The south gets more sun than most of the rest of the US, but some states along the Gulf Coast aren’t doing everything they could to take advantage of this nearly limitless resource.
Among the states we’re covering here — Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky — some are experiencing a solar boom, while others actually try to restrict its spread.
Jill Kysor, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said that increasingly key policies are being put in place to enable more solar in the south.
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“It’s a pretty direct relationship: If there’s net metering available, solar adoption rates tend to be pretty strong and if net metering is not available, it definitely has tended to lag.”
Even where there’s lag, there’s still plenty of solar potential to be found for those dogged enough to capture it.
Read CNET’s coverage of other regions’ solar potential: New England, the East Coast, the Midwest and the West Coast.
Best national solar panel companies in the South
No matter how convincing reviews of solar companies are, you should always get multiple quotes before choosing one. These companies are the larger companies that CNET has put through its review process to good results.
ADT Solar
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CNET’s highest rated solar company, ADT Solar, operates in all the southern states except for Alabama, making it a good place to start your research. ADT rises above its competition thanks to the strong warranties it offers, including 25-year warranties on the installation work and against leaks in your roof.
ADT also offers multiple options of quality equipment, though your choice may be limited by what’s available. Read our ADT Solar review.
SunPower, known for both top-notch panels and warranties, also operates nationwide, including all of the south. SunPower installs the highest performing solar panels available — which come with an industry-leading solar production warranty — but also installs Qcells panels for a more affordable but equally reliable installation. (Qcells solar panels are used in about one third of all residential solar installations in the US.) SunPower also has one of the longest track records in solar in the US. Read our SunPower review.
