It's no secret that going solar is one of the simplest ways to save big money on home energy while at the same time reducing your contribution to planet-warming pollution. One California homeowner was looking to do just that, but ran into an unexpected problem: the solar provider, in this case Tesla Solar, refused to install on their roof.
What happened?
The homeowner posted to the r/TeslaSolar subreddit to explain their situation. They said their monthly utility bills have skyrocketed to around $450, largely due to charging two Teslas, so contacting Tesla Solar seemed like a logical solution.
The condo's HOA manages everything exterior, including the roof, and just had to review the architectural application before giving the go-ahead. But when the original poster reached out to Tesla Solar, they declined because "they cannot proceed with installations on roofs owned by an HOA, regardless of the HOA's standards or stipulations."
One easy solution that might save the homeowner even more money is to check out EnergySage, which provides free tools for homeowners to get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
Why is this denial important?
This sort of policy could discourage some homeowners from going solar and enjoying the savings that go along with it. Those savings could even be passed on to neighbors in some areas where utility companies will buy excess energy produced by solar panels to lighten the load on the grid.
As for this particular homeowner, they wrote that they're now potentially stuck with paying $6,000 a year in utility bills.
"It seems absurd that the roadblock is coming from the solar provider rather than the HOA," they wrote, "and I'm keen to explore any possible options to move forward with going solar."
What can be done about this?
Rather than giving up after Tesla Solar declined to provide them with solar power, the homeowner could check out EnergySage. Besides helping to compare quotes from different solar companies, EnergySage also helps homeowners take advantage of any federal or local tax incentives for going solar, which can help the average person save nearly $10,000.
If the original poster is determined to get solar through Tesla, the company's FAQ page suggests it will do installations after HOA approval, so the homeowner might want to give it another shot with a different Tesla Solar adviser.
If this homeowner, or anyone else for that matter, wants to go solar, it would be better to do it sooner rather than later. There are tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act that can save homeowners thousands of dollars, but President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to eliminate such subsidies. However, it would take an act of Congress to do so.
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