15 Best Solar Companies in Columbus, MN (2024 Reviews)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 15 in Columbus based on:
Customer review scores- Service area for Columbus, MN
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Average Columbus homeowner saves $1,626/year with solar panels
Why you can trust EcoWatch
Best Solar Companies in Columbus
Looking to go solar but still deciding on which company would be best for your needs? Although it can be challenging to choose a solar company, the effort will pay off because going solar has many great perks. Since the cost of energy is getting higher and higher each year, many homeowners are planning on making the switch to solar to save money on electricity for their homes.
Here, we’ll list out some of the best solar companies in Columbus to make your choice a little easier.To get a sense of what it might cost to install solar panels on your roof, you can click the button below to be connected to a certified installer near you.
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 Columbus
Cedar Creek Energy - Solar Company Minnesota
Clear Pricing Policy- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
Limited information available on website
Services Offered
Cleaning and Maintenance- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Community Solar Projects
- Financing Assistance
- Tesla Powerwall
- Battery Storage
TruNorth Solar
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Grid-Tied Solar System
Wolf River Electric Company
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
- Tesla Powerwall
- Battery Storage
- Permit Assistance
- Consultation
- Grid-Tied Solar System
US Solar - United States Solar Corporation
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Community Solar Projects
Everlight Solar
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
iSolar
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Financing Assistance
Greentech Renewables Minneapolis
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Panel Installation
Apadana Solar Technologies
- Reliable Customer Support
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
- Community Solar Projects
Sisu Solar
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Skilled Repairs
Greenway Solar
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Panel Installation
- Tesla Powerwall
SolarPod
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Off-Grid Solar Systems
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Panel Installation
MN Solar
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
Renewable Solar Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Consultation
- Permit Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Community Solar Projects
Legacy Solar, LLC
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
RAREnergy - Solar Power Installation Minnesota
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Solar Companies in Columbus
EcoWatch's solar experts analyzed each solar company in Columbus 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 Columbus
Below are some the criteria we examined specifically for Minnesota 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 Columbus
The cost of putting up a solar panel system has gone down greatly in the past several years, but it’s still a substantial investment for most homeowners.The installation cost is just one important factor you should take into account when looking into getting solar panels. How much it'll cost and how much you can save depend on things such as:
- The model of solar panels you’re thinking of getting: Some are more expensive, so that will influence your budget for your solar project.
- How much power your household needs: If your family needs to use a lot of energy, you'll see more savings from going solar.
- Incentives: One thing that can make your solar project cost less is the solar investment tax credit (ITC), which is a tax credit that lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the project cost. You can also save money on your energy bills, which can lead to an average of $19,000 of savings over 20 years.
- Average daily sunlight: Since Columbus doesn’t get a lot of average daily sunlight, your solar system may not be able to generate enough energy to power your whole home, which affects how much you can save on your energy bills.
So is a solar panel system worth it? Whether you’re trying to reduce your energy bills, carbon emissions or both, solar panels are a good investment for many Columbus homeowners.
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Solar Incentives in Columbus
If you’re planning on making the switch to solar power, a number of government incentives and tax credits can greatly reduce the installation costs and speed up the return on your investment.When you install a solar panel system on your house, you become eligible to claim the federal tax credit, or ITC. This credit currently lets you reduce your tax bill by 0 of the cost of your solar panels. In addition, there are often some regional incentives that you can benefit from to further cut back on the cost of solar of solar panels. Take a look at our article on solar incentives to see what incentives you can benefit from.
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Columbus
There are a few important reasons why homeowners want to invest in solar energy: for the financial and environmental benefits.You may be asking yourself – how much do solar panels help the planet anyway? As reported by the EPA, electricity production is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and about 62% of our electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels. Using solar power can help bring down that number in a city like Columbus that is responsible for a large amount of carbon dioxide emissions each year.Because solar panels don’t release carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere when creating electricity, they’re a good substitute for traditional energy sources. In fact, you could look forward to lowering your carbon dioxide emissions by about 90 pounds each year. The great things about solar power are plentiful — just like solar power is! That's why so many homeowners have been happy with committing to solar.
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 Columbus, MN Solar Company Rankings FAQs
What is the most reputable solar company in Columbus?
In Columbus, Cedar Creek Energy - Solar Company Minnesota is the top local solar company. Our team of experts rates it 5.00 stars, so it's a good choice if you're looking to add solar panels to your house.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar power?
The biggest advantages of solar power are that it can decrease or, in some cases, 100% eradicate your electricity bills, improve your home’s value and cut back on your carbon footprint. The biggest disadvantages are that solar panels can be expensive to install, you may not see as many savings if you don’t use a lot of electricity and it doesn’t work for all roof types and locations.
Are solar panels worth it?
Solar panels can be a fruitful investment for lots of homeowners, but frankly, they might not be worth it for everyone. If your home doesn't get a lot of direct sunlight or your electricity bills are already pretty low, solar panels might not be for you.
How efficient is a solar panel system?
For the most part, solar panels are about 15 to 25% efficient, which means they can convert that percentage of the energy from the sun into usable electricity.
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.