If you’re a Rhode Island resident, you’ve likely come across news regarding a lawsuit filed against Smart Green Solar by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. As a customer-centric company that values transparency, we want to be very public with our position on this matter. 

While we’re saddened by Neronha’s actions, we are confident that the truth will prevail. We believe Neronha acted hastily and in his political best interest when choosing to announce his lawsuit and publicize allegations against our company — which is akin to trying his case in a court of public opinion instead of a court of law.

The allegations are the antithesis of who we are and the values we nurture as a company. As a locally-based, customer-driven company that has employed hundreds of residents with nearly 3,000 satisfied customers, our customers are our family, friends, and neighbors. Never would it be in our best interest to operate in a “pattern of deceptive trade practices,” as Neronha alleges — and more importantly, that’s simply not who we are. 

Thus, we will continue to fight for the integrity of our company and our employees, whose reputations have also been harmed by Neronha’s negative PR campaign. 

We believe we will prevail. 

In the meantime, we remain focused on delivering on our brand promise to provide exceptional service and peace of mind, every time. It’s that promise to our customers that has yielded us:

• An A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating. 
• A 4.6-star Google Rating 
• Rank within the top 5% of solar companies in the U.S, and
• Voted #1 Solar Company in Rhode Island via the Community Choice Awards

It’s the government’s job to protect its residents, and in all fairness, given the benefits and popularity of solar energy, there are many solar entities popping up merely to turn a profit— without respect to what’s best for their customers. Such companies should be identified and held accountable.

That said, it is important for us to convey that we believe the lawsuit against Smart Green Solar is at least partially, politically motivated. Supporting that position is the recent November 2023 article in the Boston Globe in which Neronha acknowledges his interest in running for Rhode Island Governor and cites utility regulation as one of his top priorities. 

We believe Neronha’s very public and defamatory approach to this lawsuit is an opportunity for him to build his platform and set the stage for a Governor run with an established track record of punishing solar providers.

To quote Neronha from the Boston Globe, “Businesses that deceive consumers for profit should heed this lawsuit [Smart Green Solar lawsuit] as a warning; our Consumer Protection Unit continues to grow in size and talent, and we will weed out companies that don’t play by the rules.”

Smart Green Solar is a company that is committed to playing by the rules and makes good on its promises–and our nearly 3,000 customers can attest to that standard. We abide by what we call our “Peace of Mind” guarantees and if we fall short, we make good on our promise. 

We recognize that being one of the largest–if not the largest– solar companies in Rhode Island makes us an easy target. But we believe that it’s our standard of “making good on our promises,” and responding to and resolving customer complaints (no matter what it takes) that makes us significantly different than the many transient solar companies that lack roots within the community or commitment to the customers they serve.

The leadership and employees of Smart Green Solar live, work and play in Rhode Island– and we serve our family, friends and neighbors. We believe that if Mr. Neronha had conducted early due diligence, or even reached out to “correct behavior,” he would have discovered that Smart Green Solar is not the “bad actor” that pursues a “pattern of deceptive trade practices” that he alleges. Instead, Neronha filed a lawsuit, issued a press release and publicly referred to Smart Green Solar as “scam artists” on Twitter.

We believe Neronha’s approach reveals his intent.

Following Mr. Neronha’s first press release in June, the Better Business Bureau immediately pulled our BBB accreditation and A+ rating, and customers called and canceled their installations. Although in America we have a judicial system that states defendants are “innocent until proven guilty,” Mr. Neronha publicly painted Smart Green Solar as “guilty as charged.” 

We’ve since learned that such rants are a pattern of behavior for Mr. Neronha and he’s been ordered to appear in court for such behavior by Rhode Island Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini for “false and disparaging attacks on the Superior Court,” listing five rules Neronha “blatantly and recklessly violated,” per Judge Procaccini. 

Fortunately, despite Mr. Neronha’s negative PR campaign against Smart Green Solar, our BBB accreditation and A+ rating were reinstated, and we are grateful that the Better Business Bureau, in spite of initially pulling our accreditation as a result of seeing Mr. Neronha’s press release, reinstated our A+ rating after its independent investigation and hearing that found that we were free of any ethical violations. We sincerely appreciate their willingness to conduct due diligence and judge accordingly. 

Rest assured, regardless of Peter Neronha’s very public defamatory statements and press releases, his efforts do not impact any past, current, or future business with our customers. We continue to grow and help families make the switch to clean, renewable solar energy. We are — and will continue to be — locally based, customer-driven, and committed to exceptional service and peace of mind– every time. And when we miss the mark, our customers let us know.

If we operated in a “pattern of deceptive trade practices,” as Mr. Neronha alleges, we believe our BBB A+ rating, overall 4.6 Google rating and Net promoter score would reflect such an unscrupulous and shameful pattern of behavior. 

We know there are companies that make a habit of “not playing by the rules,” as Mr. Neronha references. However, we are not one of them.

Learn more about Smart Green Solar’s stance and its commitment to helping families make the switch to clean, renewable solar energy.

Smart Green Solar is committed to playing by the rules and makes good on its promises–and our nearly 3,000 customers can attest to that standard. We abide by what we call our “Peace of Mind” guarantees and if we fall short, we make good on our promise.