Solar Energy World Review: The Best Warranty We've Seen - CNET

Nov 08, 2024

Solar Energy World's 15 years of experience and extended solar warranty make it a dependable choice, especially if you're on the East Coast.

The solar industry faces headwinds in 2024, with over 100 solar companies shutting down due to rising interest rates, tighter financing and policy changes, like California's NEM 3.0. That's why paying a bit more for a company with a solid track record, like Solar Energy World, is worth the investment.

Founded in 2009, Solar Energy World brings about 15 years of experience to customers on the East Coast. With over 25,000 completed installations and a strong reputation, you can count on its team to be there in a challenging industry. Climate change concerns continue pushing the shift to renewable energy and a reliable installer ensures you enjoy the solar benefits without worrying about future issues.

Solar Energy World's Triple Platinum 30-year warranty offers a safety net even when your system needs maintenance or repairs. This is a big advantage over most companies, which typically offer only a 25-year manufacturer warranty and just 10 years for labor and weatherization. The 30-year warranty applies only to solar purchases, though, so those leasing get the standard manufacturer warranty instead.

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We wish Solar Energy World was more transparent about pricing, but solar companies are usually pretty vague unless you get a specific home quote. "We price competitively against the marketplace and tend to be in the middle range of companies," said Wyatt Everhart, field energy adviser at Solar Energy World. "Our longevity and stability is why we don't price at the very bottom, we stay in the middle." Getting quotes from multiple companies is a great way to compare prices, offerings and find the best fit for you.

This review is based on research and industry experience, so we don't have firsthand experience going through Solar Energy World's installation process. We can't speak to what working with the installation crew is like but can offer guidance based on the company's offerings and comparison to competitors. We also recommend talking to neighbors with solar to learn about the experience and understand your energy needs before making the investment.

Big rooftop solar companies have struggled in 2024 as high interest rates and policy changes put strains on their finances. Will interest rate cuts help?

Solar Energy World's in-house team installs quality equipment and extends a notable 30-year warranty for panels, batteries, inverters, labor and weatherization. You can pay in cash with 30% upfront and the rest after installation. There are also loan options to finance your system from five to 20 years. In some states, you can choose a solar lease that typically lasts 25 years. The 30-year warranty applies only to purchases, but leases still get manufacturer warranties.

Instead of leaving you to figure out government incentives on your own, the company offers post-installation guidance. "We continue to work together after receiving permission to operate to make sure they get all their incentive paperwork completed," Everhart said. "We find that the customer who gets the most money back is the happiest customer."

Solar Energy World offers a range of tier-one rooftop solar panels, with popular brands like QCells, Silfab and Longi. QCells is the only brand on our best solar panels list, but all options provide strong efficiency ratings between 21% and 21.99%.

The company installs Tesla Powerwall, SolarEdge and Enphase solar batteries for storage and backup power. All three options are featured in our best solar battery list for performance and warranty but aren't the best options for modularity or expanding your system. The Tesla Powerwall is most popular with Solar Energy World customers because of its competitive pricing.

The company's most popular inverter choices include Enphase and SolarEdge (both on our best inverter list). Inverters convert the energy produced by your panels into usable electricity for your home. "We do a 50/50 split on inverters with half Enphase microinverters and half SolarEdge string inverters," Everhart said. "SolarEdge has a central inverter inside the house with an optimizer under the panels." Microinverters attach to each panel instead of having a central location. Both inverter types work to accomplish the same goal, the best option is really up to your preference.

Powerwall 3 is available in the US now.

All solar manufacturers offer at least a 25-year production warranty, which also applies to leases. For solar panel purchases, Solar Energy World goes a step further by extending the warranty to 30 years for all parts and labor. This means you won't pay anything for site visits, labor or part replacements during that time. Most companies offer only 10-year labor or weatherization warranties, so tripling that coverage is a big deal. The only exception to the 30-year warranty is if your roof needs replacing; you have 10 years to have the panels removed and reinstalled at no extra cost.

Additionally, Solar Energy World offers a first-year energy production guarantee. If your system doesn't produce at least 90% of the estimated output, the company will pay you double the difference. This extra coverage can bring peace of mind, especially if you live in an area with frequent storms or unpredictable weather.

It's important to find a reputable installer, or else you might end up with a poor quality solar panel system installation.

While Solar Energy World doesn't have its own monitoring service, you can use your lease company or inverter manufacturer to keep track of your system's production and efficiency. The Enphase Enlighten mobile app has a 4.6-star rating on the App Store and 4 stars on Google Play. The mySolarEdge app also has a 4.6 out of 5 rating in the App Store and a 4.4 Google Play rating.

No, Solar Energy World's in-house team completes the solar installations. Having an in-house team means better quality control and communication between you and the company. This makes it easier to answer questions and any concerns throughout your installation journey.

Each member of Solar Energy World's installation team completes in-house training, with mid to senior-level installers certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. "Apprentices may not be fully certified yet, but they work under the supervision of those who are," Everhart said. "Through our training program, we've had former roofers and people with limited construction experience grow into crew leads."

Most solar companies avoid giving specific prices because the cost varies by location, system size, energy needs and available incentives. Solar Energy World didn't provide exact figures but emphasized it isn't the cheapest or the most expensive.

"We tend to be in the middle range of companies, but it's different for everyone," said Everhart, noting that factors like panel brand, critter guards or financing fees can affect the final cost.

The best way to get an accurate estimate is by requesting a quote. According to 2022 data from Wood Mackenzie, the average cost for rooftop solar is $2.99 per watt for an 8-kilowatt system. This means the average residential system costs about $23,920 before local and federal incentives, with the 30% federal solar tax credit, that drops to $16,744. While this tax credit is available nationwide, you may have state-level incentives that offset the cost even more.

You can buy solar panels outright, finance with a solar loan or participate in a 25-year solar lease. Everhart mentioned the company used to offer more power purchase agreement options, but now it's less common and it offers only one.

When you pay in cash, you don't pay all at once. It's split between a 30% payment upfront and the remaining after installation. This option offers the highest return on investment and qualifies for incentives like the federal tax credit. For those who prefer not to pay upfront, a solar loan is a great alternative. While it may result in slightly lower long-term savings compared with paying in cash, it still helps offset electricity bills and qualifies for the same incentives.

The federal solar tax credit can help you save a decent chunk of change on a solar panel system.

The company serves six states and Washington, DC. Everhart explained that maintaining consistent quality with a huge service area is challenging and that's why it stays focused on the East Coast.

Those outside Solar Energy World's service area can check out other top solar companies, such as Palmetto Solar, EnergyPal and Freedom Forever.

Maryland

Washington D.C.

Delaware

Pennsylvania

Florida

New Jersey

Virginia

To start the process with Solar Energy World, you can either visit its website or call its team directly. It offers a free solar quote, where you'll answer a few questions about your location, home type and roof age. Once that's done, you can schedule a site visit to assess your property and get a personalized solar design.

While online reviews can be hit or miss, they provide helpful insights into what the customer experience is truly like. By reading reviews, you can spot patterns and find potential questions to ask before deciding on the best solar company for you.

Here are some positive and negative reviews found on Solar Energy World's Better Business Bureau page with minimal edits for clarity.

"I was sold on the idea of not having to pay a utility bill and being my own power source. However, they calculated twice how many panels I would need. I explained how important it was that I produce enough energy to have excess. Now, I'm not producing excess and still paying over $100 per month. How can their professional calculations be that far off? That's not the worst of it. They refuse to respond or address my complaint that my array isn't producing nearly enough power. They're just ignoring my complaints." Timothy B. 02/09/2023

"I went solar with Solar Energy World a couple of years ago. They were fast, curious and very professional. I've saved over $2,000 since our system has been turned on. Their whole team is so friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!" Julia M. 06/28/2024

"Great overall experience with our solar install. Ben Harlow was our amazing Sales Associate and he was terrific at explaining everything, including all of our options and answering our questions. The install crew (Zack, Eric, RyLee, Nate, Jake and Adam) and others were great, all extremely knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. They seemed to enjoy their job and liked who they worked for and with. We definitely had an "A" crew! Everything was installed perfectly and exactly how it was planned." Rob S. 10/13/2023

As with any major home investment, shop around before making a final decision. Comparing quotes from multiple solar companies will help you find the best fit for your energy needs and budget preferences. Solar Energy World is a solid option for a reliable company with strong warranties for solar purchases. We don't know much about its specific prices, but the company offers top-of-the-line equipment options, such as QCells panels and the Tesla Powerwall.

Solar Energy World doesn't offer nationwide services, which could be a pro or con, depending on who you ask. Those living in the company's service area may benefit from its long-standing history and commitment to quality. You can choose from a variety of financing options, but the extended warranty applies only to cash purchases and financed systems, not solar leases.

The company is accredited by BBB with an A+ rating and 4.53 out of 5 stars from customer reviews. Although it hasn't addressed many complaints, its responses are personalized and specific rather than generic or vague. This suggests that the company takes a genuine approach to addressing issues, focusing on each complaint individually.

If your home is super energy efficient and it has solar panels, you could pay virtually nothing to the power company or live completely off the grid.

Offers quality equipment options

Triple Platinum 30-year warranty

Long business history

Limited service area

Little pricing transparency

Yes. Solar Energy World is a real company offering solar installation services in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and Washington, DC. The company was founded in 2009 and has completed over 25,000 solar installations.

Based on our list of best solar companies, Palmetto Solar is the top option, with an overall 8.3 out of 10 rating. Solar Energy World is not far behind, with an overall 7.8 out of 10 and EnergyPal in a close third with 7.7.

Reviewing solar companies in a hands-on way is difficult. Accounting for all the differences project to project is impossible. To provide a helpful review, we focused on what we can measure and meaningfully compare among companies.

We focus on three buckets of criteria: equipment, warranties and service.

Within the equipment category, companies receive scores for the panels, inverters and batteries they install. Warranties include the guarantees on the panels, workmanship and weatherization against leaks. Companies earn points for service if they offer a price match, a meaningful level of price transparency and a well-rated app for monitoring solar production. They lose points if there are major issues pertaining to customer service (lawsuits, investigations or clear reputations for shoddy service). These issues will always be detailed in the review.

You can read a detailed look at how the scoring breaks down.

We don't consider the average price of a company's installations in their score. This information is difficult to find and hard to compare across service areas (and even roof to roof). Companies are often slow to disclose it too. We also leave out easily found but not useful information like how many states a company operates in.

Read more: If you're looking for more insight into the best solar hardware, take a look at our picks for the best solar batteries and most efficient solar panels.

Article updated on November 7, 2024 at 8:00 AM PST

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