Top 4 Best Solar Companies in Mississippi (2023 Reviews)

How Can You Save Money When Hiring A Solar Company In Mississippi

Most residents looking to convert to renewable energy will want to find ways to reduce costs and boost long-term savings. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to accomplish both of these goals. These include:

• Taking advantage of all solar benefit programs available in your area
• Opt for high-efficiency panels
• Get a few different quotes

We’ll explain why these strategies can help save you money in the sections below.

Make Sure You Take All Solar Incentives Available to You

One of the best things you can do — and one of the easiest — to reduce the cost of your system is to take all of the solar perks that are available in your area. The Magnolia State has fewer solar benefit programs than most other states, but those that are available still help immensely.

We’ll include a brief breakdown of all of the benefit programs available to Mississippians in the table below.

It’s worth noting that choosing a solar provider with years of local experience means you’re more likely to get a company that can help you file for these perks.

For more information on the above perks and other rebates available in your area, you can head over to our Mississippi solar incentives guide.

Choose High-Efficiency Panels

Mississippi residents see plenty of sunshine to make their investment in solar worthwhile, but energy consumption in the state is also the third-highest in the country.⁴ The large homes in Mississippi have higher energy demands that require efficient panels to fully offset.

You might pay more upfront for high-efficiency panel brands — like Qcells, REC and SunPower — but these equipment brands will often pay for themselves over time by offering greater savings on your utility bills.

Get Multiple Free Quotes

Finally, we recommend getting a few free quotes for your solar panel system before settling on a single installer. Every company charges different amounts for labor and equipment, so a similar system could cost much more from one company than from another.

It’s important to remember that not all systems and companies are created equally. We suggest comparing your quote based on the estimated lifetime energy savings it will provide — as well as warranty — and not just on price.

Pro tip: if you prefer one company we’ve featured over another, but the preferred company is more expensive, see if you can use the lower quote as a bargaining chip. In some cases, solar installers may be willing to match prices.

For more information on how much you can save by going solar, you can use our solar calculator.

Will Solar Increase Your Home Value In Mississippi?

Yes! One of the most attractive upsides to going solar for many Mississippi residents is the fact that solar conversion is expected to boost your home value. According to Zillow, most homes see a value increase of around 4.1%, which means the average home in the Magnolia State should increase in value by just over $7,000.⁵

More solar-friendly areas are more likely to see an increase in property value following solar system installation, in our opinion. Included in these areas is Houston, along with Clay, Oktibbeha and Lowndes counties, all of which have seen a bump in community solar and utility solar.⁶,⁷

You’re also more likely to see a greater value bump in more expensive areas since the increase in value seems to be correlated to property values as a whole. Therefore, cities like Gulfport, Southaven, Biloxi and Hattiesburg should see more value from switching to solar.

Should Mississippi Residents Hire a Professional Solar Installer Or DIY?

It’s common to wonder if a DIY solar panel installation is a better option. In most cases, DIY solar energy solutions are significantly more affordable, costing around $15,000 as opposed to the $30,000 you’d spend on a professionally-installed system.

However, there are some major downsides to installing your own panels in Mississippi, including:

• No workmanship warranty
• Lower panel efficiency and less appealing efficiency warranties
• A higher risk of property damage from improper installation

We’ll discuss these drawbacks and why a DIY installation could end up costing you more in the sections below.

DIY Systems Don’t Come With a Workmanship Warranty

The first major downside to installing your panels yourself is that the installation doesn’t come with any kind of warranty. With a professional system, issues stemming from mistakes during the installation are typically covered for ten years. When you install your system yourself, you get no coverage for the labor.

Not only is the lack of a warranty a downside, but DIY solar arrays are more likely to lead to issues like roof leaks anyway because of the lack of experience on the part of the installer. You’ll pay more to have your system installed professionally, but you could end up saving on repair or replacement costs if you secure a robust workmanship warranty.

DIY Panels Have a Lower Panel Efficiency

Another important thing to consider is that DIY panel brands — like Renogy and Grape Solar — usually have below-average efficiency ratings. Most DIY brands hover around 15%, while professional panels typically top 20% and edge closer to 22%.

Panel efficiency is an important thing to consider no matter where you live, but it’s especially crucial in a place like Mississippi where homes use a lot of power. High-efficiency panels, while more expensive, provide far more bang for their buck in the long run.

Roof Leaks Are More Common With DIY Systems

Lastly, mistakes made during solar panel installation can lead to expensive property repairs. This is especially true in a climate like Mississippi’s, where your roof is routinely exposed to extreme winds and rain.

Unfortunately, inexperienced installers — like DIYers — are far more likely to make mistakes during the installation that lead to costly property damage. It’s more expensive to pay for a professional installation, but the peace of mind and reduced risk of water damage and system damage you’ll get by hiring a professional is well worth the money, in our opinion.

What Should Mississippi Residents Look For in a Solar Installer?

Choosing an installer for your solar equipment can be an intimidating process. However, there are a few things you can look for in a solar provider to ensure you get one that will meet your needs and fit into your budget. Some of the most important factors include:

• A lengthy labor warranty
• High-efficiency panel brands
• Batteries as an add-on

We’ll explain why we think these are important things to look for in the sections below.

Lengthy Labor Warranties

First off, we suggest prioritizing companies that offer a long-lasting warranty for the installation labor. All warranty coverage is helpful no matter where you live, but workmanship warranties are especially beneficial in the Gulf Coast region.

Mississippi residents see their fair share of extreme weather, including hurricanes and tornadoes.⁸ These weather conditions can put added strain on rooftop solar panels, and any issues with the installation process can increase the likelihood of roof leaks, and issues with racking.

Durable and Efficient Solar Panels

Next, we suggest choosing a solar provider that offers highly durable, efficient and high-quality solar panel brands, like REC, Silfab and Qcells. In addition to extreme weather, Mississippi property owners also see greater amounts of sunlight than residents in most other states. The high energy needs in the area require an efficient system that can make the most of that sunlight.

Choosing a company that offers efficient panels will help offset your high electric bills, which means greater energy savings over time and a shorter panel payback period.

Solar Storage Options

Although not all homeowners will be interested in installing a solar battery, we expect that a good portion of Mississippi solar customers will.

Batteries not only provide power through outages — which are common in Mississippi — but they also effectively help you store and budget your energy if you don’t have access to net metering. Batteries ensure that none of the energy your panels generate during the day goes to waste. They can store excess energy you generate at peak hours of the day for later use, like at night or on rainy days.

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Methodology: How We Ranked Mississippi’s Solar Companies

Providing you with accurate information about solar providers in your area and helping you choose the best one for your needs are our top priorities. In pursuit of those goals, we have ranked the installers above based on a few criteria that we believe are most crucial to Mississippians. Below is a quick look at the factors on which we’ve rated these companies:

• Solar Warranty & Customer Support (20%)
• Solar System Cost & Payment Options (20%)
• Solar Services (15%)
• Experience (15%)
• Qualifications, Reputation & Certifications (15%)
• Availability (10%)
• Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Factors (5%)

We are also committed to providing unbiased information about installers in your area, which is why we never let commercial partnerships influence our rankings or our methodology. We’ll explain each of the factors we used to rank MS solar providers below.

Solar Warranty & Customer Support

Our first goal is to identify companies that offer robust warranty coverage. We specifically look for workmanship warranties, which cover defects and property damages caused by improper installation. This is crucial in Mississippi, where above-average rainfall, hurricanes and other extreme weather can expose these issues quickly.

We give companies an average rating if they provide the industry standards for coverage: 25 years for equipment, 20 to 25 years for panel efficiency and ten years for labor.

Solar System Cost & Payment Options

Since solar systems cost well above the national average in Mississippi, we next prioritize companies with below-average pricing and multiple payment options. Below-average pricing keeps renewable energy affordable, and offering a myriad of payment options means clean energy will remain accessible to more of our readers.

Solar Services

As mentioned above, batteries are a popular option in Mississippi for maximizing savings and reducing effective system costs over time. We look next for installers that offer battery options, especially Tesla Powerwalls.

Companies that offer panels, batteries and energy audits get average scores in this category. Full-service installers that go above and beyond by providing additional services — like home efficiency upgrades, solar water heaters and system monitoring — get ranked a bit higher, as they naturally appeal to more aspiring solar customers.

Experience in Mississippi

Next, we rank companies higher if they have at least five years of experience in the industry and in Mississippi, specifically. Companies that have 10+ years get perfect scores in this category.

Longevity in the industry means a company is more likely to stick around and honor your warranty coverage. More extensive local experience also means an installer is more likely to understand the needs of Mississippians, size systems appropriately and offer warranty coverage in line with what locals need.

Qualifications, Reputation & Certifications

We also consider a company’s qualifications and reputation in the industry and in Mississippi, specifically. We look for things like:

• Certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)
• Certification from the Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
• Electrician licenses
• General contractor licenses
• BBB accreditation and a high overall company rating
• 4+ stars on Google with 100+ reviews

We take each company’s reputation very seriously, ranking those with a history of poor customer service and lawsuits much lower than competitors.

Availability

The solar market in the Magnolia State is really just starting to take shape. Given the overall lack of demand in the area, many installers choose to serve just a handful of highly-populated areas, like Jackson and Biloxi. Unfortunately, this cuts out a large portion of our readers.

As such, we rank companies higher if they provide service to the entire state.

Environmental, Social & Corporate Governance Factors

Finally, we look at each company’s contributions to the industry as a whole and the communities around them. We like to highlight companies that:

• Offer PV panel recycling
• Provide access to solar for low-income individuals
• Make charitable donations
• Strive to keep their own operations emission-free