28 May 2024

Rooftop Solar - The New Big Scam

I'm shocked that people would swindle homeowners based on all the hype - from government and elsewhere - around solar power. NBC 10 I-Team: Several Rhode Island solar panel companies under investigation. OK, so I'm really not that shocked.

From rooftop solar installations that cause massive roof leaks, to deceptive sales tactics, it seems a lot of solar companies are scamming the public.

“People started doing their taxes, and they noticed that some of the promises they were made, or some of the things they were led to believe about the tax benefits of solar turned out to be a little misleading,” [Steve Provazza, the chief of the Attorney General’s Office Consumer Unit] said. “They were surprised they did not receive a larger tax return, or a check from the federal government, as they had been promised by the solar panel sellers.”

The article focuses on one company, but it is not the only company under investigation for these kinds of issues.

Other problems include...

  • Promised energy output falling short
  • confusion over electric bills
  • federal tax breaks that were never received

Math is hard, and taxes are harder, but one thing should be clear to anyone. If you don't pay taxes you can't get a tax break.

“There are some taxpayers that because of their low income status don’t pay taxes or may not have to pay a lot of taxes,” [Attorney General Peter] Neronha said. “If you don’t have a tax bill you can’t get a credit, and that is not very well explained if it’s explained at all.”

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