Best Solar Panel Installation Companies in Houston - CNET

Switch to clean energy in Houston and take advantage of the state’s solar incentives and a major federal tax credit.

This view from downtown Houston raises the question: Does the sun shine a little brighter in Texas?

Are you wondering whether solar panels are a good investment in Houston? We have your answer and everything you need to know about the installation process, including the best solar panel installers around. For many H-Town residents and business owners, switching to clean energy is worth the investment. Houston gets 2,633 annual hours of sunshine, an average of seven hours per day. This means solar panels in Houston have high energy generation potential, which could keep you independent from the grid and be helpful when storms strain Houston's power infrastructure, leading to rolling power outages.

The federal tax credit bolstered by the Inflation Reduction Act is a massive way for residents across the United States to save money on a rooftop solar installation. This credit provides a 30% rebate on the cost of any clean energy addition to your household once tax season rolls around.

Additionally, Texas has several local incentives that Houstonians can take advantage of. Net metering policies across the state help homeowners without batteries pay less in utilities when their solar panel system can't produce as much electricity, for example. More localized incentive structures also exist, such as the Green Mountain Energy Renewable Rewards Buyback Program, which grants benefits to homeowners with solar panel systems of specific sizes.

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If you're ready to take the next step and learn more about solar panel installation in Houston, these are the best solar companies to look into.

Houston has hundreds of solar panel installers for residents and businesses, but selecting the best installer requires research and planning. Below, you'll find the solar panel companies available in Houston that we've listed among our choices for the best solar companies, based on customer data and buying trends.

NRG Clean Power brings one of the solar industry's most confident approaches to its work, offering a price match and 40-year warranty. NRG Clean Power is a solid bet as long as you live in Texas and California. NRG Clean Power does not offer leases or power purchase agreements, but it does provide solar panel cleaning and roofing services as well as a reliable equipment menu.

California, Texas

NRG Clean Power brings one of the solar industry's most confident approaches to its work, offering a price match and 40-year warranty. NRG Clean Power is a solid bet as long as you live in Texas and California. NRG Clean Power also provides solar panel cleaning and roofing services as well as a reliable equipment menu.

Solar panels are typically low maintenance equipment, but they're also unfamiliar. If you want to reap the benefits of solar but will have a bit more peace of mind if someone else is making sure it's working, Palmetto might be a good fit for you. Just remember to add the cost of Palmetto's monitoring service in to your payback period calculations.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia

Palmetto Solar has more robust service for after installation than most other companies, though it might cost you a bit. All customers receive third-party monitoring and proactive communication when some part of their solar system malfunctions. Palmetto also receives an A-plus from the Better Business Bureau. Palmetto offers quality solar equipment and is one of the few companies that offers Sonnen's batteries. Palmetto's workmanship warranty is 10 years and its weatherization warranty is 5 years.

EnergyPal is more than just a middleman. It'll handle your solar installation from beginning to end while also allowing you to benefit from its proprietary engine and competitive bidding process. The company offers a range of hardware for panels, batteries and inverters, has plentiful financing options and offers responsive customer service support.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

EnergyPal is both a marketplace and an energy advisor. It uses its proprietary quote builder engine to customize your solar system; then it'll contract with a local company and act as your single point of contact for everything from installation to permitting. Hardware options include solar panels, batteries and inverters from QCells, REC, Silfab, Aptos, Tesla, Enphase, SolarEdge and FranklinWH. You can expect a workmanship guarantee of 5-10 years, with manufacturer warranties of up to 30 years depending on the hardware. No weatherization warranty is offered. Customers can also take advantage of third-party monitoring tools, from Enphase, SolarEdge, Tesla and others. While EnergyPal isn't rated by the BBB, it receives positive customer reviews online and scores a 4.7 on Trustpilot.

Elevation's focus on your home's energy efficiency isn't the norm in the industry. If you're planning on addressing energy efficiency first, working with Elevation allows you to keep the whole process with one company. Elevation's solar equipment comes from well-established and well-regarded companies. Elevation's warranties on workmanship and weatherization could be a bit longer.

Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, Texas

Elevation is a solar installer operating in several states, mostly in the Southwest, and emphasises more than just solar panel installation. The company touts itself as an energy efficiency business, focusing just as much on assessing and improving the efficiency of homes. Elevation offers a price match guarantee and in-house labor. It installs Qcells solar panels, among other brands, and battery brands including Enphase and Tesla.

Include Freedom Forever in your search if you want the backing of a national company that installs a wide variety of the most popular solar equipment available. Freedom Forever also extends a couple of products that take some of the pain and risk out of going solar, like a production guarantee and an escrow option with cash purchases. Online reviews say customer satisfaction has been low of late, though the company says that's changing.

Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., Wisconsin

Freedom Forever, one of the largest American solar installers, installs some of the most popular residential equipment. It offers a production guarantee and an uncommon cash escrow option is a welcome step toward a less stressful process.

Freedom Forever has had customer service issues, with complaints of paying for a nonfunctional system while dealing with poor communication and long waits. Some recent customers have had flawless experiences, but those reviews appear alongside many more negative ones. The company says things have turned around after a bad stretch, but it’s worth monitoring.

Tesla's solar branch seems to be the least loved of Elon Musk's ventures. Even Tesla's Solar Roof seems to get more love.

If price is the thing you won't budge on, consider Tesla. By all accounts, Tesla installs quality panels and makes the closest thing there is to a household name in solar storage: the Powerwall.

Where you might miss out is customer service. Discussion online seems to suggest Tesla's service is a bit of a gamble.

All 50 states

Solar panels from Tesla are likely to be the cheapest option where they are available. You can save thousands of dollars, without sacrificing on quality of equipment or the warranties that protect it.

What you might sacrifice is customer service. From delays to price changes, to slow responses, to system malfunctions, social media reports of negative experiences aren't hard to find, including some who regret their choice. This is true of all solar companies, but the quantity of reports concerning Tesla is concerning.

Momentum installs in 11 states without using subcontractors. While using in-house installers doesn't guarantee a better experience, it does suggest you're likely to get a more uniform experience from Momentum. The fact that Momentum backs its installations with a 25-year workmanship warranty hints at a strong belief in its crews' ability. If Momentum is part of your search, consider the warranties against leaks that other companies offer. Momentum's is five years, which isn't the best.

Only solar panels: Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania

Also installs batteries: California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Texas

Momentum Solar puts Qcells solar panels on roofs in 11 states, and installs Enphase batteries alongside them in five of those. Momentum is one of a few companies that will price match quotes from other companies. It also receives an A-plus from the Better Business Bureau. The company also uses only in-house, Momentum-trained installation teams and backs that work up with a workmanship warranty that lasts 25 years, matching the longest warranty terms in the industry.

Sunshine Renewable Solutions specializes in residential and commercial solar installations, along with a wide variety of inverters, batteries and EV chargers. The company offers a 10-year workmanship warranty. The manufacturer of the solar panels you choose will offer a 10- to 25-year product warranty and a 25-year panel performance warranty. You can pay cash or finance your solar panels.

Locally owned and operated out of Houston, Texas Direct Solar says it has solar experts that are laser-focused on getting you the best possible installation. These experts don't make commission, and the company has stated employees won't try to pressure you into a sale past the consultation.

Texas Direct Solar says its model allows its customers to reap the largest possible savings.

Here are some tips to help you find a reputable installer.

Here's a look at the average cash price for a typical solar panel system in Texas before factoring in tax credits and incentives, according to data from FindEnergy.com. Your system might become more expensive if you choose to include solar batteries or additional equipment in your purchase.

The map below provides the average total price, cost per watt and system size for solar panel systems in different states, according to data from FindEnergy.com. The values shown are not representative of any fluctuations from tax credits or state solar incentives. If FindEnergy doesn't have solar data for a particular state, it appears grayed out on the map.

Homeowners looking to install solar panels can refer to the Houston incentives and rebates table below. The most well-known, cost-saving incentive is the Residential Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners who pay with cash or use a solar loan between 2022 and 2032 can receive a federal tax credit when they file their income taxes, covering 30% of the cost of a solar panel installation.

A reputable solar installer can also assist with determining other local benefits available through your electricity provider or county and town governance.

CNET recently ranked states based on their residential solar policies: the laws and regulations affecting consumer-level solar panel installation and adoption. These policies play a major role in determining how accessible and affordable a solar panel system is to the average resident.

Each state was evaluated through a methodology and scored based on eight categories. The final score was converted to a letter grade.

Here's how your state scored on CNET's solar policy test.

Grade: F

Incentives available:

Strongest scoring categories:

You don't have to worry about paying property taxes on solar panel systems in Texas, which significantly eases the financial burden of the initial investment. Net billing at the wholesale rate isn't great, but it's better than nothing.

Categories to improve:

Some good first steps for solar-friendly legislation in Texas would be bringing that net billing policy up to 1:1 net metering at the retail rate, helping residents pull out the same amount of electricity that they feed into the grid. A full sales tax exemption on solar equipment would be another good step to take before looking at other potential state incentives.

Solar panel systems in Houston are typically paid for by one of the following options. Each payment method has pros and cons for homeowners to consider.

Cash and solar loans are the most beneficial for homeowners who want a quick solar investment return. Taking out a personal loan or opening a home equity line of credit are a couple of other options to finance your panels as well. Solar leases and PPAs are best for residents who can't pay cash and may not qualify for a large loan.

Just looking for an emergency backup? Check out portable solar panels for homes and solar generators.

The decision to invest in solar to gain more energy independence involves many contributing factors. Is solar worth it for you? To make the best decision, consider these factors of solar installation, ownership and maintenance.

Our methodology

The companies we listed above as "the best" are curated from CNET's best solar companies list. Companies making the best list are scored on the equipment, warranties and customer service they offer. Then, we make sure these recommendations are available in your state. You can read a full breakdown of how we review solar companies here.

Companies listed under the local installers were chosen in a less rigorous way. We chose them because they offered something unique or notable to customers in the state, they seemed well-regarded by internet reviewers or because they were one of the few installers we could find information on in the state.

Whether we've completed a full review on a company or not, it's always a good idea to get multiple quotes from different installers before choosing a company.

Are solar panels in Houston required on new houses?

No. New homes in Houston are not required to have solar panels. However, as of April 2021, all new homes are subject to Houston's Solar Ready provision. According to The Houston Chronicle, the Solar Ready provision means "developers must incorporate the potential for their installation in the future into their plans."

How much solar power do I need to run a house in Houston?

The amount of solar power needed to run a home depends on that household's size and energy consumption. Larger Houston homes, especially those with pools or saunas, will require more energy than the average home to provide electricity for the entire house. In Texas, the average solar system size is 8.9 kW.

Look at your energy bills over the past 12 months to see how much energy your home uses in a year. Past bills are usually available online at your electric provider's website and will state how much kWh is used per month. By adding the kWh per month for the past year and dividing by 12, you can get an average of your home's kW use and then plan accordingly for the right–sized solar array. A reputable solar installer will do this part for you. In a power outage, a solar battery can keep essential appliances running temporarily. Solar panels will not provide electricity during a power outage without a solar battery because a connection to the power grid is required.

What are the best solar panel companies in Houston?

Palmetto, Sunrun, SunPower and Tesla Solar are five solar companies with good reviews that service the Houston area. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, over 500 solar panel companies exist in Texas, so choosing the best company depends on what qualities you are looking for in a solar installer. Homeowners looking for a low upfront cost may find Sunrun to be the best for them. Those looking for a hands-off approach to solar installation might prefer a company that handles all the small details like Palmetto. Solar users that prefer a legacy brand with a long history in the solar industry might consider SunPower.

Article updated on October 31, 2024 at 2:45 PM PDT

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