Founded in 2010, Palmetto Solar has grown to offer installations in 19 states and is among the largest solar installation companies in the country. Even more impressive is the variety of product options available through Palmetto, including solar panels and inverters. This range allows homeowners to design the solar array that works best for their needs and budget.
Palmetto Solar made our list of the best solar panel companies of 2024. This review breaks down why we added it to our list and what potential customers should know before hiring Palmetto.
Pros
- Excellent customer service
- Great financing options
- High-efficiency equipment
Cons
- Limited service warranty
- State availability subject to change
- Active monitoring comes at a fee
Table of Contents
- Palmetto Solar at a Glance
- What Can You Expect From Palmetto Solar?
- Where Is Palmetto Solar Available?
- Palmetto Solar Warranties
- How Much Does Palmetto Solar Cost?
- Palmetto Solar Installation Process
- Getting a Solar Panel Installation Quote: We Put Palmetto Solar to the Test
- What We Like About Palmetto Solar
- What We Didn’t Like About Palmetto Solar
- What People Are Saying About Palmetto Solar
- How Palmetto Solar Stacks Up
- Bottom Line: Is Palmetto Solar Right for You?
- Methodology
Palmetto Solar at a Glance
Palmetto Solar’s mission is to make sustainable energy more accessible to consumers throughout the United States. This involves seizing on technological advances with solar and passing savings to customers. Founded and led by Chris Kemper, Palmetto Solar primarily serves residential customers. The company has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2015 and has an A+ rating as of publication.
Although availability varies by state, Palmetto Solar primarily uses solid black monocrystalline Tier 1 solar panels, which are highly efficient and long-lasting. The company also offers a variety of solar inverters, modules and batteries.
Featured Partners
1
Palmetto Solar
BBB Grade
A+
Financing Options
Purchase, loan, PPA
Number of States Covered
27
2
Blue Raven Solar
BBB
A+
Financing Options
$0 upfront for 18 months
Number of States Covered
21
3
Momentum Solar
BBB Grade
A+
Financing Options
Purchase, loan
Number of States Covered
10
What Can You Expect From Palmetto Solar?
The more information you can compile about a company, the better you can decide whether it’s a good fit for you. The following sections will go over some of the details you can expect from Palmetto Solar.
Palmetto Solar Services
Palmetto Solar offers a full range of solar services. The company sells and installs solar panels, batteries, and other solar components. It also offers in-house financing and energy consultations. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer professional monitoring, but it does offer a mobile app.
Palmetto Solar Panel Options
Palmetto doesn’t manufacture its own panels. Instead, it installs solar panels made by other manufacturers. According to the Palmetto Solar website, the panels are solid black and have an efficiency rating above 19.8%. By efficiency standards, this means Palmetto Solar installs Tier 1 panels, which are efficient, powerful, made by reputable manufacturers and of good quality.
The company does not publicly disclose the exact brands it installs but notes that this will vary based on location. Be sure to ask about which brands are available near you if you reach out.
Where Is Palmetto Solar Available?
With service in 19 states, Palmetto Solar is one of the most widespread solar installation companies in the United States. However, while the company is active in 19 states, service may not be available in every part of those states. To determine if Palmetto Solar is available in your area, you can use the online tool on its website to enter your address. Currently, the company works in:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
Palmetto Solar Warranties
The warranty for solar panels offered through Palmetto is subject to the exact model of the solar panel installed. That said, all current models have 25-year performance warranties. Keep in mind that, even under warranty, you may need to pay for certain damages outlined in the terms and conditions.
How Much Does Palmetto Solar Cost?
To get a clear picture of solar costs through Palmetto, it’s best to go through the steps of an introductory meeting and site survey. The cost of a solar array depends on the size of the home, energy needs and other factors—which a representative from Palmetto can explain.
As a helpful rule of thumb, however, the company shares that SEIA data puts the average solar panel cost at $3.40 per watt and that doesn’t include financing.
| SYSTEM SIZE | PALMETTO SOLAR COST | PALMETTO SOLAR COST WITH SOLAR TAX CREDIT |
|---|---|---|
| 5kW | $17,000 | $11,900 |
| 8kW | $27,200 | $19,040 |
Financing Options
Paying in cash for solar panels is the least expensive option in the long-term, but requires a hefty upfront investment. It also allows you to take advantage of incentives like the federal solar tax credit. Other financing options from Palmetto include:
- LightReach solar lease: No upfront payment is needed if you opt for a lease, and you also don’t have to worry about maintenance costs or tax liability. However, that comes at the cost of potential tax savings, reduced long-term savings potential and more complicated resale scenarios.
- Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): Similar to a solar lease, a solar PPA means you don’t own the solar panels despite them being installed on your property. Instead, you pay a fixed price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to the company that owns the panels.
- Solar loans: Palmetto offers solar financing for those who want to own their panels, but don’t want to pay in cash. The company lists loans with APRs between 4.49 to 11.99% APR on its website, but you should reach out for a custom estimate and rate.
- Cash purchase: You always have the option of purchasing your system outright if you have the cash available.
Palmetto Solar Installation Process
By entering your address on the Palmetto website, you can get a rough estimate of how much money you could save each month on utility bills by installing solar panels. From there, the company claims it offers “the most sophisticated solar feasibility and energy modeling platform in the industry,” which can help interested parties have a clearer picture of total costs and future savings before diving in.
Like many solar installation companies, Palmetto helps manage the permits and approvals required to get new solar panels activated. The company has more responsive customer service options than most and a variety of ways to get in touch, including an online chat with real people. Many variables at play can affect the timeline, but the company says that it generally takes somewhere between a few weeks and several months from proposal to activation.
- Get a project proposal: Palmetto notes that the first stage involves several overlapping steps, including an introductory meeting to understand options, a site survey, the proposal review and signing and finally the engineering design.
- Pass the permitting process: You can take a breather while Palmetto manages the permitting steps—such as working with your HOA, your local permitting department, your utility company and any other regulatory agencies in your area. Palmetto also gets approval for “interconnection” from your local utility company.
- Install and activate the system: The Build Team will get all the materials in place and proceed with the installation at a time and date that works for you. The installation typically wraps up within one to two days. Then, all that is needed is an inspection and Permission to Operate, which Palmetto will again facilitate. With that done, your system can be activated, and you can begin tracking details from the Palmetto app.
Getting a Solar Panel Installation Quote: We Put Palmetto Solar to the Test
Palmetto Solar makes getting a quote pretty difficult. There are several steps and forms to fill out online, the culmination of which asks if you want to be contacted by a sales rep. You can choose not to be contacted and receive an email supposedly containing your quote instead.
But in our experience, this email doesn’t contain a quote: It contains a link to another contact form and a Calendly link to speak with a sales rep. All in all, this is the aspect of Palmetto that we liked the least. Other companies provide online price ranges, but Palmetto does not. It’s not uncommon for companies to require on-site visits to provide an accurate quote, but we would appreciate it if that was stated clearly.
What We Like About Palmetto Solar
Palmetto Solar’s equipment and service offerings might be our favorite aspect of the company. The Tier 1, efficient panels are a great fit for most homes, while the solar battery systems really allow homeowners to leverage their new systems.
Customer service is a big part of Palmetto Solar’s ranking, as well. We liked that the company offers a mobile app and live chat with a human. If a customer has questions, they can reach out to Palmetto directly and receive an answer quickly or start a service request quickly.
Flexible financing is also a plus. Most homeowners will be able to find a payment plan that helps them take advantage of solar energy, whether it be a cash price, in-house financing or Palmetto’s LightReach lease program.
What We Didn’t Like About Palmetto Solar
While Palmetto Solar checks most of the boxes, there are two aspects of the company that stood out to us as potential downsides, though neither would be considered dealbreakers:
- Palmetto is only available in 19 states. Most of the country won’t have access to its services.
- The quote process was misleading. After providing all of our contact information, we thought we’d end up with a quote, but ultimately, we had to go through more steps than we expected. If you’re ready to speak to a customer service representative, this isn’t an issue.
What People Are Saying About Palmetto Solar
Palmetto Solar has middling to positive reviews on customer review sites, with a current A+ rating and 3.37 out of 5 on the BBB. It scores a 4 out of 5 on Google, with more than 1,200 reviews as of this writing.
Positive reviews mention the speedy installation process and the friendly and helpful customer service staff. More critical reviews, however, take issue with the company’s sales tactics and seem to have had trouble getting their solar panels up and running. These issues may be worth mentioning if you reach out to Palmetto for a quote. Note that these kinds of issues tend to vary based on the location and staff you work with.
How Palmetto Solar Stacks Up
Palmetto Solar vs. Blue Raven Solar
Palmetto Solar and Blue Raven are relatively close in terms of availability. However, Blue Raven offers the BluePower Plus+ financing plan, which allows customers to take advantage of tax incentives without payments for the first 18 months. That’s extremely attractive for many homeowners, making Blue Raven a great choice where it’s available.
Learn more: Blue Raven review
Palmetto Solar vs. Elevation Solar
Elevation and Palmetto Solar are neck and neck in most of their offerings. However, Elevation doesn’t offer a lease and its financing options are very limited. In our opinion, Palmetto is the clear choice, and it’s available in almost four times as many states. However, for customers in Elevation’s service range, it’s worth considering as system prices may be lower.
Learn more: Elevation Solar review
Bottom Line: Is Palmetto Solar Right for You?
If you value responsive customer service, Palmetto is hard to beat. The company also has a broader presence throughout the United States than many other competitors. The most notable limitation of Palmetto at this time is its lack of nationwide availability.
Best Solar Companies By State
Methodology
To determine the best solar company ranking, the Forbes Home editorial team analyzed 26 major companies, with each company’s star rating determined by evaluating a variety of metrics, including years in business, equipment options, app and customer reviews and support, nationwide availability, price and warranty, product specifications and features.
You can find out more about how Forbes Home rates solar companies in our detailed methodology page.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does Palmetto Solar cost on average?
On average, Palmetto Solar customers can expect to pay around $3.20 per watt for its systems. It’s important to note that getting a quote from Palmetto does require meeting with a customer service representative, however.
How efficient are Palmetto Solar solar panels?
Palmetto doesn’t manufacture its own panels, but it does use Tier 1 solar panels that are more than 19.8% efficient according to the company website.
How long do Palmetto Solar solar panels last for?
Palmetto’s panels can last 30 years or more if they’re cared for and maintained. They’re also under a 25-year warranty supplied by Palmetto.
How does Palmetto Solar compare to other solar companies?
Palmetto Solar is typically better than most other solar companies. It provides excellent service, quality products and attractive financing options.
Is Palmetto Solar worth it?
Yes, Palmetto Solar is worth it. If it’s available in your area, you’ll benefit from quality materials, a mobile app, live chat and knowledgeable sales, installation and customer support teams.
What panels does Palmetto Solar use?
The panels available through Palmetto depend on where you live. The company does not publicly disclose the exact brands it works with, so be sure to ask when you reach out.
How do Palmetto Solar’s warranty policies compare to competitors?
Palmetto’s solar panel warranty is in line with the industry standard. However, Palmetto is more limited than some regarding labor warranties.
