If you live in the city of Los Angeles, then you’re no stranger to high electric bills and plenty of sunshine. Why not use California’s ample natural sunlight to help pay your energy bills? That’s where a solar panel investment comes in.
California electric rates are among the highest in the US. Rising electricity costs are a primary reason why many Angelenos invest in solar panels for their homes. In Los Angeles, there are a variety of tax credits and incentives that can tamp down the cost of solar panels.
Though California’s net metering policies have been weakened in recent years, reducing the credits you get for offloading excess energy to the grid, there are other great incentives within the state. Property tax exemptions mean your solar panel system won’t be included in the value assessment of your home. Another uncommon incentive in California is the Self-Generation Incentive Program, which offers rebates on the price of energy storage technologies, such as solar batteries.
Here’s what you need to know — starting with the best solar panel installation companies operating within Los Angeles.
Best national solar panel companies in Los Angeles
With the popularity of solar in Los Angeles, there are many companies that you can choose from when getting quotes. The Solar Energy Industry Association offers a database of solar companies nationwide, including companies local to Los Angeles.
We’ve created a list of national solar panel companies that stand out from the competition. Here are a few solar installers operating in Los Angeles to consider.
Palmetto Solar
Best overall
Solar panels are typically low maintenance equipment, but they’re also unfamiliar. If you want to reap the benefits of solar but will have a bit more peace of mind if someone else is making sure it’s working, Palmetto might be a good fit for you. Just remember to add the cost of Palmetto’s monitoring service in to your payback period calculations.
Elevation
Whole home approach
Elevation’s focus on your home’s energy efficiency isn’t the norm in the industry. If you’re planning on addressing energy efficiency first, working with Elevation allows you to keep the whole process with one company. Elevation’s solar equipment comes from well-established and well-regarded companies. Elevation’s warranties on workmanship and weatherization could be a bit longer.
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.
First American Solar offers a 25-year warranty on just about everything – panels, production, workmanship and roof. The company has an in-house installation team and works with NABCEP-certified professionals. First American Solar also claims its systems are priced as aggressively as possible to help you get the best deal.
Solar Optimum has a smaller service area than the other companies on this list, focusing its business in California and Nevada. Still, its products and terms of service remain very competitive.
Solar Optimum’s warranties are more extensive than some of its competitors: It offers 25-year warranties on products (including solar panels, inverters and mounting equipment), as well as 25-year warranties on quality and performance. These warranties are transferable, meaning if you sell your home, the warranties can transfer to the new homeowner. Through Solar Optimum, you can also purchase solar batteries to pair with your system.
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.
