NRG Clean Power Review: Costs, Financing, & Reviews (2023)

With the price of electricity on the rise, many homeowners are turning to solar energy as a solution to skyrocketing utility costs. Although the process of switching to solar energy is exciting, it requires careful planning and stringent standards to ensure the final result performs as it should.

Selecting an exceptional solar provider is an integral part of this process, and given the vast pool of providers, it can be tricky. NRG Clean Power is a strong contender with over three decades of experience. The company simplifies the switch to solar, ensuring the transition goes smoothly.

Our review of NRG Clean Power delves into the specifics of its costs, financing, and customer reviews to help you decide whether it’s a good fit for your solar project.

Our NRG Clean Power Review

Selecting a knowledgeable, experienced solar provider is the difference between a long, drawn-out, and stressful switch to solar and a breezy, headache-free transition. So, while picking a solar provider is only one step of the process, it’s arguably one of the most vital parts.

NRG Clean Power is a solid pick for customers in its service area. It has stellar customer reviews, thorough consultations, an excellent BBB rating (A+), lengthy warranties, outstanding customer service, and a straightforward, headache-free installation process.

Deciding to switch to solar is an exciting, massive decision, whether you own your home or are simply renting, as you need to consider multiple factors. The following review of NRG Clean Power outlines critical parts of the company to help you decide on the best solar provider for your project.

NRG Clean Power Company Profile

NRG Clean Power is an experienced face in the industry with over three decades of experience. The company’s customer reviews are exceptional and combined with an outstanding A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, it’s hard to go wrong with NRG Clean Power as your solar provider.

Solar Services & Cost

How Much Does NRG Clean Power Cost?

Unfortunately, NRG Clean Power doesn’t offer specific cost information on its website. However, this is relatively standard for solar companies, as there’s too much variation to provide a pinpointed cost estimate. Every solar installation is different, so costs can vary drastically from one home to the next.

Since that isn’t particularly helpful, we can offer a general idea of what to expect cost-wise based on national averages in the United States. The average per-watt cost for solar energy systems in the United States is $2.94, and the average system size is 5 kilowatts.

We can use these averages to determine the average solar energy system cost, which comes out to $11,000. Most solar energy companies tack on an additional 100% to 200% to cover business expenses, so homeowners can expect to pay between $22,000 to $33,000 for a solar energy system.

Of course, the cost of your solar energy system might vary based on per-watt costs in your state and the size of your system. So, you might end up paying more or less than these estimates. In addition, you can take advantage of federal and local rebates, so the cost might be considerably lower after utilizing available incentives.

Warranty

NRG Clean Power offers exceptional warranty coverage, with 25-year warranties on multiple aspects of its services. According to the company website, customers of NRG Clean Power benefit from 25-year warranties on panels, workmanship, inverters, roof, racking, and performance guarantees.

Although a 25-year warranty is fairly standard for solar equipment, it isn’t as common for workmanship, racking, roof, and performance guarantees. This reflects well on the company, as it’s confident in its team’s abilities to efficiently and safely install effective solar equipment that will not fail within its warranty period.

Financing Plans & Options

According to the company website, NRG Clean Power offers several flexible purchase options for homeowners. The website states the company partners with several top financing companies to provide affordable financing options, but there isn’t specific information on the available options.

That said, many top solar companies offer solar loans, outright purchase options, and solar leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs). We recommend reaching out to the company regarding potential financing options that will work for your budget.

Specials or Incentives Offered

Many top solar providers offer a referral program to incentivize the switch to solar. NRG Clean Power provides an excellent solar referral program that allows customers to earn thousands of dollars.

To cash in on the programs, customers simply need to submit their information and their friend’s information. Once their friend commits to solar with NRG Clean Power, the company pays the customer $500. Customers can get paid $500 for each of their first ten referrals, and after that, the company will pay customers $1,000 for each referral.

Compared to many other referral programs, this is an exceptional opportunity for customers to earn money.

Aside from NRG Clean Power’s solar referral program, additional financial incentives do not apply to the customer’s solar installation. However, the company encourages customers to take advantage of local and federal rebates, as these incentives can shave off a considerable portion of the final system cost.

For example, the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is currently worth 26% of the total system cost (as of 2022). Although this isn’t available for the upfront cost, qualifying solar customers can use this credit towards their taxes, potentially receiving up to 26% of their solar power system cost on their tax return.

In-House or Contracted Installations

NRG Clean Power handles the entire solar installation process with its in-house team. Outsourcing the installation process can lead to issues, especially with inexperienced third-party contractors. However, customers of NRG Clean Power don’t need to worry about this, as the company handles the process itself.

Many reviews mention positive experiences with NRG Clean Power’s project managers and solar panel installation teams, saying the installers work relatively quietly and clean up after themselves.

What Solar Panels Does NRG Clean Power Use1

NRG Clean Power offers its residential customers a wide range of solar panels with high energy efficiencies. The company is associated with the following product manufacturers:

• IronRidge
• Enphase Energy
• LG Solar
• Panasonic
• REC
• SolarEdge Technologies
• Tesla
• Solaria
• Hyundai Energy Solutions
• Solaria
• LG Energy Solution
• Generac
• Duracell Power Center

Aside from this, the company also offers inverters from SolarEdge and Enphase.

Partnerships

NRG Clean Power partners with numerous companies within the industry. Aside from SolarEdge and Enphase (they utilize inverters from these companies), the company is also partners with multiple solar panel and solar battery companies.

In addition, NRG Clean Power is partnered with several financing companies to make solar more affordable to a wide range of homeowners, which helps make going solar a great choice for many people. The company’s financing companies include Mosaic, Sunlight Financial, Energy Loan Network, LoanPal/GoodLeap, and ENSEMBLE BY CED.

Service Area & Availability

Given NRG Clean Power’s popularity in its service area, it’s unfortunate the company’s service area isn’t larger. As of 2022, the company offers its services in two states in the southern United States:

• California
• Texas

NRG Clean Power Reviews From Actual Customers

As you browse for the perfect solar provider, it’s essential to consider customer reviews. The company’s customer reviews can offer valuable insight into its inner workings: how it handles customers, timeliness, long-term service, and many other areas.

NRG Clean Power’s customer reviews are outstanding. Of course, a few negative reviews come up here and there, but this is pretty typical with any company. The company boasts an excellent A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, which speaks volumes about the company’s reputation.

On the few negative reviews sprinkled throughout the company’s BBB page, NRG Clean Power’s team has responded to every single one, doing their best to ensure customers are satisfied with their experience. Here are a few genuine reviews of NRG Clean Power:

“NRG provided me with exactly what my salesperson promised. They were professional and responsive throughout the project. They jumped through some extra hoops with the city as we had a poorly installed electrical box from a past project from a subpar electrician. They managed to make the necessary adjustments to satisfy the inspector, and we finally passed after 3 attempts. We will use them again if we should ever need, hands down.”

– Keren K.

“Edit 2 –  I recommend NRG Clean Power.  Getting a solar system installed and up and running is not a quick or easy process.  3 separate entities (the solar company, the power company, and your city inspector) have to coordinate and agree for the project to be completed.  I signed a contract with NRG in September 2021, had the panels installed in December 2021, and now in March 2022, the panels are generating power.  A combination of supply chain issues (which everyone is experiencing) and some miscommunications within NRG has, at times, been frustrating.  However, when I voiced my frustrations, the project was handed off to a manager, and I have been super impressed with the level of service and communication since then.  NRG worked with me to make sure the panels generated the power I wanted, aesthetically looked great (the all-black panels really blend into our black roof), and gave us a great price.

Thank you NRG Clean Power for delivering us a great final product, and special thank you to Tal  for working tirelessly to find us parts that were thousands of miles away and answer the hundreds of probably annoying questions I had throughout the project.

Edit 1-  After receiving a phone call from NRG Clean Power management, I am editing my initial review.  The manager sympathized and apologized for the various delays and miscommunications regarding my project.  It seems that the COVID epidemic has led to many problems throughout the solar industry.  I appreciated the phone call, the additional information, and especially a gift card which has eased my frustration.  I will continue to update this review as we move towards completion next month.”

– Matt E

“Sherry and the NRG team did an excellent job with our installation. From the outset, the quoting was informative and reassuring, not the pushy sales technique we’d encountered from some of the other providers. NRG’s quote wasn’t the lowest, but still very competitive, and the system was spec’d with premium equipment. No corner cutting here. Overall, we weighed up the cost versus quality, responsiveness, and company reputation to select NRG as our provider. We weren’t disappointed! Sherry did a great job coordinating our installation around our own contractor and taking care of some necessary roof repairs. The team showed up at the time and date promised and set to work quickly and efficiently. The quality of workmanship was first rate, and we had no problems at all with the install. The permit and PG&E sign-off process went well with no effort needed from us – all handled by Sherry and the team. Our installation exceeds our expectations and easily pays for itself. Again, you will find cheaper companies, and you will find more expensive companies, but NRG gave us a top-tier system, a high level of professionalism, and a great overall experience. Overall, I would highly recommend speaking to NRG if you’re considering a solar installation.”

– Mark H.

Bottom Line: Is NRG Clean Power A Good Company?

Based on customer reviews, BBB ratings, and various aspects of the company (warranties, financing options, etc.), NRG Clean Power is a good company for your solar project, providing you’re in its service area.

While there are a few areas for improvement, such as a more detailed explanation of available financing options on its website, NRG Clean Power seems to be a strong contender among service providers in its areas. So, if you’re within its service area, NRG Clean Power might be the answer to your solar project!

Today's Homeowner’s Solar Ranking and Review Methodology

At Today's Homeowner, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each solar energy company/service according to our methodology.

Our research team dug deep into the fine print of contracts, combed through more than one hundred customer reviews, and thoroughly investigated all of each solar energy company’s services, costs, and products. We’ve done the homework for you by researching nearly all of the solar energy companies on the market so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home.

We developed a formula to objectively determine the best solar energy companies and give each a score out of 100 based on the following criteria:

• Plan Options (30): Do they provide a variety of plan options? We looked at the number of plans each solar energy company offered and the flexibility of adjusting the plan.
• Services offered (20): How many services are offered in each plan? We looked at whether the company manufactures its own solar panels, whether it contracts out installation, and what additional products each company offers.
• Trust (10): What do customers say after their solar panels are installed? Does this company offer a guarantee? We considered how satisfied customers are post-service if the company does what it says it will, BBB accreditation, and service guarantees.
• Prices (10): How reasonable are the costs of the plan or service in comparison to the industry average? We compared the costs of each company to competitors that offer the same solar energy services.
• Unique perks (10): Does the company offer discounts or special services such as financial incentives, rebates, or a useful mobile app? We looked for extras each company offers that set them apart from the competition.
• Customer Service (10): How is the customer experience when contacting the company? We considered the speed of response, weekend/holiday availability, and ease of communication through phone calls, email, and online chat functions.
• Nationwide availability (10): How many states does the company offer its services? Companies that operate nationally and in all zip codes are favored over those with limited availability.