Should I Lease or Buy Solar Panels?

Should I Purchase Batteries?

Solar Roof Shingles vs. Panels

Costs and Savings of Solar

Choosing the Best Solar Company for You

Which Solar Panels are Best for Me?

Tesla

Tesla purchased and incorporated SolarCity into its company in 2016, combining Tesla’s state of the art technology with SolarCity’s locality and customer service. The firm hires qualified professionals from the regions where it installs equipment to stimulate the local economy and generate more jobs. Tesla serves over half of the states in the United States, including Utah.

Some of the available services from the firm including property evaluation for solar viability, the custom design of each energy system, and the full installation and maintenance of equipment. Interested individuals can also request the installation of products like the Powerwall, which stores unused energy for later.

Tesla can be reached through its website at https://www.tesla.com/energy.

GRID Alternatives

GRID Alternatives offers services which range from being low-cost to free. The firm hires qualified employees and technicians who can evaluate a property, determine its viability for solar energy, design a custom system, and then install all of the equipment. The company primarily works with families on fixed or low incomes and uses state of the art equipment for all of its systems.

The firm partners with more than 100 community colleges and job training programs to additionally help interested individuals find jobs in the solar energy industry. People can also sign up with GRID Alternatives to undergo job training with the firm.

GRID Alternatives can be reached through its website at https://gridalternatives.org/ or its phone number 510-731-1310.

Sunrun

Sunrun hires qualified employees to perform services like property evaluation, helping customers with permitting and paperwork, the design of customized solar energy systems, and full equipment installation. Interested clients can also request the installation of extra devices such as the Brightbox, which stores unused energy for a later date.

Interested individuals can request free quotes from the company which include the costs of labor and supplies. People can also sign up for different payment plans and have the option of either owning their solar energy system outright or having the main ownership (and cost) to be in Sunrun’s capable hands.

Sunrun can be reached through its website at https://www.sunrun.com/solar-by-state/ut or its phone number 1-844-321-6937.

Vivint

Vivint began as a home security systems company and gradually transitioned to solar to help people save money by switching to a more affordable form of energy. The company strives to hire local employees whenever possible and serves many states in the country, including locations like Utah.

Some of the available services from Vivint include property evaluation to determine whether solar power is a realistic option, system customization, full equipment installation, and regular maintenance on the photovoltaic solar panels installed by the company. The firm offers free quotes to interested individuals, and these include the costs of equipment and labor.

In 2016, Vivint was named #2 on Solar Power World’s Top 500 Solar Contractors in North America list.

Vivint can be reached through its website at https://www.vivintsolar.com/ or its phone number 877-404-4129.

Manwill Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning

Four generations of Manwills have continued to grow the family business since founder Vearl Manwill began selling carbide lanterns by horseback in 1920. Today, Manwill is a licensed solar contractor providing installation, maintenance, and upgrade services, in addition to efficient solar hot water, HVAC, and plumbing systems. Manwill’s technicians have decades of combined experience, and participate in regular training sessions. As a result, the company won Angie’s List Super Service Award eight times, and Utah’s Best of State award five times.

Manwill is an exclusive distributor of rugged solar panels manufactured by Lennox Solar Solutions, which has more than a century of experience in designing innovative and efficient power systems and appliances. Customers can monitor system output by day, week, month, and the life of the system through the Web.

The company’s longevity, reputation, suite of home improvement services, and 24-hour repair service make it an excellent choice for homeowners looking for a contractor they can rely on for decades.

Manwill Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning can be reached through its website at manwill.net, or by phone at (801) 262-4671.

Auric Solar

Based in Salt Lake City, Auric recently completed Utah’s largest solar system, a 2,020 kilowatt system that provides 73% of Rio Tinto Stadium’s power. It also earned a spot on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 fastest-growing companies in the United States.

Auric’s NABCEP-certified PV professionals install equipment made in North America, and provide a 10-year warranty on the installation work. Customers can purchase a system for zero down and pay nothing for a full year—a unique model that allows them to collect on tax credits before beginning a payment plan. After the year is up, they can pay off the system entirely or begin monthly installments.

For every 100kW Auric installs, it donates 1kW to a nonprofit. The company also encourages employees to donate their time to worthy causes. They were particularly surprised when HGTV’s Property Brothers stopped by an Auric/TreeUtah planting event in late 2016. Auric received an even bigger honor when its Chief of Design and Installation was invited to join a meeting with President Obama during his 2015 visit to Utah.

Auric Solar holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It can be reached through its website at auricsolar.com, or by phone at (801) 878-3363.

Solcius

Customers pay for the power the system produces, rather than the panels themselves. That means homeowners can get started for zero down, and typically pay a lower rate than what their current utility charges. The company says that most of its customers end up paying 20-30% less their current rates, or $800 per year. The calculator on the Solcius website shows how much you’ll save in the first year and over a 20-year period, based on your current electric bill. While leases are also an option, Solcius does not sell solar panels outright.

The firm claims to have the fastest installation time in the solar industry. The typical installation takes one month, from the initial consultation to system activation.

Solcius warranties roof surfaces within three feet of the solar panels, and monitors each new system remotely for 90 days to ensure a successful installation. It also provides free maintenance.

Solcius holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It can be reached through its website at solcius.com, or by phone at (800) 960-4150.

Vision Solar

Relatives Matt and Dave Rasmussen co-founded this full-service solar company in Provo in 2013. Their experience in management and operations leadership drove the company’s growth early, and it now provides residential solar installation services across a total of seven states. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Bloomberg Business have all featured Vision Solar.

The firm claims to provide one of the fastest solar installation experiences in the industry. It uses its own technicians rather than subcontracting the work out, which expedites the process and gives customers a single trusted point of contact. Afterwards, it monitors each system around the clock.

However, the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing cited Vision Solar for hiring an unlicensed person in 2015. The Better Business Bureau demoted its rating to an A for this reason.

The company is a member of the Solar Energy Industries Association, the American Solar Energy Society, and the Solar Electric Power Association.

Vision Solar can be reached through its website at visionsolar.com, or by phone at (888) 781-7074.

Redstone Solar

A large proportion of Redstone Solar’s installations use high-quality SolarWorld panels manufactured in Hillsboro, Oregon. All of Redstone’s solar panels come with a 25-year warranty and a remote monitoring service.

The company employs only state-certified electricians, and the design and installation team has more than three decades of combined electrical experience. Redstone is certified by the National Association of Home Builders, the National Association of Realtors, the U.S. Green Building Council, and other industry organizations.

Prospective customers can view a gallery of residential and commercial installations on the company’s website, including commercial projects for New Hope Academy and Sofa Source Building.

The company is owned and operated by brothers Chris and Grant Collard. These San Diego natives attended Brigham Young University, developed backgrounds in green building, energy auditing, and construction, and launched their company in their adopted home of Provo, Utah.

Redstone Solar can be reached through its website at redstonecleanenergy.com, or by phone at (801) 382-8992.

Progressive Power and Solar

While it caters to rural customers in particular, Progressive designs and installs turnkey solar systems and for all types of homes throughout the state. Based in American Fork, it’s a licensed master electrical company that’s been doing all work in-house since it opened its doors in 2006. Progressive’s electricians have a total of 25 years of experience, and its technicians have worked in the solar industry for roughly a dozen years. Progressive customers can pay off their panels in as little as seven years, and attend company-run classes designed to save them even more money on energy.

The company prides itself on providing long-term support to its clients. It gives customers a unique log of all of the equipment it has installed, so staff can track manufacturer warranties. Progressive’s unique tracking system records the purchase and installation dates for each component. The company also provides annual maintenance for a small fee, including cleaning, production testing, and battery maintenance.

Progressive Power Solutions is well-regarded by its customers, and holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It can be reached through its website at http://www.ppssolar.com/, or by phone at 801-367-7282.

Clear Solar

Clear Solar is owned by Clear Satellite, a major DIRECTV retailer. It currently provides solar installation services to residential and commercial customers across six states. To date, it has installed several megawatts of solar nationwide.

Clear Solar’s leadership team has more than 15 years of experience in the solar industry. It offers a 20-year warranty on all equipment and services, including system performance, monitoring, and mounting hardware.

The company offers standard $0 down loan and lease options, as well as outright purchases. It’s fully versed in all available tax credits, and claims that commercial customers can start earning a return on their investment within three years.

Clear Solar emphasizes a timely process. While it isn’t currently rated by the Better Business Bureau, customer reviews back this up. Prospective customers can even watch a Clean Solar installation go up on the company’s website.

Clear Solar can be reached through its website at clearsolar.us, or by phone at (877) 901-1066.

Brio Energy

Brio has a unique payment model through which customers can purchase their own solar system for zero down. It also offers equity and non-equity-based financing plans, as well as leasing options. It provides a 25-year warranty on both the panels and the installation.

Signing on for solar with Brio will get you additional benefits, like a full home audit targeting energy efficiency. You’ll also receive a free “smart” thermostat that you can monitor and control remotely and a complete LED lighting upgrade.

Website visitors can watch Brio’s technicians at work, see a gallery of recent installations, and read customer reviews. “Super Great company to work with, very honest, helpful and fast,” one Brio customer writes. “I’ve seen other quotes from other companies in the area and Brio is hands down the cheapest while using very high quality panels, and the best inverter on the market. Awesome company, would refer to any of my friends for sure!”

However, Brio has a A- rating from the Better Business Bureau, due to seven complaints filed against the company since it opened in 2015.

Brio Energy can be reached through its website at briosolarenergy.com, or by phone at (801) 783-5959.

One Solar

One Solar does everything in-house, which speeds up the installation schedule and makes communications as efficient as possible.

Microinverter company Enphase named One Solar a Premium Installer for its commitment to using Enphase microinverters. Enphase is one of the 20 Most Innovative Companies of 2015, according to GridEdge. Its highly-regarded microinverters are used in more than 540,000 solar installations.

One Solar offers a 25-year performance guarantee on the solar panels, and monitors them for customers who qualify. Homeowners can also monitor system output through a mobile app.

The company has a B- rating with the Better Business Bureau, due to five complaints that have been filed against it since it opened in the spring of 2014, and the length of time the company has taken to address them.

One solar can be reached through its website at 1solar.com, or by phone at (801) 317-8444.