13 Best Solar Companies in Alton, IL (Jun 2022 Review)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 13 in Alton based on:
-
Customer review scores - Solar installers near you
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Updated 6/24/2022
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Best solar companies in Alton
If you're looking for the best solar companies in Alton, digging through hundreds of options can be challenging, but it can pay off since adopting solar power can offer so many great benefits. Solar panels aren't just good for the planet — your wallet will thank you too. After switching to solar power, you can save an average of $15,000 over 20 years, and this doesn't even include incentives.
To help you comb through the large amount of Alton solar installers, we've come up with a list of the top ones. To help you find out if solar panels are something you should get for your home, you can get a free, no-obligation quote from one of the best solar companies in Alton by clicking the button below.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
4.5
Industry-leading in-house financing- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
-
Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
4.5
- 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 Alton
Nationwide Service
Average Cost
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Services Offered
-
Solar Panels - Solar Batteries
- EV Chargers
- System Monitoring
Local Service
EFS Energy Inc
- Licensing and credentials transparency
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Custom system designs
- Educational sales approach
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Regional Service
Average Cost
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- System Monitoring
Nationwide Service
Average Cost
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
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- Solar Batteries
- EV Chargers
- Solar Roof Shingles
- System Monitoring
Local Service
Barlecorn™ 4, LLC
- Licensing and credentials transparency
- Educational sales approach
- NABCEP-certified technicians
- Custom system designs
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
Regional Service
Average Cost
Sunpro Solar
- Industry-leading warranty coverage
- Expansive service area
- Some reported communication issues
- No leases or PPAs
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- Solar Batteries
- EV Chargers
- Energy-Efficiency Upgrades
Regional Service
Average Cost
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- Solar Batteries
- EV Chargers
- Energy-Efficiency Upgrades
Regional Service
Average Cost
Palmetto Solar
- Expansive service area
- Makes charitable contributions
- Certified B Corp
- No leases or PPAs
- Quality of installation may vary by location
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- Solar Batteries
- Energy-Efficiency Upgrades
- Maintenance & Repairs
Local Service
Brightergy
- Can browse portfolio on website
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Educational sales approach
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Cain Electric Inc
- Can browse portfolio on website
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Educational sales approach
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Maintenance and Repairs
- Solar Panels
Local Service
STL Solar Plus LLC
- Locally owned and operated
- Educational sales approach
- NABCEP-certified technicians
- Some reported communication issues
- Some reported issues with customer services
- Some reports of long wait times for installation
- Some reports of high-pressure sales tactics
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
Local Service
API Solar
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Rabco Home Energy Soluitons, LLC
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- 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 Alton
We understand that for many homeowners, the decision to invest in solar highly depends on installation costs. Some main factors that determine the cost of installing solar panels on your home and how much it could save you over time include:
- Incentives: Along with the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which lets you receive a tax credit curretnly worth 26% of your total installation cost, your local government may offer additional tax exemptions, credits or rebates that can help you save even more. Aside from incentives, you can save an average of $15,000 over 20 years with your system, too.
- Typical energy usage: The more energy your home uses on average and the higher your current energy bills are, the more money you could save by going solar.
- Choice of solar panels: The type of solar panels you choose will affect your total cost. High-efficiency monocrystalline panels will cost more upfront but can also lead to more savings over the lifetime of your system. If space isn't a constraint for your project, you can go with a higher number of more affordable panels.
- Your city: This affects how much sunlight your roof gets, which helps determine how many panels you need.
There are many wonderful benefits of solar despite the initial cost of installation. It can help the Earth and your finances. In addition, it can increase the value of your home, resulting in even more benefits if you choose to sell your home later.
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For an estimate of both how much you could save and impact the Earth by installing a solar panel system, you can test out the calculator below. You can also view our solar panel cost guide for Alton, IL.
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Solar Incentives in Alton
One of the benefits of installing a solar panel system is earning government incentives. Regardless of where you live, you can take advantage of the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which will allow you to claim 26% of your project costs on your tax return, reducing the amount of taxes you owe that year. Plus, there may be some local incentives you can benefit from too. For more information about local incentives, see the table below.
| Name | Solar Renewable Energy Credits |
| Incentive Amount | Negotiated with procurement administrators |
| Incentive Max | Benchmarks set by procurement administrators |
| Website | Visit here |
| More Info | Click here |
| Name | ITC |
| Type | Tax Incentive |
| Incentive Amount | 26% of installation cost |
| Website | Visit here |
| Name | Special Assessment for Solar Energy Systems |
| Incentive Amount | Varies |
| Incentive Max | None specified |
| Website | Visit here |
| More Info | Click here |
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Alton
Making the switch to solar power is a powerful way to do what you can for a more environmentally-friendly future. You may be curious — how much does making the switch help the environment anyway? The amount of energy you use is a key factor to consider. The more energy you use, the bigger your impact when you switch to solar energy. In fact, if you install solar panels, you could look forward to lowering your carbon dioxide emissions by about 100 pounds each year. As you can see, going solar has so many other benefits besides saving money. One of the primary ones is that you can help save the environment too.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
4.5
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
4.5
- 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 Alton, IL Solar Company Rankings FAQs
Which solar power company is the best near me?
In Alton, EFS Energy Inc is the most reputable local solar company. Our team of experts rates it 4.52 stars, so it's a great choice if you're looking to add solar panels to your house.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar power?
The advantages of solar power are that it can decrease or, in some cases, completely erase your electricity bills, raise your home's value and cut back on your carbon footprint. The disadvantages are that solar panels can be pricey to install, you may not save a lot if you don't use a lot of electricity and it doesn't work for all roof types and locations.
How long does it take to see a return on your investment after installing solar panels?
The average payback period for solar panel installation is about 12.5 years, but the exact period depends on the cost of electricity where you are, incentives and net metering programs.
How often do solar panels have to be replaced?
On average, solar panels can last about 25 to 30 years. Some even last up to 50 years, but efficiency decreases by about 0.8% each year. You can choose to replace them sooner if you want to maintain a higher amount of energy production.
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.