South Carolina Solar Panel Buyers Guide (Installation & Efficiency 2023)
By Dan Simms /
In this guide to South Carolina’s best solar companies, you’ll learn
When it comes to installing solar power, South Carolina is quickly rising in the national ranks. It jumped from No. 26 to No. 14 from 2021 to 2022 in terms of watts of solar capacity installed.1
While the majority of solar installation growth is from utility installations, South Carolina homeowners are also realizing the benefits of going solar — like the 25% state tax credit and the more than $24,000 potential lifetime energy savings.
With dozens of installers to choose from, EcoWatch has selected the top five solar companies that provide the best value for South Carolinians:
Explore the drop-down menus below to learn why we chose each of these companies, as well as information about their costs, warranties and offerings. If you like what you read, you can reach out to get a free quote by clicking the orange buttons.
Pros
Cons
SunPower is a large national company based in California that has been in the solar industry since 1985. For decades it has manufactured some of the highest-quality solar panels with the best efficiency on the market. Now, SunPower handles all the installations and installs panels from its sister company, Maxeon.
Aside from highly efficient technology, what we like best about SunPower is its comprehensive 25-year warranty that covers production, workmanship and the panels themselves. This provides peace of mind to homeowners in an area like South Carolina, where extreme weather — including hurricanes and tropical storms — is common.
While solar panel warranties don’t cover physical storm damage, they will protect you if a storm inhibits your solar energy production by guaranteeing a certain amount of energy generation.
SunPower’s panels are the most efficient options on the market, but they’re also quite expensive, so it won’t be the best option for every homeowner. But we still give SunPower a perfect score because it offers a wide variety of solar financing options — including cash, solar loans, solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAS) — that makes it more accessible for more homeowners to go solar.
Another downside is that SunPower is a national installer, so the level of customer care you receive will depend on your local South Carolina SunPower solar dealer.
EcoWatch Rating |
---|
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Year Founded |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
Warranty Coverage |
5 |
A+ |
1985 |
$$$$ |
Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, System Monitoring |
SunPower Panels |
25-year all-inclusive warranty |
Regional Service
Average cost
Pros
Cons
Palmetto Solar makes our list of the top five solar installers in South Carolina primarily because of its impact on the solar industry and solar customers.
It leads the charge in installing clean energy tech across the United States to reduce our carbon footprint and improve sustainability. Palmetto Solar has B Corp certification, partners with many charities and has an incredible company outreach program to make renewable energy more accessible.
As the name implies, this company is headquartered in the Palmetto State. And while it now has a wider reach spanning 25 states, it maintains great customer service in SC, including major cities like Columbia, Charleston, Greenville and Myrtle Beach.
Palmetto Solar provides an excellent range of solar services, including panel and battery installation, repairs, roofing, maintenance and more. While it only carries a few solar equipment brands, the list includes some of the more popular solar brands and some more affordable solar panel brands.
Palmetto Solar offers a 25-year warranty on the equipment, although that doesn’t cover roof leaks or power production. Palmetto Solar only accepts cash or financing for its solar energy systems, but it is more budget-friendly compared to other installers in the market.
EcoWatch Rating |
---|
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
4.5 |
A+ |
$$$ |
Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, Energy-Efficiency Upgrades, Maintenance & Repairs |
Regional Service
Average cost
Pros
Cons
Summit Solar is a local South Carolina company that has quickly established a nationwide presence. It still maintains outstanding customer service, especially in the state where the company was founded. In fact, it scores very high in just about all of our criteria for choosing solar companies.
Summit Solar provides an abundance of solar services, including the usual offerings like solar panel and solar battery installation, as well as less common options like rodent barriers and efficiency monitoring. The breadth of service proves that it really knows the ins and outs of the industry and isn’t after cramming as many panels as possible on customers’ roofs.
The warranty coverage is excellent, especially for roof penetration, which is crucial in a rainy state like South Carolina. It carries many of the most efficient solar panel brands and the most popular products, like the Tesla Powerwall.
To top it all off, Summit Solar accepts most financing options, including cash purchases, solar loans and PPAs. Combined with state tax credits and other incentives, it’s one of the most accessible companies for SC solar.
But Summit Solar isn’t perfect. The company was founded in 2016, making it one of the less experienced renewable energy companies on our list. It’s also a bit on the more expensive side, comparatively.
EcoWatch Rating |
---|
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
4.5 |
A+ |
$$$$ |
Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, Roofing Services, Energy-Efficiency Upgrades |
Pros
Cons
Blue Raven Solar is a massive national solar company that services most of the country, including all of South Carolina. It’s one of the very few national companies that still manages to provide outstanding customer service. And while it was acquired by solar giant SunPower in 2021, Blue Raven seems to have upheld this standard.
The most noteworthy aspect of Blue Raven Solar is that it makes converting to clean energy more accessible than most companies, so it might be right for you if you’re on a budget. It only accepts cash purchases and solar loans, but it offers some of the best financing options via its BluePower+ program.
Through Blue Raven’s unique financing program, most homeowners can get a no-money-down loan with no payments for 18 months. The upfront cost is similar to leases, but you still get all the benefits of panel ownership — like the federal tax credit, property value increase and other solar incentives and rebates.
Where Blue Raven Solar excels in financing options, it falls short in the services provided. It only handles solar panel installation, so it won’t suit you if you’re looking to add solar batteries, electric vehicle chargers or other add-on equipment to your home solar project.
EcoWatch Rating |
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Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Year Founded |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
Warranty Coverage |
4.5 |
A+ |
2014 |
$$ |
Solar Panels, System Monitoring |
Trina Solar, Canadian Solar, SolarEdge, Silfab, SunPower |
25-year manufacturer warranty; 10-year workmanship warranty, 2-year production guarantee |
Pros
Cons
ADT Solar is a well-known solar installer offering its service across twenty-one states. The company was founded in 2008 and quickly became an industry-leading provider in the U.S. However, ADT is a little bit pickier than other national solar companies, only serving states that have great solar incentives, like South Carolina.
Formerly Sunpro Solar, ADT Solar now combines its solar services with the No. 1 smart home security provider. This means that its customers enjoy security on a number of levels, including their energy source. ADT Solar also prides itself on handling the entire installation process, start to finish, with no subcontractors.
There are a handful of key benefits to choosing ADT Solar as your provider. The company offers a wide selection of solar panel brands (and energy efficiency ranges), competitive pricing, excellent warranty coverage (25-year on labor, production and defects) and a free solar quote to get started.
The only downsides we see to choosing ADT are the potential for below-average customer service (due to its large size) and the lack of financing options. The company is sometimes known to be slow to respond to warranty issues after installation. It also doesn’t accept leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs). We still recommend ADT, though, as the warranty coverage is unmatched in South Carolina.
EcoWatch Rating |
---|
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Year Founded |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
Warranty Coverage |
4 |
A- |
2008 |
$$$ |
Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, Energy-Efficiency Upgrades |
Silfab, Panasonic and others depending on location |
25-year all-inclusive warranty |
The average cost of solar panel systems in South Carolina is $29,920, which is quite expensive compared to the national average price of $23,940.
It’s worth considering that the average South Carolina homeowner installs more rooftop solar panels (an 11 kilowatt system) compared to the national average (9 kilowatt system). This is because SC homeowners, on average, use more energy than the typical American. If you compare solar costs on a per-watt basis, solar systems in SC costs $2.72 per watt compared to $2.66 per watt on the national level.
While solar is slightly more expensive in South Carolina than the national average, it goes a lot further because utility bills are much higher there — and electricity rates are only rising. Still, you should capitalize on all of the ways to save money when hiring a solar installation company, including:
South Carolina offers several financial incentives in an effort to convince more homeowners to install solar panels. These incentives can help lower the total cost of your solar investment.
Below you’ll see a quick look at the incentives available. For more information, you can read our South Carolina Solar Incentives Guide.
SOLAR INCENTIVES IN SOUTH CAROLINA | INCENTIVE TYPE | DESCRIPTION | OCCURRENCE | ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT YOU CAN RECEIVE |
Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) | Federal | The federal tax credit for home solar energy systems allows residents to claim 30% of their solar installation costs as a tax credit | One-time: Applied when you file taxes for the year your system is commissioned | $8,976 |
South Carolina Solar Energy Tax Credit | State | South Carolina’s state tax credit for solar energy allows residents to claim 25% of their solar installation costs as a tax credit | One-time: Applied when you file taxes for the year your system is commissioned | $7,480 |
Net metering in South Carolina | Local | Net metering allows South Carolinians to receive credits from their utility company for excess power their panels produce | Continuous: Always in effect | Opportunity to apply overproduction of electricity to future energy bills for monthly savings |
Local incentives | Local | Some utilities, such as Santee Cooper, may offer solar rebates | Varies | Depends on utility company |
Each solar panel manufacturer has a different efficiency rating and wattage output that determines the strength of its solar energy production. Choosing a higher efficiency panel means that your panels will produce more sunshine in a shorter amount of time. Naturally, the more efficiency or powerful, the more expensive the panel will be.
South Carolina sees an above-average 216 sunny days, meaning customers probably don’t need top-of-the-line panels to get the job done.
On the other hand, if you do choose stronger panels, like the ones from SunPower, you might be able to save by installing fewer panels, as long as they’re strong enough to power your home.
South Carolina has more than two dozen solar companies to choose from, which can work to your advantage.2
Solar companies are competitive in South Carolina — they want your business. We recommend shopping around and getting multiple solar quotes. That way you can choose the one that offers the best value deal for your energy needs.
Pro tip: if you prefer one company we’ve featured over another, but the preferred company is more expensive, use the lower quote as a bargaining chip. Many solar installers are willing to match prices.
See Also: Calculate How Much You Can Save By Going Solar
In a recent EcoWatch survey of 1,000 homeowners, 63% of respondents said they’d pay more for a home with solar panels than a home without. Multiple studies have further confirmed that solar panels do increase the value of a home.
One of those studies from real estate giant Zillow found that homes with solar panels typically sell for about 4% more compared to homes without.3 In South Carolina where the average home sells for $299,965, that turns into a roughly $12,000 boost in home value.4
If you’re a handy homeowner, you might be looking to save money by completing a DIY solar panel installation. But how much would you be saving, really?
While labor costs vary by company, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory determines that about 10% of a solar installation cost covers labor.5 For the average solar panel installation in South Carolina, you’d be looking to save about $3,000 by installing your own panels.
That’s pretty decent savings. But if you’re looking to install enough rooftop solar panels to power your home (and offset your electric bills), we recommend hiring a professional for the following reasons:
If you’re wanting to install a few solar panels to power a small appliance or an RV, you can probably handle the installation yourself. But for bigger rooftop solar projects, you should call a professional.
Choosing the right solar company is one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make when installing solar in South Carolina. There are a few things you should consider to make sure you get a company that can provide the best equipment for your home and maintain good customer service throughout the installation process.
Some of the top considerations are:
Warranties are one of the most crucial things to consider when going solar. Companies typically offer coverage for the installation process, power production or equipment, although the best provide all three.
For solar installers in South Carolina, you especially want to look for a production warranty — to provide peace of mind through the state’s extreme weather — as well as warranties for roof leaks, which are especially important given the high rainfall totals throughout the state. For example, Summit Solar’s coverage for roof penetration makes it one of the top solar installation companies in the state, in our opinion.
It’s worth noting that solar panel warranties typically don’t cover physical damage to the panels from a storm (although that will be covered in your homeowner’s warranty). But if a storm damages your panel in a way that inhibits its ability to produce as much energy, that will be protected under a power production warranty.
Going solar is a huge investment, especially in South Carolina where the cost of solar is a little higher. Choosing a company that has a lot of solar financing options, like Blue Raven Solar, can help ease the initial financial burden of installing solar panels.
Of course, you’ll see the biggest return on investment if you pay for your solar energy system upfront, but we understand that the majority of Carolinians don’t have $20,000 to $30,000 lying around. If you take on a solar loan, you can use some of the electricity savings to help pay off your solar project.
There are certain installers that made our list of the top national solar companies that didn’t make the cut for South Carolina. That could be because they didn’t quite meet the needs of South Carolinians, or perhaps their SC-based technicians aren’t the best representatives of their brand.
You want to pick a company that has a proven track record of quality service in the Palmetto State. That’s why each of the solar companies featured on this list have at least five years of experience in South Carolina.
We typically like to highlight solar companies that offer a variety of equipment brands to appeal to the most customers. But, there are some exceptions.
For example, SunPower only carries the Maxeon brand, but its panels are well known as one of the best solar panels on the market.
You may not be an expert on the best solar panel brands, so here are a few things to keep in mind:
Choosing a solar company can be an exhausting process — that’s why we’re here to help. You don’t have to spend hours calling different solar companies and comparing prices of the best solar companies because the EcoWatch Reviews team has already done the work for you.
We know you’re passionate about switching to solar energy, and we’re passionate about helping homeowners like you reduce your carbon footprint and create a healthier planet.
By using EcoWatch to receive multiple quotes, you can compare offers directly to make sure you’re getting the best value out of your solar system. Customers who compare multiple quotes via our funnel are more likely to secure a lower price for a system than customers who go directly to a single provider.
Solar is growing more popular in South Carolina, but the five solar companies we’ve featured in this review were top-ranked for a reason.
When we rank our top solar companies, we start by identifying the factors that matter most when ensuring that our readers find a trustworthy, reliable and environmentally responsible installation. We’ve listed those factors as categories below. We then weigh these factors against the industry benchmark (a company meeting the industry standard in all categories would earn 4 stars in our rating system).
Our goal is to deliver unbiased reports and honest reviews, thus, our methodology is not affected by commercial partnerships and is specifically tailored to South Carolina homes.
At EcoWatch, we get a lot of questions from South Carolina homeowners about going solar and the prices involved. Below are the most frequently asked questions, along with our responses. If you have specific questions that aren’t answered here, reach out to our team of solar experts at solar@ecowatch.com.
Based on our in-depth reviews, we have determined that Summit Solar is the most reputable solar installer in South Carolina. This company has a national presence but still maintains excellent customer service and communication in South Carolina, where it’s headquartered. It offers robust warranty coverage, and a vast range of services and products and accepts most cash purchases, solar loans, leases, and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to keep its services accessible to just about every homeowner.
For most solar customers in South Carolina, power production guarantees and roof leak warranties are two of the most important factors to consider when going solar. South Carolina experiences an abundance of rain and frequent extreme weather, and warranties provide peace of mind that your solar system and roof won’t get damaged as a result.
When you’re looking for the right solar installer for you and your home, it’s best to consider all of the criteria above. Some of the more essential factors include warranty coverage, price as it compares to the value and quality of the equipment, customer service, and the services provided.
Evaluating South Carolina companies on all of these criteria can be overwhelming, so it might be easier to use our EcoWatch rating to determine which company is best for you.
The answer to this question isn’t black and white, and it will depend on the homeowner’s individual needs. If you’re looking for excellent customer service, communication, and customization options for your solar project, a local company is probably a better option. If you’re looking for an affordable installation and flexible installation timelines, then a larger national company might be right for you.
Luckily, there are many local and national companies located in and around South Carolina, so you’ll have plenty of options.
Given the above-average amount of rainfall and frequent extreme weather in the area, South Carolina residents ask us this question all the time. Your solar panels will still produce energy when it’s cloudy or raining, although the capacity will be lower. Many South Carolina residents opt for high-efficiency panels to help provide plenty of solar power to eliminate electricity rates even when the sun isn’t shining.
Comparing authorized solar partners
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