The Best Solar Companies of December 2023 Guide

Doreen Gao

Dec. 06, 2023

Affiliate Disclosure: This Old House may be compensated if you purchase through links on our website… Read More. Our Reviews Team is committed to delivering honest, objective, and independent reviews on home products and services.

The Best Solar Companies of December 2023 Guide: Expert Reviewed

Our top rated solar companies are SunPower, ADT Solar and Sunrun. Get a personalized solar estimate in under 2 minutes.

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By Alexis Carthan Reviewed By Roger Horowitz

Converting to solar energy helps homeowners save on monthly energy costs and offers a clean energy solution. Although the average solar system costs between $17,430 and $23,870, you’ll invest in a reliable energy system that offers long-term savings.

We’ve reviewed 100 leading solar panel companies nationwide and selected SunPower, ADT Solar, and Sunrun as our top three choices. Keep reading to learn more about these companies and our other choices for quality residential installations.

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*Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings are accurate as of September 2023.

9 Best Solar Companies of 2023

Our team evaluated 100 U.S. solar companies based on reputation, solar services, payment options, state availability, and warranty coverage. Here are our top picks for the best solar companies:

Key Terms To Know

In-house installers:
An installation team that works directly for the
solar provider
.
Inverter:
A component that converts your solar system’s direct current (DC) power into the alternating current (AC) power that runs your home.
Service area:
The total number of states where a
solar provider
offers services.
Solar panel efficiency rating:
The percentage of sunlight that solar panels convert to usable electricity. The higher the
efficiency rating
, the better the energy production.
Third-party installers:
An installation team contracted by the solar company to do the project.

Our Top Solar Company Picks

SunPower

Best High-Efficiency System

4.8

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SunPower offers the most energy-efficient and high-performing solar systems available, with efficiency rates of 22.8% compared to the typical 15%–22% range. It’s one of the few companies that uses in-house system components, creating a streamlined system designed to perform better. SunPower also sells solar batteries and electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Builds customized, high-efficiency solar systems to suit each home

Offers an extensive coverage area throughout the country

Sells energy storage and EV charger add-ons

Cons

Limits solar equipment options due to in-house product exclusivity

More expensive than other companies, according to some customer reviews

Service area varies by ZIP code within each state

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

SunPower backs its solar products with an all-inclusive 25-year warranty covering all solar system components, additional equipment add-ons, workmanship, and a production guarantee of 92% power output.

Financing Options
✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan
✔ Lease
✔ Power purchase agreement (PPA)

Reputation and Awards

SunPower received PV Magazine’s 2019 Sustainability Award for “outstanding sustainability leadership in the solar industry.” In 2022, SunPower received the Good Housekeeping’s 2022 Home Renovation Award in the Biggest Energy Savers category. The company was recognized for its innovative SunVault energy storage system.

SunPower currently holds an A+ rating and is accredited with the BBB. Based on our team’s review analysis, we discovered that customers were pleased with their SunPower system performance. However, we noticed a pattern of complaints about higher-than-average installation costs and communication issues with third-party installers.

State Availability

✔ 100% of the United States covered: 50 states but varies by ZIP code

Customer Reviews

Below is a highlight of homeowner reviews on SunPower:

“This was probably the smartest choice I have made behind purchasing my home.Simple process the only thing I did was secure my pets during installation and kick back and wait to save a ton of money. If you have concerns just reach out to your SunPower team let them know the problem, they’re the experts let them handle your concern.Bottom line keep paying your utility company or generate your own power along with a big tax break.” — Fred B. via BBB

“Horrible service. I’m filing a complaint as an attempt to get these guys to fix the job they did. I added a new system to my original system. Whatever they did, they did incorrectly and now nothing works. They know what the problem is but they wont come out to fix it. I keep getting told they have escalated my issue but nothing happens. I have run out of patience. Therefore Im filing a complaint with every entity I know of. Its been 2-1/2 months since my system was installed.” — Nick R. via BBB

ADT Solar

Best Solar Warranty

4.6

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ADT Solar (formally known as SunPro) offers the most comprehensive coverage with 25-year warranties on labor, panels, and inverters, plus a power production guarantee. Not all companies offer a power production guarantee that promises a certain level of panel performance. This coverage keeps your investment protected for the next 25 years or longer.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Includes comprehensive protection, plus monetary compensation for poor-performing panels

Offers self-monitoring through Enphase MyEnlighten

Provides additional roof repair services

Cons

Fewer panel options compared to other providers

Limited system customization options

Received negative reviews for poor customer service and automated calls

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

ADT Solar backs its installations with a 25-year comprehensive warranty covering power production, panel, inverter, and labor warranty.

Financing Options
✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan

Reputation and Awards

ADT Solar is accredited by the BBB and holds an A+ rating. When checking company reviews, we found that customers praised the company for its efficient installations but raised concerns about poor customer support and an increase in automated calls from ADT Security.

State Availability

✔ 46% of the United States covered: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

Customer Reviews

Below is a sample of solar reviews on ADT Solar:

“We live in ** and have had our system installed a little over 10 months and have had great luck with it. Our salesman was awesome and super straightforward and didn’t sell us a pipe dream. We have not had an electrical bill over 13 [d]ollars yet. We are waiting on our state incentives and have already received our Federal Tax Credit. Great crew and sales staff. Communication took a day sometimes.” — Eydra C. via BBB

“I know they have a shortage of electrical engineers. But it took over 6 months to get my solar batteries installed (I already had panels). And now there is a battery issue and they can give me *no* timetable as to when they will be able to come out to fix it.For how much I paid to get this in place, this is unacceptable.” — Yashila S. via BBB

Sunrun

Best Solar Panel Leasing

4.4

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Sunrun offers four financing options, including unique leasing options tailored for homeowners who don’t want system ownership. Prepaid and leased systems get a 25-year warranty that includes 25 years of system service and maintenance plus ongoing monitoring and theft insurance.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Provides system monitoring that signals issues with your system

Offers diverse financing options to suit various budgets

Provides EV and solar battery solutions

Cons

Limited online information on solar incentive disqualification with leases

Requires added costs for the same coverage plans as leased and prepaid customers

Varies solar battery availability by state

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

Sunrun backs its systems with a 10-year comprehensive warranty which includes product, roof penetration, and workmanship coverage.

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan
✔ Lease
✔ Power purchase agreement (PPA)

Reputation and Awards

The company earned DroneDeploy’s 2022 Guardian of Safety Award for incorporating drone technology in its site assessments. In 2021 and 2022, Sunrun was recognized by Comparably with 14 awards. Its accolades include Best CEOs for Diversity 2022, Best Company Culture 2021, and Best Company for Women two years in a row.

Sunrun currently holds an A+ rating with BBB and is accredited. Customers praised the comprehensive coverage for leased systems but complained about delayed installations, poor customer service, and poor communication with project managers.

State Availability

✔ 36% of the United States covered: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico

Customer Reviews

Here’s what customers have to say about Sunrun:

“I’m very happy with my rep that helped me along throughout the whole process. I really liked being able to get answers quickly if I needed them through a text. Also, I like how they broke down the entire program and helped us understand our arrangement plan. thank you guys really appreciate it.” — Dan Y. via BBB

“Sunrun has a terrible response time with resolving issues. I am approaching one month with no solar service and I have not received any notification the problem will be resolved anytime soon. Meanwhile, my utility bill doubled and I still have to pay the monthly lease dues for a service I am not getting. I wish they would arrive and take their equipment so I could join a solar company that is more efficient. I have gone through the customer service 3 times and I still have not heard back in 3 business days!” — Christopher C. via BBB

Blue Raven

Most Reputable

4.4

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Blue Raven has one of the best reputations for reliability and trustworthiness. It has won awards for its team and CEO, and customer reviews report great customer service and prompt installations. The company also stands out for its in-house financing, which includes 18 months of free solar energy.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Offers SunPower’s high-efficiency panels and storage options

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Provides a unique in-house financing option which includes 18 months of free solar energy

Suggested reading:
Energy

Recognized as one of the industry’s most reputable solar companies

Cons

Offers one of the shortest production guarantees among our reviewed companies

Some customer reviews mention poor communication

Workmanship warranty falls slightly below the industry standard

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

A Blue Raven Solar system comes with a 25-year product warranty, a 10-year workmanship warranty, and a two-year production guarantee.

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan

Reputation and Awards

Blue Raven Solar strives to achieve rewarding experiences for its customers and employees. The solar company won awards in back-to-back years at the Comparably’s Brand Awards, a site known for its comprehensive company culture and reputation reviews. Comparably recognized Blue Raven for Best Operations Team 2022, Best Sales Team 2022, Best Product & Design Team 2022, Best Places to Work in Salt Lake City 2022, and Best Company Outlook 2022. The 2021 wins include Best Company for Diversity 2021, Best CEO 2021, Best Company Work-Life Balance, and Best Career Growth 2021. Blue Raven Solar ranked No. 20 on Glassdoor’s Best Place to Work in the USA in 2021.

The company is accredited with the BBB and currently holds an A+ rating. We noted that customers praised the knowledgeable staff and prompt installation but warned of poor communication after projects were completed.

State Availability

✔ 36% of the United States covered: Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington

Customer Reviews

Read a few Blue Raven Solar reviews below:

“The agent took the time to help me with my solar system. He listens and answers questions about the solar system. The team put up the panels and they look great. The team checked with me, doing the whole setup. Good service, one happy customer.” — Billy S. via BBB

“I had a new roof installed and prior to having the roof installed my contractor contacted Blue Raven to remove and reinstall. Well it’s been about 3 months of rescheduling so they finally came out to install but the problem now is that the system is still not working and I contacted them to have someone come out and look at the system and have been put off another 2 weeks. They had no problem collecting the money for the removal and reinstall. Will not recommend this company.” — Donald via BBB

Green Home Systems

Best Solar Roofs

4.6

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Green Home Systems offers a wide selection of name-brand rooftop panels and more inconspicuous solar roofing options. It’s one of the few companies that provide solar shingles and tiles in addition to panels. Green Home System’s catalog also includes several battery and backup generator selections that provide additional protection during emergencies.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Offers solar batteries and backup generator selections

Provides a large selection of solar panels to customize your system

Sells traditional panel systems plus advanced solar roofing options

Cons

Does not offer solar leasing or PPA options

Has less than 10 years of solar business experience

Third-party installers used for installations

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

Green Home Systems includes a 25-year product warranty and performance guarantee for its solar panels. Customers receive a 25-year power output warranty, 25-year component warranty, 10-year, 110-mph wind warranty with solar shingles. For solar tiles, you’ll receive a 25-year solar tile power output warranty, a 10-year component warranty, and a 10-year, 110-mph wind warranty.

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan

Reputation and Awards

With just six years in the solar industry, Green Home Systems is one of the youngest companies in this review. It prides itself on offering American-made solar products and accessories. Green Home Systems holds multiple certifications with SolarEdge and Enphase. The company also maintains a partnership with LG Solar as Platinum installers.

Green Home Systems holds a B+ rating and is accredited with the BBB. When reading reviews, we learned that homeowners appreciated the company’s accurate quotes and clear communication throughout the installation process but called out the overwhelming telemarketing calls.

State Availability

✔ 44% of the United States covered: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Customer Reviews

We’ve included a few customer reviews on Green Home Systems below:

“The solar experience has been excellent thus far. From the sales person to the contractor. They have taken great care of our property and the panels were installed with expertise. They have been helpful every step of the way and I am already seeing savings on my electric bill.” — Brad H. via BBB

“I have made customer service appointments 3 times this week and the customer service rep. has not called me back. I have not been able to find a valid email address or a phone number.” — Larry D. via BBB

Elevation

Best Energy-Efficient Upgrades

4.6

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Along with solar panels, Elevation provides full-home energy audits and upgrades to improve your energy efficiency and long-term savings. It is one of the few companies to complete both audits and upgrades with its own in-house staff. Elevation also sells Curb Energy monitoring equipment designed to track your home’s energy use, maximize solar panel production, and eliminate wasted energy.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Provides a full suite of home efficiency upgrades and solutions

Offers full-home assessment for energy efficiency improvements

Sells active energy monitoring for the entire home

Cons

Has issues with delayed installations and failed final activations, per online reviews

Limited customer support availability

Must pay more for extended warranty coverage

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

Elevation backs its solar systems with 25-year warranties for product and workmanship coverage.

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan

Reputation and Awards

Elevation has focused on providing a complete energy-efficiency experience for homeowners. The company received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Home Performance with Energy Star: Partner of the Year award in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Phoenix Business Journal’s Arizona Corporate Excellence (ACE) Awards named Elevation the 2019 Innovator of the Year. In 2020, the company received a Silver Stevie Award in the Customer Satisfaction Strategy category at the 14th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

Elevation holds accreditation with the BBB and currently has an A+ rating. Our review analysis revealed that homeowners appreciated the company’s efficient solar equipment and efficiency upgrades but voiced concerns over failed final inspections and installation process delays.

State Availability

✔ 10% of the United States covered: Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, Texas

Customer Reviews

Here’s a sample of homeowners’ experiences with Elevation:

“I had [Elevation] add insulation in the attic of my 19 year old house. They did a leak test on the duct system, sealed openings in the ductwork and around pipes going into the walls, and increased the insulation level from 6″ to 14″. The 3-man crew was very professional, friendly, and courteous.They showed me before and after pictures of the attic when they finished and did a very good job cleaning up. Excellent job for an excellent price.” — Don S. via BBB

“They are not delivering a system as promised in our contract. I was told I was getting a system capable of producing peak 7.2 kwh and it is only producing peak 3.5 kwh. I understand that it may produce less at times but it has never produced more than 3.5. Been on the phone with them over 40 times and have had little to no response. They promised to send someone out to check it but no one has shown. And they later canceled my inquiry. They won’t give me the time of day.” — Kendall W. via BBB

Palmetto

Best Customer Support

4.4

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Palmetto has a wide range of customer service options, such as phone, email, and online chat options, plus an online service request portal and library of troubleshooting resources. The company also offers tiered system protection plans and ongoing customer support via its app.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Gives access to customer support via email, chat, phone, and app

Offers a tiered system protection plan

Provides an online solar savings calculator to estimate potential savings

Cons

Limits its active monitoring services to three years

Shorter roof leak and workmanship coverage than other installers

Some online reviews mentioned permitting and installation delays

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

Palmetto’s warranty protection includes a 25-year panel warranty, 12-year inverter warranty, 10-year workmanship warranty, and five-year roof penetration warranty.

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan

Reputation and Awards

Palmetto Solar received the Most Forward-Thinking Contractor award in the 2022 edition of Solar Power World. Inc. recognized the company the same year with a Power Partner Award. Palmetto also aims to provide solar energy to underserved communities with its Get Solar, Give Solar program.

Palmetto Solar holds accreditation with the BBB and has an A+ rating. While reading online reviews, we noticed that homeowners praised Palmetto for its dedicated installation managers and quality systems but mentioned very long waiting periods for permitting, plus installation delays.

State Availability

✔ 34% of the United States covered: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia

Customer Reviews

Here’s what customers said about Palmetto Solar:

“Incredible service, everyone was so nice and they were very helpful and there was no pressure. They instilled them very fast and did an excellent job. [I] would recommend!” — Nick L. via BBB

“The worst solar company ever. Horrible customer service. No feedback ever. It can’t have anything done! The solar system was installed after 8 month after the entire project started and now it has been six month and it still not working. It has been my worst nightmare, I will not recommend Palmetto to anybody.” — Suselei M. via BBB

Tesla Solar

Best Solar Tech

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Available nationwide, Tesla is one of the few solar companies to provide potential customers with an up-front solar quote on its website. It offers a range of sleekly designed solar panels and shingles that blend into your existing roof. The company is also responsible for the Tesla Powerwall, one of the industry’s most popular solar batteries.