OwlWhat Valley Solar publishes about its guarantee
Valley Solar, based in Easthampton, Massachusetts, states the guarantee on its homepage and its “Why Valley Solar” page. Quoted from its site:
“Every Valley Solar system includes SunAlert™ proactive monitoring and a 95% production guarantee.”
“If your system underproduces, we fix it — and pay you the difference.”
“All solar installations include a 95% production guarantee backed by our SunAlert performance monitoring platform”
A website summary is not the contract. The agreement you signed is the document that sets the terms for your system, and terms can differ by install date or financing type.
What the published wording covers, and what it leaves to your agreement
| Question | Answer from the published pages |
|---|---|
| Threshold | 95% (“a 95% production guarantee”). |
| 95% of what? | Not stated. Find the kWh estimate or schedule your agreement applies the 95% to. |
| Remedy | Two parts are named: Valley Solar fixes the system, and pays the difference. |
| Duration | Not stated on the pages quoted. |
| Measurement period | Not stated. Whether production is compared each year, over several years, or cumulatively decides which numbers you compare. |
| How the difference is valued | Not stated. It could be a fixed price per kWh or another method set in the agreement. |
| Adjustments | Not stated. Check the agreement for weather, shading, outages, and downtime. |
Valley Solar also describes SunAlert as a monitoring and protection plan on its SunAlert page. If your paperwork refers to SunAlert, check whether the guarantee section mentions it.
A worked example, with made-up numbers
This is a hypothetical to show the arithmetic, not a figure from any real system. Suppose your agreement estimates 9,000 kWh for a measurement year. 95% of that is 8,550 kWh. If the system produced 8,300 kWh over the same dates, the gap below the 95% line is 250 kWh. If it produced 8,700 kWh, it is above the line even though it is under the estimate. How a gap is paid, and whether weather is factored in first, is set by the agreement.
How to check your own system against it
- Find the guarantee section of your agreement. Write down the estimate the 95% applies to, the start date, the measurement period, the length of the guarantee, and how the difference is paid.
- Identify your equipment. Valley Solar's SunAlert page lists monitoring support for Enphase, SolarEdge, and Tesla systems. Your inverter brand decides which app holds your production history. For Enphase systems, that is the Enphase Enlighten app.
- Pull production for the exact measurement period. Use the dates your agreement uses, which may not be the calendar year.
- Apply the 95% line. Multiply the guaranteed estimate by 0.95 and compare it with actual production for the same period.
- Keep a dated record. Note the figures and where each came from. If you have a question, contact Valley Solar through the channel your agreement names and bring those figures.
For the general version of this process, including weather adjustment and degradation, see how to tell whether a performance guarantee is being met and how production guarantees work.
Where OwlWatt fits
Your monitoring app records what the system produced. The guaranteed figure lives in your agreement, so comparing the two is a separate step. OwlWatt does that step for Enphase systems: you enter your guarantee terms, OwlWatt reads your production from Enphase, compares it with your guarantee terms and with a weather-adjusted expected baseline for your location, and updates as new production data arrives, so you can see the running total against your guaranteed figure during the period rather than after it.
OwlWatt works with Enphase systems today. SolarEdge support is on the roadmap and not yet available, and OwlWatt does not connect to Tesla inverters. If your Valley Solar system uses SolarEdge or Tesla equipment, the manual steps above still apply.
Common questions
How long does the Valley Solar guarantee last?
The pages quoted here don't say. Your agreement sets the duration, and it is the first number to look up.
Is a 95% production guarantee the same as a panel warranty?
No. A panel power warranty is a manufacturer's promise that each panel keeps a share of its rated output over time. A production guarantee is a promise about the whole system's kWh from the company that sold it. See what the Enphase warranty covers.
My system made less than the estimate. Is it below the guarantee?
Not necessarily. Below the estimate and below 95% of the estimate are different lines, and the measurement period and any weather adjustment in your agreement also matter. Compare against 95% of the guaranteed figure for the full period.
Is OwlWatt affiliated with Valley Solar?
No. OwlWatt has no relationship with Valley Solar and takes no referral or partnership revenue from any installer. We quote Valley Solar's public site so you can read the wording in one place.
Know where the 95% line is, all year
Connect your Enphase system, enter your guarantee terms, and OwlWatt keeps a weather-adjusted record of your production against them as the measurement period runs.
OwlWatt provides information and documentation, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.