Solar Energy Services, Inc1514 Jabez Run, Suite #103 , Millersville, Maryland, United States

Solar Energy Services, Inc. (SES) is a Maryland-based full service solar provider. Our management has been installing solar systems for over 40 years –  longer than any other company. We are a licensed, bonded, and insured local installer of all forms of distributed solar energy systems. We install solar electric (PV), solar water heating and solar pool heating for residential and commercial applications.

Local and Committed

Our management, administrative and installation teams live locally, hire locally and have ties both to the community we serve as well as the regional solar energy industry. We have experience working with families, organizations, and business owners all across Maryland and Washington D.C. SES is thoroughly committed to the work ethic, trust and integrity that maintain our good reputation. This commitment goes beyond the knowledge of current government incentives and trends. We are experts in both the latest developments in solar system technology, as well as the tried-and-true mature technologies of passive solar and solar water heating. Moreover, we’re proud to have the longest-running service department in the region, available to both our own customers and non-SES installed systems.

Over 40 Years in Solar

When looking to invest in a 25-year warrantied electrical or mechanical system, contractor qualifications are of the upmost importance – for both short-term expediency, and long-term investment protection. Most customers understand the need to do their homework on the installers with whom they are contracting. As with any trade, experience and expertise are harvested by time-in-the-field. Claims such as “…a combined 70 yrs of experience!” and “thousands of systems installed!” should be thoroughly vetted by the solar shopper. In this spirit, we’d like to clarify our own claim to “Over 40 yrs in Solar!”.  Roger Perry, founding owner and partner (with Rick Peters) of SES is our claim to “Over 40 years”. A well known and respected solar old-timer, Roger started his solar career in 1978 at FAFCO Solar Systems (Sunnyvale, CA) where he managed the installation of over 400 solar pool heating systems. After moving back to Annapolis, he became Crew Foreman then Vice-President of Maryland Energy Systems before founding Perry Energy Services in 1986. By the year 2000 Roger had installed, serviced and designed the majority of solar thermal systems currently working in the Maryland area. Starting in 2000 he spent 5 years as the Facilities Manager of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Phillip Merrill Environmental Center, the first building in the world to receive the Green Building certification of LEED Platinum. In 2006, Roger established Solar Energy Services, later partnering with Rick Peters where they continue to install solar electric, solar water heating, and solar pool heating systems – and, maybe most importantly, service the solar systems orphaned by the many solar companies that have come and gone over the years. We look forward to a sunny future serving the region’s solar system owners.

Solar System Services

• Solar Water Heating Systems (or Solar Thermal Systems) require a 3 – 5 yr service cycle.  During this visit we change the glycol (heat transfer fluid between tank and collectors) as well as check system pressure, insulation, valves, controller stats and overall health of the system to ensure maximum efficiency.  We are still servicing systems that our leadership personally installed 30 yrs ago – a testament to the lifespan of this mature technology.
• Although residential solar electric (PV) systems do not require routine maintenance, our team is always on hand to answer questions, deal with the occasional warranty issue and keep an eye on all our systems.  While some organizations are promoting a service for cleaning panels, this is typically unnecessary in the Mid Atlantic due to our adequate, periodic rainfall.  In some cases, panels that are mounted horizontally can require a periodic cleaning.
• As well as keeping our own customers’ systems in tip-top shape, we also adopt non-SES-installed systems, orphaned by the many solar companies that have come and gone over the years.  
• Due to their size and complexity, commercial scale solar systems typically warrant a structured, routine service plan with some level of performance monitoring.  SES provides standard and custom solar O&M agreements for commercial system owners.  These included remote and on site monitoring, detailed checklists, measurement and verification, data collection, thermal imaging, and other standard preventative maintenance tasks.  Contact us today to set up a standard solar O&M agreement or a custom arrangement to meet your specific needs.

Solar Electric

With a large portfolio of solar-powered, commercial clients, Solar Energy Services has a proven track record in providing customized, turnkey solar solutions to a wide variety of businesses, nonprofits, and government clients in the Mid-Atlantic area.  From initial site survey through O & M, SES maintains 100% control over each project – Insuring the most cost-effective energy-efficient and trouble-free system for each client.  Commercial-scale solar electric (PV) systems are usually grid-tied systems insuring that the Grid (i.e. BGE, PEPCO) remain in place to supply any electric demand not met by the solar portion.  Typically these systems achieve a solar fraction of anywhere between 20% – 100%, meaning the installed solar system would provide anywhere between 20 – 100% of the site’s electrical needs.  System size usually depends on a number of factors including available southerly, shade-free roof area, budget and load requirements.  The grid (i.e. PEPCO, BGE etc.) remains in place as a back-up.   SES can size the system appropriately to maximize the economic benefit to the building owner. The important thing to remember is that whether a system is big or small, every unit of renewable energy captured from the Sun, is one unit of traditional energy that will not be purchased and will not be consumed.

Whether large or small, all solar designs begin with a site survey.   This phase is a vital step in the process as it affects every aspect of the project from design through return on investment.   Onsite visits, in conjunction with aerial imaging tools, are employed to gather site-specific information such as:

• Solar array placement options (roof, ground, carport, etc.), as well as orientation and shading analysis relative to local weather patterns and insolation levels
• Overview of existing electrical and/or thermal systems to assess the infrastructure’s ability to accommodate the solar component.
• Engineering considerations related to structural, mechanical and electrical code compliance within local/jurisdictional covenants.
• Optimized design that will account for all site conditions, climate, utility rate tariffs, government subsidies, customer requirements and economic goals of the project.