Your Ohio Solar Contract Is Costing You More Than You Were Told. Here's How to Fix It.
The short version: Most Ohio solar leases have an escalator clause. It raises your payment 2.9% every year. Over 25 years, a $150 payment grows to more than $300. In September 2022, Ohio AG Dave Yost sued Pink Energy (also called Power Home Solar). Big solar companies that worked in Ohio have gone bankrupt. SunPower is one of them. If your solar panels aren't saving what you were told, you have real rights. Start with a free Solar Relief Assessment to see what's actually in your contract.
There is a bill that passed the Ohio legislature in 2014 that changed the economics of solar in this state - and your salesperson never mentioned it.
Senate Bill 310 froze Ohio's renewable energy standards and reshaped the policy landscape that solar companies were using to sell contracts. If your salesperson's savings projections assumed specific state incentives or renewable energy policies that SB 310 disrupted, those numbers were built on ground that had already shifted.
If you're an Ohio homeowner and your solar panels aren't saving you what you were told, Ohio's renewable energy policy shifts are one reason why. But they're not the only one.
Your payments are going up. Your savings aren't coming through. And the company that knocked on your door and made those promises? They might not exist anymore.
The Ohio Attorney General Is Watching Solar
In September 2022, Ohio AG Dave Yost sued Pink Energy (also called Power Home Solar). The case was in Cuyahoga County. Yost sued one week before Pink Energy filed for bankruptcy. The complaint: high-pressure sales, false statements, shoddy work, and failing to honor warranties. That's under the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act. More than 124 Ohio customers had filed complaints. The AG asked for $25,000 per violation in penalties plus refunds for customers.
This matters to you. State enforcement agencies have put it on the record. The same sales tactics used on Ohio homeowners are now named in court filings. If what your salesperson told you doesn't match your contract, you're not alone. You're not crazy. And you have options.
What's actually in your Ohio solar contract
Here's what most Ohio homeowners don't find out until they've been paying for a year or two: the deal you signed isn't the deal you were sold.
Your salesperson told you solar would lower your electric bill. But did they mention the escalator clause buried in your lease agreement? That's the line that raises your payment every year - by as much as 2.9%. On a 25-year lease, that turns a $150 monthly payment into more than $300!
Did they mention that Ohio's winters are cloudy and cold, and your solar production drops for months at a time? If your savings projections used annual averages without showing you the seasonal swing, the month-to-month math doesn't add up.
Did your salesperson mention Freedom Forever? Freedom Forever was one of the biggest solar installers in the country. They put in about 2 gigawatts of solar across 35 states. On April 15, 2026, they filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. They owe $500 million to $1 billion. Between 50,000 and 100,000 people are owed money. Freedom Forever was still installing in Ohio when they filed. If Freedom Forever installed your system, your contract is still active. But the company behind your warranty is now in bankruptcy limbo.
Freedom Forever isn't alone. SolarInsure counted more than 100 solar company bankruptcies in 2024. SunPower filed Chapter 11 in August 2024. A company called Complete Solaria bought them. Sunnova Energy filed Chapter 11 in June 2025. Titan Solar Power filed Chapter 7 in June 2024. Pink Energy, Lumio Holdings, and Vision Solar are on the same list. When your installer goes bankrupt, your payments don't stop. Your contract doesn't cancel. But your warranty usually disappears.
Your rights under Ohio law
Ohio gives you real legal protections. Here's what your salesperson almost certainly didn't explain.
Your 3-day cancellation window. If a solar salesperson came to your home and you signed the contract there, both federal law (the FTC Cooling-Off Rule) and Ohio's Home Solicitation Sales Act (ORC 1345.21 et seq.) give you 3 business days to cancel with no penalty. If your salesperson didn't tell you about this right - and most don't - that affects the enforceability of your agreement. How do you know if you were told? Pull out your contract. If there's no cancellation notice on the front page, that's your answer.
Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act. ORC 1345.02 prohibits unfair and deceptive consumer sales practices. If your solar company misled you about savings, system performance, or contract terms, this statute protects you. The Ohio Attorney General's office actively enforces this law - and they investigate complaints.
Senate Bill 310 and Ohio's renewable energy policy shifts. In 2014, Ohio passed SB 310, which froze the state's renewable energy standards. Ohio has gone back and forth on renewable energy policy since then, creating real uncertainty in the market. If your solar contract's financial projections depended on specific state policies or incentives that have since changed, the numbers don't hold up. Did your salesperson explain the policy landscape? If not, the savings picture they painted was incomplete.
AEP Ohio, Duke Energy, and FirstEnergy rate structures. Your savings projections were built around your utility's rates. If your utility's rates haven't climbed at the pace your salesperson assumed, the savings math doesn't work in your favor. Did your salesperson show you their rate assumptions? If not, those numbers were a guess - not a guarantee.
The loan law question for Ohio homeowners. Did you finance your solar system instead of leasing it? Look at your loan closely. Most solar loans have a dealer fee hidden in the balance. These fees usually run 15 to 30 percent of the loan. The federal Truth in Lending Act says every fee must be shown clearly. A hidden fee can be a federal violation. You're paying interest on money that went to the solar company's profit. Not to your panels.
What you can do right now
You don't have to figure this out alone. Here are the first steps for Ohio homeowners.
File a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General. Go to https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Individuals-and-Families/Consumers/File-A-Complaint. Or call 800-282-0515. Filing is free. The AG's office reads every complaint.
Compare what the salesperson told you to what's in your contract. In most cases, the two don't match. That gap is what makes a case.
Pull your utility bills from the last 12 months. Add up what you're paying the utility plus what you're paying for solar. Compare that to what you'd pay the utility alone. If the numbers don't work, that's a real gap — not just a feeling.
Find the escalator clause and the dealer fee in your contract. These two lines cause the biggest gap between what you were sold and what you're paying. You can spot both by reading your own paperwork.
Every contract is different. But the first step is the same for everyone. Understand what you signed. Solar Home Advocate built the free Solar Relief Assessment for this exact moment. Someone walks through your contract with you in plain English. They tell you your options.
You Signed a Solar Contract in Ohio. Find Out What It's Actually Costing You.
Ohio homeowners have rights under both federal and state consumer protection law - and Ohio's shifting renewable energy policies mean your savings math deserves a second look. A free Solar Relief Assessment helps you understand what's in your contract, what went wrong, and what you can do about it for you and your family.
[Get free Solar Relief Assessment →](https://solarhomeadvocate.com/free-assessment?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=state-guide&utm_content=ohio)Get free Solar Relief Assessment →**
No charge. No obligation. No high-pressure pitch.
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"Sal says: A 2.9% escalator clause nearly doubles your payment over 25 years. Freedom Forever filed Chapter 11 in April 2026. If you signed a solar contract in Ohio, these facts hit your math and your warranty."
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are my rights if I signed a solar contract in Ohio?
Did a salesperson come to your home? If yes, you have a 3-day right to cancel. That's under Ohio Rev. Code §1345.21 et seq. and the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. Ohio also has Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act (Ohio Rev. Code §1345.01 et seq.). That law covers unfair or deceptive sales tactics. You can file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General. Go to https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Individuals-and-Families/Consumers/File-A-Complaint or call 800-282-0515. If your salesperson didn't tell you about the 3-day cancel rule, that can affect your contract.
Has Ohio sued any solar companies?
Yes. In September 2022, Ohio AG Dave Yost sued Pink Energy (also called Power Home Solar). The case was in Cuyahoga County. Yost sued one week before Pink Energy filed for bankruptcy. The complaint: high-pressure sales, false statements, shoddy work, and failing to honor warranties. That's under the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act. More than 124 Ohio customers had filed complaints. The AG asked for $25,000 per violation in penalties plus refunds for customers.
How does the escalator clause affect my Ohio solar contract?
Most Ohio solar leases have an escalator clause. It raises your payment about 2.9% every year. On a 25-year lease, a $150 payment grows to more than $300. Ohio's average electricity rate is about 17.59 cents per kilowatt-hour in early 2026. That's above the national average of 17.45 cents. Utility rates haven't always gone up 2.9% a year. So your solar payment can climb faster than your would-be utility bill. Your savings shrink instead of grow.
What happens if my Ohio solar company went bankrupt?
SolarInsure counted more than 100 solar company bankruptcies in 2024. Big names include SunPower (Aug 2024), Sunnova Energy (June 2025), Titan Solar Power (June 2024), Freedom Forever (April 15, 2026), Pink Energy (Oct 2022), and Vision Solar (Dec 2023). If your installer went bankrupt, your contract still stands. Your payments still go out. But the workmanship warranty usually dies with the company. The panel maker's warranty (often 25 years) still exists. But filing a claim without an active installer is hard.
Can I cancel my Ohio solar contract?
Did the salesperson come to your home? Then Ohio law gives you 3 business days to cancel. That's under Ohio Rev. Code §1345.21 et seq. and the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. If those 3 days have passed, you may still have options. Did they skip the cancel notice? Did they use deceptive sales tactics? Did your loan hide fees? Any of those can open a path to cancel. It depends on your specific contract and how it was sold.
What are hidden dealer fees on an Ohio solar loan?
Solar finance companies add dealer fees of 15 to 30 percent to your loan. They roll the fee into the principal. They don't list it separately. That means you pay interest on fee money that went to the solar company. Not to your panels. The federal Truth in Lending Act says every fee must be listed clearly. A hidden fee can be a federal violation. That's one of the strongest paths to renegotiate or exit a solar loan.
How do I file a solar complaint in Ohio?
Go to the Ohio Attorney General's website at https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Individuals-and-Families/Consumers/File-A-Complaint. Or call 800-282-0515. Filing is free. Write down what the salesperson told you at the sale. Save your contract. Save any texts, emails, and voicemails with the installer. If you have a solar loan, keep your loan paperwork. A formal complaint creates a record. That record strengthens any legal review later.