Warranties, licensing, and protection
A home energy system is a 25-year decision. Here is exactly how we stand behind it: the license, bond, and insurance; the warranties; the lien protection; and the contract terms that hold even if we are acquired or you sell your home.
The honest worry about a newer company is simple: what happens if you are not around in ten years? We answered it in the hardware. Every part of a Potrero system is open, standard, and made by a company you can look up. It is warrantied by its manufacturer and serviceable by any qualified electrician, so your system keeps running and keeps its coverage no matter what happens to us. That is the opposite of the closed systems that leave you stranded when one vendor changes course.
The basics you should be able to verify before anyone touches your roof or your panel.
A surety bond on file with the state, as California requires.
Per occurrence and aggregate. Certificate of insurance available on request.
Potrero Solar, LLC, in good standing with the Secretary of State.
During the build we pull the permits, pass the inspections, and collect a signed lien waiver from every subcontractor as they are paid. No one can place a lien on your home for work we have already covered.
Two warranties cover your system, and they are separate on purpose. Potrero warranties the work. The manufacturers warranty the equipment. We help you with both.
For ten years, if a problem traces back to how we installed the system, from a roof penetration to the electrical work, we fix the labor at no charge. If you ever need to reroof in the future, we also coordinate directly with your roofer to remove and reinstall your solar array (~$0.50/W) so your roof and solar warranties stay intact.
Each component is warrantied by the company that made it, and we install and register to spec to keep that intact. Under the Prepaid Energy Service, a dedicated co-funded Operations & Maintenance reserve covers active monitoring, truck rolls, and hardware servicing across the full 25-year service term.
The reassurances that matter are the ones written into your agreement, not promised on a call. Here is what the paperwork actually guarantees, whichever way you buy.
Your system keeps running. The hardware is standard and non-proprietary, every component is warrantied by its manufacturer, and any qualified electrician can service it, so nothing depends on us being here. If you are on the Prepaid Energy Service, your agreement is also binding on our successors, so an acquirer has to honor it.
No. Under the Prepaid Energy Service Potrero owns the equipment and files a standard notice of ownership on the equipment only (a UCC-1). It is not a mortgage or a lien on your house or land, and we provide a subordination letter so it never gets in the way of refinancing or selling your home.
How the Prepaid Energy Service works (opens in a new tab)Three options are written into your agreement: the buyer assumes the service at no fee, you buy the system at appraised fair market value (before year six, only as part of the sale and with Potrero’s documented transfer cost itemized first), or you end the agreement at closing and receive a refund of the unearned fee while Potrero removes the equipment at its own cost. We handle the paperwork with your title company and buyer.
It is in writing. From year six you may buy the system at fair market value set by an independent appraiser you choose from three Potrero proposes. The contract deliberately promises no fixed or $0 price, because a promised price would make the arrangement a disguised sale and put the commercial tax credit at risk.
Yes. Potrero is a C-10 licensed electrical contractor (CSLB #1147463), bonded, and carries general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. We are happy to send a certificate of insurance on request.
Verify our license on the state board (opens in a new tab)We collect a signed lien waiver from every subcontractor as they are paid, so no one can place a mechanic’s lien on your home for work we have already covered.
You email or call us and we diagnose it remotely at no cost, whatever the cause. If it is our workmanship, we fix the labor for free; if it is a covered part, the manufacturer warranty applies and we help you use it.
A bigger, smarter design philosophy only matters if you execute it well. Here is the proof in our recent Bay Area projects and the words of our customers.
“They were very straightforward - clear communication from start to finish, no surprises, install team was awesome and the product works great. The price was much less expensive than other quotes I got for solar and batteries.”
“Production is right where they said it would be, and we've already had a PG&E power outage where the whole-home battery backup worked flawlessly.”
“The value proposition is bang on. Installation was really professional. And the service is amazing.”
“Potrero Solar was an easy and economical decision for us. The team took great care of us throughout the process, with excellent planning and installation services despite our tricky layout.”
“They were extremely respectful of our old house and went the extra mile to find the best placement for all the new equipment they installed.”
“This is a fantastic company. They have an unbeatable price and really great customer service. Their crew is great.”
“Even after installation, they’ve continued supporting me to optimize performance.”
“I highly recommend Potrero energy for your solar. They did a good job and it works great!”
“They were very straightforward - clear communication from start to finish, no surprises, install team was awesome and the product works great. The price was much less expensive than other quotes I got for solar and batteries.”
“Production is right where they said it would be, and we've already had a PG&E power outage where the whole-home battery backup worked flawlessly.”
“They were very straightforward - clear communication from start to finish, no surprises, install team was awesome and the product works great. The price was much less expensive than other quotes I got for solar and batteries.”
“Production is right where they said it would be, and we've already had a PG&E power outage where the whole-home battery backup worked flawlessly.”
“The value proposition is bang on. Installation was really professional. And the service is amazing.”
From your initial system design consultation through permitting, installation, and commissioning, you work directly with our San Francisco–based team. No call-center runaround, no high-pressure sales tactics—just straightforward design and seasoned field execution.
Shifted focus to climate in 2023 and started Potrero to accelerate residential and small-business decarbonization across the Bay Area with bigger, higher-value solar and storage systems that also support the grid.
Licensed electrician with over 20 years of experience in the solar and storage industry across Northern California. Takes pride in high-quality work with a clean, professional aesthetic. Climate work makes it easy to get up in the morning.
Shifted focus to climate in 2023 and started Potrero to accelerate residential and small-business decarbonization across the Bay Area with bigger, higher-value solar and storage systems that also support the grid.
Licensed electrician with over 20 years of experience in the solar and storage industry across Northern California. Takes pride in high-quality work with a clean, professional aesthetic. Climate work makes it easy to get up in the morning.
Moved to San Francisco from Copenhagen, where he worked in external affairs at one of the world's largest energy companies. Was part of Denmark's largest carbon capture and storage project, still on trajectory to be a major milestone for the country.
Spent the last four years in residential clean energy, helping homeowners get more value from home batteries, solar, and smart EV charging. Now bringing bigger, smarter energy systems to Bay Area homes.
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