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Powerhouse solar shingle company RGS Energy files for bankruptcy

By Kelly Pickerel | February 6, 2020

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One of America’s original solar companies is now no more. RGS Energy, which started as Real Goods Solar in 1978, has filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The veteran solar installer had in the last year shifted its focus to solar shingle installation after acquiring the license to Dow’s Powerhouse shingles in 2017. Dow’s product used thin-film solar cells, while RGS Energy’s 3.0 version used monocrystalline solar cells. The company hoped to take advantage of California’s mandate that all new homes built beginning this year include a solar aspect. Unfortunately the product did not take off.

On January 31, 2020, the board of directors terminated the employment of all employees.

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About The Author

Kelly Pickerel

Kelly Pickerel has over a decade of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World.

Comments

  1. STEPHEN BROJER says

    April 1, 2022 at 11:44 pm

    I have a solar shingle roof from dow .. when they sold to RGS, they tools over the warranty.. now that RGS. Went bankrupt, is there anyone or anyway to get warranty work? Mine are only 9 years old, and they are warping, and clouding up under the glass..
    25 year warranty .. gone?

    Reply
  2. Crist Burns says

    November 19, 2020 at 8:58 am

    RGS Energy was originally honoring the warranty for DOW’s solar products. Do we know who is now honoring those warranties?

    Reply
  3. Liz Hawkes deNiord says

    October 20, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    How to I get help from RGS who installed our solar. We need to replace a microinvertor.
    It seems RGS is out of business. Who should I turn to here in southern Vermont?

    Reply
    • Mike Logan says

      November 15, 2020 at 6:46 pm

      Hi Liz,

      Please let me know if you still need assistance with the microinverter peplacement, I typically only service MA but I do visit southern Vermont frequently in the winter months and have a lot of experience with Enphase products.

      Thank you,

      Mike Logan
      mike@eastcoast.solar

      Reply
  4. Chico moreno says

    July 7, 2020 at 10:23 am

    What happens to all the warrantied products they sold?

    Reply
    • steve says

      July 10, 2020 at 1:28 pm

      I just spoke to a former employee of RGS. He told me that the panels and equipment still maintain warranty through Enphase, but any service needs to be found by 3rd parties. That wasn’t the helpful answer I was looking for but hope it sheds a little light for you

      Reply
  5. Peter Reese says

    February 20, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    Point of clarification, Solarman — The Powerhouse 3.0 required only array level shutdown:
    690.12 (B)(2)(3) PV arrays with no exposed wiring methods, no exposed conductive parts, and installed more than 2.5 m (8 ft) from exposed grounded conductive parts or ground shall not be required to comply with 690.12(B)(2).

    Reply
  6. Solarman says

    February 7, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    “One of America’s original solar companies is now no more. RGS Energy, which started as Real Goods Solar in 1978, has filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy.”

    The taking over of the DOW technology and supposedly creating RGS 3.0 roofing tile solar PV was not any better than the old DOW product. With the “push” of new rapid shutdown of solar PV inserted by the NFPA into the new NEC code, will create a problem for “solar tiles on roofs”. TESLA has announced 1,000 roofs per week. IF TESLA were to become rapid shutdown compliant, a new type of module would have to be designed and applied to the solar roof tiles, making standard roof racked panels with a rapid shutdown device attached to each panel common place, easier to install, troubleshoot and monitor.

    Reply

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