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.
RGS Energy was originally honoring the warranty for DOW’s solar products. Do we know who is now honoring those warranties?
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?
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
What happens to all the warrantied products they sold?
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
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).
“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.