I thoroughly researched and ultimately met with three solar installers based in RI. Sol Power was my top choice mainly due to the upfront work they completed to design a system that met my needs. This included explaining the various programs in RI, time on the roof where the panels would be installed and surveying the property to give me an idea of what trees would eventually need to come down. They designed and installed a 13.2 kW array consisting of 33 400 W panels, 2 SolarEdge inverters, 2 LG 13kW batteries, upgraded service to a 200 Amp SPAN smart panel, critter guard and new wiring for a Heat Pump and ceiling heater/fan. They also decommissioned and removed an existing thermal panel for hot water and managed the applications for grants, net metering and connected solutions. The installation work went well, and the system was operational (producing energy) in September 2022. The real test of a company is their ability to service the installed system. This is where the Sol Power team really shines and has proven to be outstanding! Over the last two years, they have been exceptional in their ability to keep the system up and running. Whether it be a software update or mechanical issue, they have always been quick to respond to correct any issues. Finally, they have a cooperative ownership model which instills a sense of pride in their work that shows through and in my estimation has yielded a very cohesive and highly effective team. Their level of expertise and their professionalism has been outstanding and they have proven to be a real partner. So much so that I have engaged with them on a second project for an array on a garage. I highly recommend them. read more

These folks are wonderfully responsive and they get a thumbs up from me for sure. They are competent and their prices are fair.

Bottom Line: Sol Power Solar did a fantastic job. I have seen many comments either praising solar (usually those with it) and knocking it (usually those without). None discuss the process and tradeoffs you can make. I hope the details I share here, of my experience with Sol Power Solar, will encourage some of you without it, to consider the benefits solar PV (photo voltaic) brings. There are two main kinds of solar PV installations; the first is the leased hardware option, where you don't own the equipment, which is placed on your roof "for free", in exchange for a fixed-rate energy cost/kWH to you, for a contract period. There are a few variations on that scheme but the end result is about the same, you are not the primary beneficiary, the installer is. They make sure the energy you generate, minus what you are expected to consume at the rate they charge you, gives them a nice profit. Beware, it can terribly complicate the sale of your home. The second option (Sol Power Solar only does), is one I have dreamed of since the 80's, buying my own hardware and getting the FULL benefit. There are variations on this related to financing, utility subsidies and federal tax credits. We are fortunate enough to be able to buy the system outright. On NextDoor, I read several neighbor's really positive experiences with SolPower Solar, based in Charlestown, which is close to me. One email and Conor M. (project manager) set an appointment for 4 days later, in the end of March (2021). He arrived with his Solar Pathfinder instrument to collect site shading data for both house and ground-mounted arrays I wanted to explore. Tradeoffs... 1. The best site would have been the ground-mount, but it is 250 feet from the house in very rocky terrain. A glacier had dumped a load of 1-2 foot marbles in our land, and trenching is treacherous. Then you have cement footings to dig and expensive racking, all of which requires a building permit. The upside is a great sky view, and the option of a biger array, so more low-cost panels could be used, for a given system output. Also snow and dirt removal would be a snap, for more output in any weather. 2. In-general, roof-mounting allows for lower cost racking and easy connection to the house meter. Our Needs: Our house has an electric water heater, electric oven (not cooktop) dish washer, a separate freezer, a massive hydro spa (50 Amp 240V breaker) and 3 mini-split units, providing heat in the shoulder seasons, and AC when it's hot. When really cold, we switch to oil/steam heat. We are totally LED, and are not reckless with our power use (except possibly for that spa). Combined, it's often a huge load. Conor picked 20 top of the line, Solaria 400 Watt panels, to get the most from our limited roof space. 3. I wanted Enphase micro-inverters in MY system, wherever the panels are located because they eliminate any single point of system failure and they are 96.5% efficient. I selected the roof system strictly for cost reasons. Together, Conor and I squeezed in 2 more panels. SolPower Solar's Tyler M. selected the Enphase IQ7A for my system. SO, after all the waiting for design, approvals by the town and NG, and working our way through Sol Power Solar's backlog, our installation day arrives on 8/25. Tyler, Josh and the crew did the complete install of the panels, interconnect wiring into the basement, a separate combiner/Enlighten panel, wired back-feed breakers in our panel, and tested it! The following morning, "critterguard" is installed. That's a 1/2" screen around the panel peripheries to keep out the PVC-eating wildlife like squirrels. That day the town came out to inspect, and on 9/10, NG installed the Net-Meter, and we are up and running! Experience: SolPower Solar has been really fun to work with. I am an engineer and perhaps the worst PITA customer a solar company could ask for, but there was NEVER a sign I was annoying to them. Conor, Kate, Tyler, Abel and Josh were all really easy to interact with as we worked through design details, permitting, installation, inspections and my endless questions! Results: We are in a difficult location, and knew this from the get-go. Lots of trees, though open on the east and southern sides. Our 22x400W or 8.8kW of panels (probably 350W x 22=7700W in RI) have produced 7.3kW peak so far in a week of mostly cloudy weather. The limit NG set is the max our 22 panels with 349W Enphase IQ7A microinverters is 7.678kW peak. So far, our panels have produced 7.2Kw PEAK, 43Kw in a day, which is 4/5 of our ridiculous 50kW/day usage. We must reduce our waste. Bottom line: System performance is very good, and the Sol Power Solar people were wonderful to work with! Email info@ solpowersolar.com I would use them again in a heartbeat. read more

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i went with sol power for my solar panels. i worked with eric and he was awesome.he was very informative and thorough. i also like that he rides his bike to get here, which is good for decreasing one's carbon footprint. anyways, the panels look nice. i just got them installed so i am not able to provide feedback on the energy saving aspect of this, however the installation of the system and obtaining the grant was a very seamless process. i did research other solar companies in the area. for anyone looking into solar, i would encourage them to do that as well. one thing i was not crazy about is they charge a fee to use credit cards as payment, so you can really just mail them a check. overall, i was pretty happy with sol power and i think if you are looking into solar in the area, you should give them a call. Update so far I've unfortunately received an electric bill of $77 supposedly that's based on usage which is minimal and also decreased output from the sun given time of year. let's see what happens next month where I have even less usage but if it continues I'm going to take off another star read more

Sol Power installed my system in March. Chose them over other companies because of their knowledge and the fact they are local. Prices and Array builds were very similar across the quotes we received. The home assessment was thorough and straightforward. The application, permitting, installation and the implementation with the utility all went as scheduled and as described. We have all the necessary information and the Enlighten App to keep tabs on our Array. Can't speak highly enough about how nice of a job they did. It was easy to communicate and get things done via phone email, text and docu-sign. They are highly recommended. read more

Sol Power is owned by a very professional, courteous, responsible person. The staff are very, very friendly and ready to serve and answer all your questions, and just like the owner they too are very professional. I would trust these guys, they know what they are doing and they are determined to get the job done right the first time. Shop and compare but you won't find another solar company with low reasonable prices and 100% customer satisfaction as you will at Sol Power. Give them a call today and see how they can help you. read more

Sol Power was excellent in all phases of this project. They took the time to answer all our questions. We even met outside in about 20 degree temperature due to the social distancing during Covid. They answered emails quickly, arrived when they said they would. The amount of work necessary inside our home was done quickly AND they took all of the trash with them. The entire project was completed on-time. If you are thinking about solar for your roof, do yourself a favor and get a quote from them. read more

From the first evaluation, to the installation, to the instructional session, Sol Power was the best. Fully explained my options, arrived on time, cleaned up after they were done and took are of all the paperwork. A pleasure to work with and I would recommend without reservation. David Klein read more

Tyler at SolPower helped us when we had to relocate an existing solar hot water system while we replaced our roof. They responded promptly to my calls and were very responsive. The quality of the workmanship was excellent and the system was carefully explained to me. This was a non-standard job for the guys/gals at SolPower, but they went the extra mile. I can not recommend them highly enough! read more

We researched many solar installation companies before choosing SolPower. We are thrilled with our choice - professional- knowledgeable- patient answering all of our questions. They followed through on all details making the process a breeze. The system works beautifully. I would highly recommend them! read more

Great company. SolPower spec'd and installed a residential system for me in South County, RI during end of Summer 2016. After 6 months of smooth operation, we are very pleased with the results (even for the sun-starved Winter months). All staff were knowledgeable, experienced, thorough, helpful, courteous, honest, and professional. No high pressure sales tactics that a lot of the solar companies seem to be using. I am very particular about using contractors and I am happy to say that the installation was done right with plenty of emphasis on job site variations and thoughtful attention to my particular needs and requirements. I simply have no complaints - these guys are terrific. I would have no hesitation recommending them to others or using them again. read more

Sol Power was the 4th or 5th installer that we spoke to. Solar installations embody a lot of technical complexity. Our previous contacts helped us along the learning curve, but didn't always make us confident that we were getting the best information or answers to our questions. Eric from Sol Power changed all that. His answers were complete and indicated that he knew the technology, the range of alternatives and why he recommended certain choices, and he gave us confidence that Sol Power could deliver. This is a company of young, but capable and experienced, technicians. The installation process was efficient, well-coordinated, and amazingly well-done. Things like cable- and EMT-runs are well-planned and fit perfectly. Everything indicates that this is a company that know how to do the installation right. During the month or so after the system went into production, it seemed that one of the panels was out-of-spec. My communications with Eric and the team were responded to rapidly and completely. The panel was replaced without any muss or fuss. This lead to the finalization of the installation -- another efficient, thorough accomplishment. I like the fact that this is an in-state, employee-owned company. It shows in the commitment and skills of everyone I had contact with. I have enthusiastically recommended Sol Power to several people with an interest in residential PV installations. Sol Power is the kind of company that one can recommend without reservation. We couldn't be happier with our installation. read more

Sol Power is a terrific company. Small, owner-operated, and local, they are very professional and personal. They installed our large system 38 panels on 2 roofs in two days. They personally walk you through the whole process from the beginning to a wrap up meeting. There product and process are outstanding. They are very responsive to any concerns or questions. I'd highly recommend them. read more

Sol Power did my home in Little Compton and did a very nice clean job, very timely, excellent customer service, and a friendly local rep. I recommend them! read more