{"id":2122468,"date":"2023-12-12T05:05:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T10:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-probes-biden-admins-3-billion-loan-to-solar-company-accused-of-scamming-elderly\/"},"modified":"2023-12-12T05:11:48","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T10:11:48","slug":"congress-probes-biden-admins-3-billion-loan-to-solar-company-accused-of-scamming-elderly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-probes-biden-admins-3-billion-loan-to-solar-company-accused-of-scamming-elderly\/","title":{"rendered":"Congress investigates $3B loan by Biden Admin to solar firm accused of defrauding seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcongress-probes-biden-admins-3-billion-loan-to-solar-company-accused-of-scamming-elderly%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2122468&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Lawmakers Investigate $3 Billion Loan to Solar Company Accused of Scamming Elderly Patients<\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>\n<h3>L: Sunnova truck\u2064 (@SunnovaEnergy\/Twitter), R: Jigar Shah (energy.gov)<\/h3>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Lawmakers are currently delving \u2062into the Biden administration&#8217;s controversial decision to grant an unprecedented $3 billion loan to a \u2062solar \u2062company. This company\u2063 has been accused of preying on vulnerable elderly dementia patients, as revealed in a <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/12.07.2023-Joint-Letter-to-DOE-LPO-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">letter<\/a> obtained by the <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), the leading Republicans on the Senate and House energy committees, have demanded that the Department of Energy \u2063provide records regarding the loan to Sunnova Energy by Dec. 21.<\/p>\n<p>This request comes after the <em>Free Beacon<\/em> published an article detailing allegations that Sunnova representatives manipulated\u2063 elderly dementia patients, some of\u2063 whom were on their deathbeds, into signing long-term solar panel \u2062leases.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are deeply concerned about recent, credible reports \u200dthat Sunnova has received numerous consumer complaints, including those accusing them of\u2064 engaging in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-gave-3-billion-loan-to-solar-company-accused-of-scamming-elderly\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Gave  Billion Loan to Solar Company Accused of Scamming Elderly\">troubling sales practices<\/a>. These practices involve \u200cpressuring elderly homeowners in poor health to sign contracts worth tens of thousands of dollars,&#8221; wrote Barrasso \u200cand McMorris Rodgers in their \u2064letter to Jigar Shah, the director of \u200dthe Department of\u200c Energy&#8217;s Loan Programs \u200dOffice\u2063 (LPO).<\/p>\n<p>The lawmakers find these allegations \u200cparticularly disturbing, considering that the LPO has stated\u2064 that this program is\u200b intended to benefit disadvantaged communities. They have requested Shah to provide information about the LPO&#8217;s awareness of the consumer complaints, their plans to monitor Sunnova&#8217;s\u200c sales tactics, and the individuals involved in approving the\u200b loan to\u2064 Sunnova.<\/p>\n<p>The $3 billion\u2064 loan, the largest \u200cfederal loan ever granted to a solar company, is intended to support Sunnova&#8217;s efforts to provide solar \u200bpanel \u2062loans to &#8220;disadvantaged homeowners and communities,&#8221; as stated by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20230928310639\/en\/Sunnova-Signs-3.0-Billion-Loan-Guarantee-Agreement-with-U.S.-Department-of-Energy-to-Expand-Clean-Energy-Access\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">company<\/a>. The loan was announced in September.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Free Beacon<\/em> has reviewed over \u200b50 consumer complaints filed against Sunnova \u2064with the Texas attorney general&#8217;s office \u2064since last\u200b year. \u2062These complaints range from\u200d delays in maintenance to allegations of\u200d predatory sales tactics.<\/p>\n<p>Barrasso and McMorris Rodgers also highlighted that \u200bthere have been at least 1,000\u2062 complaints filed against Sunnova in Puerto Rico, including\u200c claims of misleading\u200b consumers and failure to deliver promised energy bill reductions. They noted \u200bthat 20\u2062 percent of \u2064the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-unveils-42-billion-investment-plan-to-expand-internet-access\/\" title=\"White House reveals B plan to boost internet access.\">federal funding allocated<\/a> to Sunnova will be used for solar\u200b panel loans \u2062to customers in Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n<p>Terry \u2064Blythe, a resident of Texas, shared her distressing experience with the <em>Free Beacon<\/em>. She revealed that her\u200c 86-year-old father, who had been\u2062 diagnosed with dementia, \u2063was convinced by a Sunnova salesman to \u2063sign a 25-year \u2064solar panel lease in 2020. When her father\u2062 passed away earlier\u200b this year, Blythe found herself burdened with a $34,000 contract.<\/p>\n<p>Another Texas resident, Mary Loller, recounted how her elderly \u200cfather, who was senile and had been given a\u2063 few months to live, was sold \u200ca $60,000 solar system for his mobile home by a Sunnova \u2063salesman last year.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At that time, my dad \u2063informed the salesman that he was on hospice and dying. But the salesman disregarded his condition,&#8221; said Loller.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after, Loller&#8217;s father passed away. She revealed that Sunnova placed a lien on the mobile home, preventing the family from selling the property.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How\u200b does\u200b the Department of Energy plan to\u200c ensure transparency and\u200c accountability\u200c in the loan\u2064 approval process\u2063 for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/proterra-hired-obama-connected-lobbying-firm-weeks-before-biden-visit\/\" title=\"Proterra Hired Obama-Connected Lobbying Firm Weeks Before Biden Visit\">renewable energy companies<\/a>?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Anted to a solar company, was part of the Biden\u200d administration&#8217;s efforts to\u200b promote clean energy and\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-goes-full-green-new-deal-tyrant-carbon-emissions-threaten-the-very-existence-of-our-planet-video\/\" title=\"Biden Goes Full Green New Deal Tyrant: Carbon Emissions Threaten \u201cthe Very Existence of our Planet\u201d (VIDEO)\">combat climate change<\/a>. Sunnova\u2064 Energy, based \u2062in Houston, Texas, specializes in residential solar panel installations \u200band has been hailed as a leader in the \u2063renewable energy industry. However, the recent allegations of scamming elderly patients\u2063 have cast a shadow over the company and \u2062raised serious questions about \u200dthe loan \u200dapproval process.<\/p>\n<p>According to the letter obtained by \u2063the\u200c <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em>,\u2063 Sunnova \u2064representatives \u200btargeted \u2063elderly dementia \u2063patients, some on\u2064 their deathbeds, and convinced them to sign long-term solar panel\u200b leases worth\u200b tens of thousands of dollars. These vulnerable individuals were allegedly\u2062 manipulated into entering contracts that they did not fully understand, putting \u2063them at financial risk. Such predatory practices\u2064 are not only ethically questionable but also go against \u2063the\u200d principles of consumer protection.<\/p>\n<p>In response \u2062to these allegations, Sen. John \u2064Barrasso and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers have demanded answers from the Department \u200dof Energy. As the leading Republicans on the Senate and\u200b House \u200denergy committees, they have called on\u2062 the\u200c department to provide records\u2064 regarding the loan to Sunnova Energy by \u2063a specified deadline.\u200b Their letter emphasizes the need for \u200ctransparency and accountability in the loan approval process and expresses concern\u2064 over \u200cthe potential exploitation \u200cof the elderly and those in poor health.<\/p>\n<p>The lawmakers&#8217; concerns are not only centered around the alleged scamming \u200cof\u200d elderly patients but also extend to the overall objectives of the \u2062loan\u2063 program. The Department\u2064 of Energy&#8217;s Loan Programs Office has explicitly stated that the loan \u200dprogram is intended to benefit \u2064disadvantaged communities. Therefore, the allegations against Sunnova raise\u200b questions \u2064about the effectiveness of the program in achieving its\u200c stated goals. Barrasso and McMorris Rodgers have requested information from the department regarding their awareness of the \u2063consumer complaints, their \u2063plans to monitor Sunnova&#8217;s sales\u2064 tactics, and the individuals responsible for approving\u2063 the loan.<\/p>\n<p>This investigation into\u2063 the $3 \u200dbillion loan\u200d to Sunnova Energy highlights the importance of \u2064due\u200b diligence and\u2062 oversight in\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/solar-energy-company-accused-of-scamming-elderly-people-was-awarded-3-billion-by-biden-admin-gop-leaders-are-now-seeking-answers\/\" title=\"GOP leaders are demanding answers after a solar energy company, accused of scamming elderly individuals, received a  billion award from the Biden administration\">government-funded initiatives<\/a>. If the allegations against the company are substantiated, it would \u2064not only be \u200ba betrayal\u200b of the \u2064trust placed\u2064 in\u2064 the Biden administration&#8217;s \u200bclean energy efforts but also a gross disregard for the well-being\u2064 of vulnerable individuals.\u200b The \u200coutcome \u2064of the investigation will have \u200bimplications not just \u2063for the loan program but also\u2062 for the future \u200bof renewable energy\u2064 initiatives and the protection of consumer\u2064 rights.<\/p>\n<p>As the investigation unfolds, it \u200cis imperative that lawmakers prioritize the best interests of the public\u2062 and hold \u200daccountable those who have exploited the \u2063most\u2062 vulnerable members of society. The $3 billion loan to Sunnova Energy should serve as a wake-up call for\u200c stricter regulations and greater\u200c scrutiny in the renewable energy industry. Only with \u200cincreased transparency and accountability can public\u200b trust\u200b be restored and the potential of solar \u2063energy harnessed for the benefit\u200b of all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lawmakers are investigating the Biden administration&#8217;s approval of a $3 billion loan to a solar company accused of defrauding elderly dementia patients. Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, leading Republicans, are questioning this unprecedented decision, as revealed in a letter obtained by the Washington Free Beacon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":2122469,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2122468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/120"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2122468"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122468\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2122469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2122468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2122468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2122468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}