Solar is really popular nowadays, with a lot of government rebates and offers allowing people to delve deeper into alternative sources of energy, at the forefront of which is solar energy. With this increased attention and competition, you get a lot of benefits. Better prices, better technologies and better quality. However, it is also a time to practice great cautiousness, since increased competition does not always mean that people will play fair. Which is where scammers come in, trying to make you lose your hard-earned money. In order for you to steer clear of such elements in our society, here is how to avoid solar energy system and solar panel scams.
Despite its positives, Pakistan has its fair share of scammers out and about. Solar, being a fast-growing industry in the country, has seen some scammers try and misguide people on what solar energy is capable of doing and may altogether cheat people out of their money. As such, having sufficient knowledge of how to spot a potential solar panel scam and keeping away from there is important.
Let’s look at some common solar energy system and solar panel scams, and also look at one of the top solar companies in Pakistan with the best solar energy solutions available.
The many solar energy scams and how to spot them
There are many solar energy system and solar panel scams that aim to rip you off. Being able to recognize a potential scam is, therefore, important. Lets look at some common solar energy scams and how you can steer clear of them.
- 1. Fake solar companies
- 2. PPA (power purchase agreement) scams
- 3. Bogus utility representatives
The most common solar scam is that of a fake solar company, which will try and sell you solar energy systems with shady deals, exaggerated promises and a whole menagerie of benefits without having anything concrete to sell really. Their goal is to get you to purchase a solar energy system that you wont get; it doesn’t exist. You can spot such a company by simply doing your research, trying to get more information about this supposed company.
Simply by prodding for more information, you can uncover the scam. To simply avoid it, if you are in the market for a solar energy system, only go with the top solar companies in Pakistan.
Another really common and technical scam is the PPA scam, which involves the person signing an agreement for installing solar panels and a solar energy system on their property in exchange for using the generated power. While not all PPAs are scams, those done by shady companies with a bad track record are something that you should always look out for. To avoid such scams, always thoroughly read any agreement, whether it’s a PPA or any other related to solar energy and only consent when you do understand each and every stipulation. Otherwise, you may find yourself stuck paying premiums on a system that is not even yours.
While this is not likely in Pakistan, however, scammers are always coming up with new ways, and this wouldn’t be beneath them to try. Since some slack has been cut for solar energy in the country, more and more utilities will start offering credits, reimbursements and other benefits to attract people towards solar energy. However, not all of them are true; some scammers will try to pose as utility representatives and will try and sell you solar energy systems, again using exaggerated claims and false statements like subsidies on systems, federal rebates on solar panels or bill savings that exceed 70 percent. These are all fake: Pakistan has yet to offer any such rebates or incentives on installing a solar energy system, and the maximum savings potential in ideal conditions will not go beyond 60 or 70 per cent, with net metering enabled. So, be wary: offers that sound too good to be true probably are.
Avoid scams: trust only the top solar company in Islamabad
Beacon Energy, one of the top companies in Pakistan and the best solar company in Islamabad, has an extensive range of solar energy solutions designed for the Pakistani household to maximise savings and generation given our bountiful weather system. With their flagship INTRIX solar energy system powered by AI, Beacon Energy has a vision for solar: for every household to benefit from this incredible technology and contribute to the alternative energy movement as a way to keep our planet safe and clean for the future generations.