SunWork Renewable Energy Overview
SunWork Renewable Energy is a nonprofit company based in California. Established in 2005, The company explicitly targets homeowners and nonprofit organizations to go solar at a pocket-friendly price.
SunWork is a mid-sized company with fewer than 25 employees and claims to have installed over 150 solar panels saving 450 tons of carbon dioxide pollution annually. SunWork aims to help at least 900 residents and four nonprofit organizations go solar annually. The company generates revenue of approximately $5 million.
SunWork Services and Specifics
In 2009 the company’s volunteers and their teams became the first in the world to install the first large-scale store. By the year 2017, they had already made 500 solar panel installations.
Specific Solar Panels Offered
EnPhase Solar Panels
EnPhase Energy is an energy technology company and one of the world’s largest suppliers of micro-inverter based solar systems. The Enphase Energy IQ systems is the company’s most popular line, providing users with an all-in-one solar, battery, and software solution that can be controlled via their state of the art mobile application, which has been deployed in over 130 countries worldwide.
SolarEdge Solar Panels
SolarEdge solar panels are equipped with the company’s own Power Optimizers that are specifically designed for maximum energy production, easy installation, and easier servicing over the lifetime of the system. The company combines its industry leading DC optimization technology with enhanced module performance to ensure that users receive maximum module output.
LG Solar Panels
LG Solar panels are developed using some of the most advanced and cutting-edge technologies available in the solar industry. The award winning “NeON” range is the company’s most popular line, and comes backed with an incredible warranty that promises unmatched product performance.
Specific Types of Solar offered
Grid-tied Solar System Services
Grid-tied systems are attached to the electric grid and don’t require any battery backup. They are currently the most popular choice of solar panel systems for American residents. Grid-connected systems can use net metering, where they can transfer surplus power to the power grid and get a bill credit back.
Additional Services:
Here are the services offered by the company:
Solar/Electric Photovoltaic Energy Installation: PV components are systems used to generate power using sunlight. These PV (Photovoltaic) components permit sunlight to be converted into electricity. To increase the output of PV cells, they are connected in chains to form larger units known as modules or panels. The panels can be used individually, or several can be connected to form arrays. These arrays are then connected to the electric grid to complete the PV system.
Heat Pump Water Heater: Heat pump water heaters use heat pump technology to efficiently heat water. The carbon footprint of this water heater is less than that of gas water heaters that were used earlier. SunWork has launched an innovative heat pump water heater installation program under the SunWork volunteer model. The company is also offering rebates to bring in new customers to SunWork to help install electric heat pump water heaters at an affordable price.
Installation Cost and Process
Costs
The average cost of solar panels in California is between $3.00 and $5.00 per watt. This means that a solar system that is 5 kilowatts in size would generally cost between $15,000 – $25,000 to install. Sunwork does not advertise a specific cost for its solar installation since its system’s costs vary depending on factors such as the design, size, and materials used.
Most of the company’s installations are commonly completed in 2 continuous work hours. Therefore, they’re typically scheduled over Saturdays and Sundays. A standard technical contact helps establish the full design of a production, eliminating confusion and unforeseen distractions that may happen between the production functions. In addition, it decreases frustration with bugs and imperfections that cause communication with producers.
Customers of Sunwork commend them for providing some of the most affordable prices available. Here is an example:
| “We have our solar installed through Sunwork. The whole process took something like 4months. Best part is the pricing and transparency. Other providers were quoting a price which is almost 50% higher than what Sunwork was quoting. There is some delay in getting the appointment and the date for installation. The reason is that Sunwork installs only on weekends. So, one has to wait longer. However, the wait is worth. In terms of transparency, the statement gave details of every small detail of work done. The final bill was few hundred dollars lower than previously quoted. Our installer was Bryan Noel. Great guy to work with. Myself and my two kids volunteered to work with him. Learnt a lot about solar power and installation. I would recommend Sunwork to anyone who is interested to get solar installation.” |
Equipment, installation, and marketing costs may deter homeowners from making solar installations economically practical. By reducing the cost of solar power for individuals in lower-income groups and nonprofits, SunWorks makes solar power more affordable for making more little footprints.
But the company is very flexible when it comes to costs. For example, there’s no issue if you change your mind before the installation. They can happily cancel your account at no additional charge. Moreover, the company won’t charge you more for small systems, and they have zero minimum system size. You’ll get constant free energy costs regardless of system size.
Legitimacy
Sunwork is a legitimate business.
| Sunwork has been a registered contractor in the state of California since 2005. |
| NJ Solar Power LLC has successfully completed several domestic and large non-profit projects in California, which can be viewed on their website. |
| The company holds a NABCEP Certification. |
| Several of the company’s employees and board of directors are actively involved in non-profit initiatives and volunteer programs in California and across the US. |
Awards and Accreditations:
- Non-profit partnerships – Sobrato Philanthropies, Solar Nexus, Everybody Solar, Re-Volv, YellowTin
- Senate District 10 – Nonprofit of the year 2022
- Featured on the 2020 Top Solar Contractors List
Maintenance
Sunwork does not specifically state the term for their solar panel warranties or their workmanship. However, our research suggests that panels carry a standard manufacturers warranty , which typically covers up to 25 years, while the workmanship warranty cover a period of 10 years.
SunWork’s operating costs are paid with charges applied to its solar energy system installations. Therefore, external support is not set on by SunWork’s volunteers; their time, enthusiasm, or efforts though it’s correct to mention the volunteers are equally crucial to SunWork because of the directors or team.
The company uses an in-house set of contractors for all maintenance and reparation works, and customers have commended this service for being satisfactory and provided on time.
| Key Points | |
| Solar Panel and Inverter Warranty | 20 – 25 Years |
| Workmanship Warranty | 10 Years |
| Power Production Guarantee | Unspecified |
| In-house contractors | Yes |
| Free Consultation | Yes |
The SolarEmpower View
SunWork Renewable Energy aims to make solar power available to everyone by minimizing the expenses of solar panel installation for homeowners. Since the company is a nonprofit organization, they do not benefit from markup on equipment or credit card fees and don’t have many marketing expenses. Despite this, the company has maintained an excellent reputation by providing quality service coupled with quality products, all for a good cause.
| 💲Cost: 9/10 | ✅Legitimacy: 9/10 |
| ⭐️Quality: 10/10 | 📞Customer Service: 9/10 |
