Part of our series: Shining a Light on Trustworthy Solar
A lot of solar companies will show you a sleek monitoring app with flashing green lights and real-time watts. “See?” they say. “Your system’s working.”
But that’s not the whole story. Is it producing what you were told to expect? Is it tracking with your pre-sale projection? Or has your system quietly underperformed, month after month, while your bill and your loan keep climbing?
At Atma Energy, we believe monitoring isn’t just about seeing energy. It’s about verifying trust.
What Most Solar Companies Don’t Show You
Across Texas, far too many homeowners are left with systems that don’t deliver. A San Antonio Express-News investigation revealed systems that flunked inspection, never produced as promised, or were sold with inflated savings projections that never materialized.
Even worse? Most of those homeowners never had a way to check.
According to the Texas Appleseed solar report, one of the top complaints was “inability to verify what the system should have produced versus what it actually did”.
That’s why Atma designed our system to answer one simple but powerful question:
Did your solar deliver on its promise?
Real Monitoring, Real Metrics
The moment your system goes live, you get access to Atma’s customer monitoring dashboard. It's not just a switchboard of blinking data. It’s a clear, visual summary of the metrics that matter:
You’ll see:
Solar Offset — how much of your home’s usage is covered
System Performance — as a percentage of what we modeled
Dollar Savings — real reductions from your utility bill
This is where trust becomes trackable.
Predicted vs. Actual: Overlays That Hold Us Accountable
Most installers never let you compare what they told you with what actually happened.
We do.
Actual performance (light orange) closely tracks or exceeds expected monthly estimates (dark orange). Note: June reflects partial production as of June 12.
With our “Expected vs. Actual” chart, you can view your system's modeled production (from your final engineering proposal) against what it's generating, month by month, or across the year.
June’s bar in this example is shorter because we pulled this data mid-month. That transparency matters. We show it exactly as it stands.
Production vs. Consumption: Understand the Balance
Another unique view? Production vs. Consumption.
This homeowner’s usage outpaced solar production during colder months, due to seasonal electric heating demand.
We show you not only how much solar you’re producing, but also how that compares to what your home is consuming. This gives you context for why your offset fluctuates and helps you plan smarter, not just watch numbers.
From Projection to Proof: Real Customer Outcomes
Allen S. installed his 28-panel system in April and told us:
“I’m a difficult guy to please… but my system is producing superb results and looks fantastic. The whole process was pain-free and honest from the start.”
Another homeowner, Chad M., emailed us after his first few utility bills and said:
“Y’all’s numbers so far were conservative, and I really appreciate the ‘under promise and over deliver’ style… Your team got us exactly what we were looking for.”
It’s one thing to show a chart. It’s another thing to hear that the experience lived up to the promise and then some.
How We Predict It Right (Not Just Hope for the Best)
You can’t compare performance to a projection if the projection wasn’t built carefully. Here’s how we do it:
“We generate our production estimates using drone-based 3D modeling to map the site in detail and run advanced shading analyses throughout the year,” explains Juan Meza, Atma’s Engineering Manager.
“By layering in historical weather and irradiance data specific to the location, and accounting for seasonal shifts and system orientation, we build forecasts that allow us to not only predict performance, but confidently guarantee it.”
This engineering rigor ensures that what we present in your proposal isn't guesswork—it's a data-backed forecast grounded in your specific home conditions. That makes it possible to track, compare, and validate every system's performance long after it goes live.
What Happens if Production Drops?
Even with great engineering, the unexpected can happen bird droppings, inverter blips, Wi-Fi interruptions.
The good news? You won’t have to catch it—we will.
Atma’s system monitors your production and alerts us if something seems off. We respond fast:
Most issues are resolved remotely within 24 hours
Field service visits are typically within 48 hours
Optional panel cleaning and infrared inspection for long-term system health
This is the kind of proactive care missing in the broader industry. The Express-News found countless homeowners abandoned after installation, with no clue how to track or fix issues.
With Atma, the system doesn’t just produce. It performs, and we prove it.
Why This Transparency Matters in Texas
Texas has no licensing requirement for solar designers. No certification rules for door-to-door salespeople. No mandated disclosures on expected production.
The result? Leaky roofs, ghosted customers, and systems that fall short of what was promised.
We believe Texans deserve better. That’s why we treat production data not as a novelty, but as a proof point. Because when you install solar, you’re not just buying hardware. You’re buying a promise.
We’re here to keep it.
Summary: Seeing Is Believing
Monitoring shouldn’t stop at “Is it on?”
It should answer: “Is it doing what I paid for?”
At Atma Energy, we deliver:
Real-time dashboards with expected vs. actual performance
Transparent monthly comparisons with your original proposal
Proactive alerts and support when things go off course
No mystery. No margin of doubt. Just measurable trust.
Next in the Series:
Powering Rural Progress: How Local Co-Ops and Trusted Solar Partners Work Together
We’ll explore how Atma Energy collaborates with rural electric cooperatives to bring reliable, community-focused solar solutions to underserved areas, proving that trust and transparency scale even in the most remote corners of Texas.