GI Energy Reviews
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About
GI Energy supply and install high quality solar equipment for customers who want solar that is built to last.
We treat our customers like family and our whole team is dedicated to being at your disposal whenever you need us, for the life of your solar system. We have been looking after people this way and helping Ozzys save money with high quality solar systems since 2011.
- Platinum Supplier with SolarQuotes
- LG Official Solar Partner
- Gold Installer with Enphase
- Diamond Dealer with Sumec Phono
- Platinum Partner with sonnen
- Tesla Powerwall Certified
- One of the first ever CEC Approved Solar Retailers in Australia
- Helping customers save money since 2011
The team that is here to help you is made up of electrical engineers, Clean Energy Council (CEC) Accredited Designers, CEC installers, experienced project managers and consultants who specialise in solar PV and energy reduction strategies. Our management team has over 37-years of combined solar experience.
Our mission is to build long-term relationships with our customers by providing market leading energy reduction strategies through innovation and advanced technology.
Reviewers report paying: $4,937 - $9,000 for depending on hardware choice and installation difficulty ( how is this calculated? )
Panels, inverter, battery and EV charger brands
Panel brands currently installed
Panel brands previously installed
Inverter brands currently installed
Inverter brands previously installed
Battery brands currently installed
Battery brands previously installed
The views expressed by reviewers are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of SolarQuotes Home Electrification Pty Ltd, which makes no representations as to the accuracy of the reviews. For our full disclaimer and further information, see our Terms of Use and our Review Guidelines.
GI Energy Reviews (242)
Show Most Recent reviews from All time across Australia
Average Scores
4.6/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Quality of System
4.8/5
Installation
4.8/5
Customer Service
- 5 star 147
- 4 star 86
- 3 star 6
- 2 star 2
- 1 star 1
15 December 2024
21 October 2024
GI Energy
Tom from GI Energy was the first person to respond to our request for quotation. He took the time to understand our requirements and needs and was always available with prompt replies to our many questions.Once we had decided the process was smooth with GI Energy arranging all approvals and rebates.
The installation team of Sean, Sam and Samuel were fantastic, very neat and respectful of our property.
Overall a very professional organisation who we have no hesitation in recommending.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
04 October 2024
Excellent company to deal with
Fantastic sales team (James) who were really on the front foot. $5k cheaper than a well known local company and the gear quoted was better quality.Local installer/contractor was good and worked in well with us and GI Energy.
Truly great customer service with getting set up, helping me understand the system and then advising for electric car charging using solar tracking (it only charges off excess solar!). Smart hot water relay works perfectly.
I highly recommend James and the team at GI Energy. 10/10.
Inverter rating: 5/5
13 September 2024
Exceptional Service and Remarkable Results!
I recently had a 11.44kw solar system installed, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results! From start to finish, the experience has been nothing short of exceptional. The installation team (Stuart and his team) was incredibly professional, arriving on time and ensuring that every detail was handled with the utmost care.The quality of the panels and the technology used is impressive, and the efficiency of the system has already made a noticeable difference in my energy bills. Not only am I thrilled about the environmental benefits, but it's also fantastic to see my solar system generating power via the Fronius monitoring app.
The team at GI Energy were great to deal with, the entire process was seamless, and the customer service has been top-notch, answering all my questions and providing clear, helpful guidance.
I highly recommend GI Energy. They’ve exceeded all my expectations, and I’m excited to be part of the clean energy revolution!
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Supplier Reply:
Thanks for the great review! If you ever need anything in the future please let us know! Thanks
03 September 2024
Great installer
From sales through to installation GI Energy were great. Wild recommend to anyone.Inverter rating: 5/5
01 September 2024
Customer Service Second to None
We are extremely satisfied with the customer experience provided by GI Energy. From the beginning to the end, GI Energy has delivered a professional service and acted in our best interest. James took the time to visit our house to discuss solution options. The options presented were clear and well suited to our needs, and the products recommended by GI Energy were of high quality and good value. Although the other quotes and services we received were also good, GI Energy stood out. Communication throughout the sales process, leading up to installation and post-installation, was flawless. Despite having to contend with challenging weather conditions, the installation looks great and was completed within the original timeframe by Stu and Dan. Overall, we are satisfied with our decision, the system is performing great, and GI Energy has displayed true professionalism!Panel rating: 5/5
24 August 2024
Trusted solar installer
All staff that i interacted with were friendly and helpful. The installers consulted me on the position of the inverter. They also recommended a change of the positioning of the solar panels so that birds do not poo on the new panels. I felt well informed by staff on the next steps for connecting to the grid.31 July 2024
Original Review on 17-09-2023:
Well done!
Quote was accurate - they even covered the cost of an extra required inverter not originally included in the quote. System was installed within a reasonable time and is working perfectly. I have been informed that the grid connection has been organised. Looking forward to much smaller electricity bills. I am already generating more electricity than I am using.11 months later we asked David: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
My app tells me I am producing more electricity than I am using. Great right? Not so Great! With the installation of a smart meter I now have peak pricing, so it only takes one cloudy, wet day per month and I am still paying for much of the electricity from the grid that I am no longer using! How is this legal? My last bill was $845, and thats before they started charging me for electricity I am returning to the grid. I am now going to have to spend at least as much again to get a battery and hope this improves the situation. Maybe need two batteries and save one for a rainy day.With regards to after-sales service, I can't comment because I haven't needed any. I did need to reprogram the inverters when I bought a new modem but that was easy once I got around to it.
If you still want solar, I highly recommend this site for research and recommended suppliers.
25 July 2024
Knowledgeable and Trustworthy
I was able to trust the advice from James Greenwood from GI Energy as it never waivered from the principles of providing quality advice in a very confusing and conflicting marketplace. Each time I had concerns about a system config or competitive systems they answered it fully and openly. In the end I was able to trust their advice and was happy to pay the premium on the system they designed to get the peace of mind that the system will work for years and any future add-ons or service will be handled professionally05 July 2024
Efficient installation
I was impressed how Michael and his team went about the Phono solar panels and inverter installation. There was no mucking around they just got straight onto it from the moment they arrived.The only thing that took the shine off a little was the fiddling around with the Fronious Inverter app trying to connect it to the inverter, though I can’t blame Michael for that.In the end, all good.
02 July 2024
Brilliant customer service!
Our whole journey with GI Energy was fantastic. The sales team helped me fully understand the total ins and outs of it all which made me really comfortable making a decision.They were not the cheapest quote we got but after doing some research on their company, products and the other companies who quoted us - we understood why they were a little more expensive too.
We are 1000% happy with our decision and would recommend the team at GI Energy to anyone.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Battery rating: 5/5
27 June 2024
Seamless service from start to finish!
Thomas was so helpful and prompt, answering all my questions, giving me a full breakdown of the costs and explaining why they were recommending certain systems for me and my needs. Didn’t give me the hard sell and listened to what I needed whilst giving great advice.The installers were polite and friendly, tidied up after themselves and made sure I understood the inverter and the functions of the app before they left.
Really top notch service from start to finish. I’ve already recommended them to family and friends.
Inverter rating: 5/5
18 June 2024
GI Energy and Aus Electrical Solutions
I was very impressed by GI Energy and Aus Electrical Solutions. Communication was positive and friendly and the quality of the installation was excellent. I would be very happy to use either company again in the future.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Battery rating: 5/5
31 May 2024
Exemplary service from the first contact until after installation and beyond
GI Energy was the first of the three Solar Quotes responses that we received. We I also approached three other companies directly for comparison purposes.The very first conversation with Matt from GI Energy was so helpful. He explained all our options and answered every question patiently. At no time did we feel rushed. He certainly set the bar high for others and most failed, with the exception of the other two Solar Quotes referrals, both of whom were worthy of consideration.
Ultimately we chose GI Energy due to its approach to customer service, its quality products and installation, great reviews and its commitment to sustainability that goes beyond many of its competitors.
Was GI Energy the cheapest? It was between the two other Solar Quotes referrals (slightly different inverter/panel mix) but more than the cheaper rivals. However, when it came to commitments around warranties, service, installation, etc, GI Energy was way ahead of its cheaper competitors. As this installation will probably be our last purchase of solar panels for our roof, we wanted to ensure that we made no mistakes.
We were delighted with the installation process which was expertly handled by Stu and Dan. It wasn't an easy install due to the conditions, but they just got on with it and despite the odds, managed to finish the job in one day. They also did some meter box work (RCBOs) for us within the price charged.
GI Energy has been so easy to communicate with throughout the process and we are confident that we made the best choice for our replacement solar panels and inverter.
Inverter rating: 5/5
26 April 2024
Great company, and excellent service
Salesman was good friendly, good knowledge of systems etc.Great people who installed their system, very polite, installation was clean, listened to what I wanted and where I want things to go.
Great customer service, did absolutely everything that was needed.
25 April 2024
Professional installation
Quoting process was excellent.Installation went well with a few hiccups
I am awaiting final app.to complete installation process.
Also awaiting missing battery wall anchor brackets (not included in the box supplied)
Also awaiting safety bollard also not supplied but required by regulation.
The system works extremely well, was installed on a Tuesday and had the first power blackout on Friday. This was one of the reasons I wanted a battery installed. Ergon supply issues.
14 March 2024
GI Energy Review
The sales process was commendable; however, my primary interest lay in the Fronius GEN24 inverter for its backup battery feature and hybrid system capabilities. Regrettably, the sales representative clarified that the backup battery would not be perpetually available and could not be utilised during a power outage. Given my lack of immediate plans to acquire batteries, I decided to select a slightly less advanced model.The installation team, on the other hand, was exceptional and maintained clear communication throughout the entire installation process. They enlightened me about if I had gone with the Gen24 I could have utilised the GEN24 Inverter's backup feature on a nightly basis. Additionally, they clarified that this system would enable continuous power production to my residence during the day, even amidst a power outage.
22 February 2024
Original Review on 28-04-2023:
Quick turnaround, smooth delivery
Easy to deal with, everything went smoothly. Looking forward to the savings.10 months later we asked Chris: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
12monts in and everything is still good - even with the heat and humidity this summer, and running A/C almost 24/7, power bills are still just over 1/3 of last years. Based on this, cost will be recovered in around 3.5years, but being comfortable is worth the extra cost recovery time.16 February 2024
Original Review on 21-04-2023:
Totally Professional Giving Me Peace of Mind
From Start (Quoting Process) to Finish (System Up/Running and Monitoring) I cannot fault the professionalism of GI Energy and their Staff.Their Sales/Quoting process was exceptionally informative with lots of questions and answers given from both sides.
Their were no hitches or glitches with our Installation. Everything was taken care of professionally.
I was assured that I would have nothing to worry about and that everything would be taken care of. That statement was 100 per cent True. They took care of absolutely everything. They contacted my Energy provider to inform them of what was happening. They even helped me to download a Solar Monitoring App and then showed me how to interpret the information.
Have we been left High and Dry now that the job is complete and we are Generating our own power. No way! We have been sent a link to the GI Energy Product Support Centre where you can access information on set-up support, product features, monitoring guides, maximising your savings, fault codes and resolutions. We have even had a visit from the fellow that gave us our original Quote to ensure that we are 100 per cent happy. His parting words were "We are only a phone call away should you need our help in any way". To date I have absolutely not been given any reason to doubt those words.
10 months later we asked Linda: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
The system that we now have 36 Q-Cells, 2 x BYD HVM stacker boxes containing 8 batteries and 2 x Fronius Primo Gen 24 Inverters works wonderfully. Beyond my expectations! We have had our Ducted Air Conditioner running 24/7 since before Christmas and it is still on 24/7 now in February. We definitely would not have survived the Heat and Humidity that Mother Nature dealt to us in Brisbane without it and my Electricity Bill is still in Credit. I could not ask or wish for more that that.I would like to add our very sincere gratitude to you Finn Peacock for sending your recommendations to me along with all the useful information on your Website and the pertaining informative paperwork that tells you what you should be asking your prospective Solar Provider. Before receiving any of that we entertained some real Cowboys on our Solar Journey. Thank you sincerely for Future Proofing not only mine but also my Husband's Retirement from the Workforce.
08 February 2024
Original Review on 14-04-2023:
Patient Salesman, Helpful Installer
Research: so much to understand.Sales: many iterations while I was determining what I needed/wanted.
Installation: completed in a single day instead of 2 and very friendly, patient and informative.
After Install: system is easy to manage. However, even with maximum panels, battery, you still require grid and to pay the daily system charge for connection to it. Government limitations to how much you can feed in, the increase in Retail tariffs when you go solar and small payout for FIT, I still wonder if it is worth such an outlay… time will tell.
10 months later we asked Peter: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Performance, yes, but would like to have more battery capacity for winter months when daylight is shorter23 January 2024
Efficient
Got 2 quotes . Offered similar but different at the same time. Spoke to both and both friendly. Went with GI energy in the end as they offered the system which suited our needs and James whom I dealt was a wealth of knowledge and great response to all the questions.Installation was early due to cancellation. The team from Chispa were on time and finished without any problems
20 January 2024
Original Review on 22-03-2023:
Very well done. Very happy customer
The sales process from G.I Energy was very good as Tom worked with me to find the best solution for me and made it easy for me to ask questions. He made every effort to understand my needs.He was always on my side and wanted me to be happy.
He never told me what I needed but had the right combination of system elements available that would work best for me and worked with me to find the best solution.
The installation went well, the team used quality fittings and worked hard to get a nice neat job done.
The customer service has been very good.
They encourage me to call with any questions that I have which I have done and always have time to help me.
Being in a regional area the price was more than in the capital city but this is the way it is.
As it turns out we are making good power and the payoff time looks to be 4 or 5 years.
G.I Energy got it right.
P.S There are so many websites available for research. Solar Quotes was excellent as were others.
I encourage anyone to do a bit of research along the way. It helped me understand things and gave me a base for all of my questions to ask.
10 months later we asked Chris: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes the system has performed exceptionally well. I get about 6.5 kw still out of a 8kw system consistently when the sun is hitting them with no cloud. I am still very happy with my solar company for designing a good system and ensuring high standards are met with the instillation.North facing is great as per the recommendation, but we get a very good early boost as a third are on the east side due to roof pattern restrictions.
I can still look at it each day and be happy with its position on the roof and the quality of the install.
Everything that is on the solar quotes website is correct and is what you need to know.
We got 8kw installed as I was considering cost upfront at about my limit. But a few more would have been good, the hot sun and having the panels not aligned with the sun at all times cuts our 8kw down to about 6.5 on a good day.
Cloudy and rainy days are when you really notice a loss of energy and have to buy a fair bit in off the grid.
With 5 people we run 4 sometimes 5 aircons in the house during the day and night in the summer and our hot water is on it as well. This mostly covers it but not on cloudy days which is more than you may think.
1.I think I would have been better off with 9kw. But we do quite well on the whole
17 January 2024
Great Instalation service
The sales quoting process was very good, GI Energy were clear and transparent. They discussed all the options available and were able to explain the difference between the mid-range cost system I was choosing over some of the higher-cost systems and the implications in terms of the overall system performance.The installers were local, they were booked to come on a day forecast to be extremely hot so they came two days early and installed the system before they were due to. After our recent building experience, I can safely say they are the first Contractors I have met who were early with anything!
The customer service was very good, they organised switching to a
31 December 2023
Professional and helpful
GI Energy subcontracted the installation to Chisla Electrics. At all times I could contact GI Energy when I had queries and received immediate responses. Chisla Electrics did a great job and were very helpful in explaining the technology associated with the converter and the Fronius app.Panel rating: 5/5
22 December 2023
Really Great Service
The salesperson was really knowledgeable about the local area and asked a lot of good questions for the process.He listened and understood our needs, and gave some great sets of options.
The subcontractors who completed the install were friendly and paid great attention to detail, and put in a lot of effort. Especially when having to work around the weather, and also having to redesign the panel configuration a couple times due to unforeseen issue with the roof space. They re-designed and we still have a great configuration based on the numbers.
Another follow-up more recently they improved the output to the grid after fixing a minor issue, which I wasn't even aware of, and am grateful they checked, and followed up and made the adjustments very quickly. 11/10.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
20 December 2023
Simply the Best
Shannan Moss and his team at GI Energy provided a detailed and competitive quotation for us.We of course knew very little about solar at the time of getting quotations but needed to learn fairly quickly as the variations over the 3 companies we approached was vast.
I only needed to make one phone call to Shannan and he extended me his time to explain the intricate details of the equipment differences between the 3 quotes we had received.
Although GI Energy were not the cheapest we felt they were the most experienced and above all the most trusted provider.
Shannan's team took charge and made everything happen seamlessly, the information and paperwork, the process, the installation everything happened when GI Energy said it would and our occupants were at no point inconvenienced.
It has been an amazing experience and we are 100% happy we did business with Shannan Moss and GI Energy.
17 December 2023
From discovery to installation, our experience was exceptional.
James from GI Energy was fantastic and helped me understand the various options available. James came across as unbiased and helpful. I had one quote that I obtained early in 2023. James helped me understand that quote and advised me on the best option for our situation including what we wanted to achieve with our solar installation including batteries.Because our roof isn't straight forward, changes to the design were required to better take into consideration shade. We had some issues with the inverter software. The installer came back within a day to rectify. Our solar is now working well.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Battery rating: 5/5
11 December 2023
Very professional during pre sales and after installation
Very good to deal with during sales and negotiations through to installation20 November 2023
Solar Install
A few hiccups, installation took longer than expected. Seems to be functioning properly. Only just had the system installed, so early days yet.13 November 2023
Great service and professional installation
Everything went well and smooth would recommend this company there before and after sales were exceptionalInverter rating: 4/5
09 November 2023
Good Quality, Fair Price and No Surprises
GI Energy provided great service, smooth process and fair price price without any 'surprises'.Having two phase power on my property made my requirements slightly non-standard. Shannan provided sound advice and was able to answer my questions and concerns resulting a good system setup with minimal adjustments to existing.
Darren completed the installation, positioning the Fronius inverter and Trina panels in my preferred location, and was able to conceal the cables well for a tidy result. The install team arrived on time and the completed the work quickly without issue. Darren also gave good advice on appliances / timers etc to maximise use of generated power and minimise grid consumption.
Overall, happy with GI Energy.
Panel rating: 4/5
Inverter rating: 4/5
04 November 2023
The whole experience was so much easier than I ever expected.
From the very first phone call to when they guys drove away after installing my system, I can not recommend the team at GI Energy enough. They were just fantastic to deal with.They definitely weren’t the cheapest quote I got, but they were comfortably the best and most knowledgeable out of the 3 companies I spoke to, the sales person really took the time in understanding exactly what I wanted.
I would recommend anyone looking in to solar to go with GI Energy!
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Battery rating: 5/5
26 October 2023
Honest, professional and time in industry
Honestly all of the quotes I received were great, it actually made it a challenge to choose. What sold me with GI Energy was their time in the Industry, that made me feel confident that they would be around if there is a issue with my system. the GI Energy representative was honest and professional advising me about products they didn't even sell.Inverter rating: 5/5
25 October 2023
Seamless Experience!
This is the third solar installation we have arranged for our homes over the past fifteen years. Without a doubt, the whole experience was the best so far! Beginning with Finn’s informative website and then his referrals to reputable retailers, who all bent over backwards to assist us and consider our needs.In the end, we chose the most expensive system because it seemed the best value for money and gave us a sense off “future-proofing” ourselves for the inevitable energy price rises!
While everyone throughout the whole process was courteous, informative and very helpful, specific mention is due to the installation team and the information session they provided once the installation was complete. This small band of workers worked tirelessly over two days to install our system … they worked so hard in searing heat … never once complained … and treated us with the utmost courtesy! And the best bit? Our system is working a charm!
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
20 October 2023
Professional installers, knowledgeable sales team…awesome end result ?
Installation was quick and efficient with safety top of mind. The fellas were tidy and solved issues of the distance covered for the cabling neatly and professionally. The placement of the inverter allows for a future battery installation. Well done to to the entire team?Inverter rating: 5/5
04 October 2023
Excellent service, delivery and installation.
I was given the name of three solar companies by Solar Quotes.We chose GI Energy based on expertise and initial feel. Perhaps not the most scientific method! From the outset their approach was most impressive and reassuring.
The initial site visit, invoicing as well as installation was excellent. The installation team was helpful and professional.
All in all this has been a very good experience. I cannot recommend GI Energy too highly.
24 September 2023
Original Review on 27-11-2022:
Great service
GI Energy have been great through the whole process. They were very confident with the recommendations they made for the system/brands they recommended for us. The installation booking process was easy and seamless. The installers were very friendly. Any issues I’ve had post installation were followed up and sorted out in a very timely manner. Very excited to have my solar system!10 months later we asked Iwa: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
The system is going strong 12 months later!13 September 2023
Smooth Process, Quality Product
After a lot of research I decided to purchase solar.Shannan from GI Energy patiently answered all my questions and guided me with honesty. Thank you Shannan
The process from beginning to end went as planned. Top quality service and product. Highly recommended.
Love the app to see how the system is performing
10 September 2023
Good quality and right price
I did a lot of research and in the end, this system seemed to be the best value for money. I had been burnt by another installer previously, but GI were excellent to deal with. The team that installed the system were great, they couldn't have been more helpful with showing us how to set it all up.I was impressed overall by my experience with GI.
27 August 2023
GI Energy Review
GI Energy from advice to pricing and installation we found them to be very helpful and efficient.They organised our connection to the grid and submitted all paperwork to have the system installed and working properly.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
28 July 2023
Looks just right.
Installation was a bit on and off because of weather but the final outcome looks great: today and relatively compact given all the equipment and controls. Initial performances of the panels looks very good. Now waiting for inspection and full commissioning.26 July 2023
Great installer for a competitive price and incredible customer service
The quoting process from GI Energy was very smooth and they offered me a competitive price right from the get go. The installation itself was punctual and done on-time as scheduled.Additionally throughout the process I received great customer service from Shannan Moss who was straight to the point and patient. He helped me with understanding the differences across various solar products as well as provided me resources to look into energy retailers and get the most out of my feed-in tariff rate.
19 July 2023
Pre-Installation Experience
Sales/quoting process seamless and informative. Prompt responses to my many questions. Looking forward to post-installation system performance.19 July 2023
Original Review on 21-09-2022:
My level of satisfaction
Very pleased with the entire process. All were very polite helpful and professional. The installing group were prompt very efficient and clean. They were very polite and willing to explain everything slowly to me. I was very comfortable having them in my house10 months later we asked Maurene: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Better than expected. I have not paid any electricity bills and I am still in credit fantastic16 July 2023
Making the right choice
When waying up who to choose it came down to two companies, both were supplying identical systems, however one was slightly more expensive. the more expensive option used their own installer whom I met with and whom we were leaning towards, when I remembered reading on solar quotes website that if we weren't happy with the installation that they would work with the installer to rectify any issues. This gave me peace of mind so We went with the cheaper option with not knowing who would do the install, as it turned out the install team turned up on time. worked cleanly and efficiently and we could not fault them. Tom from GI energy was very helpful in answering our questions and providing answers and guidance. All in all we are extremely pleased with our system and with solar quotes website which supplied so much information on what can be a daunting process23 June 2023
Original Review on 26-08-2022:
Competent and Professional
Initial contact listened and advised. Had one other quote but not what I was after.Arrived punctually on the date provided.
Installation was difficult with an old terracotta tiled roof. I had to source 60 extra tiles as they were installing . Excellent clean up.
Distribution box had been left behind so had to wait 3 weeks for installation. Some communication problems over this time. Up and running from yesterday though no consumer information as yet.
10 months later we asked Carol: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes. Enjoying playing with the sunlight curve throughout the day and planning my gas reduction . Electric vehicle comes next.20 June 2023
Above and Beyond
This degree of positivity will seem a little unbelievable but as someone with whose usual instinct is to want to do everything myself (including wondering if I could buy all the components on eBay and convert my whole house to run on a 48v system) because I'm so used to disappointment when I trust someone else, this whole process was a breath of fresh air.I felt that the sales pitch came with a degree of urgency but didn't feel pushed or hoodwinked and in the end a couple of things were thrown in to seal the deal. Normally I would expect the salesman to be MIA once that commission had been earned but when we left a couple of desperate after-hours messages over what we thought might be a major problem (it wasn't) we had calls from the installer and the salesman.
We used solarquotes to research the virtues of the different components on offer which helped us to settle on the installer so by the time we signed up we were happy that quality and value for money had been balanced ideally. The installation was above and beyond, with extra helping hands that had not been specified in the contract as we did away with the old gas oven and hot water, even down to a neatly-performed waterproofing that was not asked for but definitely appreciated.
The post-installation followup was actually better than expected as well so if this all seems a little too good to be true, it's because I've just become so used to being let down that when I feel I got more than I expected I feel I have to give full marks.
As general advice I would say if you can afford it, over-spec. it. We combined this process with an EV (MG ZSev, also pleasantly surprising and already used much more than we had intended) and suddenly the gas, bottle rental, electricity bills (as best I can tell from close monitoring of the Fronius software, the first bill hasn't arrived yet) and fuel bills have evaporated. We're so close to off-grid already in winter that I feel like I only have to tolerate being on-grid as long as I feel they have some convenience to offer me. We're also no longer hostage to the whims of the scoundrels (I'm being polite) who run OPEC. It feels good.
Inverter rating: 5/5
Battery rating: 5/5
23 May 2023
Fantastic, Professional and Punctual
I got three quotes and GI Energy provided what I felt was the best system available. It was not the cheapest but after researching the products and the company it looked like the best option. The whole process was super easy and the installers on the day were great to deal with. I can see from my online monitoring that the solar is producing more energy than they promised in their quotation. I also had lots of questions after the install and they took a lot of time to go through everything with me. I am very happy and I have already recommended them to a few friends.A very professional company who have been really easy to deal with pre and post install. If I had to do it all again, I would definitely use GI Energy
Inverter rating: 5/5
22 May 2023
Not the premium experience i was expecting from a premium installer and pricepoint
Initial contact was friendly and refreshing after previously trying to deal with companies from Facebook ads. Salesmen listened to what i wanted and provided appropriate products and options for what i wanted (reasonably priced solar/battery system). They did overstate the northern roof panel capacity (even when asked to double check due to other installers saying it was too much, and that was corrected once the installers did the site inspection. This was corrected and new figures provided which bought it very close to being a viable solution and at this point it did feel a bit more "salesy" when they suggested their figures were very conservative and electricity prices would probably increase more than the 4% quoted and the performance of the system would probably perform better than stated.The install team were very polite, friendly and turned up on time on the days told. I was put at ease by them encouraging me to ask any questions i had, which i did, and they were happy to answer. I also appreciated the consideration of our neighbors considering we live in a strata complex.
During installation i noticed that while they gave us a late upgrade to black panels, they still used the silver mounting brackets, which in my opinion looks silly/out of place. It turned what would have been a good looking system install, into something that doesn't quite look right. Not sure why they wouldn't have changed the brackets to match. When i contacted the Gi energy, twice about it, they didn't respond on either occasion to that concern i had.
As for the rest of the install, the inverter and battery was installed neatly in the location we wanted. However, it wasn't successfully connected for monitoring by ethernet as we had discussed both during the sales/consultation process as well as stipulated in the site visit. I had run the cable to the location, and it appeared to be connected, but didn't work, only by wifi. when i contacted Gi, they had their IT guy contact me a couple of days later who didn't know how to fix it. He was going to organise a conference call with sungrow to problem solve it, but he cancelled it because sungrow couldn't make that time. I haven't heard from him since (about two weeks ago). The installers did give me a call to try and help, but they didn't know why and told be to google it or youtube it. I then started getting emails from gi asking for finial payment, however i was initially told during the sales process final payment is due 3 days after install to ensure it was all working correctly. As the system still wasn't working as it should have been, and poor response from Gi, i was withholding the payment until it was resolved. ( the communication/response was poor before the payment, i can only imagine what it would be like after i paid).
I ended up spending many hours googling, Youtubing trying to resolve the problem myself Which i was a bit nervous about due to having no electrical/Solar knowledge and was concerned i might break something or put in a wrong setting. I also joined the sungrow installers facebbok page trying to find the problem. Sungrow has a lot of information on the internet, but its not dated or organised, so i found it hard to navigate through to find relevant information.
Eventually, i contacted sungrow directly, which sounds obvious, but everything i had heard and read indicated that they wont deal directly with end users only installers, and even then it would be hit and miss on how helpful they were. To my surprise, they answered the phone, acknowledged i was an end user and after i explained what was going on helped me to resolve the issue after a bit of digging around. (turns out it wasn't configured properly, and needed to be unplugged and re plugged in).
Disappointing i had to spend a few nights and afternoons trying to resolve it myself.I still havent heard back from it to confirm its working or not, or in regards to the mismatched brackets being corrected.
My recommendation to my friends and family is now to take a gamble on the cheaper guys (which would have saved me about $4000, or the equivalent on 2 years electricity bills on this $18,000 system) as my other neighbors have all had good experiences with the cheaper guys.
Inverter rating: 4/5
Supplier Reply:
Hi ShaneThank you for taking the time to write an extensive review on your experience with GI Energy
We tailor every quote/proposal based on each conversation we have with a customer. This factors in roof type, roof angle, azimuth & shade. We adjusted your proposal based on the site inspection and used the same figures we have used throughout our consultation with you. We give a low, typical & high saving figure so you can make an informed decision on whether you believe this investment is worthwhile for you and your family. The fact you came through solarquotes gives you the customer every tool required to make an informed decision, you are not pressured into anything and you should have received three proposals from vetted companies not to mention the amount of detail on the solarquotes website to help with all of the products available.
Thank you for mentioning the great work our installers do, we will pass this onto the team so they are aware their efforts have been recognised. We try really hard to partner with the best installers we can, we vet our installers just like solarquotes vet us.
We upgraded your panels to the Trina all black due to stock shortage of the normal Trina Module, there is an added layer cost to this panel but this was not passed onto you so we could stay within the timeline of getting this project installed as promised. We did notify you this was an all black panel, if you wish to include black racking so it matches there is an extra cost for this. We would not be able to cover the cost of the brackets and the cost of the upgraded panel. You mentioned that you asked about this twice, while we did receive your email on the 8th May, we also responded on the 8th May with a resolution to swapping the brackets over however there would be a cost for us to do this as we would need to send the team back out, remove the clamps, take up the panels and then relay again so you would have black brackets. If you can please advise us of another email that has been unanswered we would love to check into this please?
While we understand the frustrations around monitoring, sometimes it's very difficult to get monitoring working when there are factors outside of our control. After our installer did the site inspection you had run communications cable for the inverter internet connectivity, there is no problem with this. Once we had completed the installation and tried to commission the system using Ethernet it was not working and we had to use the WIFI to enable the commission process to happen. We are sorry that we could not get the wired connectivity to work on the day, we did try but sometimes connectivity issues with inverters and routers is not a GI energy issue. We work with the manufacturers to try and find a resolution, while we had to get a response from Sungrow we acknowledge that it took longer than anyone would like but it did get responded to on the 16th May. To say that we have poor communication is a little unfair considering we have responded to every item you have asked about, we acknowledge that we may have taken a little longer to get a reply from Sungrow but sometimes connectivity issues take time to find answers, especially when we are going back to the manufacturer.
You have acknowledged that the installers did a great job, you have paid for a premium system that has been installed to the best quality and the safest possible way. While there was a connectivity issue which we really apologise for, it appears this is now resolved. I believe the only outstanding issue is the brackets to which we have provided a resolution for, you just need to please let us know if you would like us to come back out and swap them over?
To advise your friends and family to gamble on a cheaper system is up to you, we would highly recommend against this though whether you use GI or another premium company, you do not want your friends or family to become another solar statistic. We don't really buy into the fact that a connectivity issue with the inverter and a premium bracket upgrade means we have provided an inferior system or service, you have an excellent system that will be backed with our service for a lifetime.
18 May 2023
Very easy to deal with and very friendly installer.
I did shop around for quotes and I found GI Energy the most honest and friendly people to deal with. They gave me a clear understanding of what I will be getting from my solar panels and what will fit in with my budget. The sales and quote process went smoothly as did the installation. The guys were punctual and very polite. I would highly recommend GI Energy to my friends and family.
Great, effIcient and prompt
Sales were honest and didn't try to upsell.Very punctual and the installation was smooth and the workmanship was very neat and tidy.
They arranged the connection once the install was completed and the Isolar management app is very user friendly.
Inverter rating: 5/5