Why Your Solar System Isn't Producing What They Promised

When your solar monitoring app shows numbers that don't match what you were promised, and your utility bills confirm the gap, you're dealing with one of the most common and frustrating solar problems: a system that consistently underproduces relative to the projections you were sold on.

The Two Types of Underperformance

Solar underperformance falls into two broad categories, and the distinction matters for understanding your options.

Technical underperformance occurs when the system is not producing as much as it physically should given its design and location. This can be caused by equipment failures, installation errors, shading that wasn't accounted for, or degradation faster than normal. Technical underperformance is often correctable.

Projection-based underperformance occurs when the system is producing exactly what it should given its design, but the design was based on inflated assumptions. The system is working correctly — it just was never capable of producing what was promised. This type of underperformance is not correctable through repairs; it requires addressing the original misrepresentation.

How to Determine Which Type You Have

Start by pulling your monitoring data for the past 12 months and comparing it to the projected production in your original proposal. Then have an independent solar technician inspect the system to determine whether it's operating correctly given its design.

If the technician finds no technical issues — the system is operating as designed — but production is still significantly below the proposal's projection, you likely have projection-based underperformance. The system was designed to produce less than what was promised.

If the technician finds technical issues (shading problems, equipment failures, installation errors), those should be addressed through warranty claims and installer complaints. Document everything in writing.

Building Your Case

Whether your underperformance is technical or projection-based, documentation is the foundation of any action you take. Gather your original proposal, your monitoring data, your utility bills, and any communications with the company about the performance issues.

If the gap between promised and actual production is significant and consistent, and the company has failed to address it, you have the basis for a formal complaint. The right path forward depends on the specific facts — but the first step is always to understand exactly what you were promised versus what you've received.