Rooftop Solar Panels Repeatedly Show Water Leakage and Crack Issues; Sungrow Energy Responds: Will Immediately Investigate Upon Receiving Complaints, Does Not Rule Out Building's Own Factors "Focus on 3•15"

Chinatimes.net.cn Reporter Li Weilai Beijing Report

Photovoltaics are entering thousands of households, creating beautiful skylines on rooftops, reducing carbon emissions, and bringing income to farmers. However, issues such as substandard product quality, improper installation, and delayed rent payments have also arisen.

Recently, some homeowners reported that after installing a Chint Aneng photovoltaic power system in Xinglong County, Chengde City, Hebei Province, in August 2021, their rooftops experienced severe leaks, causing damage to interior walls, decorations, and furniture. They called Chint Aneng’s official after-sales service multiple times but faced evasion.

On the Black Cat Complaint Platform, Chint Aneng has numerous complaints about “leaks,” “cracks,” “delayed rent,” and “poor after-sales service,” with over twenty cases since 2025 alone, according to the reporter’s statistics. On March 12, Chint Aneng told Huaxia Times that: “For every user feedback on the platform, our company arranges dedicated personnel to contact, verify, and handle the issue immediately upon receipt. All reasonable demands from homeowners will be properly responded to and addressed.”

Roof Drilling Causing Leaks

A homeowner stated that on May 22, 2024, he signed a “Jindingbao” rooftop leasing contract for a photovoltaic power station with Xixia County Zhongtai New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. By June 20, 2024, the equipment was installed on the roof and connected to the grid for power generation. The system included 120 modules with a capacity of 75,000W, and rent income was scheduled to be paid gradually at the end of each month. According to the contract, each module paid 15 yuan/year, totaling 1,800 yuan/year, with 150 yuan paid monthly. However, he did not receive rent for the following 14 months and could not contact the salesperson or the company. Additionally, he mentioned, “During installation, holes were drilled into the roof. I didn’t notice at the time, but now every rainy day, the roof leaks.”

On August 27, 2025, the homeowner reported this on the Black Cat Complaint Platform. Chint Aneng told the reporter that Xixia County Zhongtai New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. is an authorized regional partner. After receiving the homeowner’s feedback on August 27, 2025, the company promptly verified and initiated handling. The related work order was completed and closed the next morning, and the homeowner gave a five-star review on the platform, highly praising the overall handling of the rent and leak issues.

Regarding the rent issue, Chint Aneng stated: “After a comprehensive review, all rent payments have been made on time and in full to the homeowner’s dedicated app account as per the contract. Upon receiving user feedback, we assigned dedicated personnel to follow up, and assisted the homeowner in withdrawing all rent to their bank card. The homeowner later reported that they misunderstood the rent was not credited because they did not realize it needed to be manually withdrawn from the app account.”

Regarding the roof leak, Chint Aneng said they completed professional repairs and waterproofing reinforcement, which was confirmed by on-site inspection.

The reporter learned that the residential photovoltaic projects involve three parties: Chint Aneng, agents, and homeowners. Lawyer Guo Ren from Yingke Law Firm told Huaxia Times that the responsible parties stipulated in the contract should bear responsibility. Product quality issues are generally the product manufacturer’s responsibility, installation is handled by the agent, and rent responsibilities are borne by the lessee.

Homeowner Property Damage

Similar issues of roof leaks and wall cracks have been widely criticized by homeowners. In March this year, there were two cases reported on the Black Cat Complaint Platform. On March 10, a homeowner stated that after installing a Chint Aneng photovoltaic system in Xinglong County, Chengde City, Hebei Province, in August 2021, the roof leaked severely, damaging interior walls, decorations, and furniture. Despite multiple calls to Chint Aneng’s official after-sales service promising “urgent handling and immediate arrangement,” the problem remained unresolved, with delays and evasion, severely affecting normal living conditions.

Another homeowner reported in May 2025 that the roof leak issue was still unresolved, and the company asked him to pay for repairs himself. “In March this year, it snowed, and the roof was so badly leaking that I couldn’t enter the house. It’s very serious.”

A cold storage owner reported that during installation, Chint Aneng damaged the cold storage machinery and caused leaks, making the cold storage unusable for rental. Despite repeated complaints, no one addressed the problem.

In response, Chint Aneng told the reporter: “It should be objectively noted that cracks and leaks in buildings are common issues in the construction field and are not exclusive to photovoltaic installations. Even buildings without PV systems can develop such problems due to age, structural aging, or natural wear and tear, and these issues cannot be directly attributed to PV installation.”

Some homeowners also claimed that Chint Aneng engaged in “illegal charges” and “false contracts,” stating that “in April 2021, I installed solar power equipment on a rural self-built house. The contract stated that Party A (me) had no initial funds or assets invested, but I paid 2,240 yuan for component installation.”

Chint Aneng responded that the core cooperation model for residential PV projects is “farmers provide rooftops, and the company invests fully.” Regarding the alleged charges for “installation fees” or “auxiliary materials,” the company stated it has never charged such fees under any name, nor are they reflected in the official standard contracts. “All costs for equipment procurement, installation, and auxiliary materials are borne by our project company. Farmers only earn through power generation revenue sharing or rooftop leasing.”

System Reaching 2 Million Households

As a leading brand in residential PV, Chint Aneng has expanded to serve 2 million households. On February 27, 2026, Chint Aneng held a milestone ceremony in Hangzhou for the commissioning of 2 million households’ power stations. The company considers this a significant achievement. It introduced the innovative “enterprise investment operation, farmers’ idle rooftops” co-benefit business model, with an average of 60 PV panels per household. Farmers can earn an additional 1,000 to 3,000 yuan annually, equivalent to the net income from 1–3 acres of conventional farmland.

Chint Aneng told the reporter that the company has established clear, standardized profit distribution and performance guarantee mechanisms with agents and homeowners. Rent income is paid through the homeowner’s dedicated account, ensuring full traceability and safety.

After reaching the 2 million household milestone, Chint Aneng plans to shift toward high-quality, refined, and service-oriented development. The company stated: “Based on industry trends and our strategic layout, we will continue to deepen our integrated energy service strategy, enhance the coordination between power stations and the grid through technological innovation, improve service response and problem-solving efficiency through a comprehensive system, and strengthen our product and service foundation. We aim to lead the residential PV industry toward high-quality development while continuously creating stable and sustainable income for users.”

Editor: Zhang Bei Chief Editor: Zhang Yuning