Elevation Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)
By Aniket Bhor /
In this review of Momentum Solar, you will learn:
Note: In July 2024, SunPower notified dealers it would be halting all new shipments and project installations. The company also noted it would “no longer be supporting new Leases and PPA sales nor new project installations of these financing options.”
Momentum Solar is a fast-growing company based in South Plainfield, N.J., that installs clean energy products primarily in the northeastern and western U.S. The company began more than a decade ago in its founder’s garage, but has grown into a major solar provider in 11 states.
Our review takes a closer look at Momentum Solar’s offerings and service to help you decide if this is the right installer for you.
EcoWatch rates Momentum Solar as one of the top solar companies in the U.S., and there are plenty of reasons why it has earned that distinction.
The company carries a broad range of solar equipment brands, and provides outstanding customer service despite the company’s smaller size. Momentum Solar is also relatively affordable, featuring low prices and great financing options. Plus, Momentum’s service areas include only states with net metering programs and other generous solar incentives, meaning most customers will benefit even more from going solar.
Momentum Solar was founded in 2009 in New Jersey by Arthur Souritzidis. Since its founding, the company has expanded quickly into 10 additional states — targeting areas where solar panels are most worth it due to favorable solar policies and net metering programs. The company has continued to grow and was ranked one of the top residential solar installers in the country by Solar Power World in 2020 and 2021.1
Momentum Solar Fast Facts | |
Year Started | 2009 |
Service Areas | 11 states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas |
Services Offered | Solar panel and solar battery installation |
Types of Solar Equipment Offered | Tier 1, monocrystalline solar panels (brands will vary based on state but often include Q Cells, Trina Solar, REC, Canadian Solar and Jinko Solar) |
Certifications | Better Business Bureau |
Better Business Bureau Rating | A+ |
Regional Service
Average cost
Pros
Cons
Installing solar panels or solar batteries with Momentum is pretty straightforward, and a company representative will be assigned to you to help you navigate the process. Here’s a quick overview of the Momentum Solar installation process, from start to finish, so that you know what to expect.
Installing new solar panels with Momentum Solar typically starts online, but moves quickly. Here’s how the process works and what information you’ll need at each stage. From start to finish, it typically takes a few weeks.
Your first step will be to get a free quote for your solar project. You’ll need to supply basic information including your home address, your contact information and the level of shading on your property. A sales rep from Momentum will contact you to confirm the details you provided and get more information.
When they call, be sure to have your energy bill handy so that you can provide your average monthly electricity consumption. You might also be asked about your appliances, whether you want to maintain electricity through power outages and information about your heating and cooling (HVAC) equipment.
In most cases, a representative will need to come out to your property to take measurements of your roof, confirm details provided over the phone, check your roof condition and figure out the best place to install all of your new electrical wiring, solar batteries (if applicable) and solar panels.
Next, a technician from the Momentum Solar design team will begin designing your solar power system based on your energy needs and budget. Once you sign off on the final design, your representative will begin pulling permits with your local government. This process can take several weeks.
Once permits are pulled, Momentum Solar’s installation team will begin to put in all of your panels, inverters and batteries. The installation crew will typically take one to two days to complete the job. Importantly, all work is completed by Momentum’s in-house team. Some other providers only handle the intake and design and then outsource the installation to third parties. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can lead to spotty customer service. Momentum’s use of an exclusive in-house team helps avoid customer service issues.
Finally, Momentum will “commission” your renewable energy system, which is simply industry lingo for activating it. At this point, you can start monitoring your solar energy production and, more importantly, start saving money — an average of around $105 per month — on your utility bills.
Momentum ranks highly on our list of the best solar companies in the country in part because of the outstanding customer service it provides with each new installation. Countless customers rave about the consistency of communication from Momentum before, during and after installation. The company demonstrates that it puts customers first, leading to numerous five-star ratings and a glowing reputation.
This is especially important in the solar industry because we see a lot of customers complaining about nightmare solar installations with other, less reputable companies. Bad reviews for solar installations often note long delays in getting the system activated, unprofessional installation teams, misleading sales tactics and other major issues. Thankfully, Momentum seems to avoid most of these by putting their customers first.
The cost of installing solar panels through Momentum Solar varies based on quite a few factors, including your monthly energy consumption, the size of your home and your home’s energy efficiency.
While it’s difficult to say exactly how much going solar with Momentum will cost you, the company tends to come in around the industry average in terms of price. Most homeowners in the U.S. pay between $13,986 and $27,972 for solar, after the federal tax credit. With Momentum, customers are likely to pay between $13,000 and $28,000 after the federal tax credit is applied, which is right around average.
These costs are based on national averages derived from data we pulled from commercial sites — including EnergySage and Consumer Affairs — as well as cost data made available by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory via the Tracking the Sun report.
The quality of the equipment, the extensive warranty coverage and the outstanding customer service provided by Momentum can make it a great company to work with overall. Most customers say they are pleased with the value they receive, especially since Momentum’s prices can be lower than other providers.
Momentum Solar also offers a number of purchase options and financing to make going solar more accessible. Customers can choose to pay cash, take out a solar loan, or opt for a solar lease or power purchase agreements (PPAs). We don’t generally recommend leases or PPAs, but they can be useful for some customers.
Financing options are becoming increasingly more important in the solar industry, as many Americans aren’t able to justify spending the average $29,970 upfront for panels, even if that’s effectively reduced to $20,979 after the federal tax credit. Solar loans help bring upfront costs to $0 in many cases, and while you’ll pay more for your system over time because of interest, loans help make solar affordable for far more customers and provide access to the average lifetime savings of $31,513 associated with converting to solar.
Finally, solar financing is likely going to be even more valuable in the near future. Net metering is a policy that helps maximize a solar customer’s return on investment. Unfortunately, net metering policies are expected to decline across the U.S. in the near future, especially in the wake of California rolling out NEM 3.0. Decreases in net metering rates will make solar batteries all but a necessity, which are expected to bump up installation costs by between $10,000 and $20,000 at minimum across the board.
The table below provides a brief comparison of the financing options offered by Momentum Solar.
Cash Purchase | Solar Loan | Solar Lease | Solar PPA | |
System Ownership | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Maintenance Included | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Upfront Cost | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Added Property Value | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Eligible for Tax Credit | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Payment Due to | Solar Installer | Loan Provider | Solar Installer | Solar Installer |
If you’re not sure which of these options is right for you and your budget, we encourage you to take a look at our solar financing guide, which should help you decide.
Solar panel warranties typically cover both equipment and workmanship. Equipment warranties cover you if your equipment is damaged before installation, or if your system doesn’t work as well as it should. Workmanship warranties guard against problems with the installation process.
With Momentum Solar, you get access to the panel manufacturer’s specific warranty on the equipment. Momentum also provides its own 25-year equipment warranty. This means your panels are doubly covered, which you don’t get from most installers.
Additionally, Momentum offers a 25-year workmanship warranty for the labor and installation, much longer than the industry average. These two warranties together are another reason why Momentum scores so highly in our rankings.
The solar industry is full of companies that are just looking to capitalize on the rise in demand for solar systems, so many customers turn to online customer reviews to determine how likely a company is to provide good service. We’ll include some of the positive and negative reviews of Momentum Solar to give you a snapshot of the customer support and experience you can expect.
Most of the reviews you’ll find online for Momentum Solar are positive, with customers raving about the fast responses and outstanding customer service they received from the company. Below are some of the positive Momentum Solar reviews.
“High quality product and workmanship. I now have 136 panels and no electric bill! A 25-yr warranty also is a great incentive. Customer service has been very accommodating in helping out with any glitches that have occurred mainly caused by the utility service.” — Leel via BBB
“After five years with my solar panels installed I’m happy with the great service. I even was able to change my roof shingles and Momentum removed the solar panels free of charge then reinstalled the solar panels after the new roof shingles [were] completed.” — Edgardo via BBB
While most of the reviews of Momentum Solar are positive, there are some negative ones as well. Most of the negative reviews are from non-customers who dislike the sometimes overzealous sales tactics that Momentum salespeople have used. Thankfully, there aren’t many negative reviews about the actual service or customer experience.
“I was told that I would get a rebate on solar for a battery purchase[.] [T]urns out, they lied, and the employees that worked for them stated that’s why they left the company[.] They promised stuff but never delivered to the customers or the employees[.]” — Maurice via BBB
“Momentum Solar uses spoofing software to make unsolicited calls. I am receiving as many as five a day. I am on the Do Not Call list. I have filed a complaint with the BBB. They need to be stopped and fined. This is illegal.” — Robert via BBB
Momentum Solar ranks as our second-best solar energy company in the country, but how does it compare to other top providers? The table below provides a brief side-by-side comparison of the top three installers overall.
Momentum Solar | SunPower | Blue Raven Solar | |
EcoWatch Rating | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
Year Started | 2009 | 1985 | 2014 |
Services Offered | Solar panel and solar battery installations | Solar panel; solar battery and EV charger installations; solar monitoring | Solar panel installations (with plans to add solar battery installations) |
Service Areas | 11 States | Nationwide | 17 States |
BBB Rating | A+ | A+ | A+ |
Payment Options | Cash payments, loans, leases, power purchase agreements (PPAs) | Cash payments, loans, leases, power purchase agreements (PPAs) | Cash payments, solar loans |
The cost information presented in this article is derived from a comprehensive analysis, incorporating data from multiple industry sources. The average cost per watt per state was calculated based on figures from Consumer Affairs, Energy Sage, and Berkeley Lab’s Electricity Markets & Policy Department. Additionally, monthly energy consumption and the average monthly cost of electricity were sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, ensuring a well-rounded and accurate representation of the information presented.
Below are some of the questions we see most frequently about Momentum Solar. If you have specific questions that aren’t answered here, reach out to our team of solar experts at solar@ecowatch.com.
Yes, Momentum Solar is a legitimate company. In fact, Momentum ranks among our highest-rated solar companies in the entire country, thanks to its great financing options, outstanding customer service and commitment to quality and environmental health.
Yes, Momentum Solar offers excellent value for the cost. Going solar with Momentum Solar will cost you about the national average for solar equipment. However, along with that price, you get great warranty coverage, excellent customer service and access to some of the best solar panel brands in the industry.
For most customers, committing to solar conversion with Momentum Solar will significantly lower – if not eliminate – electric bills. Momentum installs some of the most efficient solar panels that provide maximum production. It also purposely operates in states where net metering programs are mandated from utility companies and solar incentives are available. Many Momentum Solar customers will be able to reduce their utility bills to zero.
Momentum Solar is about average when it comes to price. However, most customers agree that the value provided for the cost is outstanding.
Momentum Solar is headquartered in South Plainfield, New Jersey. It’s currently available in 11 states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maine, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.
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