The 5 Best Solar Companies in Massachusetts

We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching the best solar companies across the country, comparing providers’ reputations, warranties, costs, customer reviews, and more. Our analysis showed that Massachusetts is one of the top 10 states for solar energy. In fact, nearly 20% of its electricity is generated from the sun, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

If you’re one of the many Massachusetts residents interested in going solar, see our top picks for solar companies in the state below.

• SunPower: Best High-Efficiency System
• Sunrun: Best Solar Panel Leasing
• Palmetto Solar: Best Customer Support
• Venture Solar: Best Northeast Regional Installer
• Momentum: Best Solar Panel Installation

Massachusetts residents can save money on their solar panels and installation by taking advantage of the state’s solar incentives. These tax credits and rebates are available to qualifying system owners as part of the Bay State’s push to make better use of solar energy. 

Massachusetts solar incentives include:

• Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program: This program allows homeowners to receive payments from their utility company for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of solar power they create for 10 years. 
• Residential Renewable Energy Income Tax Credit: Owners or tenants of a residential property located in the commonwealth, who are not a dependent of another taxpayer and who occupies the property as their primary residence, are eligible for a 15% state tax credit on purchased residential solar systems. 
• Solar Installation Property Tax Exemption: Massachusetts doesn’t make system owners pay property tax on the additional value solar panels add to their home. 
• Home Solar Project Sales Tax Exemption: This exemption prevents you from paying the state’s 6.25% sales tax on your solar panel system. 
• Net-metering: Massachusetts participates in net-metering, which allows you to sell your system’s excess energy back to your local utility company.

Solar is a big investment, which makes it extra important to choose the right provider. Here are some key factors to consider when comparing companies.

Solar Services

Check that the company you’re considering doesn’t just sell solar panels but also installs them. We recommend in-house installation rather than a third party because you’ll likely experience better communication and quality assurance. You’ll also get a more comprehensive labor warranty on the workmanship.

Check if the provider only installs solar panels or if it installs solar batteries, inverters, chargers, and other equipment as well.

Warranties

These are the most common solar warranties you’ll come across:

• Manufacturer’s warranty (or product warranty): This protects the individual solar panel system components in case of defects.
• Workmanship warranty: This covers installation in case of poor workmanship or faulty installation materials.
• Performance (or power production) guarantee: This guarantees the solar system’s output performs as outlined in your contract.

The best companies offer 25-year warranties in each of these cases, though some limit their workmanship warranty to 10 years. We recommend finding a company that provides at least 20 years of coverage for each warranty type.

Payment Options

Most solar companies offer at least two of these solar financing options:

• Full purchase: Purchasing your system in full gives you immediate ownership and qualifies you for solar incentives. This is the most cost-effective option, as you won’t have to pay extra for interest fees. However, it involves a large amount of cash up-front.
• Solar loan: A solar loan allows you to pay for your system in monthly installments rather than all at once. You’ll pay more over time due to interest rates, but you’ll still own your system and be able to use solar incentives to save money.
• Solar lease: Similar to a loan, a solar lease allows you to make set monthly payments to use solar energy. However, you won’t own your system, which disqualifies you from most solar incentives.
• Power purchase agreement (PPA): A PPA allows you to pay for only the energy you use with no money down, similar to an electricity bill. As with a lease, you won’t own the system or qualify for solar incentives.

We recommend buying your system outright or financing through a loan if it’s in your budget. Be wary of companies that push solar leases or PPAs without being transparent about the fact that these options disqualify you from incentives.

Customer Support

Customer service can make all the difference in your experience. You want a provider that’s friendly, reachable, responsive, and helpful. Companies should provide multiple ways to reach them, such as phone, email, online chat, online portal, or mobile app. They should be responsive across each of these options.

Try calling, emailing, or messaging the provider to see how long it takes to reach the right person. Look at the customer support hours to see if you’ll be able to reach someone on weekends and evenings. Lastly, consider how supportive the customer service team is. A provider that thoroughly answers all of your questions, looks for ways to save you money, and takes the time to get the best product for your needs should be at the top of your list.

It’s easy to get a solar quote in Massachusetts. You can usually do this online by following these steps:

1. Locate the Get a Quote button or page on the provider’s website.
2. Fill out the required information. When we went through the quote process with top providers, most asked for basic contact information, location, property type, and roof size and slope.
3. Get your free quote by email or on the website within minutes.

You can also call the company for this information and to get a quick estimate. When we went through the process online, it took less than 15 minutes to get a quote. By phone, it took an average of 20 minutes.

Local Installers in Massachusetts

The right solar panel company for you depends on your needs and priorities, but we recommend SunPower as our top choice due to its exceptional reputation, high-efficiency panels, and comprehensive 25-year warranty.

Do careful research before deciding which provider to hire. Look at warranties, installation options, customer support availability, and customer reviews. We also suggest getting a quote from at least three companies to compare pricing.

See our guide to solar panel types to learn which may be best for you.

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The This Old House Reviews Team is committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. After over a thousand hours of research on solar companies, interviews with experts, and common customer needs, we’ve created a detailed rating system for solar providers based on six factors:

• Solar equipment, installation, and services (25%)
• Warranty and performance guarantees (25%)
• Brand reputation and certifications (15%)
• Financing options (15%)
• Experience (10%)
• Availability (10%)

Total scores are divided by 20 for a final 5-point rating scale.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.