Energy Service Partners
3.5
3.5
Author: Rebecca Graham
Headquartered in Torrance, California, Energy Service Partners (ESP) has been working with both solar installers and residential solar customers in California since 2015. Not only does the solar provider help homeowners access clean energy, but ESP also partners with local solar installers to streamline the solar installation process, and maintain high customer satisfaction levels.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Full-Service Solar Contractor
- Multiple Financing Partners
- High-Quality Solar Equipment
Full-Service Solar Contractor
Energy Service Partners markets itself as a full-service solar partner, meaning the company plays an active role at every step of the solar installation process:
- Free Initial Consultation — ESP inspects the home’s solar energy potential against its current energy consumption, calculates potential savings using the utility bill, and projects future energy needs.
- Solar Panel System Design — ESP’s solar tech experts will take specific measurements of the home and design a custom solar array that will maximize energy output while also saving on the energy bill.
- State and City Permitting — The company will also pull all the necessary permits prior to installation, handing all the paperwork and interconnection rules the utility company has put in place.
- Solar Installation — Using quality solar and mounting equipment, ESP’s solar technicians will install the system on your roof in a matter of hours.
- Solar Energy System Activation — Once the system has been installed, and permission from the utility company secured, the system will be officially “plugged in” to the energy grid, and homeowners can start saving on their electricity bill right away.
Multiple Financing Partners
In addition to cash purchase, customers can also secure a solar loan through Energy Service Partners. Solar loans significantly reduce the sometimes tens of thousands of dollars in upfront costs to nothing, while still granting homeowners access to the federal solar tax credit and other solar incentives. ESP works with a number of third-party financiers to help make solar energy savings much more accessible to the homeowner:
- Loanpal — offers zero money down solar loans, high approval rates, and same-day financing
- Mosaic — includes financing options for solar panels systems, backup battery solutions, roofing project funding, HVAC, and more
- Green Sky — has financed more than 1 million home improvement projects by connecting borrowers and lenders that specialize in renewable energy
High-Quality Solar Equipment
In addition to the Enphase and SolarEdge solar inverter, Energy Service Partners implements a selection of Tier 1 solar panels into each array its technicians install:
- Base Panel Option — Energy Service Partners uses the QCell 320 Black on Black solar cell on its base panel systems, which offers a minimum 19 percent energy efficiency.
- Midrange Panel Option — The company’s mid-tiered option features panels from LG, namely the LG 345, which operates at no less than 20.1 percent energy efficiency.
- Premium Panel Option — For ESP’s premium offering, the company uses the Solaria 365, which, among other factors, edges out the LG 345 option with an energy efficiency of 20.2 percent.
Energy Service Partners’ solar installations all come with a 25-year equipment warranty, along with a 25-year workmanship warranty, meaning if any part of the system proves defective (either due to product malfunction or installation error), the company will service or replace that part for free during the first 25 years of system operation.
The Bad
- Only Available in California
- No Solar Lease or PPA
- Not NABCEP Certified
Only Available in California
Energy Service Partners is only available to solar customers in California. Although demand for solar in these states is high, so follows the supply of available solar providers. Such a difficult solar market can make standing out difficult for companies without a sense of national recognition. Leveraging verified Energy Service Partners reviews can help distinguish companies from the rest of the crowd.
No Solar Lease or PPA
Energy Service Partners does not appear to offer solar lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) financing options to its customers. Both of these options provide low-cost alternatives to cash purchase and solar loans by allowing customers to either rent their systems or purchase the energy their systems produce at a lower rate than their traditional utility bill.
Not NABCEP Certified
ESP does not appear to have a certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), an industry-recognized nonprofit that promotes best practices within the solar power industry. Although not necessarily an indictment of ESP’s quality of service, this certification, among others, can help customers identify companies that champion the latest developments in solar energy.
The Bottom Line
Energy Service Partners has much to offer to solar customers in California. The company is transparent about its financing options and partners, as well as the solar power equipment it installs. Customers can also trust that an ESP representative will be assisting them at every step of the solar installation process. If customers are not interested in owning their systems, and would rather finance through a lease or PPA, Energy Service Partners is not the right company for them. Otherwise, the solar company is worth looking into.
