15 Best Solar Companies in Waukegan, IL (2024 Reviews)
We analyzed over 1500 solar companies in the nation,
and have selected the top 15 in Waukegan based on:
Customer review scores- Service area for Waukegan, IL
- Company policies and services offered
- Accreditations and certifications
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Average Waukegan homeowner saves $1,144/year with solar panels
Why you can trust EcoWatch
Best Solar Companies in Waukegan
On the hunt for the best solar companies in Waukegan? Installing solar panels is an exciting home addition that many homeowners find valuable for their wallets, communities and the planet. With high amounts of average daily sunlight in Waukegan, the solar industry is doing fairly well. An overlooked driver of this has been national programs that encourage residential and commercial solar projects.
The cost of installing solar panels can vary considerably according to your home’s setup and your overall energy requirements.We suggest shopping around to get quite a few quotes and comparing them to figure out which is the best installer for your home. To receive free quotes from the top solar panel companies in Waukegan, click the link below.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Best Social Impact
Palmetto Solar
- Expansive service area
- Makes charitable contributions
- Certified B Corp
- No leases or PPAs
- Quality of installation may vary by location
EcoWatch Rankings for Solar Companies in Waukegan
SunPower by Sun N Us
Free Quotes- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
Limited information available on website
Services Offered
Consultation- Panel Installation
Certasun
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Consultation
- Financing Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Panel Installation
Midwest Solutions Inc
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
Smart Sky Solar
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Panel Installation
- Consultation
ilumen Solar
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
- Permit Assistance
- Skilled Repairs
- Grid-Tied Solar System
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Financing Assistance
Nelnet Renewable Energy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Financing Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
SolarW - Solar Panel Installer
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Permit Assistance
- Cleaning and Maintenance
Greentech Renewables North Chicago
- Informative Resources
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
Phoenix Exteriors Roofing & Solar
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Skilled Repairs
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
Kapital Electric, Inc.
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Free Quotes
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Tesla Powerwall
- Battery Storage
- Consultation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
Windfree Solar Co
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Battery Storage
JD Pro Electric Inc
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
- Skilled Repairs
FreeWorld Solar
- Reliable Customer Support
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Free Quotes
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Battery Storage
- Permit Assistance
- Consultation
- Panel Installation
- Skilled Repairs
- Financing Assistance
RxSun
- Reliable Customer Support
- Free Quotes
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Financing Assistance
- Panel Installation
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Consultation
93Energy Solar
- Prompt Service Delivery
- Clear Pricing Policy
- Informative Resources
- Free Quotes
- Reliable Customer Support
- Limited information available on website
Services Offered
- Permit Assistance
- Battery Storage
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Panel Installation
- Financing Assistance
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Solar Companies in Waukegan
EcoWatch's solar experts analyzed each solar company in Waukegan based on criteria such as its reputation in the industry, customer reviews, services, warranty coverage and financing. Using this solar methodology, we used the data we collected to rate and rank each company and narrow down our picks for the best solar companies in Waukegan
Below are some the criteria we examined specifically for Illinois solar companies
- Brand reputation and certifications (20%): We take each company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) score into consideration, as well as how long the installer has been in business (at least 5 years is required, 10 preferred) and what type of solar certifications it holds.
- Customer reviews (20%): Trust is a top priority at EcoWatch, so we take customer experience under close consideration. We scour different review sites and customer testimonials when ranking our top solar companies, checking sites such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews. We also consider any potential complaints or lawsuits filed against these companies and award or remove points accordingly.
- Warranty (20%): A company earns a perfect score in this category if it offers 25-year warranties that cover performance, product and workmanship. The industry standard that we measure companies against is 25-year product and performance warranties, along with a 10-year workmanship warranty. We also look closely into the track record of the post-installation support each company provides in terms of honoring its contracts
- Solar services (10%): All of the companies we review install solar panels, but we award companies higher points if they offer additional services for customers, like battery installation, energy-efficiency audits, and EV chargers.
- Pricing and financing (10%): It's hard to get exact quotes for solar projects, but we use marketplace research to determine how each company prices its equipment and installation services. Additionally, companies that offer more help for panel financing — like in-house loans, leases, or PPAs — score higher than those that don't.
- Availability (10%): The bigger the service area, the higher the company will score.
- Transparency and accessibility (5%): Solar installers that offer free consultations and easy contact methods score higher in this category.
- Environmental, social and corporate governance factors (5%): A company earns a perfect score in this category if it offers public data disclosure, addresses end-of-life (EOL) products or processes, and demonstrates a commitment to uplifting the communities that it serves.
The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Waukegan
Solar panels run off a free energy source — the sun — but before you can take advantage of this you will need to pay to set up your system.A few important factors that dictate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home and how much money you could save over time include:
- The model of solar panels you have the money for: This hinges on your income and budget.
- Whether or not your roof gets a lot of direct sunlight: This, plus your roof configuration, affects affect how much electricity your solar panels can generate.
- Incentives: The federal solar investment tax credit currently allows you to reduce your taxes by 0 of the project cost. Your state and even local utility companies may also have various incentives that you can benefit from. Plus, you can save about $14,000 over 20 years on your utility bills, without incentives.
- Energy consumption: Solar may be a high-cost investment for homes that don’t need a lot of energy a month.
There are several great benefits of solar despite the upfront cost of installation. It can help the environment and your wallet. Plus, it can raise the value of your home, giving you even more benefits if you choose to sell your home later.
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Solar Incentives in Waukegan
If you’re thinking about switching to solar energy, a variety of government incentives and tax credits can drastically bring down the cost of the project and speed up the return on your investment.When you install a solar panel system, you can take advatage of the federal tax credit, or ITC. This credit currently lets you lower your tax bill by 0 of the cost of your solar panels. Additionally, there may often be some local incentives that you can take advantage of to further save. You can learn about the incentives you can take advantage of in our article on solar incentives
Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Waukegan
One of the best reasons to embrace solar energy is to cut your dependence on nonrenewable energy sources like burning fossil fuels, which are hazardous for the environment.But you may be wondering – how much exactly can you help the environment by making the switch to solar? The average person has a substantial carbon footprint. Between their car, which produces over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year, and electricity for their home, it can be overwhelming to think about what to do. Going solar is one of the easiest things you can do to help.Although making solar panels releases carbon dioxide emissions, the panels make up for it by greatly decreasing the amount of CO2 you would have produced if you still used traditional energy. In Waukegan, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 90 pounds a year with solar panels. Since solar power is abundant and generates electricity without releasing carbon emissions, adding solar panels to your home is one easy step you can take to help protect the planet.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Best Social Impact
Palmetto Solar
- Expansive service area
- Makes charitable contributions
- Certified B Corp
- No leases or PPAs
- Quality of installation may vary by location
EcoWatch's Waukegan, IL Solar Company Rankings FAQs
What is the most reputable solar installer in Waukegan?
In Waukegan, SunPower by Sun N Us is the top local solar company. Our team of experts rates it 3.00 stars, so it's a solid choice if you're looking to add solar panels to your house.
What is the negative environmental impact of solar panel manufacturing?
Producing solar panels requires chemicals and produces toxic waste that can be dangerous for the environment, which is the main downside of solar panels.
Are solar panels worth it?
Solar panels call for a significant upfront investment that usually costs at least ten thousand dollars, but whether or not solar panels are worth it depends on a range of factors like local electricity rates and the amount of direct sunlight your roof gets.
How long do solar panels last?
Even though the average lifespan of solar panels is 25 to 30 years, that doesn't mean they stop working completely. What this means is the amount of energy they produce will have decreased significantly after that point. You can decide to replace them after having them for that long or you can keep using them at a lower efficiency after that time.
Our goal is to reach as many people as we can with sensible solutions like solar energy. Our team of full-time local researchers collects solar price and installation data for every city in America then compiles it to create these digestible city guides. If you want to read our solar expert’s opinion on the top solar companies featured here, follow this link.
Company research was conducted by Melissa Smith and Karsten Neumeister. Local data analysis was conducted by James Savino. See something we missed or could do better? Email the editor.