I-Team: Hidden cameras reveal dark side of solar power (2023)

Introduction

By Randy Travis
Published May 16, 2022

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga - A hidden camera FOX 5 I-Team investigation takes the shine off some big promises made to Georgia homeowners about solar power.

With rising energy prices, you may be paying closer attention to those ubiquitous ads on social media:

"The government will cover the cost to install solar."

"Get paid to go solar!"

"Reduce or even eliminate your electric bill by using solar energy."

Amie and Nathan Tatro of Lafayette saw the same ads. So they signed a contract with Power Home Solar -- now Pink Energy -- to outfit their home with solar panels, a deal that cost $91,000 with monthly installments over 25 years.

"It’s not turned out to be what was promised," Amie admitted. "Almost everything he said turned out not to be true."

FULL STORY: www.fox5atlanta.com/news/hidden-cameras-reveal-dark-side-of-solar-power

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Content

The IMPORTANCE, OF, THE, MOVE, BUT, ALSO, WARNING, THERE, COULD, BE, MILITARY, CONSEQUENCES., TO, THE, I, TEAM, NOW, A, HIDDEN, CAMERA., FOX, FIVE, ITEM, INVESTIGATION, TAKES, THE, SHINE, OFF, SOME, BIG, PROMISES, MADE, TO, GEORGIA, HOMEOWNERS, ABOUT, SOLAR, POWER, TALK, ABOUT, FRUSTRATING, SOME, SOLAR, CUSTOMERS, ENDED, UP, SPENDING, EVEN, MORE, FOR, POWER, THAN, THEY, DID, BEFORE., FOX, FIVE, ITEM, REPORTER, RANDY, TRAVIS, SHOWS, YOU, THE, RIGHT, QUESTIONS, TO, ASK., AND, THIS, GROWING, INDUSTRY, READY, ACCORDING, TO, SALES, ADS, TO, GO, SOLAR, ARE, EVERYWHERE, ON, SOCIAL, MEDIA, SO, WE, INVITED, TWO, OF, THE, BIGGER, ADVERTISERS, TO, A, HOUSE, OUTFITTED, WITH, HIDDEN, CAMERAS., AND, SINCE, BOTH, SALESPEOPLE, JUST, RECENTLY, STARTED, WITH, THOSE, COMPANIES, WE, DECIDED, TO, SHOW, THEM, TO, YOU., THIS, WAY., I've, NEVER, WORKED, ANYWHERE, THAT, EVERYBODY, IS, SO, HAPPY., HAPPY, EMPLOYER, IS, POWER, TO, PINK, ENERGY, BASED, IN, NORTH, CAROLINA, THE, LARGEST, HOME, SOLAR, COMPANY, IN, THE, SOUTHEAST, COST, FOR, ELECTRICITY, THE, COST, FOR, POWER, GOING, UP, AND, THEY're, GOING, TITAN, USA, OUT, OF, KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ALSO, MAKING, A, BIG, PUSH, INTO, GEORGIA, THESE, DAYS., BUT, DESPITE, THEIR, UPBEAT, SALES, PITCHES, BOTH, COMPANIES, MADE, PROMISES, TO, GEORGIA, CUSTOMERS, THAT, QUICKLY, TURNED, THOSE, SMILES, UPSIDE, DOWN, NOT, TURNED, OUT, TO, BE WHAT, WAS, PROMISED, NOT, WORKING, ANYTHING, EVER, AGREED, TO, PAY, CELL, OR, TIGHTEN, USA, $43,000, TO, OUTFIT, HIS, DOUGLAS, FULL, HOME., I, PROMISE, REDUCES, ELECTRIC, BILL, SUPPOSED, TO, GO, DOWN, ABOUT, 80 OR.

90% WE'll, NEVER, KNOW., ACCORDING, TO, THE, DOUGLAS, COUNTY, BUILDING, INSPECTOR, SOLAR, TITAN, FAILED, TO, PULL, A, BUILDING, PERMIT, TO, DO, THE, WORK., WITHOUT, THAT, PERMIT, COVERT, CAN't, HOOK, UP, THE, SYSTEM, TO, THE, GRID, WORTHLESS, SYSTEMS, NOT, EVER, GOING, TO, BE, RUNNING, AND, THEY, FOR, SOLAR, TITAN, USA, TOLD, US, THEY, DID, PULL, AN, ELECTRICAL, PERMIT, BUT, DIDN't, KNOW, DOUGLAS, WILL, REQUIRE, A, BUILDING, PERMIT, TO, CALLED, COLBERT, TO, REACH, A, RESOLUTION., HE, WANTS, THE, SYSTEM, REMOVED., THE, SALESMAN, TELL, YOU, THINGS, THAT, TURNED, OUT, NOT, TO, BE, TRUE., ABSOLUTELY, ALMOST, EVERYTHING, HE, SAID, TURNED, OUT, TO, NOT, BE, TRUE., AMY, AND, NATHAN, TEATRO, WOULD, BE, ABLE, TO, SELL, EXTRA, SOLAR, POWER., BACK, TO, THEIR, UTILITY, THUS, GIVING, THE, LAFAYETTE, COUPLE, AND, NEGATIVE, ELECTRIC, BILL, SCENE., A, NEGATIVE, POWER, BILL., NO, NEVER, OUR, HOME, SOLAR, SYSTEM, COST, $91,000, FINANCED, OVER, 25 YEARS., NORTH, GEORGIA, AMC, BILLS, HAVE, BARELY, BUDGED, ALL, THIS., I, WOULD, HAVE, NEVER, MADE, THIS, DECISION., I, WOULD, HAVE, STAYED, WITH, MY, REGULAR, POWER, COMPANY., IT's, AN, UNDERSTANDABLE, FEELING., FOR, SOME, HOMEOWNERS., SOLAR, POWER, IS, A, TO, TRY, TO, CUT, BACK, ON, RISING, ENERGY, COSTS, BUT, MANY, OF, THEM, DON't, KNOW, THE, RIGHT, QUESTIONS, TO, ASK., WELL WE, DO, KNOW, THE, THE, ANSWERS., WE, GOT, OUR, HOME, SOLAR, DECIDED, NOT, TO, USE, THEIR, HAPPY, SALES, PERSON, TO, MAKE, THE, HARD, SELL, FOR, US., INSTEAD, WE, WERE, PATCHED, INTO, SPEAK, VIRTUALLY, TO, ANDREW, WHO, SAID, HE, WAS, A, SENIOR, ACCOUNT, MANAGER, SHOWING, HIS, FACE, EXPENSIVE, SYSTEMS., UM, A, LOT, OF, PEOPLE, THINK, THEY're 5, 10, GRAND, REALLY?, WE're, ELIMINATING, LIFELONG, UTILITY, BILL., THAT's, RIGHT, HE, SAID., ELIMINATE, TO, DO, THAT, ANDREW, QUOTAS, $69,999., LATER, GUARANTEEING, A, 67%, REDUCTION, IN, OUR, POWER, BILL, SCENARIOS., YOU'll, HAVE, 23%, OF, YOUR, BILL, LEFT., BUT, THAT, REALLY, IS, PROBABLY, GOING, TO, BE, IN, THE, WINTER, WHEN, WE're, NOT, PRODUCING, AS, MUCH, WE, HAD, TO, LOCAL, COMPANIES, DESIGN, SOLAR, SYSTEMS, SOLAR, USA, A, AND, ALTERNATIVE, ENERGY, SOUTHEAST., BECAUSE, OF, SHADE, AND, THE, ROOF, DESIGN., NEITHER, SAID, IT, WOULD, REDUCE, OUR, 50%, BUT, THEIR, COST, WAS, DRASTICALLY, LOWER, THAN, POWER, HOME, SOLAR's, PRICE, AND, THIS, IS, WHY, IT's, GOOD, TO, GET, A, NUMBER, OF, TRUTH, SERUM, COMES, OUT, HAVE, THAT, METERING, WHICH, IS, HUGE, PROMISE, THAT, WE, GET, FULL, CREDIT, FOR, SENT, TO, OUR, ELECTRIC, COMPANY., IT's, CALLED, NET, METERING, AND, CAN, REDUCE, YOUR, ELECTRIC, BILL, DRAMATICALLY, THIS, SUMMER., MORE, BALANCES, BECAUSE, IN THE, SUMMER, WE, COULD, USE, A, LOT, MORE, ELECTRIC, THAN, WE, ACTUALLY, NEED., THAT, SERVICES., THIS, HOME, DOESN't, OFFER, NET, METERING., OUR, HOME., SOLAR, SAID, IT, FIRED, ANDREW, BECAUSE, WHAT, HE, TOLD, US, DID, NOT, ACT, IN, ACCORDANCE, WITH, OUR, SALES, GUIDELINES, AND, TRAININGS, OR, OUR, ETHICS., THEY, ALSO, AGREED, TO, CANCEL, AMY, AND, NATHAN's, CONTRACT, AND, TAKE, DOWN, THEIR, SYSTEM, AGAINST, CITING, A, RATHER, SIGNIFICANT, MISCOMMUNICATION., BY, TO, BE, HARDER, AND, HARDER, TO, GET, SOLAR, IN, THE, NEXT, COUPLE, OF, YEARS., TITANS, RECOMMENDED, ESTIMATE, FOR, OUR, HOUSE, WAS, ALMOST, AS, HIGH, NEARLY, $58,000., THAT's, $345, A, MONTH., FOR, 20, YEARS., STILL, GOING, TO, PAY, FOR, POWER?, NO, NO, THAT's, THE, SO, WHAT, THIS, IS, RIGHT, HERE., YOU, PAY., THIS, SHOULD, TAKE, CARE, OF, ALL, YOUR, ALL, YOUR, ALL, OF, YOUR, USAGE, WILL, BE, ABOUT, 100%, OF, YOUR, USAGE, RIGHT, NOW., READY?, TRAVIS, WITH, FOX, FIVE, NEWS., WE've, HAD, SOME, COMPLAINTS, ABOUT, YOUR, COMPANIES., WE, WANT, TO, KIND, OF, HEAR, HOW, THE, PROMISE, HER, THAT, HER, POWER, BILL, HAVE, NO, CONSUMPTION, CHARGE, AT, ALL?, WITH, THIS, UNIT., CAN, YOU, MAKE, THAT, PROMISE?, I'm, NOT, GOING, TO, ANSWER, ANY, QUESTIONS, FROM, YOU, MAN., THIS, IS, REAL, UNCOMFORTABLE, FOR, ME., WELL, IMAGINE, THE, PEOPLE, WHO, HAVE, BEEN, TOLD, THAT, AND, THEY, GET, POWER, BILLS, EVEN, AFTER, THEY, SPENT, SO, MUCH, MONEY, ON, THE, SYSTEM., MAYBE, UNCOMFORTABLE, TOO, DON't, YOU, THINK?, WELL, UM., WELL, SOLAR, TITAN, USA, TOLD, US, NONE, OF, THEIR, SALES., PEOPLE, SHOULD, BE, SAYING, THAT, THEIR, SYSTEM, WILL, REPLACE, DO, SO, IS, A, FIRING, OFFENSE., POLICE, SAID, THAT, THEY, ARE, NOT, FIRING, THAT, SALESMAN., THEY're, JUST, RETRAINING, HIM, TO, STILL, HAVE, ANY, KIND, OF, A, BILL., AFTER, SHELLING, OUT, WHAT, YOU, WERE, QUOTED, ALMOST, $70,000., THEY, SHOULD, BE, PRETTY, UP, FRONT, ABOUT, THAT, SOUNDS, LIKE, YOU'll, HAVE, MORE, ON, THIS, TOMORROW, NIGHT., BOTH, COMPANIES, ALSO, PROMISED, WOULD, BE, ABLE, TO, SAVE, A, BUNCH, OF, MONEY, BY, USING, A, 26., TAX, CREDIT, A, FEDERAL, TAX, CREDIT, BUT, THAT, ONLY, WORKS, IF, YOU, PAY, THAT, MUCH, IN, FEDERAL, TAXES, AND, OUR, PRODUCER, TOLD, BOTH, COMPANIES, WE'll, SHOW, YOU, WHAT, HAPPENS, TOMORROW, NIGHT., ALL, RIGHT, VERY, INTERESTING, EVERYWHERE, AND, YOU're, HELPING, SOUTH., THANK, YOU., THANKS, FREDDIE., RESIDENTS, HAD.