The 9 Best Solar Panel Installers in San Francisco

All Bay Solar suits homeowners who want the roof, the panels and the wiring handled by one company. It is a licensed general contractor and electrician, and it states that it never subcontracts its installation work. Battery backup is offered with Tesla Powerwall or Enphase systems, and the team shows Tesla certified installer status. Its head office is on outer Mission Street, with a second office in San Jose. An old roof that needs replacing before the panels go up can be handled within the same project.

Save a Lot Solar suits homeowners who want a compact company with a clear equipment list. It installs REC panels with Enphase IQ8 microinverters, and batteries from Enphase, Tesla Powerwall 3 or FranklinWH. The company holds both the C-46 solar and C-10 electrical licences and NABCEP certification for PV installation. Its service area covers San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties. Customers can compare quotes knowing in advance which components will be proposed.

Sun Light & Power suits owners of larger buildings as well as single homes, from affordable housing to schools. The Berkeley company has worked in solar since 1976 and is a 100% employee-owned benefit corporation. It is a certified installer for Tesla Powerwall, Enphase and FranklinWH batteries and an authorized SPAN installer. It also installs solar hot water, carports and EV charging. Building owners with a multifamily or nonprofit project will find a team used to that scale.

Potrero Energy is aimed at owners who prefer to buy their system outright and avoid long contracts. It installs solar with EG4 batteries, a smart electrical panel and energy management software. Warranties are stated plainly: 30 years on panels, 10 on the battery and 10 on workmanship. The site gives typical project ranges and timelines, with up to five days of on-site work. Buyers comparing quotes get clear numbers to check other offers against.

Coastside Clean Energy is useful for owners who already have panels and need them serviced, moved or backed up. Besides new solar, it repairs systems installed by other companies and removes and reinstalls panels when a roof is replaced. Battery options include Tesla Powerwall, Franklin and Lunar Energy, and it installs Level 2 EV chargers. The service area runs from San Francisco and Pacifica down the coast to Half Moon Bay. Quotes are returned within about two days on average.

Luminalt is a good fit for crowded city lots where the roof layout is the hard part. Founded in San Francisco in 2004 by Jeanine and Noel Cotter, it designs rooftop systems for the city's dense building conditions. Its co-founder writes exam questions for the state's C-46 solar contractor licence. The company installs home solar with Enphase battery storage and also works with architects on remodels and new builds. Owners planning a renovation can bring the solar design into the plans early.

Sutro Power suits San Francisco owners who want a small local team that stays accountable for the job. Every electrician, design consultant and engineer holds an ownership stake in the company or a path to partnership. It designs solar and battery systems for homes and commercial buildings across the city, including awkward north-facing roofs. The team also helps clients apply for the city's GoSolarSF incentive. Owners with an unusual roof orientation get a design adapted to it.

Sunrun is the option for households that want solar with little or nothing paid upfront. Its subscription plan is a monthly lease, and the Flex plan adds extra capacity and a battery with payment based on use. Systems can also be bought outright. Subscription customers get 24/7 monitoring and a production guarantee for the life of the contract. Most homes have panels installed in one day, so leasing households should mainly study the contract terms.

Trulysun Energy fits owners who want solar and general electrical work from the same contractor. It installs residential and commercial panels and battery storage, and also takes on electrical installations and repairs. Solar maintenance and electrical upgrades are part of its service list. An online estimator gives a first idea of system size before anyone visits. Owners with an older electrical panel can have the upgrade and the solar job handled by one team.