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Get a Free QuoteSunnova filed Chapter 11. SunPower restructured. Dozens of smaller TX solar companies have quietly closed. If your installer is gone, you are not alone — and your system is not lost. This guide shows you exactly how to protect your investment.
818%
since 2022 (PUCT data)
TX solar complaints up
40K+
affected by Chapter 11
Sunnova TX homeowners
Survive
company bankruptcies
Manufacturer warranties
The Texas residential solar boom of 2020–2024 was fueled by aggressive door-to-door sales, low interest rates, and promises of a 30% federal tax credit. Many installers grew fast — and some grew recklessly. When the federal residential tax credit expired in December 2025, financing dried up and the weaker players collapsed.
Largest solar lease/PPA provider in TX. 400,000+ customers nationwide. TX homeowners with Sunnova leases remain under contract — Sunnova continues operating during reorganization.
SunPower sold its residential dealer network and stopped direct sales. Some TX homeowners may have systems with limited support. SunPower equipment warranties still valid.
Dozens of smaller TX solar companies quietly closed 2023–2025. Many had minimal bonding, few had service agreements. These "hard orphan" cases require immediate equipment manufacturer contact.
You are not responsible for your installer's business failure. Your system has value, your equipment warranties are real, and there are clear steps to protect your investment. The situation is stressful — but it is manageable.
Follow these steps in order. Most homeowners can fully stabilize their situation within 2–4 weeks.
Log into your monitoring app (Enphase Enlighten, SolarEdge mySolarEdge, or your inverter brand's app) and verify that your system is producing power. If the app is offline, check your utility meter — solar production should reduce net grid imports during daylight hours.
Find the brand and model of your solar panels (usually on a sticker on the back of the panel or on your original contract), your inverter (the box on the wall of your garage or utility room), and any battery storage. Manufacturer warranties are completely separate from installer warranties and survive company bankruptcies.
Call or email your panel manufacturer (Silfab, REC, Q.CELLS, Canadian Solar, etc.) and inverter manufacturer (Enphase, SolarEdge, Tesla) to register your warranty if not already done. Manufacturers honor warranties regardless of what happened to your installer.
If you have a solar loan (from GoodLeap, Mosaic, Sunlight Financial, etc.), you own the system — the lender only has a lien. If you have a lease or PPA (Sunnova, Sunrun, etc.), the financing company owns the system and is responsible for maintenance. Contact them directly.
Contact a licensed Texas solar contractor (EC or Class A license required) who is experienced with your equipment brand. Ask specifically if they service systems they did not install. NuWatt Energy services orphaned systems in Texas.
Photograph your system, save all paperwork (original contract, warranty documents, permits), and contact your homeowner's insurance carrier about any roof penetration issues. Workmanship warranty is gone when the installer closes — but product warranties and manufacturer warranties remain.
Each problem has a different solution path depending on your ownership structure and equipment brand.
Monitoring shows $0 production, meter shows same grid import as before solar
What to do:
Water stains inside, wet attic, water around flashing points
What to do:
Visible cracks, discoloration, hail damage, reduced output from one string
What to do:
No inverter display, error lights, system not producing despite sun
What to do:
App shows "offline," "disconnected," or no data
What to do:
Equipment manufacturer warranties are legally binding obligations of the manufacturer — completely independent of your installer. Your panels are probably still under warranty right now.
Microinverter
Strongest inverter warranty in industry. Claimable directly regardless of installer.
String Inverter / Optimizer
12-year standard, 25-year extended available. Optimizers 25 years.
Battery Storage
Warranty claims handled by Tesla directly. Works independently of original installer.
Solar Panels
FEOC-compliant US/Canada manufactured panels. Strong warranty program.
Solar Panels
TwinPeak panels have strong warranty history. Register at REC portal.
Solar Panels
Popular in TX market. Product and performance warranty claims handled by Q.CELLS.
Register your warranty if you haven't
Many equipment manufacturers require warranty registration within 30–90 days of installation. Check your original contract for serial numbers and register directly on each manufacturer's website, even if installation was years ago. Some manufacturers accept late registration.
Action: Contact your lender to confirm loan is current, then find a local NABCEP-certified installer for ongoing service.
Action: Contact the finance company directly (not the installer). Escalate to their customer service and document all communications.
Not every installer will service a system they did not install. Here is how to find one who will.
National certification for solar professionals. Search the NABCEP directory at nabcep.org. Filter by Texas and your city.
Solar installers in Texas must hold an Electrical Contractor (EC) license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Verify at license.state.tx.us.
Ask specifically: "Have you serviced [Enphase/SolarEdge/Tesla] systems you did not originally install?" and "Are you authorized by the manufacturer?"
Never accept verbal commitments. Get a written service agreement that specifies scope of work, response time, labor rates, and what equipment issues are covered.
Watch for Orphan Opportunists
Some companies specifically target solar orphans with aggressive door-to-door sales, promising to "take over" your system and fix everything — for a steep new contract. Always verify licenses, check BBB ratings, and never sign a new solar contract under pressure. If they mention the 30% federal tax credit, walk away immediately — it expired December 31, 2025.
We service solar systems we did not install. If your TX solar installer is gone, our NABCEP-certified team can assess your system, handle manufacturer warranty claims, repair or replace failed components, and get you back to full production.
The best time to prevent a solar orphan situation is before you sign. Here are the key vetting criteria.
Verify Texas EC license on TDLR website
Required by law. Look up license.state.tx.us before any contract.
Check PUCT registration
Solar installers must be registered with the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Confirm surety bond and liability insurance
Ask for certificates. A $50K+ bond provides consumer recourse if they close.
Review BBB rating and PUCT complaint history
Search both. A pattern of unresolved complaints is a major warning sign.
Ask about their service department
Companies with no in-house service team are highest risk. Who will come out in year 5?
Get a separate service agreement
Some installers offer post-installation service contracts. Worth the extra cost.
Requires solar installers to register with PUCT. Provides a consumer complaint fund. File complaints at puc.texas.gov.
Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Applies if your installer made false representations. Contact Texas AG at texasattorneygeneral.gov.
If your installer was bonded (required by law), you can file a claim with their surety company for workmanship failures. Get the bond number from TDLR.
A solar orphan is a homeowner whose solar installer has gone out of business, filed for bankruptcy, or otherwise stopped operating — leaving the system without an authorized service provider. The system itself (and often the loan or lease) remains, but the homeowner has no one to call for maintenance, warranty claims, or repairs. This became common after Sunnova's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2025 and SunPower's restructuring.
It depends on the type of warranty. Equipment warranties (from the manufacturer — Enphase, SolarEdge, Silfab, REC, etc.) are honored directly by the manufacturer regardless of what happened to your installer. Workmanship/installation warranties provided by the installer are essentially void if the company no longer exists. Product warranties typically cover 10–25 years and are your strongest protection.
Chapter 11 is reorganization bankruptcy, not liquidation. Sunnova continues operating during the process and is legally required to honor existing lease/PPA agreements. Your payments continue and your system should continue to be serviced. Follow Sunnova's official communications and keep copies of your lease agreement. If service deteriorates, you may have recourse under Texas consumer protection laws.
You own the system. A solar loan is a financial instrument — the lender (GoodLeap, Mosaic, Sunlight, etc.) holds a security interest in the system but you own it outright. Your installer closing has no legal effect on your ownership. You are responsible for maintenance and can hire any licensed solar contractor to service it. Equipment manufacturer warranties still apply.
Not necessarily. Monitoring outages are often just WiFi or router issues — the system may still be producing power even if monitoring is offline. First, check your home's WiFi router and power cycle the monitoring gateway (small device near your inverter). Also check your utility meter during daylight — you should see reduced imports or net export. If monitoring is still offline after 24 hours, contact your inverter manufacturer's support line directly.
This is the hardest scenario for solar orphans. The installer's workmanship warranty is gone. First, hire a licensed roofing contractor to inspect and repair the leak immediately — water damage compounds quickly. Second, document everything with photos and get a written assessment from the roofer. Third, contact your homeowner's insurance carrier — depending on your policy, roof damage may be covered. Fourth, you may have recourse against the defunct installer's former bonding company or surety bond if they were properly bonded as required by Texas law.
Look for NABCEP-certified installers who explicitly state they service systems they did not install. Verify they hold a Texas Electrical Contractor (EC) license (required for solar work). Ask about their experience with your specific equipment brands. Get a service agreement in writing. NuWatt Energy provides orphan system service in Texas — use our IQ wizard to describe your system and we'll assess it.
Texas solar consumers have several protections: (1) SB 1036 (2023) requires solar installers to register with PUCT and provides a $50,000 complaint fund. (2) Texas DTPA (Deceptive Trade Practices Act) may apply if the installer made false representations. (3) Installer bonds (if the company was properly bonded) may cover workmanship failures. (4) Your equipment manufacturer warranties are contractual obligations that survive bankruptcy. File complaints with the PUCT and Texas AG Consumer Protection Division.