Freedom Forever Filed for Bankruptcy. If You Have Their Solar Panels, Here's What to Do.

Freedom Forever Filed for Bankruptcy. If You Have Their Solar Panels, Here's What to Do.

One of the largest residential solar installers in the United States has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization — and the homeowners left holding unactivated systems, failed inspections, and unanswered phones are now asking the same urgent question: What happens to me?



California-based Freedom Forever paused normal operations as part of its filing, according to a recorded message on the company's main line. For customers in the middle of installation, waiting on final inspection, or hoping to claim a federal solar tax credit, that pause isn't just an inconvenience — it's a financial emergency.

This situation is unfolding right now, and it reflects a pattern California Solar Exit has seen play out with Sunrun, SunPower, Sunnova, and other major installers over the past several years. When a solar company stumbles, it's always the homeowner who absorbs the blow first.

What Happened to Freedom Forever

According to reporting by WFLA's Better Call Behnken, Freedom Forever filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and placed some normal operations on hold. Customers attempting to reach the company were met with a recorded message explaining the filing.

One Tampa-area homeowner described having his solar panels installed in March, only to learn about the bankruptcy shortly after. His Hillsborough County inspection failed because no company representative appeared. For weeks, he was unable to reach anyone at Freedom Forever. He's now uncertain about warranty coverage and whether he'll be able to claim the federal solar tax credit he was told he was entitled to.

This homeowner's situation — panels on the roof, system not activated, money already committed — mirrors what thousands of California homeowners face when solar companies overpromise, underdeliver, or collapse entirely.

What Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Means for Solar Customers

Chapter 11 is a reorganization bankruptcy, not a full liquidation. That means Freedom Forever intends to continue operating in some form while it restructures its debts. In practice, here's what that typically means for customers:

Active projects may be delayed or abandoned. During reorganization, companies prioritize their obligations based on court-supervised agreements. Pending installations and inspections often stall with no guaranteed timeline for completion.

Warranties become harder to enforce. Your panel manufacturer's warranty may remain valid independently, but any installation warranty or workmanship guarantee from Freedom Forever is now subject to the bankruptcy proceedings.

Tax credits may be at risk. The federal solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) requires the system to be "placed in service" — meaning fully operational. If your system was installed but never activated due to the bankruptcy, you may not qualify for the 30% credit until the system is officially commissioned. Consult a tax professional immediately.

You may still owe on your solar loan. If you financed through GreenSky, Mosaic, GoodLeap, or another lender, that obligation remains separate from Freedom Forever's bankruptcy. You may be making payments on a system that doesn't work.

California Homeowners Face a Compounding Problem

For California homeowners specifically, the Freedom Forever situation doesn't occur in a vacuum. It lands on top of an already complicated solar landscape.

Under NEM 3.0 — the net energy metering policy that took effect for new California solar customers in April 2023 — the economics of solar have shifted dramatically against homeowners. Export rates dropped by roughly 75% compared to NEM 2.0, meaning systems that were sold with projections based on older billing models are now wildly underperforming against the savings homeowners were promised. If you were sold a Freedom Forever system using outdated savings projections, you may have grounds for a misrepresentation claim independent of the bankruptcy.

Additionally, many solar contracts include financing statements recorded against your home's title — a UCC-1 lien. If Freedom Forever placed a lien on your title and is now in bankruptcy, resolving that lien before selling or refinancing your home becomes significantly more complicated. Understanding what your solar contract actually placed on your property title is an urgent first step.

What to Do Right Now If You're a Freedom Forever Customer

1. Document everything immediately. Pull your signed contract, your original sales presentation, any written communications about savings projections, and all receipts. Photograph your system as it currently stands — activated or not. Note the date of installation and any inspection results.

2. Contact the bankruptcy court. Chapter 11 cases are public record. You can file a proof of claim to preserve your right to any refund or compensation. The case number should be findable through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records at pacer.gov). An attorney can help you navigate this.

3. Call your solar lender directly. If you're financing through Mosaic, GreenSky, GoodLeap, or another lender, contact them to explain the situation. Document who you spoke to and when. Some lenders have hardship provisions for exactly this kind of scenario.

4. Contact your state contractor licensing board. In California, that's the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). If Freedom Forever's license is active, you may be able to file a complaint. The CSLB's Contractor's State License Bond can sometimes provide recovery for homeowners harmed by licensed contractors. If you're in Florida or another state, check your equivalent licensing authority.

5. Talk to a solar contract specialist. If your system was sold using inflated savings projections, NEM 2.0 assumptions on a post-NEM 3.0 system, or if the contract contains terms you weren't fully disclosed, you may have grounds for cancellation that exist separately from the bankruptcy.

The Pattern Behind the Headlines

Freedom Forever isn't the first major solar installer to file for bankruptcy, and it won't be the last. The residential solar industry grew explosively during a period of cheap money, aggressive door-to-door sales tactics, and generous net metering policies. As interest rates rose and states like California restructured NEM, the economics cracked for both companies and homeowners.

SunPower filed for Chapter 11 in 2024. Sunnova followed in 2025. Now Freedom Forever. Each time, homeowners are left navigating bankruptcy proceedings while their panels sit on the roof doing nothing — and their loan payments keep coming.

If you're currently in a solar contract with any company, not just Freedom Forever, the right move is to fully understand what you signed. That means reading the escalator clauses, the production guarantees (or lack thereof), and what your solar PPA's escalator clause will actually cost you over 25 years. It means understanding whether NEM 3.0 has already gutted the savings projections you were sold. And it means knowing your California consumer protection rights before something like this happens to your installer.

If You Were Sold a Solar System in California and Something Went Wrong

Whether your installer is in bankruptcy, your system isn't producing what you were promised, or you signed a contract under pressure and didn't fully understand what you were agreeing to — California homeowners have real legal leverage under state consumer protection law.

The California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, the Home Solicitation Sales Act, and FTC cooling-off rules all create pathways to challenge solar contracts that were deceptive, misrepresented, or improperly sold. California Solar Exit has helped more than 500 California homeowners pursue cancellations, refunds, and settlements against Sunrun, Tesla/SolarCity, Vivint, and GoodLeap.

If your system was installed but never activated, if your bill hasn't dropped the way you were told it would, or if you're now making payments on a warranty that no longer has a company behind it — let's review your contract. The consultation is free, and there's no obligation.

→ Get a free contract review — (213) 579-5156

Frequently Asked Questions

My Freedom Forever panels are installed but not turned on. Can I still claim the tax credit? Not yet. The federal ITC requires the system to be placed in service — fully operational. If Freedom Forever's bankruptcy has stalled your final inspection or activation, you cannot claim the credit until the system is commissioned. If the bankruptcy prevents activation entirely, consult a tax attorney about your options.

Do I still have to pay my solar loan if the company went bankrupt? Yes. Your loan obligation is with your lender (Mosaic, GreenSky, GoodLeap, etc.), not with Freedom Forever. The two are separate contracts. The installer's bankruptcy does not cancel your financing agreement.

What happens to my warranty? Panel manufacturer warranties (LG, REC, Qcells, etc.) generally remain valid because they're issued by the manufacturer, not the installer. Installation and workmanship warranties from Freedom Forever are now subject to the bankruptcy proceedings, which means they may be difficult or impossible to enforce.

Can I get out of my solar contract if Freedom Forever can't fulfill it? Possibly. If Freedom Forever's inability to complete your installation or honor its warranty terms constitutes a material breach of contract, you may have grounds to cancel. A solar contract specialist can review your specific agreement.

I signed a contract in California before Freedom Forever went bankrupt. Do I have any rights? Yes, potentially significant ones. California's consumer protection framework is among the strongest in the country. Depending on how your contract was sold, what you were promised, and how the company performed against those promises, you may have independent grounds for cancellation or damages that exist outside of the bankruptcy proceedings.

California Solar Exit is a consumer advocacy firm helping California homeowners understand and challenge solar contracts. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For legal counsel specific to your situation, consult a licensed California attorney.