Turn Texas Sun Into Green Energy With These Solar Companies

Final Verdict

Texas is a big enough solar market to attract well-established national solar companies, along with home-grown brands that know the state and surrounding regions. Freedom Solar Power offers the best of both worlds: it's a Texas-bred company that has been able to expand to other states, while still providing Texans all across the state with solar products from Tier-1 brands like Tesla, SolarEdge, and more. While the company's leasing and PPA options are limited, Texans won't be disappointed with Freedom Solar Power's 25-year warranties on products and workmanship.

Compare the Best Solar Companies in Texas

How to Choose a Solar Company in Texas

With so many solar companies to choose from for your panel installation, finding the right one for your home in Texas can be tough. While every person may have their own priorities for their panel installations, here are a few general factors to keep in mind when selecting the best solar company for the job:

Customer Reviews

Look for happy customers. A solid solar installer should be transparent in navigating the entire installation process, and communicating with customers about it. When customer reviews are negative, it's often because the company's customer service department has not responded quickly to customer inquiries or explained any delays in the process.

Battery Options

If you're worried about reliability, seriously consider using a solar company that will install a home battery. When your power goes out, your solar panels will stop generating electricity. However, a battery backup will help keep the lights on since it stores the energy that your solar panels produced before the blackout.

Warranty Periods

Check the warranties that a solar company offers on its labor, workmanship, and against roof penetration. Equipment warranties come from the manufacturer, so even if your installer goes out of business, your equipment will still be covered. Labor and workmanship come from the installer—a high-quality installer stands behind their work.

Heat Limit

When temperatures soar in Texas, your energy demand goes up, but your solar panels lose efficiency. Each panel has a "temperature coefficient," which lists the percentage lost in efficiency for each degree above 25°C (77°F). Look for companies that sell panels that can withstand high heat.

Nationwide or Local

Consider the pros and cons of hiring a nationwide solar company versus a local one. Larger national chains may have their own in-house teams in Texas, but some subcontract their work to third-party installers, meaning you have more hoops to jump through if you need your installer's attention. Local solar companies may have a better understanding of the area and are likely easier to keep in touch with, but it's also possible that these smaller businesses might not have the bandwidth that larger corporations do to offer financing options, loans, and PPAs.

Credentials

When deciding on a solar company, make sure that they have the proper state and local certifications for electrical and engineering work, as well as workplace insurance. Any businesses that shy away or refuse to verify their credentials aren't worth your time and shouldn't be trusted with your solar panel installation.

Quotes

Get multiple quotes for your solar panel installation. With such high demand for solar in Texas, it's a seller's market, so it's easy to get lost among all their potential customers. Rooftop solar is often the second or third-largest consumer purchase, after a home and a vehicle, and your panels will be on your roof for decades. Take your time and shop around to find a solar company that works for your budget.

What Impacts the Cost of Solar Products in Texas?

The average cost of a typical solar installation (6 kW) in Texas is $11,647, according to SolarReviews. This is after the 30 percent federal solar tax credit. What impacts that cost?

• Inflation: After dropping by 89 percent between 2009 and 2019, solar panel prices rose due to supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and due to inflationary pressures in the economy as a whole. Residential solar system prices rose by 8 percent between 2021 and 2022, according to the research firm Wood MacKenzie.
• Permitting: Roughly 62 percent (in 2021) of installation costs come from "soft costs" such as labor, permitting, inspection, interconnection, and marketing. Permitting costs are estimated to add about $7,000 to the cost of a rooftop solar system. That may change soon, however. Two Texas towns, Tool and Waco, are among the national pioneers to adopt SolarApp+, which cuts red tape out of the permitting process and reduces costs. 
• Wages: Wages vary from county to county in Texas but, in general, they rose dramatically when the country emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. The booming solar industry has been harder hit by wage inflation than most other industries. In 2021, 89 percent of solar companies said that they were having difficulty hiring for open positions—adding to inflationary pressures.

Does Texas Have Any Solar Tax Incentives?

Unlike other states, Texas doesn't offer any statewide solar tax incentives. However, depending on where you live in the state and/or who your electricity provider is, you may qualify for rebates. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency lists more than 70 different financial incentives and regulatory policies regarding solar installations in Texas, including federal, municipal, and utility incentives. For example, San Marcos offers a Solar PV Rebate of up to $3,000 to SMTX Utility customers, while Sunset Valley provides a solar rebate of $1.00 for every watt up to 3,000 watts.

Does Solar Installation Help or Harm a Home's Value in Texas?

A 2015 study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that solar added a premium of $15,000 to home values or an average of 4.1 percent more than comparable homes without solar panels. With the median selling price of a Fort Worth Home at $335,000, installing solar panels adds an extra $13,530 value to the home. This is about the cost of an entire rooftop solar system (after the federal tax credit).

Methodology

We determined the best solar companies in Texas by collecting data points based on an extensive set of criteria, ranging from financing options to warranties. Nearly 50 Texas-based companies and a dozen national ones were reviewed and rated in the following categories:

• Coverage locations
• Financing options
• Installation costs
• Customer service reviews
• Website information
• Solar panel design
• Company reputation
• Years in the business
• Online quote system
• Warranties and guarantees

Solar companies that offered a variety of financing options, excelled in customer service, and provided a range of quality products were awarded extra points during the scoring phase. Companies that did not have a presence in Texas were not evaluated.