feature of a good, ethical, and responsible supplier.
At the least, it shows that the company is open and transparent about where they get the raw materials from, how they manufacture their products, and what other practices are involved in their business.
Some of the key insights that you can get by opting for such a supplier are:
- Easier purchasing options.
- Detailed calculations of the cost of different materials and their respective sources.
- Assurance of the company adhering to industry standards and guidelines.
- Indication of whether a company is socially responsible towards nature and community.
5. And “green steel” manufacturing
Speaking of sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions, “green steel” is a revolutionary new technique that produces steel using clean energy while leaving little to no carbon footprint in the process.
The technology revolves around electric arc furnaces that are powered by clean energy sources in contrast with traditional steel making methods.
For information purposes, traditional steel manufacturing is one of the highest contributors to greenhouse gases that are harmful to the environment and climate.
As a marginally low contributor of greenhouse gases, and as opposed to common steel manufacturing processes, green steel manufacturing validates the company’s dedication and commitment to nature and the planet.
Therefore, a win-win for all!
6. Emphasise service and warranty
Last but not least, different suppliers may have different types of warranties and after-sales support for solar panels based on the equipment and their performance.
Although most solar systems do come with a standard warranty of 25-30 years, the actual warranty may still vary depending on its type.
For instance, while the performance warranty of solar panels may last for up to 25 years, the equipment or hardware warranty may fall anywhere between 10-12 years. Whereas, the warranty for the inverter may go as low as 5 years depending on its capacity and usage.
The point is- when choosing a solar energy equipment supplier, it is better to consider the warranty period as a major factor for years to come, especially should you need a repair/ replacement in the future.
Conclusion
Choosing a solar energy equipment provider could be a time-consuming and hectic task due to the planning and intricacies involved in the procurement and installation of a solar plant.
However, once installed, you can rest assured that you will never have to pay more than 10% of what you had been paying for electricity consumption before installing a solar system on your rooftop.
Ravi Ranjan