Sustainable Energy Systems LLC - Profile & Reviews

After quite a bit of research on material, service, and of course price, I hired Sustainable Energy Systems to install a large 18kW residential on-Grid roof system. They encountered some obstacles with county permit issues but persevered well through them. The installation was met with some unexpected work errors but I'm sure nothing ever goes perfect. They resolved/overcame the issues very well with a focus on making me, the customer, happy. I highly recommend Sustainable to anyone out there looking to invest in moving towards residential energy independence! A small ding on Responsiveness as I felt they could have communicated better.

I spent a long time comparing companies and got several offers. I am very meticulous in my research, and needed to understand every aspect of this project. Stuart Smith, SES' salesman was professional, knowledgeable (he is a former installer), patient and very accessible. Being a small company, they were very flexible to meet my specific needs. I chose the Panasonic 330 panels based on Stuart's recommendation. Although the installation took place later than I hoped (5 months from the time we signed the contract), it was done exceptionally well and most importantly, the system is beautiful, functioning exceptionally well and delivers the energy promised (Just celebrated the first anniversary). There were 3 instances during the year where the inverter failed to report production and SES (through Stuart) were very responsive and fixed the issue. As a bonus, at Stuart's suggestion I signed up with SREC to sell solar credits on the market, which increased my ROI by an unexpected 25%! I highly recommend this company.

Got a 5.7kw enphase/sunpower system installed late last year. I selected SES because they had the best technical solution and their price was competitive. Not the cheapest but totally worth it for the product and the good reputation. And they're NABCEP certified. Overall, they were good. Good install, good workmanship, good hardware. I'm very happy with the results.

They lost a star die to their communication and schedule issues. We missed multiple internal schedule milestones and I had to reach out to them to get updates. Normally this wouldn't be a major deal, but I needed the system installed before the end of the year to get the full fed tax credit. We got it done, but it was by the skin of our teeth.

Bottom line: I would recommend SES to a friend.

SES was fantastic about scheduling, communication, and helping me build my knowledge and understanding so that I could make the best decisions possible along the way. Very happy with the outcome.

SES was a joy to work with! They kept everything moving through the lengthy process of applying for permits and setting us up for credits and refunds. Everyone was very pleasant and knowledgable.

It's a rare pleasure to work with intelligent and committed people these days and to find a company of dedicated individuals who care about their work and want to provide a quality product they'll stand behind is a true treat - especially when making a significant cash outlay. Kenny Tompkins met with us last winter and stayed involved through installation, inspection and finally having the system up and running. The couple of glitches were quickly sorted and resolved. If you want to go solar, these are the folks to use.

SES did an outstanding job from start to finish. As an engineer, I had a lot of questions throughout the process which Stuart promptly answered. It’s very clear that SES takes pride in their work and customer service. I did a great deal of homework before jumping into this project and without a doubt SES provided the best quality and value.

I recently had SES install a 10kw system. Based on the other quotes from EnergySaga SES gave the best $/kW. They Kenny was very helpful during the whole process. SES used various models to estimate the amount of power my system used and were able to answer all my questions regarding how the model worked. SES has also helped me apply to sell my SRECs and for the MEA solar grant. I am so far very happy with the install and would recommend them to others.

Sustainable Energy Systems installed 15 solar panels on my townhouse roof early this year and the process was smooth and uncomplicated. The technicians consulted with me about every step that had a potential impact and were responsive when I asked questions or needed clarification. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a reputable and knowledgeable company with highly trained employees.

These guys did a great job on my solar installation. They gave me several quotes/options based on my roof size, the type of panel I wanted, etc. They use 3D modeling to figure out how much sun your roof will receive based on nearby trees/structures so you can make the right choice as to whether solar is worth it for your house. The customer service so far has been great. I'm very pleased with my solar panels and I'd highly recommend Sustainable Energy Systems.

I recently bought my system from SES. I got quotes from several companies. According to my assessment, they gave me the best bang for my bucks. I'm a guy who likes to check things, dig into the numbers and evaluate the all options. Stuart was patient and helpful in preparing quotes for the various various options that I was considering. The installation was quick and easy. They handled all of permitting and other paperwork. The only thing that I think they could do better is the handoff process. I tried to monitor the installation and ask as many questions as possible. However, if you're new to something, you don't always know the right questions to ask. The installers basically just handed me a book and that was it. I followed up and got a further explanation over the phone, but it's not the same as in person.

The SES gang did a great job estimating, designing and installing a 32 panel array on our residence in Frederick. We signed a contract in September, needed to have a new roof installed and did some insulation work before the PV array could start installation. Almost all of the SES work was finished by the end of the year, and we started generating KWhs in late January. There's a lot of paperwork for this sort of job, so I feel it went along as planned with no overages or screw-ups.

It was easy to work with Sustainable Energy Systems every step of the process. Each person we interacted with was professional, knowledgable and pleasant. Although the installation process took much longer than expected, it was due to permitting and interconnection delays out of Sustainable's control. Yet they kept us well informed what was happening the entire time. The installation itself went smoothly with a great crew who clearly believe in their work and like working for the company. We don't have a single compliant or criticism.

We met with several installers. Some used questionable estimates for the return on investment. Primarily was the use of the first year's generation numbers for the ROI. There will be documented degradation of the panels each year, dropping to around 80% after 20 years. Using the first year's production vs the degraded is misleading, however minimal the resulting difference in cost. Some representatives were not even aware their company was not using the degraded estimates. In addition some of the reps were relying on the sales material and were not informed enough to answer some simple questions that were not part of the sales literature. I was irritated when they tried to talk over my questions with answers that made no sense. I asked the Sustainable rep (Erin) some questions for which she had no readily available facts and figures. She immediately admitted not having those facts and sent back the information once she ran it down. She kept us informed about the progress, her estimates for the progress and installation were basically accurate. She worked with us in preparing for the tax rebates and quickly replied to questions and concerns. We felt the deal in the Trina panels provided the best ROI. The installation team was efficient and polite.

In mid-March 2015, Sustainable Energy Systems (SES) installed our solar pv system and our experience was positive. The salesman provided good education and answered all our subsequent questions while never being pushy. SES negotiated a bulk purchase agreement with a non profit and that resulted in a sizable discount. The cost per watt was very competitive. The installation team was very professional and friendly. Despite the steepness of our roof and the tight array design, they finished in three days. The follow up regarding connection to the grid and paper work for the rebate was also very timely. By early-April we were up and generating. During the following months, we have been generating more than we use so our utility bills have been only for distribution and taxes, under $6/month. Other questions we have had regarding the monitoring software have been answered promptly. An all around great experience.

This project was the second time we have installed solar on our home and ten vendors were invited to submit proposals. Some vendors shied away because of a metal roof (panels actually on our barn); some lost out because they viewed the needed trenching to the house as a homeowners responsibility either in terms of contracting or hitting possible existing underground electric and water lines or re-seeding when done. Some eliminated on type of panel we preferred and others simply because of cost too high.
We got down to two bidders and Sustainable stayed with us the whole time, patiently answering our seemingly endless stream of questions and not once saying a negative word about other companies (a practice other bidders should have followed!)
From designing, refining, installation to follow up after wards, a very smooth and positive experience for us. Everyone was easy to work with; gladly answered our questions; kept us informed as to install schedule; and promptly responded to follow up issues to reach swift resolution.
We highly recommend Sustainable Energy Systems and plan to return to them if we find expansion of our current system is needed, which they incorporated into their design without hesitation.

Stan and Karen Baker
Dickerson, Maryland

My husband and I could not be happier with the entire process with this company. Starting with the knowledgable sales manager, who answered all of our many questions and addressed all of our concerns. To their entire installation and technical team. We love this company! We have had our panels for about 5 months and there have been zero issues and our electric bills have been non existent! I would say that start to finish the process was smooth and positive and I would recommend Sustainable Energy Systems to anyone ! We sat and obtained quotes from bigger companies but in the end we made the best decision!