1 Source Solar Overview
1 Source Solar is a turnkey solar energy installer headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa, with an office in Kirksville, Missouri. Founded in 2015, the company has won several awards for its contribution to the solar industry from organizations such as Solar Power World. They are partnered with companies such as Red Barn Solar and Alliant Energy.
1 Source Solar specializes in serving agricultural, commercial, and residential clients across the state of Iowa. They handle both high-cost and low-cost projects and offer services such as complimentary site analysis, solar design, installation and engineering services, and construction and system monitoring for solar systems.
1 Source Solar Services and Specifics
1 Source Solar provides the following services;
- Site Analysis – 1 Source Solar offers free site analysis for potential customers who wish to go solar. The analysis report can also be further used to design a custom solar energy system for a customer.
- Solar Design – The company also uses the reports from site analysis to design the ideal solar system configuration for a client’s property. The company’s solar experts help the client choose the best solar panel, inverters, etc., depending on the client’s budget or energy preferences.
- Solar Installations – 1 Source Solar provides solar panel installations based on a solar design by certified solar engineers for residential, commercial, and agricultural clients.
- Solar Energy System Monitoring – 1 Source Solar also offers solar monitoring system installations that track a solar system’s performance and reduce O&M costs by increasing system up-time and resolving faults more effectively.
1 Source Solar services have received very positive reviews from their clients.
Among the positive reviews, customers commended the company, particularly for their:
- Professionalism
- Timeliness
Solar Panels and Services offered by 1 Source Solar
1 Source Solar systems use N-type or P-type monocrystalline solar panels.
Specific Solar Panels Offered
1 Source Solar installs solar products from the following solar manufacturers:
- Generac – is an American manufacturer of backup power generation products for residential, light commercial and industrial markets. Generac’s power systems range in output from 800 watts to 9 megawatts. The most popular Generac system, the PWRcell, provides at least 9kWh of storage capacity and includes:
- 1 Inverter
- 1 Battery storage cabinet
- 3 Lithium-ion battery modules
- 10-Year Limited Warranty
PWRcell pairs with solar panels from third-party manufacturers. Based on your needs and your budget, 1 Source solar installers can determine the right panels to integrate with it.
- Enphase – is an American energy technology company that develops and manufactures solar micro-inverters, battery energy storage, and EV charging stations primarily for residential customers.
- SMA – They are producers and manufacturers of solar inverters for photovoltaic systems with grid connection, off-grid power supply, and backup operations. Their inverters have an average rated power of 4000 watts and a CEC efficiency of 96.5 percent.
- Solaredge Technologies – an Israeli company that develops and sells solar inverters for photovoltaic arrays, energy generation monitoring software, battery energy storage products, as well as other related products and services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
- Tesla – 1 Source Solar offers Tesla Powerwall power storage systems for off-grid installations so you can store solar energy generated, assuring power even in the event of a grid outage. Each Powerwall holds 12.2 kWh of usable capacity and maintains a 10% reserve so that when the power goes out, the battery has enough power to turn your solar on to get the battery recharged when the sun comes up the next day.
Specific Types of Solar Offered
1 Source Solar LLC offers grid-tied and off-the-grid installations. They handle the following types of solar projects;
Residential Solar
In this service, 1 Source Solar LLC installs a complete solar energy kit customized to the electricity needs of a resident’s home.
Commercial Solar
This service is designed for business organizations. It targets business owners who wish to opt for more economical energy-saving strategies to maximize profit long term.
Agricultural Solar
1 Source Solar specializes in agricultural solar panel design, build, and installations. The company has partnered with the following organizations to standardize their solar farm solutions:
- Iowa Poultry Association
- Iowa Pork Producers Association
- Missouri Pork Association
Installation costs and process
Costs
Using a cost sample from the company’s website, the cost of going solar with 1 Source is estimated to be about $2.40 per watt before any solar incentive. If you include the Federal Tax Credit and Depreciation incentive in Iowa, the cost cuts to about $1.17 per watt.
That is an incredibly low rate to pay to go solar in today’s solar market.
There are still other solar incentives available in Missouri and Iowa to benefit from;
Iowa Solar Tax Credit
Iowa offers a personal tax credit equal to 50% of the federal solar tax credit of 26%. This further cuts the cost from $1.17 per watt further down to about $0.86 per watt.
1 Source Solar offers the following financing options:
- Lease – Low monthly payments to add solar to your home or business.
- Loan – You can apply for a loan through your local bank or credit union or explore 1 Source Solar’s loan options, allowing you to finance your solar system even if you cannot purchase it outright. Clients can also utilize tax credits and rebates for cheaper payment.
- Cash – With 1 Source Solar, you can pay off your solar system with cash upfront. Tax credits and rebates can lower the price.
- HERO – HERO financing is based on the equity in your home and debt payment history, meaning that a low credit score is not an immediate disqualifier. Clients can check if they are in a HERO-approved area and apply for a no-money-down, fixed-rate financing program.
- PACE – Through the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, businesses in participating areas can pay for their solar system through their property tax, allowing repayment for up to 20 years on a fixed-rate loan.
Legitimacy
- 1 Source Solar is registered and licensed to operate in the states of Iowa and Missouri.
- The company’s solar engineers are NABCEP-certified.
- 1 Source Solar is BBB accredited.
- 1 Source Solar is a certified installer for the Tesla Powerwall and Generac solar battery system.
- The company is also registered under the Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association (ISETA).
- 1 Source Solar is a member of the Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association (MOSEIA).
- The company’s contact details are publicly available on its website. These include their street addresses, email, phone number, and operating hours.
Based on these findings, we are confident to say 1 Source Solar is a fully registered and legitimate company.
Maintenance
1 Source Solar provides after-sales support, and the company offers the following warranties:
- 25-year product warranty
- 10-year inverter warranty
- 5-year workmanship warranty
- 10-year Tesla PowerWall warranty
N.B. May vary with solar manufacturer
Customers have expressed much satisfaction with 1 Source Solar’s maintenance team for their availability and timeliness.
Customer service
Like the maintenance service, 1 Source Solar’s customer service has received very positive reviews, with most customers commending its responsiveness.
The SolarEmpower View
1 Source Solar is a turnkey solar energy solutions provider headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa, and an office located in Kirksville, Missouri.
From our findings, 1 Source Solar is clearly an excellent company to work with if you want to go solar in Iowa or Missouri. They have over 6 years of experience in the solar business with multiple awards for their contribution to the industry, their engineers are NABCEP-certified, they are dedicated to agricultural development, and to top it off, their pricing is very competitive.
We highly recommend 1 Source Solar for any solar project in Iowa and Missouri.
The table below is a summarized review of 1 Source Solar:
| Locations served | Headquarters at Ankeny, Iowa. Office also in Kirksville, Missouri. |
| Services | Site Analysis, Solar Design, Solar Installations, Solar Energy System Monitoring |
| Solar brands used | Generac, Enphase, SMA, Solaredge Technologies, Tesla |
| Warranty |
N.B. May vary with solar manufacturer |
| Cost (Expected, not confirmed) | $2.40 per watt (before solar incentives) |
| Legitimacy | Fully registered and licensed, Secured website, NABCEP-certified engineers, BBB accredited, Generac and Tesla PowerWall certified, ISETA and MOSEIA registered, contact details publicly available. |
