Unique situation needing some advice....
So we got 56 solar panels installed by Solar is Freedom back in 2022 right before they filed bankruptcy. They never finished the install and sold us on not getting a battery due to net metering with our local power provider. Our system is not in Solar Edge and when I scan the inverter it wont see any devices. The panels seem to be generate something as last year I paid someone to come out and look at the system to see whats needed to turn it on and start generating. He came out and flipped a few switches and said I needed some sort of panel that would allow solar edge to talk to the panels. I have the app and have an account but again, the system isnt built out and nothing displays.
We know the panels are "working" because once the guy flipped the switch, our electric bill went way down and some months we had a credit and it showed what they were generating. Well this year they seem to be generating nowhere near what they were and someone from Top Tier Solar came out and told us we needed a battery for storage and that would solve all our problems. Quoted $22,000 and some change for the installation and battery plus them taking over the panels and service and adding on a warranty for everything. We didnt sign anything and said we'd think about it. Some of the stuff he told us seemed to make sense but him saying the company has been in business for 15 yrs and then when I Google them it says est 2019....plus multiple reviews of their aggressive sales tactics so no thanks. He did say all i had to do was call Solar Edge and tell them to build out my system or something since they are working and they should be able to do that without the panel the other guy mentioned. This would allow me to at least monitor them and see what they are generating. Also he said net metering isnt really a thing anymore, the power companies no longer do a 1:1 ratio return, its more like a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio so you get screwed when that excess power goes back into the grid and you need it later you buy it back at full price like at night when your panels arent generating anything, thus the need for the battery.
Does any of this make sense? Do we just need a battery? The panels not generating as much due to the power company not honoring 1:1 net metering? Do I have to have that panel for Solar Edge to work properly or no?