15 Best Solar Companies in Central, IL (2024 Reviews)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 15 in Central based on:
Customer review scores- Service area for Central, IL
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Average Central homeowner saves $1,457/year with solar panels
Why you can trust EcoWatch
Best Solar Companies in Central
Searching for the top solar companies in Central? Installing a solar panel system is an exciting venture that many homeowners find valuable for their wallets, communities and the planet. While solar power is a great investment, you’ll be able to make that amount back and then some, all while living more sustainably. In fact, you could be looking at saving about $17,000 over 20 years.
If you’re planning on going solar, the first step you should take is to find the best solar companies in Central and compare quotes. The good news is we took the time and compiled a list of the best solar companies to make your life easier.To help you figure out if solar panels are worth it for your home, you can get a free, no-obligation quote from one of the best solar companies in Central by clicking the button below.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Best Social Impact
Palmetto Solar
- Expansive service area
- Makes charitable contributions
- Certified B Corp
- No leases or PPAs
- Quality of installation may vary by location
EcoWatch Rankings for Solar Companies in Central
Route 66 Solar
Clear Pricing Policy- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
Limited information available on website
Services Offered
System Decommissioning- Panel Installation
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Financing Assistance
Purcell Electric Company Inc
- Family-Operated Business
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Skilled Repairs
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
Astrawatt Solar
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Permit Assistance
- Tesla Powerwall
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
StraightUp Solar of St. Louis
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Financing Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
Streib Company
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
Pyramid Electrical Contractors, Inc.
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Skilled Repairs
- Cleaning and Maintenance
SunSent Solar
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Financing Assistance
- Skilled Repairs
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
EFS Energy
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Financing Assistance
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
Tick Tock Energy, Inc.
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
- Community Solar Projects
- Off-Grid Solar Systems
five stars electric and solar LLC
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
Helio Solar Power, LLC.
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Battery Storage
- Skilled Repairs
- Financing Assistance
- Solar Carports
BKJ Solar
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
Solar Luxury LLC
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
- System Decommissioning
- Off-Grid Solar Systems
- Skilled Repairs
Sonne Energy Solutions, LLC
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
Solar city stl
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Solar Companies in Central
EcoWatch's solar experts analyzed each solar company in Central based on criteria such as its reputation in the industry, customer reviews, services, warranty coverage and financing. Using this solar methodology, we used the data we collected to rate and rank each company and narrow down our picks for the best solar companies in Central
Below are some the criteria we examined specifically for Illinois solar companies
- Brand reputation and certifications (20%): We take each company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) score into consideration, as well as how long the installer has been in business (at least 5 years is required, 10 preferred) and what type of solar certifications it holds.
- Customer reviews (20%): Trust is a top priority at EcoWatch, so we take customer experience under close consideration. We scour different review sites and customer testimonials when ranking our top solar companies, checking sites such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews. We also consider any potential complaints or lawsuits filed against these companies and award or remove points accordingly.
- Warranty (20%): A company earns a perfect score in this category if it offers 25-year warranties that cover performance, product and workmanship. The industry standard that we measure companies against is 25-year product and performance warranties, along with a 10-year workmanship warranty. We also look closely into the track record of the post-installation support each company provides in terms of honoring its contracts
- Solar services (10%): All of the companies we review install solar panels, but we award companies higher points if they offer additional services for customers, like battery installation, energy-efficiency audits, and EV chargers.
- Pricing and financing (10%): It's hard to get exact quotes for solar projects, but we use marketplace research to determine how each company prices its equipment and installation services. Additionally, companies that offer more help for panel financing — like in-house loans, leases, or PPAs — score higher than those that don't.
- Availability (10%): The bigger the service area, the higher the company will score.
- Transparency and accessibility (5%): Solar installers that offer free consultations and easy contact methods score higher in this category.
- Environmental, social and corporate governance factors (5%): A company earns a perfect score in this category if it offers public data disclosure, addresses end-of-life (EOL) products or processes, and demonstrates a commitment to uplifting the communities that it serves.
The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Central
The cost of putting up solar panels has dropped immensely in the past several years, but it’s still a large investment for most homeowners.Some main factors that determine how much it will cost to install a solar panel system on your home and how much it could save you over time include:
- Your home's power bills: Because of fairly high monthly electric bills in Central, you could save about $850 a year with solar.
- Incentives: The federal solar investment tax credit, which everyone in the U.S. is eligible for, allows you to deduct 0 of the cost of installing your solar panel system from your federal taxes. Plus, not including incentives, you can save about $17,000 over 20 years on your energy bills.
- Energy consumption: Installing a solar system may be a high-cost option for homes that don’t consume a good amount of energy per month.
- The amount of sunlight your roof gets: If your rooftop gets limited direct sunlight, your solar system won’t be able to produce as much energy, which will leave you with lower savings on electricity bills than a house with a roof that gets plenty of sunlight.
So is a solar system worth it? Whether you hope to decrease your electric bills, carbon emissions or both, solar panels are a solid investment for many Central homeowners.
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Solar Incentives in Central
One of the benefits of installing a solar panel system is receiving incentives from the government.There are a lot of federal, state and local rebates and tax credits that earn some money back after buying a solar panel system. You can learn about the incentives you can take advantage of in our article on solar incentives
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Central
One reason so many homeowners are thinking of switching to solar power is to help lower their environmental impact.Many homeowners might be wondering how much exactly they can impact the environment by switching to solar in Central, though. The average person has a substantial carbon footprint. Between their car, which releases over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every year, and powering their home, it can be overwhelming to figure out what to do. Switching to solar is a practical thing you can do to help.Because solar panels don’t release carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere when creating electricity, they’re a good substitute for nonrenewable energy sources. In fact, you could reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by about 100 pounds each year. As you can see, trading traditional energy for solar has so many other benefits beyond saving money. One of the primary ones is that you can help save the planet too.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Best Social Impact
Palmetto Solar
- Expansive service area
- Makes charitable contributions
- Certified B Corp
- No leases or PPAs
- Quality of installation may vary by location
EcoWatch's Central, IL Solar Company Rankings FAQs
Which solar installation company is the best in Central?
In Central, Route 66 Solar is the top local solar company. Our team of experts rates it 4.90 stars, so it's a solid choice if you're looking to install solar panels on your roof.
What are the major pros and cons of installing solar panels?
A few of the biggest pros are that it lets you spend less on your electricity bills, it’s a sustainable source of energy, and it provides a significant return on your investment (ROI). The most notable cons are that solar panels don’t work as well when there’s limited direct sunlight, there is a high upfront cost and solar panels can be an eyesore.
How long does it take to see a return on your investment after installing solar panels?
Solar panels usually pay for themselves in about 14.4 years, but your solar payback period will vary based on your utility costs. The higher your typical energy bill, the quicker your solar panel system will recoup your installation costs.
When is the best time of year to install solar panels?
You can put up solar panels whenever it's convenient for you, but consider doing so in the winter when there's less demand. With fewer homeowners contracting installers, you could potentially see faster installation times and more savings.
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.