15 Best Solar Companies in St. Charles, IL (2024 Reviews)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 15 in St. Charles based on:
Customer review scores- Service area for St. Charles, IL
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Average St. Charles homeowner saves $1,255/year with solar panels
Why you can trust EcoWatch
Best Solar Companies in St. Charles
Getting the best solar panel installation company for your roof is an important decision, but it's one that can reap a lot of rewards in St. Charles. While solar is a great investment, you’ll be able to make that expense back and then some, all while helping to protect the planet. In fact, you could be looking at saving about $15,000 over 20 years.
To help you sort through the huge amount of St. Charles solar installers, we’ve narrowed in on a list of the top ones.To start getting free quotes from the best solar companies in St. Charles, you can click "get quote" 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 St. Charles
SunPower by Sun N Us
Clear Pricing Policy- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
Limited information available on website
Services Offered
Consultation- Panel Installation
Reficiency Solar
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Panel Installation
- Skilled Repairs
- Consultation
Phoenix Exteriors Roofing & Solar
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Skilled Repairs
- Panel Installation
ilumen Solar
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Skilled Repairs
- Battery Storage
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
- Permit Assistance
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Consultation
Illinois Solar Express, LLC
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Permit Assistance
Kapital Electric, Inc.
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Tesla Powerwall
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
- Permit Assistance
Nelnet Renewable Energy
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
Safeguard Solar LLC
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
GoSolar
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
JD Pro Electric Inc
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Skilled Repairs
- Panel Installation
TruHome Pros Solar
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Skilled Repairs
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
- Consultation
- Battery Storage
Certasun
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Permit Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
Semper Solr
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
Windfree Solar Co
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
Greencore Solar, Inc.
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Solar Companies in St. Charles
EcoWatch's solar experts analyzed each solar company in St. Charles 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 St. Charles
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 St. Charles
For many readers, the decision of which solar company to hire depends on prices.The installation cost is just one important factor you should keep in mind when looking into getting solar panels. How much it'll cost and how much you can save depend on things including:
- The type of solar panel system you can afford: This hinges on how much you’re willing to spend upfront.
- Energy consumption: Installing a solar system may be a high-cost investment for homes that don’t consume a lot of energy a month.
- The amount of sunlight your home gets: Due to St. Charles’s high amount of average daily sunlight, you should be able to save a decent amount on your energy bills.
- Incentives: The federal solar investment tax credit, which can save you some money, allows you to deduct 0 of the cost of installing your solar panel system from your taxes. Additionally, not including incentives, you can save about $15,000 over 20 years on your energy bills.
So is installing solar panels worth it? Whether you want to lower your energy bills, greenhouse gas emissions or both, solar panels are a worthwhile investment for many St. Charles homeowners.
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Solar Incentives in St. Charles
One of the benefits of installing a solar panel system is receiving federal and potentially state incentives.You can qualify for the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) for the tax year you turn on your a solar panel system. You can also possibly pair the ITC with other state and city rebates and benefits. For detailed information about local incentives, visit our article on solar incentives.
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in St. Charles
A lot of people want to do their part to help the environment, which in many cases is the prime reason they’re interested in installing a solar system.You may be curious – how much does making the switch help the environment anyway? Regardless of your location, you can help the planet by switching to solar energy, but homes that use more energy will have an even bigger impact.If you go solar, your carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by about 90 pounds every year. As you can see, investing in solar has so many other perks apart from saving money. One of the major 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 St. Charles, IL Solar Company Rankings FAQs
Which solar panel installer is the best in St. Charles?
In St. Charles, SunPower by Sun N Us is the best local solar company. Our team of experts rates it 3.00 stars, so it's a great choice if you're looking to add solar panels to your home.
Are solar panels really good for the environment?
Producing solar panels requires chemicals and produces toxic waste that can be dangerous for the environment, which is the main downside of solar panels.
Are solar panels worth it?
Solar panels need a significant upfront investment that will cost you several thousands of dollars, but whether or not solar panels are worth it depends on a range of factors like the cost of electricity near you and the amount of direct sunlight your roof gets.
How long do solar panels last?
Although the average lifespan of solar panels is 25 to 30 years, that doesn't mean they are completely unusable. What this means is how much energy they produce will have decreased significantly after that point. You can replace them once you've had them for that long or you can keep using 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.