11 Best Solar Companies in Columbus, MN (Feb 2023 Review)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 11 in Columbus based on:
-
Customer review scores - Solar installers near you
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Updated January 20, 2023
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Best solar companies in Columbus
If you're a homeowner looking to capitalize on the solar incentives in Columbus, it can be hard to narrow down which company to choose. But, it's worth it since adopting solar power is often a good choice. Since Columbus is a city where the solar industry is on the rise, it's no wonder you're looking into installing solar panels.
If you're considering going solar, the first step to take is to find the best solar companies in Columbus and compare quotes. The great news is we went ahead and put together a list of the best solar companies to make your life easier. Interested in seeing how much it'd cost to install solar panels on your roof? Click "get quote" below to get a free, no-obligation quote from a top-rated Columbus solar installer.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
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
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 Columbus
Local Service
Sisu Solar
-
Can browse portfolio on website - NABCEP-certified technicians
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
-
Limited information available on website
Services Offered
-
Commercial Solar Services - Solar Panels
Local Service
US Solar - United States Solar Corporation
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
BlueSky Electric & Solar
- Educational sales approach
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
Solar Midwest, Inc. - Solatube Premier Dealer
- Educational sales approach
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Wolf River Electric Company
- Educational sales approach
- Assists with maximizing rebate
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
Cedar Creek Energy Corporation
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Offers a free quote process
- Educational sales approach
- Custom system designs
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
All Energy Solar, Inc.
- Can browse portfolio on website
- NABCEP-certified technicians
- Educational sales approach
- Some reports of high-pressure sales tactics
- Some reports of long wait times for installation
- Some reported communication issues
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
Go Green Energy
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Custom system designs
- Excellent reputation
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
American Energy LLC
- Educational sales approach
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Local Service
Solar Bear LLC
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Educational sales approach
- Makes charitable contributions
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Solar Panels
- Commercial Solar Services
Local Service
Apadana Solar Technologies
- More transparent pricing than competitors
- Educational sales approach
- Custom system designs
- Can browse portfolio on website
- Licensing and credentials transparency
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Solar Batteries
- Commercial Solar Services
- Solar Panels
Solar Company Ranking Methodology
Click here to see a more detailed overview of our solar company ranking methodology.
The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Columbus
The cost of installing solar panels has dropped immensely over the past several years, but it's still a significant investment for most homeowners. The overall price and potential savings vary depending on some key factors such as:
- Your home's power bills: Based on the very high monthly electricity bills in Columbus, you could save about $1,500 a year with solar.
- Incentives: Something that can reduce the cost of your solar project 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 a decent amount of money on your utility bills, which can give you an average of $19,000 of savings over 20 years.
- Electricity consumption: The average home in Columbus uses a decent amount of, and consequently may save on their energy bills.
- Your income and budget: This guides what type of solar panels you can get.
Solar is a worthwhile investment for most homeowners. You can generate your own power instead of paying for it from a utility company and make use of solar incentives and rebates, all while helping protect the Earth.
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Solar Incentives in Columbus
There are many reasons why adopting solar power is beneficial. One of them involves some government incentives you can take advantage of. Everyone can take advantage of the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which will let you claim 30% of how much your solar project cost when you file taxes, reducing the amount of taxes you owe that year. Additionally, there may be some local incentives that can save you some extra money too. For detailed information about incentives that apply to you, visit our our article on solar incentives.
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Columbus
If you're planning on adding solar panels to your home, one of the main reasons why may be to lower your greenhouse gas emissions. Something many homeowners might have in mind is how much can they really help protect the environment by switching to solar power anyway? The amount of energy you use is an important factor to think about. The more power your home uses, the larger your impact when you go solar. Even though solar panel production releases carbon dioxide emissions, the panels make up for it by considerably lowering the amount of CO2 you would have produced if you still used traditional energy. In Columbus, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 90 pounds a year with solar panels. As you can see, trading traditional energy for solar has so many other benefits outside of saving money. One of the primary ones is that you can help save the Earth too.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
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
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 Columbus, MN Solar Company Rankings FAQs
What is the most reputable solar installation company in Columbus?
The best local solar company in Columbus is Sisu Solar, with a rating of 5.00 stars.
What are the best and worst things about solar power?
A few of the biggest pros are that it lets you spend less on your power bills, it's environmentally friendly, and it gives you a significant return on your investment (ROI). The most notable cons are that solar panels don't produce electricity at night, 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 buying solar panels?
Solar panels generally pay for themselves in about 9.8 years, but your solar payback period will depend on your utility costs. The higher your typical power bill, the faster your solar panel system will recoup your installation costs.
How often do solar panels have to be replaced?
Though the average lifespan of solar panels is 25 to 30 years, that doesn't mean they stop working completely. What this means is the amount of energy they produce will have decreased by about 0.8% each year since installing them. You can opt to replace them after having 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.