Photo | Courtesy of Solar Wolf Energy
Ted Strzelecki, former CEO of Solar Wolf Energy and current chairman of the company
July 8, 2021
Solar Wolf sued three times for $864K over alleged failed payments
Courtesy | Solar Wolf Energy
Solar Wolf Energy's headquarters in Auburn
Solar Wolf Energy of Auburn is facing three lawsuits seeking a collective $863,605.53 in damages and restitution, according to documents filed in Worcester Superior Court and the U.S. District Court of Worcester.
Two cases allege Solar Wolf failed to pay for marketing services wherein plaintiffs marketed solar panels Solar Wolf later installed. A third alleges Solar Wolf stopped paying a commercial lease in Douglas when the company moved to Auburn in December of last year, despite its lease agreement running for an additional year.
WBJ received a tip about the lawsuits late Thursday afternoon.
The first lawsuit was filed in Worcester Superior Court on Nov. 5 by Truvision Advisory, LLC, a Shrewsbury business. According to the complaint, the two companies entered into business together in December 2019, with the understanding that Truvision would market solar panels and Solar Wolf would then install them. The panels were sold by the wattage to customers.
Per the complaint, Truvision negotiated 10 deals entitling the company to a total payment of $234,928. Truvision alleges Ted Strzelecki, who was then CEO of the company and is now chairman, repeatedly avoided and made excuses for not paying the balance. Truvision is suing Solar Wolf for breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and a 93A business-to-business claim.
In a response to the Truvision lawsuit, Strzelecki agreed to some basic facts of the case but denied, through his lawyer, for each specific payment Truvision says it was not compensated, “that the deal was negotiated in accordance with the terms of the contract and denies the amount due for the Plaintiff’s work performed.”
In turn, Strzelecki denied the basis for suing Solar Wolf for the three named legal violations in the Truvision suit.
Photo | Courtesy of Solar Wolf Energy
Taylor Bennett, CEO of Solar Wolf Energy
In October, Solar Wolf announced Strzelecki would become the leader of an affiliate company, Aqua Wolf Plumbing, while Solf Wolf Vice President Taylor Bennett would become CEO of Solar Wolf. At the time, Solar Wolf said it planned to add 100 jobs in the next year.
In August, Solar Wolf was named to the Inc. magazine 5000 list of fastest growing companies, having grown 1,070% in revenue over the prior year, which made the energy company the second-fastest growing in Central Massachusetts, after pharmacy benefits provider RxAdvance Corp. in Southborough.
Solar Wolf has locations in Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, South Carolina, New York, New Hampshire and Maine.
Neither Bennett nor Strzelecki immediately responded Thursday evening to requests for comment on the lawsuits.
A similar lawsuit against Solar Wolf was filed in the U.S. District Court in Worcester, by EmPower Energy Solutions Inc., dba EmPower, a Connecticut company, on April 23 of this year.
As with the other complaint, EmPower alleges the two companies entered into business together on July 10, 2019, with the agreement that EmPower would market solar panels to customers and Solar Wolf would install them. In that case, alleged damages total $180,250.60. With damages and legal fees added in, a proposed default judgement filed on June 22 of this year requests Solar Wolf pay out $548,209.30, plus any post-judgment interest.
EmPower is suing Solar Wofl for breach of contract as well as damages, and is requesting a jury trial.
A third lawsuit relates to Solar Wolf’s move, in December, from Douglas to Auburn. The lawsuit was filed in Worcester Superior Court on June 8, by Second Generation Partners LLC of Whitinsville.
Per the complaint, Second Generation leased to Solar Wolf its previous office business space at 100 Davis St. in Douglas. While Solar Wolf reportedly vacated the property in December for a 38,000-square-foot headquarters on Washington Street in Auburn, its lease with Second Generation still had a year remaining, according to court documents. While half of the space was relet beginning on Jan. 1, Solar Wolf remained responsible for outstanding triple net expenses and $2,500 a month for the remainder of the lease’s term.
The lawsuit filed alleges Solar Wolf breached the lease and damages total $80,468.23. Solar Wolf does not appear to have formally responded to the lawsuit, according to the court filings. A lawyer representing Second Generation Partners declined to comment.
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Anonymous
December 17, 2021
I am the NE Regional Sales Director for Sun Nerds. We are owed over $50,000 in commissions from Solar Wolf Energy, some of which is over a year and a half past due! Some of these funds have been collected from the solar finance company and then not paid to us! Some are rebate funds collected from CT Greenbank and RI Commerce and not paid to us! Some are cash jobs completely paid to Solar Wolf Energy by our client and the commissions never paid to Sun Nerds. In addition, Solar Wolf Energy conned one of our clients who finance with Concert Financing to sign the install completion documents so that Solar Wolf Energy could get paid for the job, but the $10,500 20 kW generator had not yet been installed. Against his wishes the client signed and was promised the generator in August he still has not heard from them and has had to take legal action! They have been stringing us along for quite some time and should be steered clear of in any way shape or form!! They are an extremely dishonest business and cannot be trusted to finish jobs or honor contracts!!
Anonymous
December 12, 2021
Avoid this company. There are plenty of reputable solar installers out there and this isn't one of them. They installed my system 4 years ago. It's still fully warrantied under their contract. My roof is leaking from two of the solar panel mounting brackets and they're not going to do a thing to help. I now have mold in my attic. I'm suing them for 12K. Save yourself and avoid the Wolf. Go the the light. There are plenty of good solar installers who care about their customers and aren't being sued by everyone they deal with. No need for you to get into the lawsuit line with the rest of us. Avoid the Wolf whatever you do.
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