- Why We Picked It: Sunrun has flexible financing, including two options for lease customers: a full lease and a monthly lease. Both plans come with free maintenance, monitoring, and insurance.
Pennsylvania may rank 23rd for solar power in the United States, but it’s poured a surprising amount of resources into the solar industry. According to the Solar Energy Information Association, the Keystone State has invested more than $2.6 billion into solar energy as of 2022, and there have been nearly 45,000 total solar installations in the state.
As the solar industry continues to grow, now is a good time for homeowners from Harrisburg to Philadelphia to consider transitioning to clean energy. The This Old House Reviews Team has researched the top-rated solar energy companies in the United States and narrowed this list down to the top providers in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania’s Top Solar Energy Companies:
- Sunrun: Best Solar Panel Leasing
- Palmetto Solar: Best Customer Support
- Green Home Systems: Best Solar Roofs
- Trinity Solar: Best Certified Installer
- Momentum Solar:Best Solar Panel Installation
Compare Solar Companies Across PA
Star Rating | Superlative | Location Presence | BBB Rating | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SunPower |
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4.8/5
|
Best High-Efficiency System | 50 States | A+ | Get Quote |
Momentum |
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4.4/5
|
Best Solar Panel Installation | 11 States | A+ | Get Quote |
Sunrun |
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4.4/5
|
Best Solar Panel Leasing | 20 States | A+ | Get Quote |
Palmetto |
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4.4/5
|
Best Customer Support | 24 States | A+ | Get Quote |
Trinity |
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4.2/5
|
Best Certified Installer | 9 States | A+ | Get Quote |
Green Home Systems |
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4.6/5
|
Best Solar Roofs | 10 States | A+ | Get Quote |
Tesla Solar |
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4/5
|
Best Solar Tech | 50 States | NR | Get Quote |
SunPower | |
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Logo |
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Star Rating |
4.8/5
|
Superlative | Best High-Efficiency System |
Location Presence | 50 States |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Momentum | |
---|---|
Logo |
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Star Rating |
4.4/5
|
Superlative | Best Solar Panel Installation |
Location Presence | 11 States |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Sunrun | |
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Logo |
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Star Rating |
4.4/5
|
Superlative | Best Solar Panel Leasing |
Location Presence | 20 States |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Palmetto | |
---|---|
Logo |
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Star Rating |
4.4/5
|
Superlative | Best Customer Support |
Location Presence | 24 States |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Trinity | |
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Logo |
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Star Rating |
4.2/5
|
Superlative | Best Certified Installer |
Location Presence | 9 States |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Green Home Systems | |
---|---|
Logo |
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Star Rating |
4.6/5
|
Superlative | Best Solar Roofs |
Location Presence | 10 States |
BBB Rating | A+ |
Tesla Solar | |
---|---|
Logo |
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Star Rating |
4/5
|
Superlative | Best Solar Tech |
Location Presence | 50 States |
BBB Rating | NR |
Our Top Solar Company Picks for Pennsylvania
Sunrun begins the installation process with a virtual consultation that includes the company’s Automated Site Modeling tool. This program can design a system that fits your home perfectly while maximizing solar energy production.
Sunrun doesn’t provide much information about its products online, other than it offers the popular Tesla Powerwall battery. However, you can use the website’s product selector to look at options that may work with your home.
One of Sunrun’s unique offerings is its comprehensive bumper-to-bumper warranty, which covers parts and labor if anything breaks within the first 10 years of ownership. This guarantee also covers roof leaks or holes. The company’s leases come with insurance coverage for theft or damage.
- Why We Picked It: Palmetto Solar has excellent customer service and comprehensive offerings. In addition to solar panel installation, Palmetto provides pest abatement, panel cleaning, and roofing services.
Palmetto Solar offers an online calculator that allows you to estimate your potential solar savings by inputting your address and average electric bill. The company claims its Pennsylvania customers save an average of $13,455 over 25 years.
Palmetto has multiple customer support options via phone, email, or online chat. It provides a 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance guarantee. Though the company doesn’t include pricing on its website, it says its Pennsylvania systems are available for as little as $85 per month via loan.
Palmetto also offers a unique Protection Plan to customers and non-customers alike. The plan comes with system monitoring, detailed performance reports, regular inspections, and support.
- Why We Picked It: Green Home Systems offers a variety of high-quality solar panels, inverters, batteries, and optimizers. The company specializes in solar roofing systems.
Green Home Systems designs state-of-the-art residential solar systems backed by strong warranties anywhere from 10 to 25 years. In addition to solar panels, the company offers high-tech solar roof shingles and tiles, which function as solar panels but blend in more seamlessly with your roof. It also sells backup generators to keep your home’s electrical system up and running.
Though Green Home Systems has only been around since 2017, it has many positive customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
- Why We Picked It: Trinity Solar has 28 years of experience in the solar industry, the longest of any company on our list. It has installed more than 77,000 solar power systems across nine states.
Trinity Solar has a decades-long history of serving solar customers. It offers high-quality solar panels from Q Cells plus dependable solar panel batteries from top-name brands, including Tesla and Generac. It also performs installations directly.
Trinity Solar offers different warranties for each of its four payment options. Customers who purchase their systems receive a 5-year workmanship warranty. Those who select a lease get workmanship coverage through the end of their contract. All customers get a 25-year equipment warranty.
- Why We Picked It: Momentum Solar is user-friendly, making it perfect for homeowners new to solar. The company has a full-service, in-house installation process and takes care of everything from design to applying for incentives.
Momentum Solar designs, installs, monitors, and maintains solar energy systems. A representative will walk you through every step of the process, including handling permitting paperwork and helping you apply for cost-saving solar incentives.
The company also frequently updates its blog with educational information and provides an interactive mobile app for system monitoring. It offers a 25-year warranty on its panels and four financing options: full purchase, loan, lease, and power purchase agreement (PPA).
Most companies offer at least two of these options. A full purchase means buying your system in one lump sum, while a loan involves paying a monthly rate toward ownership, including interest. A lease allows you to rent your system, while a PPA allows you to pay for only the energy you use, similar to an electric bill. Both a lease and PPA have little to no up-front costs but disqualify you from accessing incentives.
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Solar Incentives in Pennsylvania
Solar panels are expensive, but there are federal, state, and local programs that can reduce solar panel installation costs. Here are the key solar incentives available to Pennsylvania homeowners.
- Federal tax credit: The federal tax credit, also called the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), allows you to receive a tax deduction equal to 30% of your solar installation costs. This rate will reduce to 26% in 2033.
- Net-metering: Some Pennsylvania utility companies have net-metering programs that allow you to sell the excess energy your system produces back to the utility company for credit on your future bills. The Pennsylvania Electric Company (PECO) offers such a program.
- Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Credit program: The Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Credit Program provides credits for specific amounts of energy produced by your system that can be sold to the state or businesses looking to invest in clean energy. Prices for these credits vary.
Our Conclusion
Several national solar companies serve Pennsylvania in addition to regional providers, such as Exact Solar. The right installer for you will ultimately depend on your specific home, energy needs, and priorities, but the companies on this list are a good place to start. We recommend requesting at least three quotes from different providers before deciding.
FAQs About Solar Companies in Pennsylvania
There are many benefits of going solar in Pennsylvania. You can save money on your electric bills, reduce your carbon footprint, and become energy independent. You may even be able to earn money through incentives and programs. Check with your municipality and utility provider for more information.
It’s possible to get free or low-cost solar panels in Pennsylvania if you qualify for certain programs, such as the Commonwealth Solar Rebate Program, the PA Sunshine Program, and the Allegheny County Solar Program.
The average cost to install residential solar panels in Pennsylvania ranges from about $2.59 to $3.51 per watt. Most homes require a 5- to 8-kilowatt system, totaling $12,950 to $28,080 before any rebates or tax credits.
Pennsylvania doesn’t offer a state tax credit for solar, but several utility companies offer net-metering programs, and the state will buy back alternative energy credits for the excess power you produce. Pennsylvania residents are also eligible for the federal solar tax credit, which provides a federal tax deduction equal to 30% of your solar installation costs for systems installed between 2022 and 2032.
Our Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team is 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.