8 Best Solar Companies in Rapid Valley, SD (2023 Reviews)

We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 8 in Rapid Valley based on:

  • Customer review scores
  • Service area for Rapid Valley, SD
  • Company policies and services offered
  • Accreditations and certifications

Average Rapid Valley homeowner saves $1,723/year with solar panels

By EcoWatch Local Advisors

Data Analysis: James Savino

Ranking Methodology: Karsten Neumeister

Updated May 04, 2023

Why you can trust EcoWatch

We work with a panel of solar experts to create unbiased reviews that empower you to make the right choice for your home. No other site has covered renewables as long as us, which means we have more data and insider information than other sites. Our rankings are never affected by revenue or partnerships.

Best Solar Companies in Rapid Valley

Thinking of going solar but not sure which company would be best for you? Although it can be difficult to pick a solar company, the search will pay off because going solar has many good benefits. Installation costs can be high, but adopting solar will save you money on your energy bills over time. In fact, you can look forward to saving about $20,000 over 20 years.

If you want to make use of the great amount of benefits of solar, we're here to help you narrow down your options to find the Rapid Valley solar installer that's perfect for you. To get free quotes from the leading solar companies in Rapid Valley, click the "get quote" button below.

Best National Provider

SunPower

★★★★★
5.0

  • Most efficient panels on the market
  • National coverage
  • Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
  • Great warranty coverage
  • Expensive
  • Customer service varies by local dealer

Best Technology

Tesla Energy

★★★★★
3.2

  • Price-match guarantee
  • Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
  • Best solar battery on the market
  • Some reported issues with customer service
  • Customer service varies by local dealer

EcoWatch Rankings for Solar Companies in Rapid Valley

Best National Provider
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

5.0/5

Average Cost

Read full review

SunPower

  • Pros icon Most efficient panels on the market
  • Pros icon National coverage
  • Pros icon Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
  • Pros icon Great warranty coverage
  • Con icon Expensive
  • Con icon Customer service varies by local dealer

Services Offered

  • Service icon Solar Panels
  • Service icon Solar Batteries
  • Service icon EV Chargers
  • Service icon System Monitoring

Website: https://us.sunpower.com/
Best Technology
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

3.2/5

Average Cost

Read full review

Tesla Energy

  • Pros icon Price-match guarantee
  • Pros icon Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
  • Pros icon Best solar battery on the market
  • Con icon Some reported issues with customer service
  • Con icon Customer service varies by local dealer

Services Offered

  • Service icon Solar Panels
  • Service icon Solar Batteries
  • Service icon EV Chargers
  • Service icon Solar Roof Shingles
  • Service icon System Monitoring

Website: https://www.tesla.com/energy
Best Local Installer
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

3.0/5

Solar Eclipse Tinting

  • Pros icon Informative Resources
  • Pros icon Free Quotes
  • Pros icon Outstanding Customer Support
  • Pros icon Clear Pricing Policy
  • Con icon Limited information available on website

Services Offered

  • Service icon Business installations
  • Service icon Tailored solutions
  • Service icon Energy storage solutions
  • Service icon Home installations

Website: http://www.facebook.com/solareclipserc
Address: 655 Creek Dr Suite F, Rapid City, SD 57703
Phone: 6053919735
Outstanding Local Installer
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

3.0/5

Solar Sound Corporation DBA Lighting Maintenance Co.

  • Pros icon Free Quotes
  • Pros icon Informative Resources
  • Pros icon Outstanding Customer Support
  • Pros icon Clear Pricing Policy
  • Con icon Limited information available on website

Services Offered

  • Service icon Home installations
  • Service icon Energy storage solutions
  • Service icon Skilled repairs
  • Service icon Tailored solutions
  • Service icon Business installations
  • Service icon Expert panel installation

Website: http://www.lightingmaintenancerc.com/
Address: 2221 Bridge View Dr, Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: 6053431386
Outstanding Local Installer
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

3.0/5

Solar Pro

  • Pros icon Outstanding Customer Support
  • Pros icon Free Quotes
  • Pros icon Informative Resources
  • Pros icon Clear Pricing Policy
  • Con icon Limited information available on website

Services Offered

  • Service icon Tailored solutions
  • Service icon Home installations
  • Service icon Energy storage solutions
  • Service icon Skilled repairs
  • Service icon Expert panel installation
  • Service icon Business installations

Website: http://solarproblackhills.com/
Address: 2125 Jackson Blvd, Rapid City, SD 57702
Phone: 6054300534
Outstanding Local Installer
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

3.0/5

Black Hills Solar, Inc.

  • Pros icon Informative Resources
  • Pros icon Outstanding Customer Support
  • Pros icon Clear Pricing Policy
  • Pros icon Free Quotes
  • Con icon Limited information available on website

Services Offered

  • Service icon Integrated roofing
  • Service icon Energy storage solutions
  • Service icon Business installations
  • Service icon Expert panel installation
  • Service icon Tailored solutions
  • Service icon Home installations

Website: http://blackhillssolar.com/
Address: 1950 Samco Rd Suite 7, Rapid City, SD 57702
Phone: 6057022510
Outstanding Local Installer
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

3.0/5

GenPro Energy Solutions

  • Pros icon Clear Pricing Policy
  • Pros icon Outstanding Customer Support
  • Pros icon Free Quotes
  • Con icon Limited information available on website

Services Offered

  • Service icon Home installations
  • Service icon Tailored solutions
  • Service icon Energy storage solutions
  • Service icon Expert panel installation
  • Service icon Business installations

Website: http://www.genproenergy.com/
Address: 13261 Timberline Plaza, Piedmont, SD 57769
Phone: 6053419920
Outstanding Local Installer
ecowatch badge icon

EcoWatch Rating

3.0/5

Wegner Roofing & Solar

  • Pros icon Prompt Service Delivery
  • Pros icon Family-Operated Business
  • Pros icon Clear Pricing Policy
  • Pros icon Recognized Excellence
  • Pros icon Informative Resources
  • Pros icon Outstanding Customer Support
  • Pros icon Free Quotes
  • Con icon Limited information available on website

Services Offered

  • Service icon Business installations
  • Service icon Home installations
  • Service icon Integrated roofing
  • Service icon Expert panel installation
  • Service icon Energy storage solutions
  • Service icon Tailored solutions
  • Service icon Skilled repairs

Website: https://wegnerroofing.com/spearfish-sd-roofing/
Address: 1140 N Main St #4, Spearfish, SD 57783
Phone: 6054535152

Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Solar Companies in Rapid Valley

EcoWatch's solar experts analyzed each solar company in Rapid Valley 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 Rapid Valley


Below are some the criteria we examined specifically for South Dakota 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 Rapid Valley

When picking a solar company, most homeowners or business owners wonder about the costs the most. The installation cost is just one important factor you should consider when looking into installing solar panels. How much it'll cost and how much you can save depend on things including:

  • Incentives: The federal solar investment tax credit currently allows you to reduce your taxes by 30% of the project cost. Your state may also have various incentives that you can use. Additionally, you can save about $20,000 over 20 years on your utility bills, before factoring in incentives.
  • Your home's power bills: Due to very high monthly energy bills in Rapid Valley, you could save about $1,800 a year with solar.
  • Choice of solar panels: The kind of solar panels you choose will affect your total cost. High-efficiency monocrystalline panels will cost more upfront but can also lead to more savings over the lifetime of your system. If you don't need to maximize efficiency, you can opt for a higher number of more affordable panels.
  • How much energy your home consumes: Households that consume a lot of electricity each month may need more solar panels and, as a result, be more costly, but will also save more on their energy bills over time.

So are solar panels worth it? Whether you hope to lower your electric bills, greenhouse gas emissions or both, solar panels are a great investment for many Rapid Valley homeowners.

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Solar Incentives in Rapid Valley

There are many reasons why adopting solar power is beneficial. One of them involves some government incentives that can help save you some money. State and city solar incentives depend on the location and, sometimes, utility company. A lot of states offer rebates for solar power systems, in addition to the federal solar tax credit. For more information about local incentives, visit our article on solar incentives.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Rapid Valley

If you're considering adding solar panels to your home, one of the primary reasons why may be to reduce your carbon footprint. Something many homeowners might have in mind is how much can they really help protect the environment by going solar anyway? In Rapid Valley, where the energy generation produces a lot of greenhouse gasses, going solar can have a huge impact on the planet since solar power has a lower carbon footprint. In Rapid Valley, the average person can lower their carbon footprint by 100 pounds a year once they go solar. As you can see, going solar has so many other rewards outside of saving money. One of the most important ones is that you can help save the planet too.

Best National Provider

SunPower

★★★★★
5.0

  • Most efficient panels on the market
  • National coverage
  • Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
  • Great warranty coverage
  • Expensive
  • Customer service varies by local dealer

Best Technology

Tesla Energy

★★★★★
3.2

  • Price-match guarantee
  • Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
  • Best solar battery on the market
  • Some reported issues with customer service
  • Customer service varies by local dealer

EcoWatch's Rapid Valley, SD Solar Company Rankings FAQs

Which solar installation company is the best in Rapid Valley?

The best local solar company in Rapid Valley is Wegner Roofing & Solar, with a rating of 5.00 stars.

What is the negative environmental impact of solar panels?

Producing solar panels needs to use chemicals and produces toxic waste that can be harmful for the environment, which is the main negative thing about solar panels.

Are solar panels worth it?

Solar panels call for a large upfront investment that costs over ten thousand dollars, but whether or not solar panels are worth it depends on a variety of factors like how much you pay for electricity and the amount of direct sunlight your roof gets.

How often do solar panels need to be replaced?

Although the average lifespan of solar panels is 25 to 30 years, that doesn't mean they are completely unusable. What this means is how much energy they produce will have decreased by about 0.8% each year since installing them. You can replace them after having them for that long or you can continue to use them at a lower efficiency after that time.

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.