Tesla Buyer Nonetheless Ready For Photo voltaic Panel Roof Put in In 2018 To Be Turned On
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Ben Kulia has had photo voltaic panels on his roof since Tesla’s SolarCity put in them in 2018. Sadly, he hasn’t been in a position to profit from them, as a result of they’ve by no means generated any energy for him.
The Manoa, Hawaii, resident instructed Hawaii Information Now that the venture was supposed to save lots of him some cash whereas additionally lowering his carbon footprint. All it has accomplished, although, is trigger him complications and value him plenty of cash.
Kulia, a physician, mentioned he needed to pay round $50,000 in roof repairs, set up prices, and lawyer charges to get the photo voltaic panels on his roof. However due to a lacking allow, he can’t harvest vitality from the panels.
Learn Additionally: Tesla May Face Class Motion Lawsuit Over Sharply Rising Photo voltaic Roof Contract Costs
“There’s no correct allow, I can’t flip it on,” he mentioned. “And due to this fact the system simply sits on my roof. And I really feel actually psychological anguish each time I come house.”
The issue? Town’s Division of Planning and Allowing instructed HNN that it has been ready on paperwork from Tesla since October 2019 earlier than it could possibly approve the allow for Kulia’s venture.
Tesla instructed the proprietor that they’re engaged on it however, in March, all communications stopped and all of his customer support inquiries had been routed to a name middle. Out of desperation, Kulia even tried to achieve out to Tesla CEO Elon Musk (who was accused of utilizing undue affect to push Tesla to purchase SolarCity, an organization based by his cousins) over Twitter, however to no avail.
The issue has solely develop into extra troubling over time. Since his panels had been put in, the price of electrical energy has risen 60 p.c in Hawaii, and he estimates he’s missed out on $30,000 in potential vitality financial savings because the system has aged.
“The system is simply sitting there waste away, , as a result of the photo voltaic cell will get degraded over time,” mentioned Kulia. “I don’t have that a lot sources to take Tesla to court docket.”
A spokesperson for the Hawaii Photo voltaic Power Affiliation instructed HNN that instances like these are an anomaly. He admitted, although, {that a} backlog of allow functions and provide chain points have meant that methods can take years to get on-line.
Though Tesla has now reopened communications with Kulia, the shopper has been instructed by others that his best choice could also be to rent one other contractor to complete the job, one thing he isn’t eager to do.
“I attempt my finest to be one of the best human being I might be,” he mentioned. “And I might simply hope that Tesla will see that and assist me again.”
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