Top 5 Best Solar Companies in Pennsylvania (2022 Reviews)

If you’re looking for the best solar companies in Pennsylvania, chances are you’ve sifted through some company reviews online. Unfortunately, many other sources don’t consider the factors most important to Pennsylvania residents, like companies that install high-efficiency panels to help offset electric costs through the cloudy winters in PA. The EcoWatch team takes this and other local factors into consideration to provide you with the most relevant information possible.

Watch Below: PA Expecting Energy Providers to Add a 45% Rate Hike to Monthly Bills

What Are the Top 5 Solar Companies in Pennsylvania?

The company comparison table below provides an at-a-glance look at the best solar companies in Pennsylvania. You might be surprised to see that some of the more popular brands — like Vivint Solar — don’t appear in our rankings. We have opted to exclude some brands like this because of issues that could prevent them from providing you with outstanding service, like ongoing litigation with customers, poor service specifically in PA and other potential problems.

Not sure which of these companies is best suited to handle your home solar project? Because the EcoWatch team maintains so much brand authority in the solar industry, we’re often able to get our readers some of the best deals and pricing on clean energy solutions.

1. Yellowlite

Yellowlite is a national company, but it’s significantly smaller than most other national solar energy companies.

It’s large enough to buy equipment in bulk and provide equipment at lower costs than many competitors, but it’s small enough to maintain excellent customer service. Most PA residents are pleased with the communication from this company, as well as with the willingness of its techs to help you take advantage of incentives and rebates, like the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC).

Yellowlite provides a 10-year comprehensive warranty, which isn’t the best. However, the equipment comes with a manufacturer’s warranty of between 25 and 30 years, which is excellent. There are many solar equipment brands available, offering homeowners the opportunity to choose the ideal installer to balance budget and performance.

Yellowlite only accepts cash purchases and solar loans, so customers looking for leases or Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) will need to choose another installer.

Pros for Yellowlite

Yellowlite is based in Pittsburgh, so it provides outstanding customer service to PA residents. It has many equipment brands to choose from, as well as good equipment coverage.

• Great customer service in PA
• Excellent product selection
• Good physical warranties on equipment

Cons for Yellowlite

While Yellowlite’s manufacturer warranties are good, the overall coverage for workmanship isn’t the best. It also doesn’t accept leases or PPAs.

• Workmanship warranty is less than the industry standard
• No lease options
• No PPAs

Facts and Figures: Yellowlite

Solar Veteran

4/5

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Regional Service

2. Paradise Energy Solutions

Paradise Energy Solutions is a local company based in PA. While it has a large coverage area throughout the state, its services are not quite as widely available as some other installers on this list — for example, it doesn’t serve Philadelphia. However, the customers it does service are overwhelmingly pleased with the communication and professionalism of the technicians, as well as the overall customer service experience.

Paradise Energy Solutions carries a handful of equipment brands, including some of the more popular ones like Enphase and LG. However, its services are rather limited, as it only tackles solar panel and solar battery installations.

Customers looking for electric vehicle chargers or other product add-ons will need to turn to another installer.

This company doesn’t have the best workmanship warranty, but physical coverage is more than adequate. It only accepts cash purchases and financed deals for residential solar customers.

Pros for Paradise Energy Solutions

Paradise Energy Solutions is one of the best solar installation companies in PA if you’re looking for outstanding customer service. It has a nice selection of popular and efficient solar products, and its physical protection warranties are great.

• Best-in-class customer service
• Good product variety
• Physical protection warranties are quite good

Cons for Paradise Energy Solutions

Paradise Energy Solutions only handles panel and battery installations. It also only has a 10-year workmanship warranty, which is less than the industry standard, and it doesn’t offer leases or Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to residential customers.

• Limited services available
• Workmanship warranty isn’t the best
• No leases or PPAs

Facts and Figures: Paradise Energy Solutions

Solar Veteran

4.5/5

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Regional Service

3. SunPower

SunPower is an enormous national company that, in the past, has outsourced the installation of its panels to third-party solar contractors. It’s transitioning to a new business model in which it will handle installations in-house of panels from its sister company, Maxeon.

SunPower and Maxeon panels are among the most efficient solar panels in the industry, which makes them ideal for maximizing energy production through Pennsylvania’s cloudy winter.

SunPower’s customer service can vary a bit based on the third-party installer handling the work. Going forward, it will have to establish its own reputation for customer service once it begins in-house installs.

SunPower accepts all financing options, including cash purchases, solar loans, solar leases and Power Purchase Agreements. These options make renewable energy more accessible, but the panels are still some of the most expensive available.

Click here for our full SunPower review.

Pros for SunPower

SunPower offers some of the best and most efficient solar technology in the industry. It accepts all financing options and provides great warranty coverage as well.

• Installs some of the highest-quality equipment
• Many financing options available
• Excellent warranty coverage

Cons for SunPower

SunPower’s outsourcing of labor can lead to spotty customer service. The panels are highly efficient but also some of the most expensive you can buy. Additionally, only one solar equipment brand is provided.

• Spotty customer service
• Expensive
• Only one brand available

Facts and Figures: SunPower

Best National Provider

5/5

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Nationwide Service

4. Solar SME

Solar SME is a national company that has a strong foothold in Pennsylvania, especially around the Pittsburgh area.

Despite its large size, it still manages to provide excellent customer service most of the time. Many PA homeowners rave about the communication, professionalism and willingness to help residents take advantage of the federal solar tax credit and other solar incentives. There are a handful of customers who received less appealing customer satisfaction, though.

Solar SME has some of the best financing options available, including cash purchases, a wide range of solar loans, solar leases and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Coupled with its overall affordable pricing, this makes Solar SME a great option regardless of your financial situation.

Solar SME carries many solar products for solar energy system customization, including most of the more popular brands.

Pros for Solar SME

Solar SME accepts all financing options and maintains relatively low pricing overall. It carries many solar brands for system customization.

• Many financing options available
• Affordable
• Carries a great product variety

Cons for Solar SME

Solar SME has had some instances of below-average customer service. It also isn’t NABCEP certified.

• Some cases of subpar customer service
• No NABCEP certification

Facts and Figures: Solar SME

Outstanding Regional Installer

4.5/5

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Regional Service

5. Public Service Solar

Public Service Solar carries a nice array of solar equipment brands. Even more impressive is the number of services it provides, which include solar panel and battery installation, solar monitoring, community solar and more. It’s clear based on its service offerings that this company has the right idea when it comes to making solar a viable option for the future: make homes more energy efficient rather than cram as many panels as possible on the roof. Public Service Solar is a local company serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It provides the kind of customer service you’d expect from a small company, so the likelihood is that you’ll be pleased with its professionalism, timeliness and overall service. This company provides access to Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), but some customers only have the option of a cash purchase or solar loan via its financing partner, Sungage.

Pros for Public Service Solar

Public Service Solar maintains a great reputation for good customer service. It has many financing options available, and it has an excellent range of services going above and beyond solar.

• Outstanding customer service
• Several financing options available
• Many services provided

Cons for Public Service Solar

Public Service Solar doesn’t install EV chargers or other add-on products. It also doesn’t have the best workmanship warranty.

• No EV chargers or other add-on equipment

Facts and Figures: Public Service Solar

Outstanding Regional Installer

4/5

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Regional Service

EcoWatch Criteria for Selecting the Top Solar Company in Pennsylvania

The EcoWatch team assesses the top solar panel companies in Pennsylvania based on more than 20 criteria. We’ll discuss the more pertinent ones below, but you can find information on each factor we consider over on our methodology page.

Warranty

Most solar installers offer warranties on solar equipment to provide peace of mind to customers spending tens of thousands on their equipment. Solar warranties typically cover the equipment — including physical damage and energy production — or workmanship — including installation, some parts and roof leaks, in some cases.

Lengthier and more comprehensive warranties are always better, but we specifically look for companies that provide an energy production guarantee. Pennsylvania gets adequate sun in the spring and summer, but the falls and winters can be cloudy, providing limited sunlight for energy production.

High-efficiency panels that are guaranteed to produce maximum energy are usually the best for PA residents. Companies that carry extensive production warranties usually rank higher in our ratings for Pennsylvania.

Year Founded

Solar electric systems are becoming more and more prevalent in Pennsylvania. This is great news, but in response to the increase in demand, we’ve seen many “fly by night” companies pop up throughout the state, looking to turn a profit in the booming industry.

Unfortunately, these companies are often short-lived and provide poor service. When they go out of business, you’re left with no ongoing service and a voided warranty. We always consider the year a company was founded to help rule out those that may have limited longevity in the solar space.

Services Offered

Not every solar power installer in Pennsylvania provides the same services. Some companies — like Paradise Energy Solutions — only take care of panel and battery installation, while others also tackle electric vehicle chargers, solar roofing, solar monitoring and much more.

We rank companies higher that provide a wider range of services, as they are more likely to be able to serve more customers who want customizable systems.

Brands of Solar Equipment Offered

In addition to the services offered, we also look at the solar equipment each company carries. Some companies — like SunPower — only carry a single brand, while others stock equipment from numerous manufacturers. Companies that carry a variety usually rank higher because they appeal to more customers.

For example, a solar installer that offers a wide range of products could appeal to customers looking for the most efficient panels to combat the cloudy PA winters, the cheapest panels to keep solar panel costs down and those looking for specific brands, like the Tesla Powerwall.

Industry Affiliations

We consider the affiliations a company has with solar organizations and associations. Involvement in the solar industry suggests that a company is in the renewable energy space for more than just profit, which usually goes hand in hand with knowledgeable staff that provides excellent service.

Some affiliations we look for in Pennsylvania include the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), PA Solar Center and Philly Solar.

Size of Company

The size of the company you choose might seem like an inconsequential factor, but it can actually have quite an impact on your overall experience.

• Smaller local companies, for example, often have far superior customer service, and many have better relationships with local permitting agencies and utility companies, which they can leverage to expedite connection to the grid via an inverter for net metering.
• Larger national companies often have lower pricing, and they almost always have greater flexibility with installation, leading to a faster install on your home.

Solar Pricing and Financing

Finally, we look at a company’s overall pricing, the value it provides for the installation cost and the financing options available to customers. The overall price will always be a crucial factor, but we find that value is more important.

For example, some companies that only work with high-quality equipment, like SunPower panels or Tesla Powerwalls, will naturally be more costly, but the high efficiency typically leads to greater energy savings in the long run. Cheaper is not always better when it comes to solar.

The financing options available also dictate the company’s affordability to some extent. Some customers who cannot afford a cash purchase or secure a solar loan can only be serviced by installers who offer leases or Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). The more financing options available, the higher we rank the company because of its more widespread appeal and accessibility.

See also: See how much you can save by going solar with the EcoWatch Solar Calculator

EcoWatch Preferred Partners

Here is a list of preferred partners in this area.

Best National Provider

5/5

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Nationwide Service

Solar Veteran

4/5

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Regional Service

Solar Veteran

4.5/5

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Regional Service

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