Privacy Policy | KW Solar | Houston Solar Installers, Serving Texas & Gulf Coast

Introduction

KW Solar, LLC and its affiliates (“KW Solar”) respect your concerns about privacy. This Privacy Policy explains KW Solar’s policies and procedures regarding information we collect from or about our customers and their use of our products and services. KW Solar intends to provide you with a level of comfort and confidence in how we collect, use, share, and safeguard information that we collect. This Privacy Policy also explains how you can contact us if you have any questions or concerns. By providing information to us or by using our products or services, you agree to the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy.
Information We May Collect

We collect three main types of information related to you or your use of our products and services: (1) information from or about you or your devices; (2) information from or about your KW Solar solar system; and (3) information from or about your KW Solar energy products. Depending on the KW Solar products and services you request, own, or use, not all of these types of information may be applicable to you.

From or about you or your devices

We may collect information from or about you (such as your name, address, phone number, e-mail, payment information, driver’s license or other government identification information) or your devices in a variety of ways, including:
Through our Digital Services: We may collect information from or about you through our websites, software applications, social media pages, e-mail messages, or other digital services (the “Digital Services”), e.g., when you sign up for a newsletter, make a purchase, or register your product with us.

Through credit applications and other forms: We may collect additional information from you or others on your behalf on our third-party lenders’ credit applications and other forms to support our third-party financing offerings, such as date of birth, Social Security number, bank routing information, and credit related information.

From other sources: We also may receive information about you from other sources, such as public databases, joint marketing partners, certified installers, third-party solar system repair or service centers, and social media platforms.

KW Solar Account: Customers who purchase certain KW Solar products will receive a KW Solar Account, which is hosted via our App. We may collect and process the following types of data for your KW Solar Account that you elect to provide to us: your customer registration information; the status of your order; warranty and other documentation for your KW Solar products; and general information about your KW Solar products (including, for example, solar system identification number or other product serial number, service plan information, or connectivity package), tax forms, financing agreements, and similar information. You can access your KW Solar Account to update the information from or about you in that account at any time.

Offline: We may collect information from or about you offline, such as when you attend one of our events, sign up for a consultation, schedule a consultation over the phone, or contact our customer service or sales departments.

Through your browser or device: Certain information is collected by most browsers or automatically through your device, such as your Media Access Control (MAC) address, computer type (Windows or Macintosh), screen resolution, operating system name and version, device manufacturer and model, language, Internet browser type and version, and the name and version of the Digital Services (such as the KW Solar App) you are using. We use this information to ensure that the Digital Services function properly.

When you visit our website or otherwise use our Digital Services, we may use cookies, pixel tags, analytics tools, and other similar technologies to help provide and improve our Digital Services, and as detailed below:

Cookies: Cookies are pieces of information stored directly on the computer that you are using. Cookies allow us to collect information such as browser type, time spent on the Digital Services, pages visited, language preferences, and other web traffic data. We, and our service providers, use the information for security purposes, to facilitate online navigation, to display information more effectively, to personalize your experience while using the Digital Services, and to otherwise analyze user activity. We can recognize your computer to assist your use of the Digital Services. We also gather statistical information about the usage of the Digital Services in order to continually improve their design and functionality, understand how the Digital Services are used, and assist us with resolving questions regarding the Digital Services. Cookies further allow us to select which of our offers are most likely to appeal to you and to display them to you. We may also use cookies to see how you interact with our offers, and we may use cookies or other files to understand your use of our websites.

If you do not want information collected through the use of cookies when using your KW Solar Account or our website, there is a simple procedure in most browsers that allows you to automatically decline cookies or gives you the choice of declining or accepting the transfer to your computer of a particular cookie (or cookies) from a particular site. You may also wish to refer to http://www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/index.html. However, if you do not accept these cookies, you may experience some inconvenience in your use of the Digital Services. For example, we may not be able to recognize your computer, and you may need to log in every time you visit the applicable Digital Services.

Pixel tags and other similar technologies: Pixel tags (also known as web beacons and clear GIFs) may be used in connection with some Digital Services to, among other things, track the actions of users of the Digital Services (including e-mail recipients), measure the success of our marketing campaigns, and compile statistics about usage of the Digital Services and response rates.
Analytics tools: We use website and application analytics services provided by third parties that use cookies and other similar technologies to collect information about website or application use and to report trends, without identifying individual visitors. The third parties that provide us with these services may also collect information about your use of third-party websites.
You can learn about Google’s practices in connection with this information collection and how to opt out of it by downloading the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

From or about your KW Solar solar system

We may collect a variety of information from or about your KW Solar solar system, including:
Telematics log data: To improve our solar systems and services for you, we may collect certain telematics data regarding the performance, usage, operation, and condition of your KW Solar solar system, including: solar system components identification numbers; production/performance information/readings; electrical system functions; software version information; and other data to assist in identifying issues and analyzing the performance of the solar system. We may collect such information either in person (such as during a service appointment) or via remote access.

Remote analysis data: We may be able to dynamically connect to your KW Solar solar system to diagnose and resolve issues with it, and this process may result in access to personal settings in the solar system (such as phone number, email address, and warranty claim history).
Other solar system data: In order to help improve our products and services, we may collect and store other solar system data, including: a data report to confirm that your solar system is online together with information about the current software version and certain telematics data; solar system connectivity information; data about any issues that could materially impair operation of your solar system; data about any safety-critical issues; and data about each software and firmware update. We may collect such information either in person (such as during a service appointment) or via remote access.
Service history: In order to facilitate the servicing of your solar system, we may collect and process data about the service history of each KW Solar solar system, such as the customer’s name, solar system identification numbers, warranty/repair history, any outstanding software updates, any bills due, any customer complaints, and any other information related to its service history.

Advanced features:
We may provide you with features in your KW Solar solar system, such as real-time production data, which makes use of the production data of your solar system and we may share this data with partners that contribute similar data to help us provide the service, but we only collect or share the data in a way that does not identify you or your solar system. We also may collect similar data in connection with other features, such as the system location data for the online location feature, and may share it with business partners where necessary to provide the feature to you, but, again, we only collect or share the data in a way that does not identify you. We also only collect or share this data if you enable this collection, although if you do so, your solar system may send this data to KW Solar and its partners even if you are not actively using a feature that needs this information.

If you no longer wish us to collect telematics log data or any other data from your KW Solar solar system, please contact us as indicated in the “How to Contact Us” section below. Please note that if you opt out from the collection of telematics log data or any other data from your KW Solar solar system (with the exception of the Data Sharing setting detailed above), we will not be able to notify you of issues applicable to your solar system in real time. This may result in your solar system suffering from reduced functionality, serious damage, or inoperability, and it may also disable many features of your solar system including periodic software and firmware updates, remote services, and interactivity with mobile applications and in-car features such as location search, Internet radio, voice commands, and web browser functionality.

From or about your KW Solar energy products

We may collect a variety of information from or about your KW Solar energy products or your home from you, via a certified installer when one of our energy advisers visits your home, from your electric utility, or from the installed products (directly or via paired equipment, such as an inverter), including:

We may collect information about your product, such as your installation date, number of products installed, and serial number(s).
We may collect information about your home, such as the dimensions of your roof, the configuration of your electric system, and the capacity of any existing solar system.

In order to provide and improve our energy products and services, we may collect data regarding where your product is installed and how it is configured, data related to the product’s use and performance, data regarding your home energy consumption, and other data relevant to diagnose issues.

If you no longer wish us to collect performance data or any other data from your KW Solar energy product, please contact us as indicated in the “How to Contact Us” section below. Please note that if you opt out from the collection of performance data from your KW Solar energy product, we will not be able to notify you of issues applicable to your energy product in real time. This may result in your energy product suffering from reduced functionality, serious damage, or inoperability, and it may also disable many features of your energy product including periodic software and firmware updates.

How We May Use Information We Collect

We may use information we collect to communicate with you, to provide and improve our products and services, and for the purposes listed below:

To communicate with you

We may use information we collect to communicate with you, including:

To respond to your inquiries and fulfill your requests, such as to send you newsletters or product information, information alerts, information about events, or brochures.
To set up, evaluate, and provide feedback regarding your KW Solar test drive, a home visit by one of our energy advisers, or the installation of your energy product.
To advise you of important safety-related information about your solar system or energy product or to notify first responders in the event of an accident involving your solar system.
To send administrative information to you, such as information regarding our products and services, and changes to our terms, conditions, and policies.
To present products and offers tailored to you and to enhance our lists with information from other sources.
To allow you to participate in contests and similar promotions and to administer these activities.
To facilitate social sharing and communications functionality.

Your communication choices

Receiving electronic communications from us or our affiliates: If you no longer want to receive marketing-related e-mails from us or our affiliates, you may opt out of receiving them by following the opt-out instructions in any marketing e-mail received from us or by contacting us at the address below. Please note that we may still send you important administrative and safety messages even if you opt out of receiving marketing e-mails.
Receiving marketing-related calls from us: If you receive a marketing-related call from us and do not want to receive similar calls in the future, simply ask to be placed on our “do not call” list. Please note that we may still call you regarding administrative, safety, or product service issues even if you opt out of receiving marketing calls.

To provide and improve our products and services

We may use information we collect to provide and improve our products and services, including:

To complete and fulfill your purchase, e.g., to process your payments, fulfill your requests for product financing, have your order delivered to you, communicate with you regarding your purchase, and provide you with related customer service.
To provide service to your KW Solar product, such as to contact you with service recommendations and to deliver over-the-air updates to your product.
To monitor your KW Solar product’s performance and provide services related to your product.
To develop and promote new products and services, and to improve or modify our existing products and services.
To analyze and improve the safety and security of our products and services.
To deliver any other services you have requested.

For other purposes

We also may use information we collect for other purposes, including:

For our business purposes, such as data analysis, audits, fraud monitoring and prevention, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, and operating and expanding our business activities.
Except as described above and below, KW Solar may use or share information that does not personally identify you for any purpose, such as for operational or research purposes, for industry analysis, to improve or modify our products and services, to better tailor our products and services to your needs, and where legally required.

How We May Share Information We Collect

We may share information we collect with our service providers and business partners, with other third parties you authorize, with other third parties when required by law, and in other circumstances. Examples of how we share information with these parties and under these circumstances are provided below.

With our service providers and business partners

We may share information with our service providers and business partners when necessary to perform services on our or on your behalf, such as in the following circumstances:

With KW Solar affiliates for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. KW Solar affiliates are companies that are owned or controlled by KW Solar, LLC and companies in which KW Solar, LLC has a substantial ownership interest.
With our third party service providers and channel partners to provide services such as website hosting, data analysis and storage, payment processing, order fulfillment and product installation, wireless connectivity to KW Solar products, information technology and related infrastructure, customer service, product design, product diagnostics, maintenance or related services, e-mail delivery, credit card processing, auditing, marketing, voice command processing, and other similar services.
With other third party business partners to the extent that they are involved in the purchase, lease, or service of your KW Solar products. We share limited information from or about you or your KW Solar products to allow you to take advantage of those services if you elect to utilize them, with such partners as finance, leasing, registration, title companies, electric utilities, permitting authorities and insurance companies.

With other third parties you authorize

We may share information with other third parties you authorize, such as in the following circumstances:

With our certified installers, where we do not directly sell you the energy products that you have requested, or with third party utilities or energy services companies, where you have agreed to allow them to monitor or control your energy product.
With third party service centers or providers, if you choose to utilize them. Note that some information about you is stored on certain KW Solar products and may be accessible directly to the third party service centers or providers that you choose to utilize to diagnose or service your KW Solar product.
With third-party sponsors of contests and similar promotions, if you elect to participate.
With your social media account provider, if you connect your KW Solar Account and your social media account. If you do so, you authorize us to share information with your social media account provider and you understand that the use of the information we share will be governed by the social media account provider’s privacy policy.

With other third parties when required by law

KW Solar may transfer and disclose information, including information that may or may not personally identify you, to third parties to comply with a legal obligation (including, but not limited to, subpoenas); when we believe in good faith that the law requires it; in response to a lawful request by governmental authorities conducting an investigation, including to comply with law enforcement requirements; to verify or enforce our policies and procedures; to respond to an emergency; to prevent or stop activity we may consider to be, or to pose a risk of being, illegal, unethical or legally actionable; or to protect the rights, property, safety, or security of our products and services, KW Solar, third parties, visitors, or the public, as determined by us in our sole discretion.

In other circumstances

We may share information in other circumstances, such as:

With your employer or other fleet operator or the owner of the KW Solar product, if you do not directly own it and as authorized under applicable law.
With a third party in connection with any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer, or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, assets, or stock (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings).
We do not share information that personally identifies you with unaffiliated third parties for their marketing purposes unless you opt in to that sharing.
If you wish to opt out of any processing of information for which you have provided your prior explicit opt-in consent, you may do so by contacting us as indicated in the “How to Contact Us” section below.

Rights and Choices

As detailed in the sections above, we give you many choices regarding our collection, use, and sharing of information from or about you or your use of our products or services. These include:

Configuring your browser to decline or accept cookies.
Opting out of analytics tools.
Opting out of certain electronic communications or promotional calls.
Disabling the collection of telematics log data from your solar system.
Enabling or disabling the collection and sharing of certain data to support advanced features in your solar system.
Disabling the collection of performance data from your KW Solar energy product.
Opting out of other types of data processing for which you have provided your prior explicit opt-in consent.

This section further explains the rights and choices that may apply depending on your jurisdiction.

In certain jurisdictions you may have the rights to request access to and receive information about certain information we maintain about you; update and correct inaccuracies in that information; have the information restricted or deleted; object or withdraw your consent to certain uses of information; and lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority. You may also have the right to data portability with regard to the data you provided to us. These rights may be limited in some circumstances by local law.

You have several methods to exercise your rights, including:

You can access your KW Solar Account to update the information from or about you in that account at any time.
If you would like to exercise your rights in relation to information from or about you, you may contact us at the address below.
In your request, please make clear what information you would like to have changed, whether you would like to have the information that you have provided to us suppressed from our database, or otherwise let us know what limitations you would like to put on our use of the information that you have provided to us. For your protection, we may only implement requests with respect to the information associated with the particular e-mail address that you use to send us your request, or we may need to verify your identity before implementing your request.

Please note that we may need to retain certain information for recordkeeping or legal compliance purposes and/or to complete any transactions that you began prior to requesting such change or deletion (e.g., when you make a purchase or enter a promotion, you may not be able to change or delete the information provided until after the completion of such purchase or promotion).

Security

We seek to use reasonable organizational, technical, and administrative measures to protect information within our organization. Unfortunately, no data transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us is no longer secure (for example, if you feel that the security of any account with us has been compromised), please immediately notify us of the problem by contacting us in accordance with the “How to Contact Us” section below.
If you sell or transfer your KW Solar product to another person, please notify us so that we can determine whether additional steps are required to help safeguard information from or about you from disclosure to the purchaser or transferee of the KW Solar product.

Retention Period

We will retain information we collect from or about our customers, our products, and our services for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When the information is no longer necessary for these purposes, we delete it or keep it in a form that does not identify you. When determining this retention period, we take into account various criteria, such as the type of products and services requested by or provided to you, the nature of our relationship with you, the impact on the services we provide to you if we delete some information from or about you, and retention periods required by law.

Minors

Our products and services are not directed to individuals under the age of sixteen (16), and we request that these individuals not provide any information to KW Solar.

Links

This Privacy Policy does not address, and we are not responsible for, the privacy, information, or other practices of any third parties, including any third party operating any site or service to which our Digital Services link. The inclusion of a link on our Digital Services does not imply endorsement of the linked site or service by us or by our affiliates, nor does it imply an affiliation with the third party.

Please note that we are not responsible for the collection, use, or disclosure policies and practices (including the data security practices) of other organizations, such as any other app developer, app provider, social media platform provider, operating system provider, or wireless service provider, including any information you disclose to other organizations through or in connection with our software applications or social media pages.

Updates to this Policy

We may change this Privacy Policy. Please take a look at the “Last Updated” legend at the bottom of this page to see when this Privacy Policy was last revised. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Policy on our Digital Services. By using our products or services, or otherwise providing information to us following these changes, you accept the revised Privacy Policy.

How to Contact Us

To contact us with a question or comment, to opt out from certain services, or to ask about your ability to exercise your privacy rights described above, please contact us:
via e‐mail at privacy@kw.solar;
via mail at KW Solar, LLC, Attn: Legal, 5750 N Sam Houston Pkwy E, Suite 605, Houston TX 77032, United States.
Please note that e-mail communications are not always secure, so please do not include credit card information or sensitive information in your e-mails to us.

Last Updated January 2020