What Is The Highest Rated Solar Company In California?

Solar energy has seen tremendous growth in California over the past decade. Favorable weather conditions, declining costs, and state incentives have made residential solar installations increasingly popular. Today, solar accounts for over 15% of California’s electricity generation and over 1 million homes have rooftop solar panels.

With so many options, homeowners seeking to go solar often wonder – who is the highest rated solar company in California? This article examines the major solar companies operating in California and identifies the top rated provider based on industry data and consumer reviews.

Table of Contents

California’s Solar Market

California has experienced massive growth in residential solar installations over the past decade. Favorable weather conditions, high electricity rates, and robust state incentives have made the state a leader in rooftop solar adoption.

As of 2022, California had over 1.3 million residential solar installations, accounting for over 40% of all U.S. residential solar. This is more than any other state in the country.

Industry experts project strong continued growth for California’s residential solar market. Annual installations are forecast to increase by 15-20% over the next 5 years. Key factors fueling this growth include rising energy costs, consumer preference for clean energy, and decreasing solar system costs.

California’s dominance in rooftop solar adoption looks likely to continue thanks to these ongoing supportive conditions. The state is expected to further solidify its position as the number one residential solar market in the coming years.

Top Solar Companies

Some of the major solar companies operating in California include SunPower, Tesla, NRG, Sunrun, and Vivint Solar according to sources like MarketWatch and OhmHome.

In 2016, the top residential solar market share in California was: Tesla at 25%, Vivint Solar at 8%, and Sunrun at 5% according to OhmHome. More recently in 2023, the top national solar companies operating in California include NRG, SunPower, Tesla, and Sunrun according to CNET.

These major solar companies offer a range of services including solar panel installation, system design, financing options, battery storage, and monitoring. Their offerings allow homeowners to go solar with little to no upfront costs in some cases.

Rating Criteria

Determining the best solar company requires looking at several key factors that indicate quality, value, and customer satisfaction. According to SolarReviews.com how solar companies are rated, some of the top considerations include:

Customer reviews and satisfaction ratings

Quality of products and installation
Pricing and cost competitiveness
Warranty offerings

Company reputation and experience

Customer reviews provide crucial insight into real world experiences with a solar company. High satisfaction levels across many customers is a strong sign. Quality of the solar products and installation workmanship also matters for system performance and lifespan. Competitive pricing combined with quality allows a company to provide strong overall value.

Robust warranties on products and workmanship give customers protection. Longer warranties often indicate greater confidence in quality. Finally, an experienced company with a strong reputation has demonstrated ability to deliver excellent customer service over years in the industry.

Data Sources

When determining the highest rated solar companies in California, there are a few key data sources to examine. Sites like SolarReviews and EnergySage compile ratings and reviews from thousands of homeowners who have installed solar panels. They analyze stats like customer satisfaction, company reputation, quality of installations, pricing and savings delivered. The Better Business Bureau is another important source for solar company reviews and ratings based on factors like transparency, responsiveness to complaints, and ethical business practices. Industry experts also provide analysis on leading solar companies in California by scrutinizing their service offerings, technologies utilized, customer support and more.

Focusing on these credible third-party analysis and vetted customer reviews ensures the highest rated solar company data is based on real world experiences from verified customers, as well as assessments from solar industry analysts. This avoids potential biases from only examining first-party data the solar companies self-report. Examining the consolidated ratings and reviews from these authoritative sources provides the most accurate and in-depth view of the top performing solar companies in California.

#1 Solar Company Rating in California

Based on an analysis of customer reviews, quality of service, pricing, and overall company reputation, the highest rated solar company in California is Sunrun.

Sunrun has earned exceptionally positive ratings across major consumer review platforms. On SolarReviews, they have a near perfect score of 4.8 out of 5 based on over 5,000 customer reviews. They maintain an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau with over 1,300 reviews. And on Google, they have over 15,000 reviews averaging 4.8 out of 5 stars.

What makes Sunrun stand out is their commitment to providing an excellent customer experience. They take the time to understand each customer’s unique needs and design custom solar solutions. Their installations are handled by experienced teams who are experts at optimizing system production. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance ensures that systems continue performing at peak capacity for years to come.

With affordable pricing, outstanding service, and proven expertise, it’s no surprise that Sunrun is the #1 customer rated solar company across California.

Company Profile

Sunrun Inc is the highest rated solar company in California. Founded in 2007 by Edward Fenster and Lynn Jurich, Sunrun is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Sunrun started off as a solar lease provider, offering residential solar panel systems with little to no upfront costs through leasing and power purchase agreements (PPAs). This helped expand access to rooftop solar across the U.S. The company went public in 2015 and has since expanded into solar sales, solar loans, home solar + storage systems, and virtual power plant services.

Today, Sunrun is one of the largest residential solar and storage companies in the U.S., operating in 22 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. As of Q3 2021, the company had over 550,000 customers and deployed over 4 gigawatts of solar energy. Sunrun aims to provide homeowners affordable, reliable, clean energy through solar and batteries, while building a more resilient grid.

Sources:
https://www.sunrun.com/about
https://www.globaldata.com/company-profile/sunrun-inc/

Offerings & Pricing

SunPower offers a wide range of solar panel options including their premium X-Series and P-Series panels which are known for their high efficiency and superior performance (MarketWatch). Customers can choose between all-black or silver backing panels. SunPower uses proprietary Maxeon solar cells with a 25% efficiency rating, compared to 15-22% for standard panels.

For a typical 6kW system, SunPower offers custom package pricing starting at around $25,000-$30,000 before incentives according to CNET. However, exact pricing is dependent on your specific home, energy usage, and location. Every SunPower solar system is custom-designed for each home. The company offers a solar savings guarantee, promising at least 100% of your energy needs will be met by their system.

Customer Reviews

Palmetto Solar has overwhelmingly positive customer reviews on multiple third-party sites. According to SolarReviews, Palmetto Solar maintains a near-perfect score of 4.9 out of 5 from over 800 reviews. Customers praise the company for its responsive customer service, transparent pricing, and high-quality installation work.

On Trustpilot, Palmetto Solar has a ‘Great’ rating of 4.8 out of 5 based on over 1,500 reviews. Positive feedback centers around timely communication, satisfactory work, and a smooth installation process. Some critiques mention occasional minor delays or hiccups in communication, but most describe these issues as quickly resolved.

Overall, customers seem very satisfied with Palmetto Solar, highlighting the company’s commitment to customer service alongside expertise in solar panel system design and installation. While no company is perfect, the few minor complaints seem relatively infrequent and are outweighed by effusive praise.

Conclusion

In reviewing the top solar companies in California, Sunrun emerges as the highest rated option based on industry awards, customer satisfaction, quality of service, pricing, and more. With an A+ BBB rating, Sunrun stands out for its flexible financing options, professional installation, and reliable customer support. While ratings provide an overview of company strengths, individual needs may vary. Those seeking maximum cost savings may prioritize pricing over customer service or desire different contract terms than Sunrun provides. However, for most California homeowners and businesses, Sunrun offers a compelling solar solution. Their mix of competitive pricing, industry expertise, and outstanding reputation makes them a frontrunner in California’s solar market.