Trinity Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)

Trinity Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article on Trinity Solar:

  • Is Trinity Solar a reputable solar company?
  • What does the installation process look like with Trinity Solar?
  • Is Trinity Solar expensive?
  • What do customers have to say about Trinity Solar?
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Trinity is a family-owned solar business that serves customers in nine states in the Eastern U.S., with roots going back to 1994. This Trinity Solar review takes a closer look at what the company offers, its customer ratings, financing options and other important aspects.

Is Trinity Solar a Good Solar Company?

Among the factors that make a company good or bad are its experience, costs and quality. With a striking 65,000+ installations, Trinity Solar’s experience is possibly its greatest selling point — one that also attests to its quality of services. 

The installer receives praise for noteworthy customer service. However, Trinity often partners with Sunnova for leased systems, and that experience hasn’t been the best for many customers. Moreover, several homeowners have complained about aggressive salespersons who do not cease to solicit. Nevertheless, most reviews for Trinity are positive, making it a good solar company, albeit one with some inconsistencies.

What Should You Know About Trinity Solar?

Trinity was started in 1994 as a heating and air conditioning company. In 2004, it made the wise decision to enter the renewable energy business. Today, Trinity Solar is still a family-owned and -operated business with a staggering 1,600+ employees and over 65,000 customers and counting. It operates in 10 states in the Eastern U.S.: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. 

The company’s registered motto is “Energy with Integrity,” and it offers quality components in its solar systems while also having a professional customer service staff. A distinguishing factor about Trinity is its community program, through which it partners with local nonprofit organizations to help them raise money while providing their members with a no-cost solar installation. It offers $100 to a nonprofit organization when a member sits with a Trinity consultant and $1,000 when a member installs a system.

Trinity Solar Fast Facts
Year Started 1994
Service Areas 10 states: FL, NH, NJ, NY, CT, MA, PA, MD, RI, DE
Services Offered Solar panel and solar battery installations; energy-efficient upgrades
Types of Solar Equipment Offered SolarEdge, Qcells, Enphase, Tesla, Generac
Certifications Tesla Powerwall-certified installer; Unirac-certified partner; Generac PWR Partner; technicians certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals (NABCEP) and Building Performance Institute (BPI); member of Maryland DC Virginia Solar Energy Industries Association (MDV-SEIA), the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Solarize Connecticut and Solarize Massachusetts
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Trinity Solar

Solar Veteran

Regional Service

EcoWatch rating

Average cost

Pros

  • Many financing options
  • Family-owned and -operated
  • Makes charitable contributions
  • Relatively short workmanship warranty

Cons

  • Limited service area

Trinity Solar Services and Installation

Trinity Solar offers solar power systems with or without battery backup. It caters to both homeowners and businesses and also provides maintenance and repair services. Trinity is also set to launch a roofing service in the near future.

Solar Installation Experience

A typical installation experience with Trinity Solar would look as follows:

  1. The first step of going solar with Trinity is an energy consultation. It consists of submitting your address, phone number and electricity bills. This is followed by a discussion with a sales rep and an analysis of your bills. This will decide the number of solar panels on your roof and the tentative cost of the same.
  2. After the sales pitch, and once you give the final approval and choose a payment option, Trinity’s design team will prepare a final design based on a site survey of your home or business.
  3. This will be followed by the permitting process. The company will apply for the necessary permits for the solar panel installation on your behalf. It will also make applications for any available incentives and rebates.
  4. Finally, Trinity’s installation technicians and electricians will install the system. This should take a day or two.

The whole process takes around six months. After that, you are ready to use your clean energy system.

Trinity Solar Customer Service

Although some customers have had an unpleasant experience with Trinity’s customer service, its massive growth over the years and majority of customer reviews suggest that the company’s customer service ― particularly the customer service manager ― is laudable. 

Trinity Solar Costs and Financing

Trinity Solar is not necessarily identified as an inexpensive solar installer. But in the words of company spokesperson Kristen Drigon, “Installation price isn’t always the best metric to judge its products.” Unlike many young companies in the market, Trinity does not woo customers based on its pricing. 

Its system costs vary depending on certain factors but usually fall within the average solar pricing in the area — in the U.S., that tends to be between $19,980 and $39,960 before the federal tax credit or between $13,986 and $27,972 after the credit. Furthermore, you can also receive a $1,000 referral bonus if a referred friend or neighbor installs a system.

Financing Options Through Trinity Solar

Trinity Solar offers an array of purchasing models when going solar. It includes some attractive options like the $0 upfront lease-purchase plan.

Solar is expensive no matter which installer you choose. Most U.S. homeowners pay $29,970 for panels before any incentives, and while that can effectively be reduced to $20,979 after the federal tax credit, that’s still a lot of money. Financing options help make that more palatable, especially as net metering 3.0 is being rolled out across the country — as of January 2024, it is only in place in California.

The updated policy is going to reduce the value of solar and make solar batteries all but necessary to see massive net savings. Batteries increase installation costs by between $10,000 and $20,000 in most cases, so financing options like the ones Trinity offers are great to see.

Here’s an overview of all the offered options:

Cash Purchase Solar Loan Solar Lease Solar Power Purchase Agreement

(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

When it comes to which purchasing option is best, there is no single winner. It depends on several factors. The best way to figure out which purchase option is best for you is to understand the pros and cons of all. Check out our solar financing guide to help you decide.

Trinity Solar Panel Warranty

Trinity’s warranties can be categorized as follows:

  1. Equipment warranty: Like any other solar installer, Trinity Solar offers component warranties as received from the original equipment manufacturer. For instance, the panels and inverter come with a 25-year warranty while the Tesla and Generac batteries have a 10-year warranty.
  2. Workmanship warranty: One area where Trinity Solar fails to impress is its workmanship warranty. Trinity warrants its systems for only five years, while companies like SunPower are offering a 25-year warranty on installations. This is a downside, especially if you live in a particularly rainy or snowy area, where errors in the installation are at higher risk of being an issue.

Trinity Solar Reviews

Customer reviews are one of the best tools to gauge if a company is true to its claims of quality and service. Trinity Solar has so far received mostly positive feedback. However, the company has completed over 100,000 installations, and as expected, it’s been difficult to get it right every single time. There are a significant number of negative reviews, too. Let’s look at what both satisfied and unsatisfied customers have to say.

Positive Trinity Solar Reviews

Most positive Trinity reviews show the company’s prowess as a veteran in the solar industry. The main highlights include responsive customer service and a professional and fast installation team. Here are a couple of examples:

Our sales rep … did a great job of getting us up to speed on how the whole solar process would come together and what to expect. The installation crew was very professional and respectful of the property. They were very knowledgeable in their jobs and installed our panels with a lot less visible wiring and boxes than I have seen at other solar households. The whole process was easy and required little effort and no expense on our part. Now, we wait for the savings to start!”

 – Greg H. via Best Company

“We are very pleased with Trinity and its install. It has been diligent about communication and keeping us informed. The install is beautiful, and we are looking forward to the savings on our electric bill.”

– Arlie D. via SiteJabber

Negative Trinity Solar Reviews

Trinity’s experience and coverage may be strong, but that does not help the company fulfill every customer’s need perfectly. There are plenty of customers who complain about a lack of clarity, especially with the Trinity-Sunnova partnership for leases. Other trends throughout negative reviews are aggressive door-to-door salespeople and unsolicited phone calls. Take a look at these examples:

“My solar system was installed by Trinity in 2015 on my 20-year-old roof with three layers of shingles and damaged the roof in the process. The system stopped working in June 2019 and, until now (May 24th 2021), it is not repaired. I’ve been fighting with Trinity and Sunnova over the repairs for years. Finally, I gave up.” 

– Balu B. via SiteJabber

“Will harass you with calls on a daily basis and then, when you finally sign up and have serious problems, they can’t answer a call or email. Basically, they put ugly panels on my roof and it creates 0 energy because they calculated wrong how much we would make. Now, my solar bill is tripled. I have never hated a company more. 

– Jill C. via Yelp

Solar Energy Provider Comparison

Solar power has seen an incredible rise in the country. Therefore, a typical homeowner in any location has dozens of solar companies to choose from. While Trinity Solar could be a great choice for many, it is essential to explore a few more companies with similar offerings.

Here’s a table that compares Trinity with two other similar-sized solar providers serving in the same areas.

Trinity Solar Green Power Energy New England Clean Energy
EcoWatch Rating 4.0 4.5 4.5
Year Started 1994 2009 2006
Services Offered Solar panel and solar battery installations; energy-efficient upgrades Solar panel, solar battery and electric vehicle charger installations Solar panel and solar battery installations
Service Areas FL, NH, NJ, NY, CT, MA, PA, MD, RI, DE NJ, CT, PA RI, MA, NH
BBB Rating A+ A+ A+
Payment Options Cash, loan, lease, PPA Cash, loan, lease Cash, loan, lease

It’s a great idea to take a look at some of the other solar companies before making a final choice. Fill out the form below to connect with a prevetted installer in your area for a free, no-obligation quote.

 

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have covered some of the most common questions homeowners ask about Trinity Solar. For further questions or feedback, reach out to our team of solar experts at solar@ecowatch.com.

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Article author
Aniket Bhor is a solar engineer who has spent nearly a decade studying and working in the solar power sector in the European, Asian and North American markets. He recieved his Master’s degree in Renewable Energies from Germany at Technische Fachhochschule Wildau. He has since worked in the industry in a variety of capacities including Solar Energy Consultant, Business Development Head, Solar Entrepreneurship Trainer, and more recently writing for solar organizations including Venuiti Solutions, Green Integrations, Solengy, Ecotality.com. Overall, he is a climate enthusiast and avid cyclist, and he also loves to lose himself in books and cooking.
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Expert reviewer
Karsten is an editor and energy specialist focused on environmental, social and cultural development. His work has been shared by sources including NPR, the World Economic Forum, Marketwatch and the SEIA, and he is certified in ESG with the CFA Institute. Before joining EcoWatch, Karsten worked in the solar energy sector, studying energy policy, climate tech and environmental education. A lover of music and the outdoors, Karsten might be found rock climbing, canoeing or writing songs when away from the workplace.