11 Best Solar Companies in Clear Lake, IL (2024 Reviews)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 11 in Clear Lake based on:
Customer review scores- Service area for Clear Lake, IL
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Average Clear Lake homeowner saves $1,343/year with solar panels
Why you can trust EcoWatch
Best Solar Companies in Clear Lake
Thinking of going solar but still deciding on which solar panel installer would be the best one for your needs? Although it can be difficult to pick a solar company, the search will pay off because going solar has many good perks. Installation costs can be high, but switching to solar will save you money on your energy bills in the long term. In fact, you can expect to save about $16,000 over 20 years.
The cost of installing solar panels can change considerably depending on your home’s configuration and your overall energy needs.To get an estimate of how much it might cost to install solar panels on your roof, you can click the button below to get a quote from a certified installer near you.
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 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 Clear Lake
SunPower by Legacy Solar, LLC
Reliable Customer Support- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
Limited information available on website
Services Offered
Financing Assistance- Panel Installation
Sunrun Solar
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Skilled Repairs
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Permit Assistance
Route 66 Solar
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- System Decommissioning
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
WindSolarUSA, Inc.
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Permit Assistance
- Consultation
EFS Energy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
IQ Group Inc
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Permit Assistance
- Cleaning and Maintenance
Skydrop Energy
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
- Permit Assistance
- Panel Installation
StraightUp Solar of Bloomington
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Consultation
SunSent Solar
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
- Financing Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Skilled Repairs
- Cleaning and Maintenance
Halo Solar LLC
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
Nelnet Renewable Energy
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
- Financing Assistance
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Solar Companies in Clear Lake
EcoWatch's solar experts analyzed each solar company in Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake
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 Clear Lake
Although solar panels can help save you money on electricity bills over time, it’s important to take into consideration the startup costs.Some significant things that determine the upfront cost and potential savings over time include:
- The amount of sunlight your city gets: Due to Clear Lake’s high amount of average daily sunlight, you should be able to save a decent amount on your electricity bills.
- Choice of solar panels: The type of solar panels you get will affect your total cost. High-efficiency monocrystalline panels are more expensive upfront but can also save you more money over the lifetime of your system. If space isn't a constraint for your project, you can opt for a higher number of more affordable panels.
- Your energy bills: This will affect how much you can save. In Clear Lake, the average resident can save about $850 a year on their electricity bills.
- Energy consumption: Solar may be too pricey an investment for homes that don’t need a lot of energy per month.
Because of the cost of solar panels being lower than before as well as several solar incentives, they are a cost-effective investment for the majority of homeowners.
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Solar Incentives in Clear Lake
Although solar power is typically a big investment, it can save you a lot of money over several years because of smaller utility bills and government incentives.When you install a solar panel system on your home, you can take advatage of the federal tax credit, or ITC. This credit currently lowers your tax bill by 0 of the cost of your solar panels. Additionally, there are often some regional incentives that you can benefit from to further cut back on the cost of solar of solar panels. For comprehensive information about incentives that apply to you, visit our article on solar incentives.
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Clear Lake
Swapping traditional energy for solar is a good way to do what you can for a more sustainable future.But you may be wondering – how much exactly can you help the planet by using solar power? The more energy you use, the the more the environment will benefit if you switch to solar as you won’t need to burn as many fossil fuels.Since solar panels don’t release CO2 emissions into the atmosphere when generating electricity, they’re a good alternative to traditional energy sources. In fact, you could lower your carbon dioxide emissions by about 100 pounds each year. If you care about the environment, you’ll no doubt find that there are many benefits of adopting solar energy other than just saving money on electricity. You can also help protect the environment, which some would argue is priceless.
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 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 Clear Lake, IL Solar Company Rankings FAQs
What is the most reputable solar panel installer in Clear Lake?
In Clear Lake, SunPower by Legacy Solar, LLC is the top local solar company. Our team of experts rates it 4.80 stars, so it's a good choice if you're looking to install solar panels on your home.
What are a few of the pros and cons of switching to solar?
The main advantages of solar power are that it can decrease or, in some cases, 100% cut your electricity bills, improve the value of your home and reduce your carbon footprint. The biggest disadvantages are that solar panels can be costly to install, you may not see as many savings if you don’t use a lot of electricity and whether you can install solar panels depends on your roof configuration.
How long does it take to see a return on your investment after getting solar panels?
Solar panels usually pay for themselves in about 15.7 years, but your solar payback period will vary based on your utility costs. The higher your typical energy bill, the faster your solar panel system will pay for itself.
How efficient is a solar panel system?
Solar panel efficiency is the amount of energy from the sun that is converted into electricity. Most panels today have an efficiency rating between 15 and 20%. If your panels are more efficient, you'll need less of them to meet your home's energy needs.
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.