Top 5 Best Solar Companies in West Virginia (2024 Reviews)

Watch Below: Learn How You Can Profit Off Of the Extra Energy Your Solar Panels Produce

How Can You Save Money When Hiring A Solar Company In West Virginia

The cost of solar panels in West Virginia is a touch above average, costing $3.33 per watt compared to the national average $3.33 per watt. However, because the average West Virginia resident has greater energy needs, you’ll typically need a much bigger renewable energy system to power your home, which leads to higher installation costs.

For example, the average West Virginian will install an 11 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic system, which costs $36,960 before incentives, while the average American installs a 9 kW photovoltaic system at $29,970.

However, there are still ways you can save money when installing solar in West Virginia by doing things like:

• Taking advantage of solar incentives
• Only installing as many panels as you need
• Installing high-efficiency solar panels
• Shopping around for the best solar quotes

Take Advantage of West Virginia Solar Incentives

The federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is the best financial incentive available to West Virginians, worth an average $11,088.

But we want to be clear that the ITC is not a rebate, but rather a reduction on income taxes that you owe. This credit gets applied to your income taxes for the year your system is installed, but if you don’t owe $11,088 that year, it can be rolled over for up to five years.

Below you’ll find an overview of all of the solar incentives available in West Virginia.

Only Install As Many Panels As You Need

You pay for solar on a per-watt basis, so the fewer panels you install, the less money you’ll spend on your solar installation.

The average West Virginian uses 1,066 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy a month.⁶ Divide this number by 100 gives a ballpark figure of the system size needed, which is why the average West Virginia resident needs an 11 kW system to fully offset their energy needs (rounded up from 10.66).

But you may not be on par with the average West Virginian. Look at your utility bills to get an idea of your monthly energy consumption and only install the system size that you need. For example, if you only use 800 kWh of electricity a month, you’d only need an 8 kW system which would cost you $18,816.

Install High-Efficiency Solar Panels

Choosing to install high-efficiency panels, like the ones from SunPower, is another way to save money. Sure, higher-tech panels may cost more than lower-efficiency panels, but because they’re stronger, you’ll need to purchase fewer of them to power your home.

High-efficiency panels are especially important in West Virginia because it only gets around 164 sunny days per year (well below the national average of 205).⁷ Buying solar panels that have an efficiency rating of around 20% or more will allow you to get more solar energy output during shorter periods of sunshine.

Shop Around For the Best Solar Quotes

West Virginia has been extremely slow when it comes to adopting solar, with only 8 installers in the Mountain State, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).⁸ (However, there may be more solar companies that serve West Virginia but aren’t necessarily located there.)

We recommend getting solar quotes from two or more of the companies featured in this review to ensure you’re getting the best value solar panels. If you prefer one company over another but it’s more expensive, use the lower quote as a bargaining chip to see if you can save some money on your solar installation.

See Also: Calculate How Much You Can Save By Going Solar

Will Solar Increase Your Home Value In West Virginia?

Solar panels have been shown to increase home value. A 2022 EcoWatch survey of 1,000 homeowners found that 63% of homeowners would pay more for a home with solar panels than a home without.

Real estate company Zillow completed another data study that found homes with solar panels sold for about 4% more on average compared to homes without solar.⁹ In West Virginia where the average home costs $157,272, that leads to a potential home value increase of about $6,448.

Of course, the increase will likely be higher depending on the median home price where you live.

Should West Virginia Residents Hire a Professional Solar Installer Or DIY?

You may be thinking of performing a DIY solar panel installation to save money, but is it worth the risk?

Let’s think about how much money you’d be saving. Of course, labor costs vary by company, but according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, it usually accounts for at least 10% of the total cost of solar installation.¹⁰

In West Virginia where the average solar installation costs $36,960, you can expect labor costs to be about $3,696 of the total installation.

If you’re a handy homeowner, the nearly $4,000 in savings may be tempting enough to try to install your own panels. But there are some major downsides to DIY solar panel installation:

• You could damage your home or your solar equipment
• You may install the solar system incorrectly or inefficiently
• Your solar panels likely won’t be protected under warranty (many companies specify that warranty claims are only valid if installed by certified technicians)

If you’re only looking to install a few solar panels for an RV or to power a few home appliances, you may be able to complete a DIY solar installation no problem. But if you’re wanting a solar panel system strong enough to power your entire home, we recommend hiring a solar company.

What Should West Virginia Residents Look For in a Solar Installer?

While there aren’t a ton of solar companies in West Virginia, you still want to make the right choice for your home. We recommend choosing a solar company that offers:

• Battery storage installations
• High-efficiency solar panels
• Comprehensive warranty coverage

Solar Battery Installations

West Virginia sees the second-highest average number of power outages, making energy storage a higher priority in the Mountain State.¹¹ Choosing a solar company that installs solar energy storage allows you to have an energy backup plan during times of extreme weather or power outages.

High-Efficiency Solar Panels

Again, we highly recommend installing high-efficiency solar panels in West Virginia because it sees less sunshine annually. We recommend picking an installer that offers the most efficient solar panels, that includes brands like Maxeon, Jinko Solar, REC or Panasonic.

Comprehensive Warranty Coverage

Going solar in West Virginia is a big investment, so you want to get the most out of it. Your panels should last you at least 25 years, so you shouldn’t accept a solar panel warranty that’s any less than that.

We personally think SunPower and Solar Holler stand out in terms of warranty coverage. SunPower offers an all-inclusive 25-year warranty covering manufacturer, workmanship and production guarantee. Solar Holler offers 25-year equipment, 10-year workmanship and an impressive 5-year roof penetration warranty, which is especially nice considering West Virginia’s extreme weather patterns.

Outstanding Regional Installer

4.5/5

Full-service home energy solutionsExcellent reputationNABCEP-certified technicians

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Outstanding Regional Installer

4/5

Offers products from leading manufacturersCompetitive pricingOffers rewards for customer referrals

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Outstanding Local Installer

4/5

Excellent reputationNABCEP-certified techniciansCompetitive pricing

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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.

Methodology: How We Ranked West Virginia’s Solar Companies

When we rank our top solar companies, we start by identifying the factors that matter most when ensuring that our readers find a trustworthy, reliable and environmentally responsible installation. We’ve listed those factors as categories below. We then weigh these factors against the industry benchmark (a company meeting the industry standard in all categories would earn 4 stars in our rating system).

Our goal is to deliver unbiased reports and honest reviews, thus, our methodology is not affected by commercial partnerships and is specifically tailored to West Virginia homes.

• Solar Services (20%): Some companies just handle panel installs, while others include solar batteries, electric vehicle chargers, roof repair, energy monitoring and more to the list of options and customizations. Companies that have a robust service offering rank higher because they’re more likely to appeal to a wider range of customers in West Virginia.
• Qualifications, Reputation & Certifications (20%): Connections to important solar organizations set some installers apart from others and position them as proponents of the industry, rather than companies solely after profit. Some affiliations we look for include the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), Solar United Neighbors of West Virginia and Energy WV.
• Solar Warranty & Customer Support (15%): All warranty coverage is beneficial, so we award companies higher the more comprehensive the warranty. However, most WV residents prioritize production guarantees because the state sees less than average sunshine, so we rank those companies (and their reported customer support) even higher.
• Solar Financing Options (15%): Some companies only accept cash purchases and solar loans, which are the only options we typically recommend. However, we do give more weight to companies that offer more financing options, like other solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs), because they make solar more accessible to more homeowners.
• Experience (10%): While not always the case, many newer solar companies pop up just to try to capitalize on solar’s growing popularity. These companies often don’t provide great service, and companies without a proven track record in the industry are more likely to go out of business and void your warranties in the process. We rank companies with longevity higher for this reason.
• Availability (10%): Not all solar companies in West Virginia serve the entire state, but we give a higher ranking to the companies that do.
• Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Factors (10%): While going solar is great for money-saving benefits, we prioritize people and the planet alongside your profit. As such, we take each company’s ecological and ethical standards into account when ranking our top providers in West Virginia.