Great crew, from sales to project manager, to installers, to inspectors, to accounting. Very responsive and pleasant. Quote was reasonable for the value of the solar panels and battery back-up. Highly recommend Vital Energy. read more

I'm aware of the fact that it's to-date one of the few negative reviews for Vital Energy, but I'm going to share my warning to others, as it could suggest that they may not be of the same quality as before. Vital's quote was higher than most others we received, but given their reviews, we decided it was worth the extra spend for a clean install. Pre-install had delays and miscommunications. I know this is common with projects, so I remained positive. I was sent engineering plans for my approval. I saw that these revised plans were for a smaller system than what I had originally agreed to. The change would have made it easier for the installers, but would have netted me less energy, with no adjustment to my cost. To the PM's credit, he attempted to draw my attention to these changes when they were sent for my approval, but I nevertheless saw it as a proposed change constructed to benefit Vital with no consideration toward me, and delayed the process even more as I had them change back to the original agreed-upon system size. I remained positive. On installation day, one of the installers broke my new and expensive inverter. I said no big deal, I'll talk to the PM and we'll figure something out. Even though the system wasn't fully functional due to the broken inverter, but I nevertheless paid everything that was due that day, withholding only a documented amount equivalent to a replacement inverter until we can find a resolution. The manufacturer would only replace the broken inverter it with a used device under warranty (i.e. one that another customer has returned and has been refurbished) with a shorter warranty window. Rather than demand a new inverter at the company's expense, which I believe I fairly could have, I proposed options which included a partial credit for the downgrade (and the warranty hassle and ~two months lost solar generation). After waiting weeks for a reply, I followed up and their finance specialist accepted responsibility for the damage IN WRITING and agreed to the credit. I spent hours on the warranty process, found an oversized box, and shipped the broken unit. This is where it unraveled. Right after the resolution, CEO Jason Jackson, got involved for the first time, deflected blame, and said he thinks my equipment was defective (a manufacturing defect somehow caused a piece of hard plastic to snap off?), asked to inspect it and offered to handle the warranty for me. I told him that the package was already shipped, and that I would have very much welcomed his examination and warranty help three weeks ago (rather than the radio silence I received), but the resolution reached, device shipped and warranty in motion. And despite his self-proclaimed "30 years in the industry," didn't appear to have a grasp of the situation as he incorrectly called the inverter a "battery," and required correction. He also accused me of breach of contract for temporarily withholding a small amount due to the breakage. Meanwhile, I noticed flickering lights in several rooms. Nothing suggested a solar connection, so we called an electrician... three visits and $1,300+ later, he traced it to loose connections and a stripped lug in equipment the installers had just worked in, attributing it to the install with a high degree of likelihood. I had been willing to absorb that bill just to move on. Instead, as the CEO kept trying to walk back the written agreement, I was told my warranty might now be partially void because a licensed electrician had worked in the same area, and the Vital threatened a lien on my home while I was withholding the remaining balance awaiting a corrected ledger and the heat detectors their own permit plans required. Five employees of Vital were copied in to the email thread which created an audience, so I eventually decide to email Jason directly to remove the risk of humiliation for him (I detected a hefty ego), and gave him a generous compromise offer. I made major concessions to just get this over with and we finally put it to bed. I was pleasantly surprised that he did not ask me to sign an NDA as part of a compromise, because now it allows me to share my experience here. The field crews were likable and professional, and even the installer who broke the inverter seemed like a knowledgeable, decent guy. Leadership is what failed here, at real cost in time and stress. Do your due diligence, and weigh the ownership of any company you hire. There are plenty of reputable solar companies out there... read more

Vital Energy Solutions - Employee breaks my device and CEO claims he thinks it was defective. Took forever to get him to take responsibility. Drained my energy. - Solar Installation Near Me - Sebastopol, California

when the people that are working for them are given the reigns to lie giving this information promising things that they can never keep saying they're doing things that they are not doing and calling you into hanging on costing thousands of dollars and you can't even reach the contractor they're supposed to be responsible for it and they don't seem to mind if you complain to the contractor state license board that would be my next stop. My name is David and I had a terrible experience with this company. I was kept strung along for a year and a half I do not have one solar panel on my roof. It cost me probably $40,000. I was out now lied to about so many things that have come to light as a strong along month after month embarrassingly, the number is probably low. It's hard for me to look at the real facts of it all beyond the fact that I know I've been out and now played here. I even stuck up for these people when I heard some similar type of news in the very beginning of my experience with them because what they said was so believable, but it was all a lie. I would not trust this place. I would not recommend this place. I tell you right now the contractor hold no accountability without going all the way to the contractor state license board. I suggest if you've had a bad experience with these people that's exactly where you go and you write against their license. It's the only way it's gonna shut this person down from continuing to play people. I am a homeowner and Petaluma for the most part I'm disabled and so is my wife. And tell these people I've never written a review about anything I've never shared, especially as embarrassing as this is with anyone said something so embarrassing and taking advantage of, but they claim so much on the fact that they're local bashing all the big companies that by now I would've at least had solar, but it's all a bunch of smoke mirrors all they're trying to do is get your money. I imagine it's a fair amount of people they do legit business with, but I promise you that is not what has happened with me because I was too trusting because when the warning signs came up, I just ignored them and wanted to believe them and let us go on for about a year and a half. I'm so upset. It's hard to write very much right now. I'm trying to put it out there though and get it all together so I can really connect with people and understanding they do have a way of getting to you when you open the door to the idea of doing business with them. read more

Vital energy just recently installed a Generac generator at my house. The process was seamless. From the initial house visit to installation was three weeks !! The price was right and the installation crew was top notch. Highly recommend Vital Energy for your generator needs. read more

I have used Vital Energy for a couple of projects without a significant problem until now. Back in June of 2025 they completed a project to install solar panels and a Tesla battery on my home. The final inspection was done at the end of that month and the final payment was done in June as well. The solar tax credits are expiring at the end of this year and the gold standard for proof that the project was completed in 2025 is the "permission to operate" granted by the utility, in this case PGE. Its now mid December I still do not have the PTO because Vital Energy was so slow (ie someone there dropped the ball) in submitting the proper paperwork to PGE. The owner, Jason Jackson admitted that this is taking WAY too long and in fact guaranteed to fund my tax credit if the IRS denied it. However, I do not want to go through that kind of fire hoops should there be an audit. There is no cogent reason why the PTO has taken SIX MONTHS to be granted. Because of this outrageous delay I cannot recommend this company. They simply do not seem organized enough, competent enough, to do so. read more

Vital Energy Solutions' service department for generators is exceptional. Their team is knowledgeable, prompt, and efficient, making sure our generator issues are resolved quickly and professionally. Great customer service and reliable support--highly recommend! read more

Although the service had to be rescheduled twice, the technician was excellent. Fixed the problem (swap microinverter), and kept me informed. Will use them for any other issues! read more

122 stars if I could.... Vital Energy Solutions just finished up with my solar installation and there was absolutely nothing they could have been done to improve on the service I received. From start to finish, this was one of the very best and easiest companies I've worked with on home improvements. Phillip in Sales was clear and timely in his communication. I'm in a condo and zero hesitation to confirm that if my HOA didn't approve my solar system, they would refund my deposit (very much the opposite of other solar companies whose deposits were non-refundable). One thing that really impressed me was that they limit their panel and mounting options to what they consider the best.... an all black high efficiency panel and a low rack mounting system. Competitors would sell systems based on the price rather than the sleek all black unobtrusive design from Vital Energy. My project mgr, Dre, was sublime! Timely and complete emails letting me know next steps, timelines, everything, plus she ---bless her times 27 --- undertook all my HOA application forms. What a life-saver! Install team was great. Vital arranged all the inspections, the permitting process, working with PGE to get my system turned on and more. When it came to billing, I kinda didn't pay attention to the invoices and I put my payments on my credit card (points for the win, right?). Then I realized they charged me the CC fee (I should have paid closer attention) so with a nervous wringing of hands, I spoke with billing to undo my own bad decision. The gal in Billing could not possibly have acted quicker or with such kindness to correct the mess I made! Easy peasy to save those fees after all! One last point... this is a locally owned and operated company and they do all the work themselves. Other companies farm out to local subs which made me nervous. I was soooooo impressed with the entire experience I had with Vital and cannot recommend them highly enough. read more

The Vital Energy team was responsive, experienced, and committed to helping us find our home's best and most affordable solution. From the first on-site visit to installations and follow-up, they were focused on getting us up and running quickly, finding the "just right" amount of solar we needed, ensuring we understood our battery and solar system top to bottom, and getting us the best price in the area. We're excited to support a long-standing local business and recommend starting your research with Vital Energy. There's a very good chance you'll keep them at the top of your list! read more

Vital Energy installed two 10k Enphase batteries for us to store the energy from our solar panels. The team is highly professional and the Enphase batteries are of highest quality. It was a difficult install because Marin Fire would not let us install in our unsheetrocked garage. Vital Energy moved to the batteries to an exterior location with no extra charge to us. And then they helped us get a very substantial rebate from PG&E! We were super impressed and pleased with their very professional and helpful company! Highly recommend! read more

Vital Energy Solutions - Happy Clients in front of their new Enphase batteries - Solar Installation Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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We've just had our solar panels and battery installed with Vital Energy. They did a fantastic job and we are very happy with the results.

I purchased a $15,000 generator from this business. Initially I had a $30,000 quote from another vendor. I purchased a maintenance agreement for about $100 a month. Months had passed so I wondered why no one contacted me. The unit required an oil change once a year. So that's $1000? I guess In case anything goes wrong? Then I could not figure out how to put the unit online. I called them and apparently I need a key to do this which I never got. They sent one in an envelope - nothing in it. I called and got this non chalet no biggy we have loads of keys we will pop one out tomorrow. Never got. I complained to someone higher up. Still heard from the person that I talked to before saying she had ordered keys. Wait you said you had loads of keys and would send out. Like pulling teeth. I have no faith in this organization. I had a garage door put in cheaper than this and they went out of their way to make sure I knew how to get online. The generator seems okay. I just wish customer service was better. read more

I used these folks to service a whole house generator (Honeywell/Generac) that a general contractor had installed. When the generator started turning on without a power outage, Generac gave me a list of companies to service, including Vital Energy. The good thing was that they would service a generator installed by someone else (others wouldn't). The bad was the expense: a very high minimum fee ($295) that only includes 30 minutes of service. Then $175 hourly. Everything seemed fine until a little less than 90 days later when the phantom starting happened again. I called, thinking that it would be covered by their last service - especially when the tech arrived and said it was the same problem. The tech then said he'd do what he should've done the first time. His words, not mine. However, I then got a bill for the service. In this case, they charged $395 to show up (33% more in fewer than 90 days!) and the $175 hourly. No warning of the substantial price increase and no warranty of their original work. Stay away read more

Smooth interaction, great communication with email and phone calls. Seamless installation and inspection. All went well and price was comparable. GO LOCAL! read more

Andrew from Vital Energy Solutions just came to my home to service my generator. He was really wonderful. It was 95 degrees out, but he took the time to explain everything he was doing in terms I could readily follow. I've never had a generator before and the whole experience makes me feel more confident in my unit. My interactions with Angelina from the office end was excellent as well. I highly, highly recommend this company. read more

Peace of mind achieved. True professionals. Highly recommend. They took care of all the permits, HOA approval and did all the electrical and plumbing in the package proposal. We obtained bids using individual plumbers , electricians and ordering the unit from Friedman's but we would have had to obtain the permits and submit the application to the HOA. Our Generac generator was installed in one day and we saved close to 5K and our time obtaining the approvals. After losing a home in the Tubbs fire, we anticipate future power outages in Sonoma County. Wish this wasn't the case but it is a reality. If the gas gets turned off in our area, by that time we will have already evacuated. read more

The team at Vital Energy was a pleasure to work with and they did a really great job installing a 22kw Generac whole-house generator at my home in Sebastopol last month. The whole process from initial conversations to the post-project follow-up was smooth. And the day of the actual installation was impressively well-rehearsed and coordinated. There were about five or six separate jobs all requiring different specialties that they had their team there for and ready to go, from getting the generator and pad placed, to relocating the main electrical panel and installing new additional panels, plumbing and teeing off the gas line to run to the generator, and cutting through the concrete driveway to run the underground conduits and then later patching it up. They handled coordinating with the city and getting the necessary permits, along with testing and showing me how it all worked. (It's pretty simple, it turns itself on/off automatically. In fact, about four or five days after installation was completed, we had yet another power outage in town and the Generac turned itself on immediately just like it was supposed to!) Really smooth process and they did a great job keeping in touch throughout. One final note to keep in mind when getting a Generac is the warranty and who would be doing any warranty service for you if it were needed. If you buy one on your own and something fails, it's on you to find an authorized dealer who's willing to make those warranty repairs for you since they can be very labor-intensive and often unprofitable from my understanding. Having bought through Vital Energy, an authorized Generac dealer, means one less thing to worry about should this be needed. Give them a call! read more

I chose Vital Energy Solar for my installation last year after doing much research and getting 4-5 competitive quotes. While a couple of the monster corporations came close to Vital's price, I believe the local hands on aspect of the company, where the owner himself is at my house supervising the installation is a great value. Jay has been doing this for many, many years, has knowledge and experience that is invaluable. AND they had the best price. AND they completed the install in a professional and timely manner. AND Jay is still following up with me, monitoring my system and providing service over and above the norm. Highly recommend, you won't be sorry choosing this company! read more

Vital Energy Solutions - Professional skilled crew. 2 day install, seamless. - Solar Installation Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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My interactions with this company have been superb. They are knowledgeable, polite, prompt and not pushy. They helped me replace my flooded generator when I couldn't find another company that wanted to handle a small job. They were clear about options and costs, and got me through the permitting process without a hitch. Definitely a great option for a county where the power frequently goes out. MPT read more

I really did not know much about solar but I did know my PG&E bill was getting out of control. A friend had recommended VE and I am so impressed. Everything was explained and did I say simple. The process was easy, they did absolutely everything in a timely manner. Dre returned every phone call in a timely fashion with my answers. 8 weeks later I'm done with PG&E and leaving a better footprint. Thank you all again so much! read more

We chose Vital Energy Solutions for our solar installation. The entire process was exceptional. From sales to installation everyone was professional and answered all my questions. The equipment was top quality and the install team was open to install suggestions. The install took only 3/4 of a day and the system is running perfectly. Thanks to Vital for a great Job. read more

I recommend Vital Energy as your solar contractor. They upgraded my electric panel and installed a solar system in my house. It was a flawless process. read more

It took a few calls to reach anyone to discuss a large scale residential solar/battery solution. Once I did reach Hollis she was really great. She told me what I needed to do like taking photos of my panel and sub panels and she scheduled a call to review the plan and bid. Later in the week I got a confirmation call from Ivy for my meeting with Mike. I'm really busy and had to clear a few meetings from my calendar. Mike was supposed to call that next week but after waiting for 15 mins I decided to check in with him. Got his voicemail. Then called Ivy and got voicemail and left a message. Also called Hollis... same got voicemail. About 30 mins after the scheduled start time Ivy called to tell me she was also having trouble reaching Mike. Finally he called 45 mins after our scheduled start time only to tell me that he only works on generators and that someone else will be calling me about the solar/battery. That was a week ago-- nobody called. No idea if they are any good at their work but this was a really terrible experience. read more

Update from last review: I called to get my generator serviced. It took multiple phone calls to get the service coordinator to return call. Once we did connect, appointment was set. On day of appointment, I waited around the house to get a call from the tech, Andrew, saying he had to reschedule after waiting a full morning. Second attempt went good. Andrew, the service tech was great! Very friendly and thorough. Kudos to Andrew. Not so much for the service coordinator. This is the second or third time I've had issues with the office. Hopefully next time will go more smoothly and not waste customers time. Thanks read more

Vital Energy Solar was excellent to work with, I did my homework on Solar and they have the best price, excellent solar products with the best warranties and a more powerful system than the competitors. All USA products, Enphase inverters made right here in Petaluma. I was really impressed from the first contact to the final PGE approval. Jay the owner is on site, goes over every step with you, inspects all the work completed by his crew, follows up with you, and available to take phone calls, texts and answer any questions. I highly recommend them for solar installation! From the start of the quote to installation and PGE approval one month, now that is impressive! read more

Jay Jackson and the Vital Energy team are outstanding solar installers! The company, Jay and the entire Vital Energy team are extremely conscientious and thorough. They take pride in completing robust / precision solar projects beautifully and thoughtfully. They have my unqualified recommendation. They're the best company to help you deploy clean solar power !!! read more

Vital Energy Solutions - Phenomenally beautiful solar installation by Vital Energy!! - Solar Installation Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Vital Energy is responsive and attentive to their customer needs. They installed a generator at our home and everything went smoothly and quickly. The generator works great and is a stress relief in these power outage times. I would recommend Vital Energy to everyone. read more

Can't say enough about the positive experience we had with Vital Energy in repairing our Generac propane-powered generator. It was totally our fault that we didn't check the oil level frequently enough (remember, these generators are almost like a car engine) which eventually required an engine replacement. High salutes to our "mechanic" Lucas and his in-office colleague, Angelina. We've now signed up for annual check-ups, as we lose power at least once a month along our patch of Bloomfield Road (Sebastopol), sometimes for multiple days! (We have solar panels as well, but they don't work when the grid is down (and you don't have backup batteries)). read more

Your crew just finished the install of my new natural gas generator. I've been very impressed with the project start to finish. I own a large property management company and a separate project management company in San Francisco, and if ONLY everything went as smoothly as this, I'd be a happy camper forever! read more

Jason came recommended by a friend. We chose Vital Energy Solar (over Tesla and Sun Run) because they are local. From the outset, we received personal service from Jason. He knows his stuff and made sound recommendations based on our needs. The installation was done in a day. Jason even went above and beyond to help get the essential final inspection and permit signed off on a prior electrical panel upgrade to our house done by another electrician. Vital Energy partnered with us from start to finish. We are now fully interconnected, harnessing energy from the sun, and we could not be happier. Thank you, Jason and Team! read more

Jay helped me install my solar system and his expertise helped the whole process to go smoothly. Highly recommend this local (not national) company with very competitive prices! read more

Jay and Vital Energy is the place to go for solar. He is real, honest, up to date on the latest tech, got me the best price, and he is into relationship - so when questions come up and changes need to be made, he's is available. I cannot tell you how happy I am with my solar system and with the way it was done and how I continue to get help and support along the way! read more

I highly recommend Jason Jackson and the entire team at VitalEnergy to anyone interested in installing solar panels on their home. From explaining the basics of solar through the steps for installation and connection, Jason not only took the time to discuss everything with me, but often gave me additional tips and tricks of the trade. There never was any pressure to make a decision before I was ready, and they handled all the details and coordination. Their bid was highly competitive, and they happily worked with me to make adjustments to the proposed size of my system and fully answered all questions I had about the quote. From when I first contacted them to when PG&E hooked up my system, I went from no solar to an operating system in about a month. I'm looking forward to the sunny season when my system will fully kick into gear! read more

I want to highly recommend Vital Energy. I have two houses, one is a rental and the other is my residence.Vital Energy is a family owned, local business. The crew is made up of guys who have been installing solar for many years. Jay the owner is whom I dealt with. He has been doing solar for over 30 years. I was impressed with his knowledge. He is a certified electrician which made me feel much more comfortable. He did not try to oversell me, he was honest about what we needed. Not something I found with the other companies. He really understands this business because of his years of experience, unlike the young guys whom the others sent out. I was most concerned about to quality of the installation. This will be on my roof for several decades and I don't want sub workmanship. The company was fast, efficient and quality. The price was competitive. I can not tell you how happy I am that I hired Vital Energy after hearing some of the horror stories from my friends when they dealt with some of the bigger companies. read more