Best solar Companies in Alabama

Only eight installers have opened up in the entire state of Alabama due to the relatively slow adoption of solar energy. Despite the fact that there are only a few businesses, selecting the ideal one for your solar project and budget is still a time-consuming procedure that calls for a lot of research.

For your convenience, we’ve researched every solar installer in your neighborhood, and we’ve determined that the following four are the top choices:

The best national provider is SunPower.
Outstanding Regional Installer: Eagle Solar & Light
Innovative Solar Technology Alabama: Outstanding Local Installer Creative Solar USA: Solar Veteran
We’ve provided some important details about each of the aforementioned providers in the drop-down boxes below to help you further refine your search and select the business that best suits your needs.

How Might You Reduce the Cost of Hiring A Solar Company? Solar-powered urban home in Alabama

Before any benefit programs, a solar panel installation in Alabama typically costs roughly $28,175 dollars. This price is based on the assumption that your equipment costs about $2.45 per watt locally, and that you require an 11.5 kW PV system to completely balance your above-average electricity usage.

Despite the per-watt cost being significantly less than the national average of $2.66, Alabamans often require considerably larger systems than the average American, thus this total is roughly $5,000 greater than the all-in national average. However, the majority of people can survive without a device that completely offsets their energy consumption.

As a result, most people in AL look for ways to reduce costs while switching to solar, and fortunately there are a few things you can do to do so. These consist of:

• Taking advantage of the local solar benefits
• Choose an efficient panel
• Obtaining several solar price quotations
• In the sections below, we’ll explain how these suggestions can help you save money.

Use the solar benefit programs available to you

Choosing a business that can assist you in utilizing the solar incentives in Alabama that are offered to you is one of the best methods to save money when switching to solar. Sadly, Alabama doesn’t offer the highest solar benefits, but there are several solutions that might help you cut installation expenses and increase your long-term savings.

Select a business that installs high-efficiency panel manufacturers.

Selecting a business that installs panels with a high efficiency rating is another approach to reduce your system’s long-term expenditures. High-efficiency solar panels generate more electricity under all conditions, making them more appropriate for Alabama because of its state-of-the-art energy infrastructure.

High-quality and very effective panels, such as Maxeon and Qcells, can occasionally be more expensive up front, but you’ll typically end up saving more money with them. They can minimize your payback period for the panels and increase your energy savings by offsetting a greater portion of the high energy costs you’ll experience in Alabama.

Obtain Several Estimates for Your System

Finally, we advise contacting a few different businesses to obtain several quotations. Three vendors offering the same solar array at three different pricing points will frequently result in price differences of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Even if Alabama doesn’t have a lot of solar contractors, it’s a good idea to request free quotes from three or four of them before selecting the one that best suits your needs and offers the greatest pricing.

You may use our solar calculator to determine the typical cost of a system for your home and how much money you can save by switching to solar power.

Will Solar Boost Your Alabama Home’s Value?

Yes! According to Zillow research, the average home in the United States experiences a value increase of about 4.1%. 5With a $216,108 median house value, the majority of residents will experience a gain of about $8,860.

We should be aware that some As a result, the rise may be slightly less than the national average.

It’s also important to note that In the central and southern regions of the state, Alabama Power customers see none.

Due to the differences in incentives and pro-solar laws, we would anticipate a higher return on investment

Should Alabamans Go It Alone Or Hire a Pro to Install Solar Panels?

It is frequently enticing to think about Self-installation of your solar panels will often cost half as much or even less.

Although you’ll initially save money with a DIY These consist of:

• Weaker warranty protection
• With DIY solar kits, lower panel efficiency is possible.
• When installing things on your own, there is a greater chance of roof leaks and tornado damage.

We’ll go over why these elements make DIY solar installation a possibly more expensive option in the long term in the paragraphs below.

Warranty Protection Is Less Alluring

Warranties are crucial for your solar equipment in a place like Alabama, where tornado activity is common and rainfall is about double the national average. In particular, equipment and workmanship warranties can shield you from hazards like roof leaks and system damage brought on by poor installation.

The DIY panel warranty coverage is much below average. Compared to the 25-year average for professional systems, equipment warranties are often only valid for about ten years. In addition, efficiency warranties are only good for ten years, as opposed to twenty to twenty-five years for professional systems.

DIY Equipment Has Lower Panel Efficiency

In terms of their efficiency ratings, DIY solar panels are likewise less desirable. Professional panels typically reach efficiencies of 20% and even 22.7%. DIY panels, such as those made by Renogy and Grape Solar, typically hover.

Even while these variations can appear It is ideal to have effective panels that can meet demand in an area like AL where energy needs are significantly higher than usual. DIY panels frequently can’t, and they may actually cost you more in the long.

Degradation of the panel is still another crucial factor. All solar panels lose efficiency over time, however professional panels can offer warranties that their efficiency won’t go DIY panels frequently either have a greater degradation over simply ten years or no efficiency guarantee.

DIY Installations Increase the Risk of Property Damage

Finally, regardless of where you reside, DIY solar installation is dangerous since you run the risk of roof leaks

In a place like Alabama, Your roof may sustain damage from a tornado ripping off Roof leaks are also inevitably more probable in Alabama due to the state’s above-average rainfall, and any installation.

Again, hiring a professional could cost more up front, but over time, if you don’t install your panels yourself, your solar.

What Qualities Should an Alabaman Solar Installer Have?

If you’re considering switching to renewable energy in Alabama, there are a few factors we advise giving These consist of:

• strong guarantee protection
• brands of high-efficiency panels
• installations of batteries
• local knowledge

We’ll discuss why we believe these to be the most crucial considerations when selecting an installer in your area.

Dependable warranty coverage

First off, we advise picking an installation that offers solid warranty protection that is at least As previously indicated, AL houses and solar power installations are vulnerable to specific weather phenomena, such as tornadoes

In addition to keeping your system safe and reducing recurring maintenance and replacement expenses, a business that offers long-lasting warranty coverage for the equipment and its workmanship will also provide you some peace of mind that your investment is adequately protected.

We advise searching for industry averages that provide 25 years of equipment coverage, 20 to 25 years of panel efficiency, and at least ten years of labor.

Brands

Then, we advise picking a business Among the brands that ought to

• High efficiency SunPower (formerly named Maxeon)
• REC
• Qcells
• Canadian Solar
• Trina Solar

Panels are much more likely to meet Alabama’s above-average electricity demand. Keeping up with demand means lowering your electricity costs and gradually saving more

Installations of batteries

We also advise taking into account a business that installs PV panels Alabama is one of the few states that does not require net energy metering, This implies that you won’t be paid for any extra energy you produce; instead, it will all be given

You won’t have energy credits to balance electricity use at night or on cloudy days if you don’t have net metering or interconnection advantages, which lowers your long-term energy savings. Since you may store excess energy and use it when you need it rather than purchasing electricity from the grid, a battery can effectively function like net energy metering.

Regional Knowledge

Finally, we advise giving firms with at least five years of industry experience priority. The installation process may encounter problems more frequently with new providers, leaving you vulnerable to tornado or heavy rain damage.

Selecting a seasoned organization will help you avoid problems brought on by inexperience, and established businesses are also more likely to remain in operation, meaning they can uphold.

Methodology: How We Scored Solar Companies in Alabama

Our aim at EcoWatch is to give you the finest information about solar service providers for This implies that we base our rankings on the elements that, in our opinion, are crucial for you to have a good time and save as much The following weighted factors form the basis of our

• Solar Warranty & Customer Support (20%)
• Solar Services (20%) 
• Price & Payment Options (20%)
• Qualifications, Reputation & Certifications (10%)
• Experience (10%)
• Availability (10%)
• Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Factors (10%)

Industry relationships never have an impact on our research, and we always disclose the process behind how we arrive at In the sections that follow, we’ll go through why we value these characteristics so highly and how they’re likely to affect your overall solar-buying experience.

Warranty & Customer Support

We start by examining the warranty protection provided by each provider and how probable it is to keep you and your system safe from harm caused by tornadoes and heavier-than-normal rain. We also take into account efficiency warranties, which will assist guarantee that your panels will continue to reduce the region’s above-average electricity costs for years to come.

We utilize a baseline of twenty to twenty-five years for efficiency, ten years for labor, and twenty years for equipment. Companies are ranked higher when their warranties are longer.

Energy Services

Of course, all solar installers will install panels, but we prioritize suppliers who also offer batteries and energy assessments. For Alabamans without access to net metering, batteries in particular are a fantastic alternative.

Options for Price & Payment

We give preference to businesses that maintain solar’s accessibility and affordability in the region because the average cost of a solar panel system in AL is significantly higher than the national average. This covers services with average or lower prices as well as those that provide a range of payment methods.

A business obtains a perfect score in this category if it offers in-house financing with enticing and reasonable loan terms, takes cash payments, solar loans, leases, and PPAs.

Reputation, credentials

Then, we search for additional credentials and licenses that support the provider’s position as a pioneer in the regional market or a highly We keep an eye out for items.

• NABCEP accreditation (the North American Board of Certified Energy
• A LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
• At least 100 solar reviews with four stars or above can be found on Google.
• Better Business Bureau accreditation and Building Performance Institute certification (BPI)

In this category, we also take away points if the business has a track record of legal troubles or client.

Alabama experience

All businesses must have at least five years of local and industry experience to qualify, and those with ten or more years are ranked even higher.

In an area like AL, where unusual weather events like severe tornado activity and above-average rainfall put undue strain on systems, local knowledge is essential.

In addition to giving you piece of mind that the installation is being done properly, experienced businesses can help ensure that your system is sized properly to counteract your high energy costs.

Availability

Since solar adoption has historically been slow in the Cotton State, many installers there focus on providing service in densely populated regions to increase their potential profit. While it isn’t inherently a terrible thing, it does mean that many clients in the neighborhood won’t be able to use their services.

Because they will be more appealing to our readers, we rank businesses that serve the entire state higher.

Corporate governance, social, and environmental factors

Finally, we consider each installer’s effect on the community and the environment as well as their overall reputation. The following are the things we look for and rank:

• Public data releases
• Paying attention to how they can be as sustainable and how to reduce their carbon footprint
• By providing panel recycling, you may lessen your impact on the environment.
• Charity contributions
• Special deals are available for low-income homes wishing to switch to solar power.
• Affiliations with solar advocacy groups that advance the sector.