We may be compensated if you purchase through links on our website. Our team is committed to delivering honest, objective, and independent reviews on home products and services.More
solar panels on the roof of a south dakota home

3 Best Solar Companies in South Dakota (2024 Guide)

Get a quote from local solar energy experts

Join the 6,755 people who have received a free, no-obligation quote in the last 30 days

Invalid Zip Code
Enter details in under 3 minutes

Join the 6,755 people who have received a free, no-obligation quote in the last 30 days

Clicking “Get Your Estimate” submits your data to Home Service Quotes, which will process your data in accordance with the Home Service Quotes Privacy Policy.

Ad Disclaimer

Author Image Written by Tamara Jude Updated 12/09/2024

South Dakota generates most of its electricity from hydroelectricity and wind energy, but it falls short on solar energy use. Given that the state has an above-average number of sunny days per year, solar energy could be another invaluable resource for residents. Along with reducing your carbon footprint, solar energy helps reduce your energy costs. 

Our team spent more than 60 hours researching the top solar installers on both the state and national level. Learn about our picks for South Dakota’s best solar companies.


Compare Solar Energy Companies in South Dakota

Company Star Rating Warranties Payment Options Link
4.4
10–25 years Full purchase, loan GET QUOTE
4.2
25 years Full purchase, loan, lease GET QUOTE
4.4
25–30 years Full purchase, loan, lease, PPA GET QUOTE
4.5
10–25 years Full purchase, loan, lease, PPA GET QUOTE
No results were found.

South Dakota’s Top Solar Energy Companies

Most Reputable: Blue Raven Solar
Best Northeast Regional Installer: Venture Solar
Best East Coast Installer: Solar Energy World
Best Solar Panel Leasing: Sunrun

Our Top Picks for Solar Panels in South Dakota

Blue Raven Solar

4.4

Blue Raven Solar 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.

Out of all solar brands in the market, 6.5% of our survey respondents chose Blue Raven.

How We Scored Blue Raven Solar

Blue Raven received 4.4 out of 5 stars according to our rating system. The company scored the most points for its customer service reputation and warranty coverage. It also earned points for providing all standard solar panel services but lost some due to its limited financing options and lack of roof leak coverage.

  • Solar Equipment and Services (18 out of 25 points): Blue Raven offers solar panel and battery installation, active monitoring services, and energy audits. However, it doesn’t offer solar roofs, EV chargers, or additional roofing services. 
  • Warranty and Performance Guarantees (22 out of 25 points): The company offers top-of-the-line warranties, including a 25-year workmanship warranty. The company earned points fo providing a performance guarantee, but its guarantee is shorter than many other providers. However, it doesn’t provide any roof leak coverage. 
  • Brand Reputation and Professional Certifications (13 out of 15 points): Blue Raven has high customer review ratings on its BBB profile and other popular review sites. The company uses in-house installers but doesn’t ensure they’re NABCEP-certified, which made it lose some points in this category.
  • Financing Options (12 out of 15 points): Blue Raven offers some of the best in-house financing of the companies this list, but it limits this financing to solar loans. You may want to consider a different provider, such as Sunrun, if you’re looking for a lease or PPA.
  • Industry Experience (7 out of 10 points): Blue Raven has less experience than other providers, with only 10 years in the industry.
  • State Availability (7 out of 10 points): The company limits its service area to 19 states.

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

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

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan

State Availability

Available in: Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington

Reputation and Reviews

Blue Raven has won numerous awards from Comparably, a site known for its company culture and reputation reviews. It also ranked No. 20 on Glassdoor’s Best Place to Work in the USA in 2021.

Blue Raven is accredited by the BBB and currently holds an A+ rating. We noted that customers praised the knowledgeable staff and prompt installation but cited poor communication after completing projects. We analyzed several consumer reviews and found that some of these issues stem from the company’s financing department and third-party installers.

Read our review of Blue Raven Solar for more information.

Venture Solar

4.2

Venture Solar specializes in installing systems that are perfectly symmetrical and have no visible wiring or mounting devices. This design provides a simple, stylish look tailored to your roof’s appearance. Additionally, Venture offers comprehensive financing options similar to Sunrun, making solar energy more accessible to homeowners.

How We Scored Venture Solar

Venture earned 4.2 out of 5 stars. It gained most of its points due to its flexible financing options paired with an in-house financing department. It also provides plenty of solar services to match most customers’ wants and needs, though it lost points for lacking roofing services, energy audits, and EV charger installations. 

  • Solar Equipment and Services (16 out of 25 points): Venture offers solar panel and battery installation with active monitoring. The company lost points in this category because it doesn’t provide EV chargers, solar roof installation services, energy audits, and roof repairs.
  • Warranty and Performance Guarantees (25 out of 25 points): The company features excellent warranty perks with 25 years on labor, products, and performance. It also includes roof leak protection. 
  • Brand Reputation and Professional Certifications (13 out of 15 points): Venture has a great reputation. It features high ratings on its BBB profile with an accreditation and no active issues like lawsuits.
  • Financing Options (14 out of 15 points): Venture provides financing options through an in-house financing team and works with every payment method except PPAs. 
  • Industry Experience (7 out of 10 points): The company holds only eight years of experience in the solar industry.
  • State Availability (7 out of 10 points): Venture has a limited service area of only three states.

Pros and Cons

Pros Provides transparent information about its financing options online Includes remote monitoring Includes a 25-year roof and system warranty with all panel systems Cons Requires your phone number to submit an online quote Reviews mention mixed experiences with customer support Doesn’t work with power purchase agreement

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

Venture offers a 25-year bumper-to-bumper warranty that covers workmanship, products, and power output. 

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan
✔ Lease

State Availability

Available in: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York.

Reputation and Reviews

Venture has an A+ rating and accreditation on its BBB profile. According to customer reviews, the company provides high-quality workmanship on its solar panel systems and good customer support. However, some customers have raised concerns about the pricing and quoting process. They found it confusing to determine the total cost of their system and experienced frequent back-and-forth over pricing.

Some customers also noted that Venture focuses on premium products, leading to higher pricing even when unnecessary. We found several Reddit threads discussing Venture where other solar customers and installers mentioned similar experiences.

Solar Energy World

4.4

Solar Energy World (SEW) is one of the most robust and well-regarded solar installation companies. It boasts several impressive features, such as its 30-year manufacturer’s warranty. Its service area is limited, and it doesn’t offer energy auditing services. We like that SEW discloses what solar panels it primarily works with and that the panels are from trusted, quality brands such as Qcells and Silfab.

Roughly 11% of our surveyed solar users purchased their system from Solar Energy World.

How We Scored Solar Energy World

SEW scored 4.4 out of 5 stars according to our methodology. The company received many points because of its warranty, which is longer than most other solar companies’ warranties. SEW offers a 30-year manufacturer’s warranty on all its solar panels and inverters, whereas many providers only offer 25-year warranties.

  • Solar Equipment and Services (18 out of 25 points): The company is an ideal option for many basic solar products and services, such as solar panels and battery installation. It lost points because it doesn’t install EV chargers or perform energy audits.
  • Warranty and Performance Guarantees (19 out of 25 points): SEW’s manufacturer and labor warranties are standout features, but the company doesn’t include any production guarantees with its work. 
  • Brand Reputation and Professional Certifications (15 out of 15 points): The company’s reputation is one of the best, with high BBB and Google Reviews ratings. We also found no active alerts or lawsuits.
  • Financing Options (13.5 out of 15 points): SEW offers all possible solar payment options but doesn’t provide an in-house financing department. 
  • Industry Experience (8 out of 10 points): The company has been in business since 2009, so it received most of the points in this category.
  • State Availability (6 out of 10 points): SEW limits its service area to eight East Coast states.

Pros and Cons

Pros Features an extensive solar product catalog with trusted brands Includes free active monitoring Hires NABCEP-certified installers and designers Cons Reviews mention communication issues with staff Warranty coverage varies by solar panel brand Doesn’t offer a power production guarantee

Warranty and Financing

Warranty

SEW offers a 30-year manufacturer’s warranty on all purchased solar panels and inverters. However, coverage varies by brand, and the company doesn’t guarantee them with every panel option. 

Financing Options

✔ Full purchase
✔ Loan
✔ Lease
✔ PPA

State Availability

Available in: Washington, D.C, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia

Reputation and Reviews

The company landed on Solar Power World’s 2023 Top Solar Contractors List in the No. 10 spot.

The BBB accredits SEW, and the company holds an A+ rating. Former customers praise the company for its professionalism, assistance with applying for financial incentives, and smooth installation process. However, some reported discrepancies in finances and scheduling.

Sunrun

4.5

We like Sunrun for its four financing options, including its unique leasing options if you don’t want to own your system. This stands out to us because the other companies on this list don’t offer as many options.

Prepaid and leased systems also include a 25-year warranty with system service and maintenance, ongoing monitoring, and theft insurance. The company even offers financing plans for quality monocrystalline solar panels and products from trusted brands such as LG.

How We Scored Sunrun

Sunrun earned 4.4 out of 5 stars based on our methodology. The company gained many points for its positive reputation, comprehensive leasing options, and well-rounded warranty coverage. It lost some points for is limited service selection.

  • Solar Equipment and Services (15 out of 25 points): Sunrun provides solar panel and battery installation but uses third-party installers. Though this is becoming an industry standard, in-house installers typically yield better communication and quality. The company also doesn’t provide roofing services or energy audits but does offer quality active monitoring assistance. 
  • Warranty and Performance Guarantees (19 out of 25 points): Sunrun offers quality warranties, such as its 25-year manufacturer and labor warranty, but doesn’t include a performance guarantee. 
  • Brand Reputation and Professional Certifications (13 out of 15 points): Sunrun has one of the higher customer BBB ratings we’ve encountered, and the company maintains an overall positive customer reputation online.
  • Financing Options (13.5 out of 15 points): The company doesn’t offer any in-house financing but provides more warranty coverage for customers interested in solar leasing than other providers, such as Palmetto.
  • Industry Experience (9 out of 10 points): Sunrun holds 17 years of experience in the solar industry, making it a veteran compared to a newer company such as Blue Raven Solar.
  • State Availability (8 out of 10 points): The company only serves 18 states.

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
PPA

State Availability

Available in: 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.

Reputation and Reviews

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 from the BBB and is accredited. Former customers praised the comprehensive coverage for leased systems but complained about delayed installations, poor customer service, and poor communication with project managers. Additionally, some customers note being confused by Sunrun’s leasing and PPA options, though they also mention Sunrun is willing to discuss and clarify these plans.

Note: In July 2024, SunPower notified dealers it would be halting all new shipments and project installations. The company also noted it would “no longer be supporting new Leases and PPA sales nor new project installations of these financing options.


Does South Dakota Provide Solar Incentives?

South Dakota offers very limited solar incentives for homeowners. The federal solar tax credit offers the best savings on solar panel costs. Homeowners receive 30% off installation charges for qualifying solar panel equipment, such as roofing and solar batteries. You must own your solar system to qualify for the federal tax credit. 

State-level incentives include the Renewable Energy System Exemption. This policy offers a property tax exemption for solar systems. Although adding a solar system increases home value, it also increases property tax. This incentive reduces those added taxes but does not eliminate them completely. South Dakota’s policy offers an exemption for the first $50,000 or 70% of the assessed solar system value, whichever is greater. This exemption applies to all solar systems up to 5 megawatts (MW) capacity. 

Although not mandated statewide, South Dakota electric companies offer net-metering programs. Homeowners can send back excess energy in exchange for energy bill credits. These credits remain on your account and help offset future electricity rates. Homeowners should contact their utility company for more details on net-metering and interconnection options. 

South Dakota offers additional rebates for energy efficiency upgrades and solar-powered appliances. Residents should check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) for additional areawide solar and efficiency incentives.


What Should You Look For in a Solar Company?

Compare the following services and benefits when shopping for solar installation companies. 

Solar Services

Providers complete their solar panel installations with in-house installers or third-party contractors. Since in-house installers work directly for the solar provider, they maintain better installation quality and better communication throughout the process. Third-party installers increase your chances of a faulty installation since teams vary in different areas. Communication is divided between the third-party team and the providers, leading to more miscommunication and possible delays. We recommend using installers with in-house teams.  

Some solar companies offer services to help keep your system running smoothly. These services include solar monitoring and dedicated apps that offer panel performance insight. They may also offer home upgrade services. Here are some common solar and home services offered by providers: 

  • Dedicated mobile app or web portal
  • Electrical services 
  • Energy efficiency audits
  • Energy monitoring equipment
  • Roofing services
  • Smart home upgrades
  • Solar system monitoring

Warranties

Solar panel systems warranties should last as long as the average panel life span of 25 years. We found that top-quality home panels have 25 years or longer of coverage, while cheaper solar panels offer 15 years or less. You’ll receive one or more coverage types with your solar system. Below are the most common warranty types:

  • Manufacturer’s (or product) warranty: This plan protects your system against manufacturing defects. 
  • Workmanship (or labor) warranty: This warranty covers any installation-related problems. 
  • Power performance guarantee: This coverage includes an estimated timeline of your panels’ performance through their warranty period and offers replacements or repair options if panels fail to meet specifications. 

Warranty coverage, length, and availability vary between solar installation companies. Check each company’s included coverage to find the best protections.

Payment Options

Most solar companies offer two or more solar financing options. Certain options offer more benefits than others. For example, cash payments and solar loans provide the best return on investment (ROI) and grant you full system ownership. Most solar incentives, such as the federal tax credit, require legal ownership as a qualification. We’ve outlined the most common financing options below:

  • Up-front (or cash) payments: You pay the full up-front costs for your solar system. 
  • Solar loans: You’ll make an initial down payment, then continue monthly payments with added interest for a certain time frame. 
  • Solar leases: Homeowners rent their solar system from the provider. 
  • Power purchase agreements (PPAs): You pay only for your monthly solar energy use,  not the system.

With solar leases and PPAs, system ownership remains with the provider which disqualifies you from solar incentives. We don’t recommend leasing options unless you have no interest in owning your solar system. Instead, you should choose up-front payments or solar loans to maximize your savings potential.

Customer Support

After reading solar company reviews, we discovered that some customers had issues reaching their company’s customer support team. We recommend looking for solar installers who offer several customer service communication options. Your chosen solar company should offer one or more of the following contact options:

  • Email 
  • Phone
  • In-app communications
  • Online chat
  • Online forms
  • Text messaging 

Check third-party customer reviews for any complaints about unreturned calls, delayed responses, or unfriendly customer service reps.


How To Get a Solar Quote in South Dakota

Request quotes from multiple solar installers and compare pricing, equipment options, warranty coverage, and services. Our below guide gives a general overview of the typical solar quote and consultation process. 

  1. Schedule a consultation: Contact each installer for an in-person or virtual consultation. Plan for two hours for each appointment. 
  2. Find your latest electric bill: Solar installers use your utility bill to determine your energy needs and final solar project. Have your latest bill available for your appointments.  
  3. Assess your roof design: Each installer will perform an in-person or virtual roof assessment to determine available space, structural integrity, and design limitations. Since some solar panel types require more room, the consultant will find the ideal location for your solar arrays. 
  4. Design your PV system: The solar provider will design your new system based on the previous assessments. During this step, you can choose your preferred solar panel brands, inverters, and system components, plus add any accessories including energy storage or electric vehicle (EV) chargers. 
  5. Review the final quote: You’ll receive an itemized quote detailing your full system costs, labor charges, and warranty details. You’ll also receive your financing options and estimated payback period. Compare each quote before selecting your preferred solar installer.

Our Conclusion

Our team picked Genpro Energy Solutions as South Dakota’s top solar company. The company offers high efficiency solar panels and reliable support. Tesla also offers a variety of high-end solar roofing and solar shingle options.

Remember to request free quotes from at least three solar installers to find the right company for your solar conversion.

Other South Dakota Home Service Resources


FAQ About Solar Companies in SD

Is South Dakota good for solar energy?

Yes, South Dakota is good for solar energy thanks to its sunny environment. The state receives 213 sunny days annually, which is higher than the national average of 205. Since solar panels work best in sunny conditions, South Dakota residents will maximize their energy savings. Although the state offers few cost-saving incentives, going solar is worth it in South Dakota. 

What is the largest solar farm in SD?

The Wild Springs Solar Project in Pennington County is the largest solar farm in South Dakota. The solar farm produces 128-MW of solar energy once it begins operation in 2023. This project will save more than 190,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by running on clean energy. 

Does South Dakota have net metering?

Yes, South Dakota does have net metering, but the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) doesn’t mandate its availability throughout the state. Only certain utility companies offer the program to residents. Check with your local utility company for net metering availability. 

How many solar companies are there in SD?

There are 14 solar companies in South Dakota, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. 


Our Rating Methodology

We are committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. After over a thousand hours of research on solar companies, interviews with experts, and common customer needs, we’ve created a detailed rating system for solar providers based on six factors:

  • Solar equipment, installation, and services (25%)
  • Warranty and performance guarantees (25%)
  • Brand reputation and certifications (15%)
  • Financing options (15%)
  • Experience (10%)
  • Availability (10%)

Total scores are divided by 20 for a final 5-point rating scale.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.