13 Best Solar Companies in Palo Alto, CA (Jan 2023 Review)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 13 in Palo Alto based on:
-
Customer review scores - Solar installers near you
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Updated January 20, 2023
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Best solar companies in Palo Alto
As a homeowner or business owner in Palo Alto, you may be planning on switching to solar and wondering about the best solar companies in your area. Solar could be a good choice since it has many perks. After 20 years of offsetting your energy costs with a solar system, you can save about $31,000 on your power bills.
If you're thinking about going solar, the first step to make is to find the best solar companies in Palo Alto and compare quotes. The great news is we went ahead and compiled a list of the best solar companies to make it easier on you. Read on to see our picks for the top solar companies in the city, or get connected with a vetted solar company near you right away by clicking the button below.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
EcoWatch Rankings for Solar Companies in Palo Alto
Local Service
APG Solar
-
Can browse portfolio on website - Offers a free quote process
- Educational sales approach
- Custom system designs
- Excellent reputation
-
Some reported issues with customer services - Some reported communication issues
Services Offered
-
Solar Batteries - Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Extreme Solar Solutions
- Educational sales approach
- Locally owned and operated
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Licensing and credentials transparency
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Mid-State Solar
- Educational sales approach
- Custom system designs
- Some reported communication issues
- Some reports of long wait times for installation
- Some reported issues with customer services
- Some reports of high-pressure sales tactics
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
SunLectric
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Family owned and operated
- Custom system designs
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Licensing and credentials transparency
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
Honey's Air & Solar
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Maintenance and Repairs
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Apex Electric Inc
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Maintenance and Repairs
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Mid Matthews Construction
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
Young's Air Conditioning
- Educational sales approach
- Assists with maximizing rebate
- Custom system designs
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Maintenance and Repairs
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Solaron Pool Heating, Inc.
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- Excellent reputation
- Some reports of long wait times for installation
- Some reports of high-pressure sales tactics
- Some reported issues with customer services
- Some reported communication issues
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Element Solar Panel Cleaning
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- Speedy and efficient installations
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Roof Shingles
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Simmitri Solar
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Comprehensive service offerings
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Maintenance and Repairs
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Batteries
- Solar Panels
- Solar Roof Shingles
Local Service
Vista Solar, Inc.
- Educational sales approach
- Licensing and credentials transparency
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Solar System , Inc.
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Roof Shingles
- Solar Panels
Solar Company Ranking Methodology
Click here to see a more detailed overview of our solar company ranking methodology.
The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Palo Alto
The cost of installing solar panels has decreased immensely over the past few years, but it's still a significant investment for most homeowners. A few main factors that affect the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home and how much it could save you over time are:
- How much energy costs for you: If your local energy rates are quite high, there's a better chance you'll end up with a higher return on your investment in a solar panel system. In Palo Alto, you can save an average of $81 a month on your electricity bills.
- Incentives: Something that can save you money on your solar project is the solar investment tax credit (ITC), which is a tax credit that lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the project cost. You can also save a decent amount of money on your energy bills, which can give you an average of $31,000 of savings over 20 years.
- The model of solar panels you can purchase: This depends on what your budget is.
- Average daily sunlight: Since Palo Alto gets lots of sunlight, your solar panel system will most likely be able to generate enough energy to power your whole home, which influences how much you can save on your energy bills.
Thanks to solar panels now being cheaper than ever as well as several solar incentives, they are a solid investment for many homeowners.
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Solar Incentives in Palo Alto
If you're planning on switching to solar energy, a variety of government incentives and subsidies can greatly lower your project costs and speed up the return on your investment. Local solar incentive programs vary by location and, sometimes, utility company. A lot of states offer rebates for home solar power systems, in addition to the federal solar tax credit. Our article on solar incentives goes over more in-depth information on the incentives you can benefit from in Palo Alto.
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Palo Alto
Installing solar panels is a powerful way to do what you can for a more eco-friendly future. A question many might be thinking about is how much can they really help protect the environment by going solar anyway? A key thing to keep in mind is your overall carbon footprint. For example, if you spend a lot of time driving to work, your footprint may be greater, so adopting solar energy for your house can help offset that. While solar panel production emits carbon dioxide, the panels make up for it by considerably reducing the amount of CO2 you would have produced if you still used traditional energy. In Palo Alto, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 50 pounds a year with solar panels. As you can see, going solar has so many other rewards beyond saving money. One of the most important ones is that you can help save the Earth too.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
EcoWatch's Palo Alto, CA Solar Company Rankings FAQs
What is the top solar company in Palo Alto?
In Palo Alto, APG Solar is the best local solar company. Our team of experts rates it 5.00 stars, so it's a good choice if you're planning on installing solar panels on your roof.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar power?
A few of the biggest pros are that it lowers your electricity bills, it's good for the environment, and it can provide a good return on your investment (ROI). The most notable cons are that solar panels don't produce electricity at night, the installation cost is pricey and solar panels aren't always aesthetically pleasing.
Are solar panels worth it?
Solar panels can be a great investment for a majority of homeowners, but honestly, they might not be worth it for everyone. If your home doesn't get enough sunlight or your energy bills are already fairly low, solar panels might not be for you.
How often do solar panels need to be replaced?
Although the average lifespan of solar panels is 25 to 30 years, that doesn't mean they are completely unusable. What this means is their energy production will have decreased by about 0.8% each year since installing them. You can choose to replace them after having them for that long or you can continue to use them at a lower efficiency after that time.
Our goal is to reach as many people as we can with sensible solutions like solar energy. Our team of full-time local researchers collects solar price and installation data for every city in America then compiles it to create these digestible city guides. If you want to read our solar expert’s opinion on the top solar companies featured here, follow this link.
Company research was conducted by Melissa Smith and Karsten Neumeister. Local data analysis was conducted by James Savino. See something we missed or could do better? Email the editor.