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6 Best Solar Companies in Tennessee (2024 Guide)

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Author Image Written by Tamara Jude Updated 11/06/2024

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Tennessee currently ranks No. 27 for solar installations in the United States. It receives 207 sunny days annually, making it an ideal place to harness the sun’s energy to power your home. 

Our team spent 50 hours vetting leading solar panel installers to find the best providers for Tennessee homeowners. We compared product specifications and warranties, spoke to customer service representatives, and read hundreds of reviews. Below is a roundup of our recommended solar companies, including regional and local options, plus guidance about what to expect during a solar consultation. 

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.

Tennessee’s Top Solar Energy Companies


Our Top Picks for Solar Panel Installation in TN

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.


Blue Raven Solar

Most Reputable
4.4
Pros and Cons
Pros 18 months of free solar energy No up-front installation cost Two-year production guarantee on system output Cons Doesn’t offer solar lease or PPA options Only available in 22 states
Warranty and Financing

Warranty options:

  • 25-year manufacturer warranty
  • Two-year production guarantee

Financing options:

  • Full purchase
  • Loan
States Available
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • North Carolina
  • Nevada
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • South Carolina
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Virginia
  • Washington

Learn More: Blue Raven Solar Review



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.


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.


What Are the Solar Incentives in Tennessee?

Tennessee offers fewer solar incentives compared to states with set clean energy goals. However, residents should still take advantage of available rebates, incentives, and credits to save money.

The federal solar tax credit allows you to claim 30% of your solar panel system costs on your federal taxes. This credit applies to several solar technology types, such as photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar roofing and shingles, and stand-alone solar batteries. All related racking, wiring, and system components are also eligible. Homeowners must legally own their solar energy system to qualify for this incentive. 

Tennessee offers the Green Energy Property Tax Assessment to reduce the additional property tax that typically comes with installing a solar system. Installing solar panels raises your home value, so your property taxes also increase. Under Tennessee law, this added home value is capped at 12.5% of the total system. This law differs from other states that eliminate added property tax entirely. It’s still a great benefit and is applied to your property tax bill automatically.

Many states offer net metering programs, allowing customers to send their excess energy to the grid in exchange for utility bill credits. Unfortunately, Tennessee doesn’t have a mandated statewide net metering program, and most statewide utility companies don’t offer them. However, many utility companies offer rebates and credits for other energy efficiency upgrades. For example, the Knoxville Utilities Board provides an electric vehicle (EV) charger rebate of up to $400 for installing a level 2 EV charger. 

You can review a complete list of available solar incentives on the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) website.


What Should You Look For in a Solar Company?

Consider the following features when comparing Tennessee’s top solar companies. 

Solar Services

Solar panel installations are completed by either in-house installers or third-party contractors. In-house teams have better communication and installation quality than third-party installers and may provide varied experiences. Third-party installers also create additional contact points, since they don’t work for the company directly. We recommend using solar companies that employ in-house teams to ensure a reliable and smooth installation process. 

Warranties and Power Production Guarantees

Most solar equipment includes two kinds of warranties: manufacturer and workmanship. A manufacturer (or product) warranty protects against manufacturing defects. A workmanship warranty protects against a poor or faulty installation. Most solar panels last 25 years, so consider solar installers that offer long-term warranties. Other equipment, such as inverters and solar batteries, also include warranty coverage, but it varies by manufacturer. 

Additional system protections include power production guarantees. This outlines your expected energy production and accounts for the panels’ gradual decline. Solar panels decline in output and efficiency by 0.5% annually. Some solar installers account for this panel degradation by creating production guarantees. If your panels fall below these outlined levels, the company will repair or replace the panels, or else offer monetary compensation for their poor performance. Coverage varies between companies, but top-rated panels include production guarantees of 25 years or longer. 

Payment Options

Your selected solar financing option impacts your long-term savings. Cash payments and solar loans have the best benefits. Both offer an excellent return on investment (ROI) and qualify you for incentives because you own the system. Loans require you to pay more overall due to interest rates, but you’ll reduce your up-front investment.

Panel ownership remains with the solar company for leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs), so you won’t qualify for incentives or increase your home value. These options only benefit homeowners who want electric bill savings without the commitment of system ownership. We recommended choosing a cash payment or solar loan to maximize your solar benefits.

Customer Support

A solid customer support team is crucial. These teams help customers throughout the solar process and provide post-activation support.

You can gauge the quality of a company’s support team in several ways. First, check each company’s website for their communication methods. Phone and email are the most common, but other options, such as online chat or text, are a plus. Some companies also include in-app correspondence to customer support and tech teams. In addition, check online reviews for mentions of delayed responses, unanswered calls, or poor communication.


How To Get a Solar Quote in Tennessee

We recommend requesting multiple quotes from potential companies to compare their services. We’ve outlined the typical steps to get a quote based on our mystery shopping experiences and conversations with solar installers. 

  1. Reach out to each company: Most installers offer online forms or phone numbers to begin the quote process. When using online forms, check for any agreements for automated calls or text messages before submitting. Based on our experience, some companies continue making automated calls for months after the initial form completion. If you decide to call in, you may speak with one or two reps before scheduling your appointment. We often spoke with one initial rep that verified our service area before being transferred to the sales department. 
  2. Set a consultation appointment: Depending on the company, you may have an in-person or virtual consultation. In-person appointments require a home visit and inspection. With online meetings, the rep will connect via video call to deliver their presentation. We recommend checking any system requirements for video calls and ensuring your smartphone, tablet, or computer meets the minimum requirements. 
  3. Have your utility bills ready: You’ll need your most recent energy bills available for consultations. Solar companies build their systems to meet your energy needs. As such, they’ll need to analyze your typical electricity use. Some companies request a recent bill, while others review several months to determine your annual energy fluctuations. We recommend having several monthly bills on hand for your consultation. 
  4. Assess your roof space: Consultants must review your roof design and available space to determine your solar project size. In-person inspections include checking for complex roof designs, gauging structural integrity, and mapping around any design elements, such as skylights or chimneys. The rep will also check for surrounding shading from tall objects or trees. Because solar panels require direct sunlight to function, panels must be placed in an obstruction-free area. If your property has too many trees, the rep may recommend tree removal before installation can begin. 
  5. Design your solar system: Using the information from the previous assessments, the solar company will design a system to match your needs. During this step, you’ll select your solar panel types, desired components, and add-on solutions, such as EV chargers and solar batteries. These choices will impact your final system costs. For example, higher-quality solar panels cost more but fewer are required. On the other hand, cheap solar panels have a lower price tag but produce less energy and require a larger installation. Your solar provider will offer recommendations based on your preferences and needs. 
  6. Review your final quote: The final quote and contacts will detail all system components and their associated costs. Your quote will also include any fees for permits, labor, and other paperwork needed for system approval. The solar installer should also include warranty coverage, financing options, and your estimated solar panel payback period. When we spoke with professional solar installers, they advised that all quotes should be very detailed and leave no room for hidden charges. We recommend asking your rep for an updated version if your initial quote is too vague.

Our Conclusion

We chose Freedom Solar Power as Tennessee’s top solar installation company due to their highly efficient solar panels and reliability.

We recommend requesting at least three quotes from potential companies and comparing their included warranty coverage, products, and solar services.


FAQ About Solar Companies in TN

Can you get solar panels for free in TN?

No, you cannot get free solar panels in TN. However, residents can use federal and state solar incentives to reduce installation costs, making a move to solar more affordable. 

Does Tennessee offer a solar tax credit?

No, Tennessee does not offer a state-level solar tax credit. However, homeowners can apply for the federal solar tax credit to receive up to 30% back from solar installation costs. 

Is it worth going solar in TN?

Yes, going solar is worth it in Tennessee thanks to the state’s solar incentives and the federal tax credit. The state property tax exemption allows homeowners to benefit from increased property value while reducing some of the property tax burdens. 

What is Tenensse’s rank in solar energy?

Tennessee ranks No. 27 in the nation for solar installations, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The state had 77,880 homes powered by electricity in 2022, with 0.97% of the state’s electricity use coming from solar power. 


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.