Smart Solar Energy

I found Smart Solar Energy through my search in Energy Sage for solar installers in my area (Columbia River Gorge) after doing considerable research about solar. There is a lot of information which can be confusing , but I wanted to make informed decisions about size, materials, efficiency, financial incentives, etc for our home installation. I contacted Smart Solar and got a response within a day to set up an online visit time and what documents were needed to assess and design a system, like current electrical usage from the PUD. The online interview with Jordan Showers was very helpful and informative. I got clear, respectful answers to my questions and he spelled out the phases of the solar installation process, product & service warranty, cost & incentives available. It was my decision to proceed--no pressure from Jordan. Smart Solar took responsibility for the permitting processes and WA sales tax credit, set up the installation schedule and solar production & monitoring app, and kept me advised of the steps as installation progressed. This effective communication and keeping to the planned process and cost instilled a confidence in their work & services, which I greatly appreciate. All together, my Smart Solar experience went very smoothly--a testament to their professionalism, belief in the value of solar, and caring for customers in both Oregon & Washington.

After researching solar installation companies I chose to work with Smart Solar. They had top notch panels and inverters, there was no bullshit as with other companies who were too glowing in their promises. Their installation went swiftly & very workmanlike. Panels were up before I knew it & were generating electricity. Even PGE moved swiftly. The cost was about half of the top bidder; that bidder claimed to be a "premium company" but there was no satisfactory explanation for being twice as expensive. Although much less expensive than some others, Smart Solar did not cut corners with panels, other equipment, or labor. Time will tell viz the panels, but they are all working and I am tracking energy production with their software. Smart Solar was easy to work with, followed through on their appointments, coordinated with my house painters (everything happens at once).

Great company to work with--very happy with my system and all of my interactions with their employees. They were also at least $5k cheaper than the companies that solicit door to door.

I found information about Smart Solar from the website of energysage. I put my information there and after a bidding process, I selected Smart Solar for my project. They offered me a compititive quote for my project and also, they went through multiple meeting sessions to explain the process and address any queries I had. I have found them to be punctual about the schedule be it meeting or installment setup. On the day of installment, I have found them to come on time and complete the instalation with very minimal issues. The system went through inspection and turned on by PGE officials and all of these was co-ordinated by Jenn (my project manager). In brief, it was easy to work with Smart Solar.

Getting a solar system done is no easy job for someone who hasn't done it before - and most of us have not. Talking with vendors and installers, and possibly roofers, shortlisting candidates for negotiations, deciding on the best you consider trustworthy and signing the contract is all stressful, even with knowing the big reward ahead. Frankly, everyone would go through these no matter what awesome references you got from neighbors, HOA board, or friends. However, out of all five solar companies I started with, working with Smart Solar Energy was very quickly surfacing to the top, for a number of reasons, the warranty, the know-how explaining process, the price and personnel. Jordan was genuinely interested in helping you and I don't think he is disguising that for pitching a quick sale. From the beginning to the end, I certainly would not know everything about solar panel brands (foreign or domestic), inverter capabilities, and other specifications thrown at me, yet the common sense seems to go well with what Smart Solar Energy introduced all the way. Now the system is up and running, I cannot say any bad things about the experience. In fact, I think it was a very pleasant one.

Smart Solar was our best price per kWh out of six bids. They were quick and responsive to questions while I was reviewing options. They did not try to upsale, if anything they did the opposite and recommended providing what I needed and not more. I was most impressed by their follow-through after we signed a contract. They were clear on the next steps and the permitting took a little less time than anticipated. I appreciated the project management support provided to answer questions during the process and the set-up.