Paterson is the first New Jersey city to join in partnership with the Solar for All New Jersey program from Posigen, a rooftop solar and energy efficiency provider for low-to-moderate-income homeowners.
Solar for All New Jersey is a clean energy initiative available to all New Jersey homeowners through the financial and resiliency benefits of rooftop solar. The program offers solar power and energy efficiency measures to all homeowners regardless of income or credit score and is financed through a public-private partnership that combines a solar lease with energy efficiency upgrades to lower the energy burden on participating households. The program partners with municipalities and non-profits to reach underserved families.
Paterson resident Ronessa Johnson will have a 5-kW array installed by PosiGen that will save reduce electric costs by $700 its first year.
“As a homeowner, I always look for ways to be efficient with my resources,” Johnson said. “Everyone I have spoken with at PosiGen has been extremely professional and has taken the time to make sure I understood everything that is happening at home. I really appreciate that they are helping me and my community become more energy resilient.”
Solar for All New Jersey supports Mayor Andre Sayegh’s commitment to reduce energy costs for lower-income families and those on fixed incomes while creating quality jobs and making the city more climate-resilient.
“Paterson is serious about sustainability and saving our residents’ money,” Sayegh said. “That’s why we are proud to partner with PosiGen to cut energy costs for our constituents.”
Solar for All New Jersey offers 100% of solar feasible homeowners a financing solution, through a no money down, no credit requirement solar lease with energy efficiency upgrades. The unique accessibility of this campaign brings solar and energy efficiency to homeowners who are left out of traditional programs and who can benefit the most from energy savings.
“PosiGen’s mission is to make solar available to everyone,” said Tom Neyhart, PosiGen CEO. “Being able to save families money on their utility bills allows them to have more money to spend in their own communities on things like groceries and school supplies. Right now it’s more important than ever that families can get their energy costs under control. By pairing energy efficiency with every solar install our customers see savings 30 to 80% higher than solar alone.”
News item from PosiGen
In October of 2017 PosiGen installed solar panels on my roof. In November of 2022 I discovered leaks on several areas of my roof. I hired 3 independent roofing professionals and each company confirmed that the leaks were caused by the improper installation of solar panel. The companies found PosiGen incorrectly and improperly installed the solar panels. The damage occurs where the solar panel brackets were installed. When I purchased my home my roof was only five years old.
I have contacted PosiGen twice a day since. I have also provided PosiGen with the independent reports I received as well as photos taken by the roof inspector. I begged them to work with me to please resolve this issue. I have begged them to please simply correct their error and I have been met with red tape. To add injury to insult I had to pay PosiGen $1800 to temporarily remove their panels given the urgency I had no choice. Mold has begun to form and my rafters that support my roof are weakening.
This issue remains unresolved. I granted Posigen access to my home to allow them to conduct their own assessment and evaluation of my roof. Their employee determined that Posigen was not liable for the damage the improper installation of the solar panels caused to my roof. I cannot ignore or be expected to accept the notion that their employee is free of bias and neutral to both parties. This is why entities whose primary responsibilities involve determining the facts of a case are required to be neutral. I granted Posigen access to my home as a measure of good faith, not because I expected any other outcome.
At the onset of this complaint, I attested to the negligence and poor workmanship performed by Posigen’s Solar installation. The negligence and poor workmanship was further aggravated by the additional damaged caused to my roof when Posigen removed the panels.
They arrived a day early and removed the panels in the rain. They then used a sealant that cannot and should not be used to seal holes on wet surfaces; for example applying to sealant while raining.
After they removed their panels from my roof, it was discovered that roughly 50 shingles were broken and/or cracked. PosiGen stated “when they removed the panels, they cracked a few shingles and tried to protect it by covering it with sealant”.
Posigen’s employee never informed me of the additional damage the removal of the solar panels caused. To add injury to insult, they forgot to fill several bracket holes with sealant leaving these areas completely exposed to the elements.
I have provided photos of the area of my roof untouched by Posigen and their solar panels. As you can see, that portion of the roof is free of all damage and defects as a ten-year-old roof should be.
Posigen conducted their own assessment when my roof was only five years old. their own reports and affirmative act of installing the solar panels are testimony to the condition of my roof prior to the installation of their panels. The panels would not have been installed if the integrity of my roof including the existence of damaged or cracked shingles were present prior to installation.
Posigen has completely ignored the independent roofing inspection report that concluded the following “The only area that is having water filtration is the area directly below the solar panel Installations, suggesting the brackets and solar panel installation are the cause of the water intrusions. All other penetrations on the roof have flashing and functional gaskets. Thermal reading confirmed a uniform temperature on the entire roof suggesting there isn’t any discrepancies in any other areas than the previously mentioned.When the panels are reinstalled, the brackets that penetrate the roof need to be flashed and sealed adequately in addition to this; the fasteners that attach the brackets need to be inserted into the rafters to not only guarantee a secure fit but to reduce the chance of leaks”
NOW THEY ARE CLAIMING THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY SQUIRRELS
““As a homeowner, I always look for ways to be efficient with my resources,” Johnson said. “Everyone I have spoken with at PosiGen has been extremely professional and has taken the time to make sure I understood everything that is happening at home. I really appreciate that they are helping me and my community become more energy resilient.””
What seems to be missing in most of these “reports” is the long range look at what the ROI or recently the IRR will be when a solar PV system is installed on one’s roof. The last 20 years of solar PV installation and use has been well documented and folks are now realizing solar PV on their roofs save them money year after year after year. The devil is in the details, what’s not acknowledged is that solar PV is a marathon, not a sprint. Money spent in say 2021-2-3 dollars saves money down the road for decades in energy costs that can be put back into the household budget and used for insurance, groceries or something else throughout the year.
What I’m saying is this, instead of that 5kWp system, spend the money and use the ITC to install a 7kWp system, opt for the installation of a smart ESS today. That extra money spent will allow more generated energy, more control over the energy (your) solar PV system generates every day and as the rote utilities raise electricity rates in the years to come, you have drawn a line in the sand and as electricity costs more for non-adopters in energy costs, while your system pays itself off sooner in electricity savings.