Nevadans have a great opportunity to save money by getting their energy from a resource they have in abundance: sunlight. Nearly a quarter of the state’s electricity production comes from solar power, and few states get more peak sun hours than the Silver State.
So what’s the price for going solar? The good news is that it’s less than it used to be. The price of solar panels has nearly been slashed in half within the last decade, and newly expanded federal tax credits mean you’ll get 30% back on the cost of a solar panel installation.
Nevadans can also take advantage of a key state-level incentive, net metering. This policy allows Nevadans to send surplus electricity they produce back to the electrical grid for a credit on future power bills, further reducing the cost of their bills.
Here’s what to know before making the decision to get solar panels — starting with the best solar installation companies operating within Nevada.
Best national solar panel companies in Nevada
There are 54 solar installers operating across Nevada, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. As solar continues to grow in popularity, the number of solar companies will also likely increase.
Based on our research, we’ve compiled a list of solar panel companies that excel in the industry. Be sure to do your own investigation into installers in your area before signing a contract. Here are a few Nevada solar installers to consider.
SunPower Solar
Best solar panels
If you’re looking for top-of-the-line solar panels, SunPower is your best choice. But don’t write it off if you’re looking for a less flashy installation that will get the job done. This year it started installing Qcells panels, which should make an installation from the longest-tenured company on our list available to more people.
Tesla Solar
Most affordable
Tesla’s solar branch seems to be the least loved of Elon Musk’s ventures. Even Tesla’s Solar Roof seems to get more love.
If price is the thing you won’t budge on, consider Tesla. By all accounts, Tesla installs quality panels and makes the closest thing there is to a household name in solar storage: the Powerwall.
Where you might miss out is customer service. Discussion online seems to suggest Tesla’s service is a bit of a gamble.
Sol-Up is a solar installer that has been operating in the Las Vegas area since 2009. While it has a smaller service area than other national installers, Sol-Up offers a strong lineup of solar products, including Panasonic panels, Span Smart Panels and the Tesla Powerall. This installer handles every step of the process in-house, meaning it does not hire third-party contractors for engineering, sales or installation.
Sol-Up offers a 25-year quality-of-work warranty. Product and performance warranties will vary depending on the manufacturer; consumers who choose Sol-Up should check the warranty information for each product.
The companies we listed above as “the best” are curated from CNET’s best solar companies list. Companies making the best list are scored on the equipment, warranties and customer service they offer. Then, we make sure these recommendations are available in your state. You can read a full breakdown of how we review solar companies here.
Companies listed under the local installers were chosen in a less rigorous way. We chose them because they offered something unique or notable to customers in the state, they seemed well-regarded by internet reviewers or because they were one of the few installers we could find information on in the state.
Whether we’ve completed a full review on a company or not, it’s always a good idea to get multiple quotes from different installers before choosing a company.
