Zenernet Review

Zenernet Overview

Zenernet is a large solar panel installation country that is currently serving sixteen states. The company was founded in 2017 and has experienced what can only be described as rapid growth. The company was listed as number 162 on Inc.com’s list of the world’s 1000 fastest-growing companies.

The company claims to focus on great customer experiences while providing affordable solar. They provide both residential and commercial solar installs and have thousands of reviews online. 

Zenernet Products

Specific Solar Panels Offered

Zenernet does not offer up any information on its website as to which panels they currently offer or which brands they are currently working with. They cite global supply chain issues as the reason for this. 

Instead, they state that their selection of panels depends on what panels they can source at any given time, rather than only working with specific brands. Zenernet’s information page claims that all solar panels are essentially equal today and that it doesn’t matter what panels they offer. This is certainly a claim most manufacturers would refute.

Services Offered

Home Batteries and Backup

Much like in the case of their solar panels Zenernet does not list the battery options they currently offer, citing supply chain issues. The battery systems they offer are designed for grid-tied, not off-the-grid systems.

This means that their battery installs are designed for customers who live in areas that suffer from frequent utility outages either due to rolling blackouts or severe weather. Their systems are not designed for anyone looking to disconnect from the grid completely. 

Residential and Commercial Solar

Zenernet’s primary business is the installation of both residential and commercial solar. They appear to focus on grid-tied systems rather than off-the-grid. Their service is aimed at those wishing to reduce their energy bills rather than get rid of them altogether. 

EV Charger Installation

Zenernet specializes in the installation of Level 2 EV chargers. This is the most common type of EV charger in America and can yield up to 80 miles of range per hour depending on your vehicle. They also offer Level 3 chargers which are much more expensive but only recommend them for commercial customers.

Zenernet Installation Costs

As is common in the industry, Zenernet does not offer any prices on its website. Customers can either get an instant estimate or book a consultation. By looking at customer reviews and the company’s own statements it seems the company takes a value-orientated approach.

Positive customer reviews indicate that the company often undercuts other companies during the quote process. Zenernet has hundreds of online reviews praising the company’s sales team. Many customers seem more than happy not just with the quotation process, but the quotes they are given.

Several customers mention that Zenernet’s quotes were substantially lower than the competition’s. This may be down to the fact that Zenernet is large enough to undercut smaller solar installers. Or it may be because, by the company’s own admission, they do not focus on trying to sell the most highly rated or expensive panels.

Not all customers are happy, however. Negative reviews point to customers paying more than initially quoted. These customers feel that the sales staff will offer the world to secure a sale but then fail to come through. 

Some customers have also complained that their installs have been so badly delayed that they have ended up paying back installments on financing long before they have begun saving money from solar power, putting them in a difficult financial situation. Several reviews mention class-action lawsuits in regard to this issue.

Zenernet offers cash payment and financing options but they do not offer a solar lease option. The lack of a leasing option makes them unsuitable for buyers on a tight budget. 

Overall if you’re looking for a cheaper option and can afford financing then Zenernet doesn’t seem like a bad option based on price. It appears that more often than not they can offer prices lower than their competitors. However, their lack of a lease option makes them unsuitable for some. If you are going to rely on your gains from your solar installation to pay off your financing, we would also recommend looking elsewhere.

Zenernet Legitimacy

There is no doubt as to Zenernet’s Legitimacy:

It must be noted that while clearly a legitimate and well known company Zenernet does suffer from incredibly mixed reviews online. Negative reviews tend to revolve around the same issues: That the Zenernet sales team is only interested in making a quick sale and that after sales care is almost non-existent. Some customers have gone as far as threatening class action suits against the company.

With this in mind we would describe Zenernet as legitimate but would still urge caution. 

Zenernet Maintenance

Zenernet makes no mention of maintenance being offered on their website. They do however state that all solar panels they offer come with a warranty and all manual work done by Zenernet also comes with a workmanship warranty. Unfortunately, they do not go into detail as to how long these warranties are. They also offer a 60-day guarantee but again with no details.

The vast majority of customer reviews point to the company being easy to contact during the sales process and customers felt that any questions they had were always answered promptly. In fact the majority of reviews of the company appear to be from customers who have just signed their contracts.

Things appear to be less positive after signing contracts. Many customers complain of their installs being severely delayed, some by up to a year. These customers often complain that during these delays Zenernet suddenly becomes difficult to contact.

A common cause of problems seems to be permitting/ zoning issues. Customers feel that Zenernet doesn’t always seem to know what it’s doing during the approvals process. This may be down to the fact the company has expanded so quickly and operates in so many states, many of which have different rules and processes. 

All in all it would appear that post sale communications can be a severe problem with Zenernet. It seems like the company has perhaps grown too quickly, focusing on expansion at the cost of customer service. 

The SolarEmpower view

Overall Zenernet appears to be a victim of its own success. For every customer who is happy with their experience there is another complaining about poor communication and long delays.

The company is evidently very proud of how quickly they have expanded but this has caused problems. Communication has suffered and it would appear the company has experienced problems sourcing enough panels to cover its expansion. They may cover a wide area but their local knowledge appears to their smaller competitors.

Overall we cannot recommend Zenernet. They may be able to undercut smaller installers but there are too many negative customer reviews to ignore. Severe delays and poor communication are serious concerns. Sometimes bigger isn’t better.

Contact details

Phone: 866-399-2027

Address: Head Office 4925 Robert J Mathews Pkwy #100, El Dorado Hills CA, 95762

Email: [email protected]