5 Best Solar Companies in Maryland

• Why We Picked It: SunPower Solar is available in all 50 states plus Washington D.C., making it one of the largest companies on our list. It sells and installs its panels through local distributors.

SunPower offers some of the highest-efficiency panels available. Its panels are produced by Maxeon, a former subsidiary of the company, and work optimally with its other in-house components.

SunPower offers a comprehensive 25-year warranty covering all system elements, including shipping and installation. The company claims that its panels will perform at 92% capacity after 25 years, higher than the average guarantee of 80.7%.

SunPower’s high-quality panels come at a premium price. The company also doesn’t sell directly to customers and operates through a network of local distributors instead. Edge Energy serves the Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. area. This company has an average rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but high customer ratings on SolarReviews.

• Why We Picked It: The home security company ADT purchased SunPro Solar in 2021 and rebranded as ADT Solar. It now offers integrated smart-home solar energy solutions that can pair with its home security systems.

ADT Solar offers brand-name products including Tesla Powerwall batteries and Enphase microinverters. It offers maximum protection for your solar investment, including extended warranty coverage on labor, panels, and inverters. Its 25-year power production guarantee states that your system will produce a projected amount of energy throughout its lifetime or the company will pay you $.10 for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) that it falls short.

ADT Solar has multiple branches across the United States. Some customers have reported spam calls or high-pressure sales tactics, but this experience seems to vary widely, with others reporting good interactions with sales representatives.

• Why We Picked It: Sunrun, which recently acquired Vivint Solar, offers various financing options, including two lease types. Each option includes system monitoring and comprehensive insurance.

Sunrun offers full purchases, solar loans, and two leasing options for maximum flexibility. The first lease option is a monthly contract with little to no money down. The second option is a 25-year lease that allows you to pay in one lump sum. Both lease options include full maintenance and system monitoring.

In addition to solar panels, Sunrun offers leading solar panel batteries from LG Chem and Tesla. Solar batteries allow you to store energy to use at night or during low-sunlight hours. Sunrun’s bumper-to-bumper warranties cover the entire system plus roof leaks for 10 years.

• Why We Picked It: Palmetto Solar is our top choice for customer service. It offers comprehensive solar panel design and installation services, and its online savings calculator allows you to estimate how much money you’ll save by going solar.

Palmetto Solar’s expert team can guide you through the design, installation, and maintenance process. The company’s representatives will also help you sign up for available tax incentives and rebates. Palmetto doesn’t provide pricing information online, but its website claims Maryland homeowners can install solar panels for as little as $85 per month and save an average of $24,565 over 25 years.

Palmetto Solar’s 25-year performance guarantee is one of the longest in the industry. The company provides several additional services, such as the Palmetto Protect plan, which ensures your system works at peak efficiency. This plan starts at $8 per month for system monitoring and prioritized customer support.

Solar installation companies typically offer four financing options: up-front purchase, solar loan, solar lease, or power purchase agreement (PPA). Up-front purchases require you to pay for your system in full, while solar loans allow you to space out the cost in monthly payments with interest. These are the only two payment options Palmetto offers, but both ensure you own your system and qualify for cost-saving tax incentives.

Other companies will install the system for free and allow you to lease the panels at a set monthly rate. You can also enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA), which allows you to pay only for the power you produce, similar to a monthly electricity bill. However, these options won’t grant you system ownership and disqualify you from tax incentives.

• Why We Picked It: Trinity Solar has been in the industry for nearly 30 years and is the only family-owned business on our list.

Trinity Solar has installed more than 77,000 solar systems in nine states, making it the most experienced company on our list. It’s been servicing Maryland since 2015, where it’s helping the state to meet its renewable energy goals by 2040. The company’s solar panel systems may be purchased, financed, or leased. You can also add battery storage and backup.

Trinity’s 5-year workmanship warranty is short compared to industry standards, and the company doesn’t guarantee savings on your electric bill. We still recommend the company because it has a good reputation and strong track record.