5 Best Solar Companies in Michigan (2022 Rankings & Reviews)

What Are the Top 5 Solar Companies in Michigan?

Below is a side-by-side comparison of each solar company that the EcoWatch team has reviewed and ranked. You’ll also find a link to our solar company matching tool to help you find the best installer for your needs. EcoWatch is often able to get some of the best pricing and deals from our partners because we maintain so much brand authority in the solar industry.

Looking to skip the specifics and find out which solar company will serve you and your family best? You can use our simple solar matching tool or complete the quick, no-obligation form below to connect with a professional in no time.

You may be surprised to find that popular companies like Vivint Solar and Titan Solar Power haven’t made it into our top five rankings. We have intentionally excluded these companies and some others because of ongoing lawsuits, below average customer service in Michigan specifically or other reasons that could affect how well they serve you.

1. The Green Panel

The Green Panel is a local solar company that was founded in Brighton, Michigan, and it has expanded since 2007 to serve all of Michigan. As a smaller company, it provides outstanding customer service and maintains over-the-top positive reviews from customers throughout the state. Most homeowners comment on the level of communication and expertise when it comes to the products and services the company provides.

The Green Panel handles solar panel and solar battery installations, as well as electric vehicle charging station and solar carport installations, generator installs and maintenance and general electrical work via its on-staff electricians.

The Green Panel has a 25-year warranty on its products that come from the manufacturer, and it doesn’t offer a warranty on the labor itself. However, multiple customer reviews have mentioned how positive of an experience they had with the company after installation, so the likelihood is that you’ll continue to get great service from Green Panel.

Pros for The Green Panel

The Green Panel brings outstanding customer service to the table, plus a nice array of services that aren’t common from other vendors. The company has positive reviews, good product coverage and financing options to reduce upfront costs.

• Excellent customer service
• Good reputation
• Good warranty and financing options

Cons for The Green Panel

The Green Panel doesn’t offer leases or Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), so it will be prohibitively expensive for some Michigan homeowners. It’s also not accredited by the BBB.

• No leases
• No PPAs available
• No BBB accreditation

Summary Facts and Figures for The Green Panel

Outstanding Local Installer

5/5

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Local Service

2. Strawberry Solar

Strawberry Solar has a long-standing reputation for providing best-in-class customer service and maintaining constant communication with its customers before, during and after installation. It has overwhelmingly positive reviews from Michigan homeowners on nearly every review platform. Its customer-first approach also means it can help you take advantage of federal tax credits, rebates and local solar incentives.

Strawberry Solar offers solar panel installation, backup system installation and electric vehicle charger installations. Its services are a bit limited compared to some other companies, but it covers the basics that appeal to most residents.

Strawberry Solar’s warranties are only good for 10 years, which is significantly less than you’ll find from most competitors. However, given the company’s reputation for fast response times, any issues within those ten years will be handled promptly.

Strawberry Solar provides access only to Solar Edge panels, but it offers LG Chem and Generac batteries.

Pros for Strawberry Solar

Strawberry Solar has a long-standing reputation for outstanding customer service and fast communication times. It provides some of the top names in solar panels and batteries, and it has financing options to bring solar to more customers in Michigan.

• Best-in-class customer service
• Top brands of panels and batteries
• Financing options

Cons for Strawberry Solar

Strawberry Solar doesn’t have the best warranties at only 10-year coverage. It doesn’t accept solar leases or Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and it doesn’t have the best selection of products.

• Only 10-year coverage via warranty
• No leases or PPAs
• Limited product selection

Summary Facts and Figures for Strawberry Solar

Outstanding Local Installer

4.5/5

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Local Service

3. Windfree Solar

Windfree Solar is a semi-local solar company located in Chicago, Illinois, and they have branches in Michigan to cover service throughout the state. This company maintains excellent customer service, and given its familiarity with the general region, it has some of the most reliable equipment and the best customization options, including good product selection and a hands-on and in-house solar project design and installation.

The warranties provided by Windfree Solar are promising, covering workmanship, labor, equipment and energy production. Perhaps most important in its post-installation coverage is the free 2-year monitoring service the company provides. This ensures your solar energy system is working as intended and is set up properly to save you the most money on your electric bill.

Windfree Solar provides solar panel and solar battery installation, solar monitoring and full-service solar system design to fit your home with the best equipment possible.

Pros for Windfree Solar

Windfree Solar is a local company with excellent customer service and the ability to design and customize your set up. It has a nice range of products available, and it includes good warranties and 2 years of monitoring.

• Great customer service and system customization
• Good range of products
• 2 years of monitoring included in installation cost

Cons for Windfree Solar

Windfree Solar doesn’t allow leases or Power Purchase Agreements. It also isn’t accredited with the BBB despite being in business since 2009.

• No leases
• No PPA options
• No BBB accreditation

Summary Facts and Figures for Windfree Solar

Outstanding Local Installer

4/5

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Local Service

4. Michigan Solar Solutions

As the company name implies, Michigan Solar Solutions is a local company that services all of Michigan. It is best known for its robust protection plans, which cover everything from installation labor to the equipment itself. You’ll get 25-year coverage on panel efficiency and optimizer parts and labor, 12-year coverage on parts and labor for the inverter and 5-year coverage on all labor.

Michigan Solar Solutions covers solar panel installation, solar battery hook-ups and installations for electric vehicle chargers. It covers most general services, although options like solar monitoring, repair and maintenance and energy evaluations aren’t provided.

This company has an excellent reputation for customer care and communication throughout the entire process of going solar. It maintains very positive reviews on most platforms and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Michigan Solar Solutions carries panels made by Enphase, Solar Edge, Panasonic, Jinko Solar, LG and Tesla.

Pros for Michigan Solar Solutions

Michigan Solar Solutions provides robust coverage on all equipment and installation for most solar products. It has good customer service and a nice product variety.

• Positive customer experience
• Robust warranty options
• Good product variety

Cons for Michigan Solar Solutions

Michigan Solar Solutions only offers standard solar services. It doesn’t provide access to lease options or Power Purchase Agreements.

• Only standard services
• No leases or PPAs

Summary Facts and Figures for Michigan Solar Solutions

Solar Veteran

4/5

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Local Service

5. SunPower

SunPower is a large national company that services all cities throughout the State of Michigan. Its primary focus was manufacturing solar equipment, and it outsourced installation to local solar panel companies. This has changed, as SunPower can now do installations. The quality of their panels is excellent and features patented solar technology that is considered advanced, but the customer service can vary depending on if a third-party solar installation company is assigned to your solar project.

However, because it focuses on manufacturing, its products tend to have better availability than many others.

SunPower panels are relatively expensive, although they come with an appealing 25-year warranty for power production, efficiency and equipment. Your local installer might have varying coverage on labor. Additionally, leases and PPAs are available to help reduce costs.

SunPower is the oldest company to make it into our top 5 list, maintaining positive reviews for its equipment and an A+ rating from BBB since 1985 — an impressive feat in the solar industry.

Click here for SunPower’s full review.

Pros for SunPower

SunPower manufactures some of the highest quality equipment in the solar industry, and it’s backed by a long 25-year warranty on equipment and energy production. The company has a well-developed reputation and an A+ BBB rating.

• Top quality equipment with great availability
• 25-year warranty on power production and equipment
• Tons of industry experience

Cons for SunPower

SunPower outsources some installations to third-party companies, so customer service isn’t always the best. SunPower equipment is more expensive than many other companies. It only offers its own products, so there is little customization offered.

• Customer service varies
• Expensive
• Only one solar panel brand available

Summary Facts and Figures for SunPower

Best National Provider

5/5

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Nationwide Service

EcoWatch Criteria for Selecting the Top Solar Company in Michigan

The EcoWatch team goes above and beyond to assess companies based on a wide range of criteria. The most significant factors will be discussed briefly below.

Warranty

Warranties on solar equipment are always important, but product guarantees are usually most important for homeowners in Michigan. Residents throughout the state contend with winter temperatures well below freezing for long stretches, as well as heavy snow and lake-effect snow storms that can cover panels. As such, it’s crucial to have highly efficient solar panels to maximize energy efficiency for when the sun is shining on them, and a production warranty guarantees that. This will help minimize your carbon footprint and your energy bills.

Warranties offering physical protection are also great but are typically not as important for Michigan homeowners.

Year Founded

Residential solar systems are becoming more and more popular throughout Michigan, and with the spike in demand come many “fly by night” companies that are just looking to turn a profit. We assess companies on other factors while keeping in mind how young they are to ensure those that we rank have a proven track record of excellent service.

Services Offered

Some solar companies only provide panel and battery installations, which appeal to most customers. However, the companies that offer additional services, like EV chargers, solar monitoring and tree removal to expose your roof, tend to rank higher. This is because they are more likely to be able to meet your needs and exceed expectations.

Solar Panels Offered

Solar installers often have deals or contracts with different manufacturers and can provide products from those companies to consumers. Generally speaking, a wide range of solar panels offered will appeal to more Michigan homeowners in terms of power production, longevity and budget. The more options a company provides, the higher it will rank.

Industry Affiliations

Many solar companies are founded with strong mission statements about bringing renewable energy solutions to consumers to better the environment, and some non-profits are even philanthropic in their endeavors. We assess companies based on their affiliations with solar organizations, like the Michigan Community Solar Alliance (MCSA), Michigan Saves and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Affiliations like these are a good sign that a company is motivated by making clean energy more accessible and reliable rather than profit alone.

Size of Company

The size of the solar installation company you choose matters, so we assess companies based on this metric as well. Larger companies tend to have lower prices and better financing options, while smaller local companies often have better customization options and customer service.

Solar Pricing and Financing

One of the least significant factors we assess is a company’s price for solar panels and financing. Solar installers naturally vary in price based both on the equipment they sell and their labor charges. More affordable companies usually rank higher because they appeal to more consumers.

Additionally, we consider the financing options available, which can affect upfront and long-term pricing. Companies that provide access to cash purchases, solar loans, leases, and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) usually rank higher because more homeowners can afford them.

EcoWatch Preferred Partners

Here is a list of preferred partners in this area.

Outstanding Local Installer

5/5

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Local Service

Outstanding Local Installer

4.5/5

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Local Service

Best National Provider

5/5

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Nationwide Service

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