10 Best Solar Companies in Oak Ridge, NC (2024 Reviews)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 10 in Oak Ridge based on:
Customer review scores- Service area for Oak Ridge, NC
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Average Oak Ridge homeowner saves $1,408/year with solar panels
Why you can trust EcoWatch
Best Solar Companies in Oak Ridge
Looking for energy freedom in Oak Ridge? Installing solar panels can be a rewarding course of action since there are a lot of benefits after adopting solar power. What's especially pushing a lot of readers toward switching to solar is their high energy bills that keep increasing each year.
The cost of installing solar panels can change a lot depending on your home’s setup and your overall energy requirements.To start getting free quotes from the best solar companies in Oak Ridge, you can click "get quote" below.
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 Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Outstanding Regional Installer
Renu Energy Solutions
- Excellent reputation
- Many financing options
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- No leases or PPAs
EcoWatch Rankings for Solar Companies in Oak Ridge
Renu Energy Solutions
Informative Resources- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
Limited information available on website
Services Offered
Tesla Powerwall- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
- Financing Assistance
Balex Electrical Company, LLC
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Solar Panel Upgrades
- Skilled Repairs
AIS Solar
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Tesla Powerwall
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
- Solar Panel Upgrades
- Battery Storage
Beam Solar Co
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
Gate City Solar Co
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Off-Grid Solar Systems
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- System Decommissioning
- Skilled Repairs
- Consultation
- Battery Storage
K. Builders Group, LLC
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
- Skilled Repairs
- Financing Assistance
Carolina Connections Solar Energy - North Carolina Installation & Sales
- Family-Operated Business
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Consultation
- Battery Storage
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
Freedom Solar Power - Raleigh Solar Panel Installers
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Battery Storage
- Skilled Repairs
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
- Tesla Powerwall
- Consultation
Sustainable Electric and Air
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
NC Solar Electric LLC
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
- Permit Assistance
- Off-Grid Solar Systems
- Battery Storage
- Grid-Tied Solar System
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Solar Companies in Oak Ridge
EcoWatch's solar experts analyzed each solar company in Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge
Below are some the criteria we examined specifically for North Carolina 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 Oak Ridge
The cost of putting up a solar panel system has gone down greatly over the past few years, but it’s still a significant investment for most homeowners.The cost of solar and the savings it generates vary depending on some important factors such as:
- Average daily sunlight: Since Oak Ridge gets a decent amount of average daily sunlight, your solar panels can generally produce enough energy to power your whole home, which impacts how much you can save on your energy bills.
- The type of solar panels you’re thinking of getting: More efficient models are more costly, so that will affect your budget for your solar project.
- Incentives: The federal solar investment tax credit currently allows you to decrease your taxes by 0 of the project cost. Your state and even local utility companies may also have various incentives that you can take advantage of. Additionally, you can save about $17,000 over 20 years on your utility bills, not including incentives.
- Energy consumption: Installing a solar system may be too steep of an option for households that don’t consume too much energy per month.
As a result of solar panels decreasing in cost as well as local and federal solar incentives, they are a cost-effective investment for most homeowners.
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Solar Incentives in Oak Ridge
Switching to solar power has many great benefits. Not only can it help protect the environment, but you can also save some money on your installation with various government incentives.Regardless of where you live, you can take advantage of the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which lets you claim 0 of your project costs when you file taxes, lowering the amount of taxes you owe that year. Additionally, there may be some local incentives that stack with the ITC too. For detailed information about local incentives, check out our article on solar incentives.
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Oak Ridge
There are a few big reasons why people are considering solar energy: to help their wallet and the environment.But how much can installing solar panels actually help the environment? As stated by the EPA, electricity generation is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and about 62% of our electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels. Switching to a clean energy source like solar power can help lower that number in a city like Oak Ridge that generates a sizable amount of carbon dioxide emissions each year.Because solar panels don’t release carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere when generating electricity, they’re a good trade for traditional energy sources. In fact, you could be looking at reducing your carbon dioxide emissions by about 60 pounds each year. If you want to do your part for the environment, you’ll no doubt understand that there are many benefits of adopting solar energy other than just saving money on electricity. You can also help preserve the environment, which some would argue is priceless.
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 Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Outstanding Regional Installer
Renu Energy Solutions
- Excellent reputation
- Many financing options
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- No leases or PPAs
EcoWatch's Oak Ridge, NC Solar Company Rankings FAQs
What is the top solar installer in Oak Ridge?
The best local solar company in Oak Ridge is Renu Energy Solutions, with a rating of 3.00 stars.
What are the best and worst things about solar power?
The greatest advantages of solar power are that it can decrease or, for some, entirely erase your electricity bills, raise your home’s value and reduce your carbon footprint. The biggest disadvantages are that solar panels can be pricey to install, you may not see as many savings if you don’t use a lot of electricity and whether you can install solar panels depends on your roof configuration.
How long does it take to see a return on your investment after getting solar panels?
The average payback period for solar panel installation is about 14.0 years, but the exact period depends on the cost of electricity where you are, incentives and net metering programs.
How much solar panel capacity do I need for my house?
Solar panel capacity is rated depending on how many watts of power they generate under standard testing conditions. Since each panel can usually produce about 250 to 400 watts per hour, the average household will need 20 to 35 panels.
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.