6.7
Blue Raven Photo voltaic
Like
Sturdy customer support popularity
Makes use of solely in home labor
A number of financing choices
Do not like
Shorter workmanship guarantee
Few battery choices
No leases or PPAs
The photo voltaic firms we converse to inform us they’re in demand nowadays because of hovering vitality prices, rising issues we’re within the midst of a worsening local weather disaster and up to date incentives for renewable vitality like tax credit.
Add all that up, and it is sensible that an increasing number of individuals are placing photo voltaic panels on their properties.
On high of tax advantages, photo voltaic panels add worth to your property whereas decreasing your utility invoice and (perhaps) getting your electrical firm to pay you for the facility you harvest straight from the sky.
Can photo voltaic panels prevent cash?
Keen on understanding the influence photo voltaic can have on your property? Enter some fundamental data under, and we’ll immediately present a free estimate of your vitality financial savings.
Blue Raven overview
Utah-based Blue Raven Photo voltaic has dealt solely in residential photo voltaic installations because it was began in 2014. The corporate has grown shortly in lower than a decade from simply three workforce members to greater than 3,000 unfold throughout the US at the moment. It was acquired by SunPower in 2021, one of many oldest photo voltaic firms within the nation.
“I’d say we function not totally autonomously, however we’re nonetheless very a lot Blue Raven Photo voltaic,” Mitch Hoffman, the corporate’s senior advertising and marketing supervisor, informed CNET.
The subsidiary shares gear and buyer acquisition methods with its father or mother, and now completely gives SunPower’s SunVault battery line in choose areas.
Blue Raven is certainly one of an rising variety of photo voltaic firms on the market providing installations. It is vital to analysis totally different installers working in your space to be sure to get the most effective deal that you will be proud of for the long-term. A photo voltaic system can follow you even longer than different main purchases, like your automotive, so it is value taking the time to get a number of quotes and as a lot data as attainable.
Happily, you’ve got began in the best place. There are various extra evaluations on CNET like this one to clue you in to the most effective service suppliers.
You’ll want to additionally evaluation the standards we use to fee photo voltaic firms. Do not forget that CNET doesn’t take a look at photo voltaic panels straight and doesn’t undergo the method of working with an organization to design, order, allow and set up a system. We depend on comparisons of the gear, warranties and providers on supply from photo voltaic firms, and our information of the trade.
Blue Raven’s rating is available in comparatively low amongst different firms we have reviewed, which is attention-grabbing as a result of they acquired excessive marks for buyer care, utilizing in-house labor and providing a wide range of photo voltaic panels. However the ultimate rating is dragged down by shorter warranties, lack of a value match or pricing transparency. To be honest, few firms supply a value match or a lot transparency on the price of photo voltaic panels earlier than a session with a possible buyer.
What do I get from Blue Raven?
Blue Raven prides itself on providing a excessive stage of buyer interplay and satisfaction.
“We’re a really mission- and values-driven firm, “Hoffman stated. “Which is to make owners’ lives higher by lowering their vitality payments and by rising their reliance on clear and ample renewable vitality.”
Hoffman notes the corporate is properly reviewed on-line and works to carry out “speedy, high-quality set up” in as little as a number of weeks.
Blue Raven can be one of some firms that depends absolutely on skilled in-house workers from gross sales by set up. It does not use third-party contractors or outsource any work apart from sure customizations and non-compulsory further providers.
What gear does Blue Raven supply?
Blue Raven does not supply particular sorts of panels, as an alternative sourcing them primarily based on what choices are most available in every native market, together with model names like REC, SEG, Maxeon, SunPower, Qcells and others. Some are among the many most effective available on the market.
“It is extra in regards to the system’s dimension to us than the model,” Hoffman defined.
The corporate usually gives panels starting from 360 watts as much as 400 watts with Enphase microinverters, together with IQ8 and IQ8 Plus fashions.
The corporate does completely supply simply SunPower SunVault batteries, which may be stacked in configurations of as much as 4 batteries in capacities of 13 kWh, 19.5 kWh, 26 kWh or 39 kWh.
Watch this: New Photo voltaic Shingles You Might Not Even Discover
Does Blue Raven supply system monitoring?
Blue Raven does not have its personal bespoke app to maintain observe of your system, however as an alternative directs clients to the Enphase Enlighten app, which retains observe of vitality manufacturing, utilization and developments over time. The app is properly reviewed by hundreds of customers on the Google and Apple app shops. For installations that embrace a SunPower battery, the mySunPower app offers comparable information in addition to stay climate alerts. It’s also extremely reviewed in each app shops.
What warranties does Blue Raven supply?
Blue Raven’s workmanship guarantee for the set up and weatherization points like roof penetrations inflicting leaks runs for 10 years, which is on the shorter finish for the trade. For the gear, it makes use of the usual 25-year warranties for panels and inverters and 10 years for SunVault batteries.
The corporate gives a two-year manufacturing assure. Hoffman stated meaning Blue Raven will do what must be executed to maintain your system performing because it ought to throughout that interval. Once more, that is on the low finish for such ensures within the trade, although manufacturing ensures aren’t provided by all installers.
A raven perches on photo voltaic panels in Germany.
How a lot do Blue Raven photo voltaic panels price?
Like most photo voltaic firms, Blue Raven elected to not share particular pricing data with CNET.
“Photo voltaic usually just isn’t a ‘one dimension matches all’ sort product,” Hoffman stated. “Every house owner is a singular case and we calculate every system in a different way.”
He stated pricing can range wildly from area to area and home to deal with primarily based on totally different incentives obtainable, the scale of the system and challenges with particular person properties. The corporate stated it doesn’t supply any form of value matching coverage at the moment.
Whereas there’s not a lot Blue Raven can let you know about what an set up may cost a little you earlier than getting extra particulars about your particular person scenario, CNET can present a number of fundamental numbers.
For starters, the common price of a photo voltaic system within the US is $22,091 in accordance with SaveOnEnergy.com, which is owned by CNET’s father or mother firm. It reaches that determine after factoring in federal clear vitality credit of 30 %. You too can look into potential photo voltaic incentives from state, county and municipal governments. Generally even utilities, banks and credit score unions might supply extra packages to convey that complete out-of-pocket expense down additional.
However the above determine is a broad common that does not take note of the scale of the system you are contemplating. To slim the vary of what you would possibly anticipate to spend on the quantity of wattage you are on the lookout for, think about one evaluation from Wooden Mackenzie, which reveals the common price of put in solar energy was $2.99 per watt for an 8 kilowatt system in 2022.
In the end although, prices can range extensively, as Hoffman identified. For those who get a quote from Blue Raven, you’ll want to get different quotes from installers in your neighborhood that may supply a comparable system. You might also need to look into firms that supply totally different preparations, like leases, energy buy agreements or neighborhood photo voltaic.
What financing choices does Blue Raven supply for photo voltaic panels?
Blue Raven at present operates completely on an possession foundation. Which means the corporate doesn’t do leases or energy buy agreements (PPAs), however Hoffman says which will change sooner or later.
Blue Raven does supply an array of various financing choices that may be structured in a different way in accordance with every buyer’s particular person scenario. Blue Raven gives 18 months of free photo voltaic in certainly one of their financing plans, Blue Energy Plus. You will must learn the wonderful print for your self, however a consultant informed CNET the corporate will ship you checks to cowl the mortgage funds for 18 months. Lumped along with the 30% federal tax credit score, Blue Raven’s web site says it could possibly prevent 33% of the full photo voltaic price.
After all, money is all the time welcome, too. With a money buy, you may keep away from mortgage charges which drives down the general price.
Does Blue Raven function in my state? How do I order?
Blue Raven operates in 18 US states unfold throughout the nation.
Blue Raven does gross sales each door-to-door and thru quite a lot of on-line channels. The best method to get in contact is to submit data by the corporate’s web site and you may anticipate to be contacted by a member of the workforce to assemble some fundamental data about your scenario and wishes.
That is adopted by an in-person or digital go to to your property the place a gross sales consultant will stroll by a fundamental proposal for a system and the advantages you may anticipate to obtain from going photo voltaic. That is whenever you’ll additionally be taught in regards to the totally different incentive packages Blue Raven might help make certain it is possible for you to to benefit from.
The following step is signing an set up settlement and a extra detailed inspection earlier than a ultimate system design is proposed. The client has a possibility to evaluation and modify this design earlier than approving it. Blue Raven handles allowing with native authorities, coordinating issues like tree trimming, financing and at last getting all the things put in and turned on.
Is Blue Raven the only option?
Regardless of not too long ago turning into a subsidiary of a significant photo voltaic vitality company, Blue Raven nonetheless has a concentrate on buyer satisfaction and a high-touch method to customer support.
For the time being you get just a little of the most effective of each worlds, figuring out that the corporate is run like a smaller outfit, however has a much bigger father or mother firm standing behind it. That stated, Blue Raven falls just a little wanting what most of the larger gamers within the trade supply by way of warranties and leasing or energy buy settlement potentialities.
Blue Raven works to be sure to’ll get the most effective panels obtainable in your area that matches your wants, however you are principally locked into a specific sort of battery and microinverter. For almost all of consumers, this in all probability will not be a giant deal and does present some stage of consistency throughout Blue Raven’s set up, which can be an element of their excessive customer support rankings.
The corporate likes to tout its robust popularity on-line, claiming to have hundreds of 5-star evaluations. This does appear to be the case, which is reassuring, however CNET doesn’t put a ton of inventory in on-line evaluations. That stated, Blue Raven maintains an A+ ranking from the Higher Enterprise Bureau, the place it seems to reply constantly and comparatively shortly to complaints.
As soon as once more, take into account that CNET has not gone by the ordering or set up course of with Blue Raven.
General, for those who’re not too choosy about parts and never on the lookout for the longest-possible warranties, Blue Raven is properly value a more in-depth look.
Learn extra: Need one thing smaller than a whole-home photo voltaic system? See our picks for the most effective moveable photo voltaic panels and photo voltaic turbines.
Execs
- Sturdy popularity for customer support
- Works completely with in-house labor
- A number of financing choices
Cons
- Minimal workmanship and manufacturing warranties
- Few choices on inverters or batteries
- No lease or energy buy settlement obtainable
Photo voltaic panels can prevent cash on vitality prices. Be sure you perceive how they may give you the results you want.
Blue Raven evaluations: What are clients saying
Buyer evaluations seize one particular person’s expertise with an organization, which can or might not observe along with your expertise. You should use buyer evaluations to get an concept of developments and discover questions it’s possible you’ll not have considered by yourself.
Here is a pattern of evaluations from the Higher Enterprise Bureau. Throughout suppliers, buyer evaluations usually skew extra damaging than the rankings that observe responsiveness to complaints.
5-star evaluations
“Your complete course of was very straightforward. Blue Raven particularly gives many incentives and communicates any obtainable tax incentives as properly. Set up was so quick and the crew was very well mannered.” Nicole H. 5/7/2023
“The set up crew have been environment friendly and after they accomplished the set up they left the work space away from all supplies used.” Kathy H. 5/5/2023
One-star evaluations
“Salesperson walked previous two indicators on our property requesting “no soliciting” and knocked on our door anyway. He claimed to be going door-to-door on behalf of our native vitality firm.” Theresa M. 4/26/2023
“Very disillusioned, if I might give no stars I’d. The gross sales workforce did an amazing job attending to the door and promoting the merchandise. When you signal the papers you by no means hear from them once more.” David V. 4/17/2023
How we consider photo voltaic firms
As a result of every venture has its personal particular context, reviewing photo voltaic firms is tough. It is unattainable to do in a hands-on manner. As a way to present a useful evaluation, we centered on issues we might precisely measure that influence customers.
We concentrate on gear, warranties and repair.
For his or her gear, firms obtain scores for the panels, inverters and batteries they set up and if they provide alternative. We take a look at warranties on the panels, workmanship and weatherization towards leaks. Corporations earn factors for service if they provide a value match, a significant stage of value transparency and a well-rated app for monitoring photo voltaic manufacturing. They lose factors if there are customer support points (lawsuits, investigations or clear reputations for shoddy service). These points will all the time be detailed within the evaluation.
We have got an in depth breakdown of how we rating photo voltaic firms, too.
We ignore the common value of an organization’s installations of their rating as a result of it is tough to seek out and evaluate throughout service areas (and even roof to roof). Corporations typically do not need to disclose it, too. We additionally pass over simply discovered however not helpful data like what number of states an organization operates in.
Continuously requested questions
Is Blue Raven a good firm?
Blue Raven has been round putting in photo voltaic panels because it began in 2014. It was not too long ago acquired by SunPower, one of many longest working photo voltaic firms within the US. It is properly rated by the Higher Enterprise Bureau.
What photo voltaic panels does Blue Raven set up?
Blue Raven installs the “greatest obtainable” wherever they set up panels. That features manufacturers like REC, SEG, Maxeon, SunPower, Qcells and others.
What firm owns Blue Raven?
Blue Raven was bought by SunPower in 2021, however it nonetheless operates as a definite model.
Which is the most effective photo voltaic firm?
CNET has topped a greatest total photo voltaic firm, however the most effective firm for you is the one that matches your wants. Whereas photo voltaic is an funding that may prevent cash for years, beginning with an excellent set up and discovering an organization that can reply to any issues that come up is a vital first step.
