Sunnova Reviews: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)

Sunnova’s Purchase of SunStreet Solar

In March 2021, Sunnova completed its purchase of SunStreet Energy Group LLC (Lennar Corporation’s residential solar platform). Sunnova thus became Lennar’s exclusive home solar and energy storage service provider for new housing developments with solar across the country.

As for SunStreet’s existing customers, not much has changed. Their warranties will be honored by Sunnova and the company will be available for any maintenance or repair work that comes up.

Sunnova Solar Services and Installation

Sunnova offers solar energy systems with or without battery storage to homes, homebuilders and community developers. It is one of the largest certified Tesla Powerwall installers in the country. Sunnova also offers Level 2 EV charging stations supplied by Chargepoint.

Below is a quick overview of the steps involved in having a solar system installed with Sunnova.

Solar Installation Experience

1. Once you’ve connected with Sunnova, a sales rep will get in touch to discuss your needs. You may be asked to submit your bills from your electric company along with other basic details.
2. Based on the information gathered, Sunnova will do a basic analysis of your power consumption and roof orientation. It will figure out how many solar panels you need and where they should be installed. The team will then prepare a basic design and a quote for the system.
3. If you’re satisfied with the pricing and other terms and decide to go ahead with Sunnova, its site survey professionals will visit your property for a more detailed analysis of the roof, conduits and other property characteristics.
4. Sunnova’s design team will put together a final, fully detailed design of your system and will also submit permit applications to your jurisdiction and your power company along with applications for solar incentives you’re eligible for.
5. After the jurisdiction and utility have approved the applications, the Sunnova team will install the solar equipment on your property. Your jurisdiction will then inspect the work to make sure it meets standards. Once you have the final approval, you can switch on the system and enjoy the benefits of energy independence, savings on your electric bills and increased home value.

Sunnova Solar Customer Service

Based on a number of customer reviews, we can conclude that Sunnova’s customer support is not the best out there. While the company impresses with its equipment quality, warranties/service plans and almost nationwide presence, multiple Sunnova customers have experienced poor post-installation support.

Rating:

Outstanding National Installer

3.5/5

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Sunnova Solar Costs and Financing

The cost of a solar power system from Sunnova is somewhere between $3 to $5 per watt of installed capacity. A typical 9 kilowatt (kW) system may cost between $27,000 and $45,000 before the federal tax credit or between $18,900 and $31,500 after the credit.

Most solar installers offer systems that are around the $3.33-per-watt mark, while some may offer lower prices. Sunnova’s pricing, then, can be said to be on the slightly higher side. Sunnova has an advantage for some buyers, though, in its variety of purchasing options that can make going solar easier.

Financing Options Through Sunnova Solar

Sunnova offers all four purchasing models available on the market. Customers can save the most by paying cash, or they can make fixed payments by choosing the loan or lease option. They can also pay only for the power consumed (PPA), just as with their utility bills, while not worrying about system maintenance.

Here’s a table that outlines how each buying option works.

Choosing the right option can be tricky owing to the different advantages and limitations. You can consult our solar financing guide to get clarity on all the buying options.

Sunnova Solar Panel Warranty

If we had to point out Sunnova’s single biggest pro, it would be its impressive warranty offerings.

Called Sunnova Protect, the warranties/service plans come with systems the company installs but can also be purchased for systems installed by other companies.

The Sunnova Protect Platinum warranty accompanies Sunnova’s solar installations and covers repairs, replacements and a production guarantee, and also includes system monitoring. The Platinum plan covers an impressive 25 years.

The Protect Basic and Protect Premium warranty plans cover systems installed by other providers and come in one- and 10-year versions with different combinations of service elements (monitoring, repairs and replacement). Under the Sunnova Protect Premium plan, for system parts covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, Sunnova will work with the manufacturer to complete repairs and replacements.

Rating:

Outstanding National Installer

3.5/5

Get Free Quotes

*

Sunnova Solar Reviews

Customer reviews provide a great window into a company’s quality and reliability. Sunnova’s reviews reveal a mixed bag of positive and negative experiences. Most positive reviews praise the company’s knowledgeable salespeople and speed of execution, while the negative reviews discuss disappointing post-installation support and overall-unsatisfactory customer service. Take a look at some examples below.

Positive Sunnova Solar Reviews

“Entire crew from sales to implementation did an excellent, professional job. Answered all my questions and resolved any issues quickly to ensure timely implementation of the system. Excellent communications and teamwork throughout the project.”

– Ed D. via Best Company

“Everyone we have dealt with has been so friendly and respectful. Any questions I had were always answered very quickly and they were very understanding when we had water damage that made us postpone our installation. I love being able to track our production on the website.”

– Amy via Trustpilot

Negative Sunnova Solar Reviews

“After a new roof was installed by a Sunnova subcontractor, the shingles were falling of [and] water was coming in…I called 9 times within 3 weeks to customer service to fix [the] hole and they were totally useless!…I wouldn’t recommend this company at all in New Jersey!”

– Dave M. via Trustpilot

“We are extremely unhappy with Sunnova. We were told that the system they installed would be sufficient to meet our energy needs. In fact, we were stuck with a huge true-up bill at the end of the year. They keep telling us that the system provides the energy that they said it would, but the key issue is that it does not provide energy sufficient to meet our needs as they said it would.”

– Jillian via Consumer Affairs

Solar Energy Provider Comparison

You should always review different solar companies before purchasing to make sure you’re choosing the best solar installer for your needs. Here’s an example of how Sunnova compares to other large providers:

The cost information presented in this article is derived from a comprehensive analysis, incorporating data from multiple industry sources. The average cost per watt per state was calculated based on figures from Consumer Affairs, Energy Sage, and Berkeley Lab’s Electricity Markets & Policy Department. Additionally, monthly energy consumption and the average monthly cost of electricity were sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, ensuring a well-rounded and accurate representation of the information presented.