A Maine solar company already embroiled in controversy allegedly defaulted on nearly $260,000 of auto loans.
Pine Tree Solar defaulted on 18 different auto loans through Camden National Bank, according to a lawsuit filed by the bank on Friday in Bangor District Court. The Hermon-based solar company owes about $259,700 of the original $535,670.
The company owner, Michael Griggs, along with Accessible Networks and Maine Technology Ventures are also named in the lawsuit. A message left for Griggs at Pine Tree Solar was not returned.
The lawsuit is the latest complaint against Pine Tree Solar. The company is facing another lawsuit, alleging it has not refunded a $20,100 deposit after failing to do any work. There are also seven complaints filed against the company with the Maine attorney general’s office as of November. Information about any potential additional complaints was not available.
The loans are for a variety of vehicles from bucket trucks to SUVs to an electric off-road vehicle, according to the lawsuit. The loans date back to 2019, the year the company was founded.
A $47,370 loan for a 2021 Ford F-150 is the most expensive, with a balance of $28,000. There are five $40,300 loans for electric Volkswagen SUVs. A balance of about $24,000 remains for each of those loans.
Camden National Bank asked a judge to order the company to assemble and deliver the vehicles to Keenan Auction Company. The bank also wants the company to be prohibited from using or selling the vehicles.
An analysis of the complaints filed against Pine Tree Solar showed patterns of the company failing to refund money for work that wasn’t done, work delays and a lack of communication. The 35-person company has installed solar for about 400 residences and 75 businesses, and only a small number of those are in contractual disputes, Griggs previously told the Bangor Daily News.
A Brewer business owner paid a deposit to Pine Tree Solar in April 2022. Installation was supposed to start in August of that year and take seven days. Instead, work started in November and the system was not operational until April 2023, the business owner told the BDN.
Pine Tree Solar was cited in April by the Maine Department of Labor for failing to pay 13 employees. The company has paid about $38,540 of the $39,305 owed, according to the labor department.
A lawsuit filed by Hillary and Adam Dow against Pine Tree Solar seeking a refund of their $20,100 deposit is still pending in Bangor District Court.
No court dates are scheduled for the auto loan default lawsuit.