Best Solar Companies in South Dakota (2022 Rankings & Reviews)

When you’re looking for the best solar companies in South Dakota, reading through company reviews is often the best way to get started. Unfortunately, many other online resources never consider the local factors at play in South Dakota. For example, South Dakotans experience severe weather throughout the year that can damage solar panels, including intense thunderstorms and tornadoes in the summer and ice storms in the winter. Companies that provide robust physical protection warranties are often best for this reason.

The EcoWatch team considers this and many other local factors to ensure you get the best information possible and choose the ideal solar installer for you.

EcoWatch Preferred Partners

Here is a list of preferred partners in this area.

Outstanding Regional Installer

4.5/5

Get Free Quote

Regional Service

Solar Veteran

4/5

Get Free Quote

Local Service

Outstanding Local Installer

4/5

Get Free Quote

Local Service

VIEW MORE

What Are the Top 4 Solar Companies in South Dakota?

The table below provides an at-a-glance look at the most reliable solar companies in South Dakota. You might notice that some of the more popular national solar installers — like Vivint Solar — don’t appear on our list. We chose to exclude some companies because of litigation with customers, poor service in South Dakota, lack of coverage in the state and other issues.

1. GenPro Energy Solutions

GenPro Energy is a regional company that is larger than most local companies, so it has greater resources and a massive service area throughout South Dakota. Even though it’s a larger company, it still maintains overwhelmingly positive customer reviews, and most homeowners in South Dakota are happy with the level of professionalism and customer service delivered by GenPro.

The technicians are friendly and timely, and they have the local knowledge required to install a system that will work for your home. They’re also always willing to answer questions and help customers take advantage of solar incentives, including the federal tax credit (ITC) and property tax exemptions.

GenPro offers a nice assortment of services and many solar brands that, together, allow for some home solar system customization. However, it doesn’t stock some of the more popular brands, like LG, Panasonic or Maxeon/SunPower panels.

GenPro installations come with a 25-year performance guarantee, which helps South Dakotans maximize energy production to provide power for heating systems through the long, frigid winter. However, we like to see companies offer workmanship warranties as well.

Pros for GenPro Energy Solutions

GenPro Energy is a large regional company that has a massive service area throughout South Dakota. It has many products and services available, and its technicians are certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.

• Serves most of South Dakota
• Many products and services available
• NABCEP-certified technicians

Cons for GenPro Energy Solutions

GenPro Energy doesn’t carry most of the more popular solar equipment brands. It also doesn’t accept leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs).

• Less popular brands in stock
• No leases or PPAs
• Limited warranty coverage

Facts and Figures: GenPro Energy Solutions

Outstanding Regional Installer

4.5/5

Is Solar Worth It?

Get Free Quotes

Regional Service

2. Lakota Solar Enterprises

Lakota Solar Enterprises is a Native-owned solar company located in and serving the Pine Ridge Reservation. It has a relatively small service area but a massively positive impact on the land it does serve. Lakota Solar Enterprises has sustainability at its core, so it provides solar panel installations, solar heating, tree planting, green construction and other practices that serve to benefit customers and the environment together.

Lakota only has a handful of solar equipment brands in its arsenal, and all of them only come with the manufacturer’s warranty. However, the company has been installing solar equipment and training its employees since 2003, so it brings a level of expertise and intimate local knowledge that many other solar panel companies simply cannot rival.

Lakota has limited financing options, including cash purchases and solar loans via third-party lenders. Its services are relatively affordable, but customers looking for leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs) — neither of which we recommend unless as a last resort — will need to turn elsewhere.

Pros for Lakota Solar Enterprises

Lakota Solar Enterprises understands the big picture and focuses its energy on truly sustainable living rather than fancy equipment. The technicians receive tons of in-house training and have local knowledge that most other companies lack.

• Focuses on sustainable living
• Highly trained technicians
• Intimate knowledge of local solar needs

Cons for Lakota Solar Enterprises

Lakota Solar Enterprises doesn’t provide any warranties beyond what is offered by the manufacturers. It also doesn’t accept leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs), and the equipment spread is limited.

• Manufacturer’s warranty only
• No leases or PPAs
• Few equipment brands available

Facts and Figures: Lakota Solar Enterprises

Solar Veteran

4/5

Is Solar Worth It?

Get Free Quotes

Local Service

3. Black Hills Solar

Black Hills Solar is a small local solar installation company located in Rapid City. It serves all cities and counties within 100 miles of Rapid City — including Pennington, Meade, Butte, Lawrence, Fall River, Oglala and Custer — as well as parts of Wyoming.

The technicians provide outstanding customer service, maintaining constant communication before, during and after installation. They’re always ready to answer questions and help you get the most out of your solar power system.

Black Hills Solar provides standard services, including panel and battery installation, and it has some add-on products and services as well, like electric vehicle chargers and solar monitoring.

The real customization options come with the equipment brands offered. Black Hills Solar has a massive range of products to choose from, including many of the more efficient and popular brands, like LG and Panasonic.

In addition to the manufacturer’s warranty, Black Hills offers a 25-year performance guarantee and a 10-year workmanship warranty. This coverage will provide peace of mind to any South Dakota homeowner.

Black Hills Solar only accepts cash purchases and solar financing, so it might be prohibitively expensive for come customers.

Pros for Black Hills Solar

Black Hills Solar is one of the best solar companies in South Dakota because it provides best-in-class customer service and communication. It has an unrivaled assortment of solar equipment brands in stock and provides a nice array of services for system customization. The warranty coverage is also outstanding.

• Wonderful customer service
• Huge assortment of equipment brands and services
• NABCEP-certified solar contractor

Cons for Black Hills Solar

Black Hill Solar doesn’t accept leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs). The service area in SD is sizable but much smaller than larger regional companies.

• No leases or PPAs
• Young company
• Smaller service area than many competitors

Facts and Figures: Black Hills Solar

Outstanding Local Installer

4/5

Is Solar Worth It?

Get Free Quotes

Local Service

4. Midwest Solar

Midwest Solar is a small local company, but the techs are willing to travel throughout most of South Dakota. This is just one example of how the company’s customer service outpaces most competitors. Nearly every customer review raves about the service provided, which includes professional and reliable recommendations, system design, constant communication and professional and friendly technicians. This company is happy to help you secure financing or take advantage of solar rebates and other incentives.

Midwest solar provides access to most solar equipment brands. Your tech will be able to recommend specific products to you and get them in stock solely for your solar project. The company couples the equipment array with a good number of services as well for even more customization opportunities.

Midwest Solar provides a 25-year warranty on most equipment, which will provide peace of mind even in the most extreme weather that hits South Dakota.

While we don’t recommend leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs), they do make renewable energy more accessible to some people, and Midwest Solar doesn’t accept either of these payment options.

Pros for Midwest Solar

Midwest Solar installs customizable solar arrays with a wide range of equipment and services. It couples that with outstanding customer service and customer care, and it backs its installations with a robust 25-year warranty.

• Truly customizable equipment and service options
• Excellent customer service
• Robust warranty coverage on most equipment

Cons for Midwest Solar

Midwest Solar doesn’t accept leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs). Some equipment brands come with a less-appealing warranty.

• No leases or PPAs 
• Some equipment doesn’t have the ideal warranty coverage

Facts and Figures: Midwest Solar

Outstanding Regional Installer

4/5

Is Solar Worth It?

Get Free Quotes

Regional Service

EcoWatch Criteria for Selecting the Top Solar Company in South Dakota

In our efforts to find the best solar companies to bring you clean energy solutions, we assess solar installers based on more than 20 criteria. The below factors are included and weighted heavily, as they are the most crucial for SD residents. For a full breakdown of our process, you can check out our solar methodology.

Warranty

Although going solar in South Dakota will ultimately save you money, it’s still expensive. Solar warranties can help protect your investment and provide peace of mind that the system will continue performing and saving you money on electric bills for years to come. Warranties usually cover physical damage, energy production, workmanship, roof penetration or some combination of these.

In South Dakota, homeowners typically care most about physical protection and energy production warranties. Residents are no strangers to extreme weather, including intense thunderstorms, ice storms and tornadoes. These weather events can threaten your system with damage from fallen tree limbs, hail and debris, and robust physical damage coverage will keep them protected.

South Dakotans also spend enormous amounts of money on electricity to heat their homes in the winter. Opting for high-efficiency panels is usually a better option to maximize savings on energy bills, and performance guarantees can help save even more.

Year Founded

Solar conversions are becoming more popular in South Dakota and, in response to the increase in interest, we’ve seen some “fly by night” companies pop up that really don’t provide the kind of service or products you should look for. These companies can also void your warranty if they go out of business, which they’re more likely to do than well-established solar installers.

For this reason, the EcoWatch team typically ranks companies with longevity higher.

Services Offered

Some homeowners choose their solar company based on the services provided. Companies that only handle panel installations won’t appeal to solar customers looking for add-on products like solar batteries or electric vehicle chargers. Some full-service companies go the extra mile and offer solar monitoring and maintenance, as well as general contracting, roofing services and other renewable energy solutions that might appeal to a wider audience.

Brands of Solar Equipment Offered

Just like with services offered, solar installers differ in the equipment brands they stock and install. Some companies have a limited list of panels, inverters and batteries, while others — like Black Hills Solar — provide access to a huge array of brands.

Companies that have a wider selection are more likely to appeal to more customers, including homeowners looking for the most efficient solar panels, the cheapest solar panels and specific products, like the Tesla Powerwall. Therefore, we rank companies with more products a bit higher.

Industry Affiliations

There are many organizations and associations that help progress the solar industry, making solar energy systems more affordable, efficient, eco-friendly and accessible. Companies that affiliate themselves with these organizations prove that they’re in the solar space for more than just profit. These installers are more likely to provide good service and sound advice as well.

Some affiliations we look for are with the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the South Dakota Solar United Neighbors.

Size of Company

The size of the company you choose might be one of the first things you want to consider, as it can have a surprisingly large effect on your overall experience.

Larger national companies usually have better coverage areas in South Dakota, lower pricing because they buy equipment in bulk, and a higher capacity to take on more installations and consultations. On the other hand, smaller local companies usually have far superior customer service, more customization options and better relationships with local utility companies to expedite interconnection to the grid.

Solar Pricing and Financing

Finally, we consider the pricing and financing options a company provides to its customers.

The overall cost will be a crucial factor for any homeowner, but we believe that value for the money is more important than total cost. High-efficiency panels can help reduce electricity costs, even on days where production is low. Highly efficient panels are often best in South Dakota, as the electricity rates are low, but the net metering policy is non-existent. Companies providing high-efficiency panels will cost more, but their services are usually worth more. Our value analysis helps find you the best bang for your buck.

The financing options available will also play a role in our ratings, as these options determine how accessible a company’s services are to customers. Installers who help secure low-APR or no-money-down solar loans, accept solar leases, or work with power purchase agreements (PPAs) will be ranked higher because they appeal to more customers.

EcoWatch Preferred Partners

Here is a list of preferred partners in this area.

Outstanding Regional Installer

4.5/5

Get Free Quote

Regional Service

Solar Veteran

4/5

Get Free Quote

Local Service

Outstanding Local Installer

4/5

Get Free Quote

Local Service

VIEW MORE

See also: Calculate how much you can save by going solar

Read More About Going Solar

• How Much Can You Save With Solar Incentives in South Dakota?
• Find Cost Savings on Solar in South Dakota
• Is Solar Worth It in South Dakota?