Simply Solar Overview
Simply Solar is a full-service solar installation company headquartered at Petaluma, California. Founded in 2014, Simply Solar is a mid-sized company but far larger than most solar installation companies in the country. The company uses a customer-focused system that provides solar solutions, services, and products for clients looking to make a switch to cleaner energy.
The company handles both high-cost and low-cost projects and offers services such as energy evaluation, solar design, solar installation, and solar financing, battery backup and storage, and solar energy system monitoring.
Simply Solar Services and Specifics
Specific Solar Panels Offered
Simply Solar installs solar panels from the following solar manufacturers:
REC Solar Panels
REC Solar panels pack cutting-edge technology to deliver a blend of higher performance, improved aesthetics, and minimal environmental impact. Renowned for their Pure and Twinpeak models, REC has built a strong name for itself as a trusted solar manufacturer globally.
REC solar panels come in various specifications to satisfy a wide range of solar designs. The most popularly used REC solar panels are the REC Alpha Pure & Pure-R (410-430 Wp) and REC N-Peak 2 (360-375 Wp). REC’s solar panels range in efficiency from 16.5% to 21.9%.
Solaria Solar Panels
Solaria develops some of the most aesthetically pleasing solar panels on the market which feature an all-black design that deliver 20% more energy per square meter than traditional solar panels. The PowerXT range is the company’s flagship model and is known for its industry-leading efficiency. Solaria is an American solar manufacturer. The company’s newest solar panel is the 400-Watt PowerXT.
Silfab Solar Panels
Silfab solar panels are designed and manufactured specifically for the North American environment and weather conditions. The company uses advanced robotics and the latest innovations to deliver reliable and high-quality panels with one of the lowest defect rates in the industry.
Silfab Solar is a Canadian manufacturer of solar panels for residential, commercial and utility scale applications. For residential purposes, the Silfab Prime series is perfect, consisting of the SIL-370 HC (370Wp, 20.2% efficiency) and SIL-400 HC+ (400Wp, 20.2% efficiency). The Silfab Elite is the highest-efficiency solar panel series, it is more powerful and more expensive.
Simply Solar operates mainly in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. The company provides the following services:
- Site Evaluation
- Solar System Design
- Solar Installations
- Solar Financing
- Battery Backup & Storage
- Solar Energy System Monitoring
Simply Solar also offers solar products from the following solar manufacturers:
LG Chem
LG Chem batteries can hold between 9.6 and 16 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, depending on the size you choose. The newer LG Chem RESU 10H Prime and 16H Prime batteries are made to work with many different kinds of inverters from top solar brands such as SMA, SolarEdge, Sungrow, GoodWe, and Solis.
SolarEdge
One key SolarEdge product used by solar companies is the StorEdge inverter. It comes in different models ranging in output power from 2200 to 6000 watts, and operating at an efficiency of 99.2%.
Specific Types of Solar Offered
Simply Solar offers grid-tied installations. They handle the following types of solar projects:
Residential Solar: In this service, Simply Solar installs a complete solar energy kit customized to the electricity needs of a resident’s home. Simply Solar helps clients assess their home for the appropriate size of solar system, the amount of available space they have, and the style of installation they prefer to determine which solar installation option would work best for them.
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. They design custom systems for a variety of industries which include:
- Healthcare
- Retail and shopping centers
- Restaurants and wineries
- Agriculture
- Apartment buildings
- Schools
- Art galleries
- Performance venues
Installation costs and process
Costs
The average cost of solar panels in California is between $3.00 and $5.00 per watt. This means that a solar system that is 5 kilowatts in size would generally cost between $15,000 – $25,000 to install. Based on Simply Solar’s website, the cost of going solar with the company is about $3 per watt before any solar incentive, which is well within the state’s average cost range. There are several solar incentives available that could cut these costs to very affordable levels.
Incentives such as:
- Federal Solar Tax Credit (ITC): With this solar incentive, every solar patronizer in the US is eligible to a 26% tax credit for solar systems installed in the years 2020 to 2022, then it comes down to 22% in 2023. This means you can reduce the total cost of installing a solar system for your home or business by 26%. But remember this incentive applies to those who buy their system either by cash purchase or solar loan, and not leases.
- Net Metering Program: Electric utilities in California offer “true net metering” to customers with solar PV systems.
Some of the solar incentives available in California include:
- California Solar System Property Tax Exemption
- Local Utility Company Rebates
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) solar rebate program
Through San Francisco’s GoSolarSF program, residents can also get a cash incentive of $100 to $2,000 per kW of home solar installed for up to 4 kW.
Simply Solar offers the following financing options:
- Loan: You can apply for a loan through your local bank or credit union or explore Simply Solar’ 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 a cheaper payment.
- Lease: Low monthly payments to add solar to your home or business.
- 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.
Several customers mentioned that the company was transparent and competitive in its pricing. Here is an example:
| “Simply Solar was a great purchase. We generate enough energy to power our home. Their price, installation and product is top notch.” |
Based on our analysis of their competitors in the state, Simply Solar’ price rates meet the average standard solar rates in California. The solar incentives available in California cut Simply Solar’s price rates by more than 50%. Any reader interested in going solar in California should take advantage of the solar incentives available in the state.
Legitimacy
| Simply Solar has been registered and licensed to operate in the state of California since 2014. |
| The company is BBB accredited with an A+ rating. |
| Simply Solar has an impressive portfolio of completed projects that include several large commercial businesses across New York. |
| The company holds a NABCEP Certification. |
| The company CEO is Ben Goldberg, a solar professional with over a decade of industry experience. |
Awards and accreditation:
- Certified Member – NASP Professionals
- Certified Member – Solar Energy Industries Association
- Certified Installer – SolarEdge, EnPhase, Solaria, Silfab, LG Chem, GAF Master
Based on our findings, we are confident to say Simply Solar is a fully registered and legitimate solar contractor in the state of California.
Maintenance
Simply Solar provides after sales support and maintenance. Their repairs and maintenance services are conducted by in-house technicians and their warranties are extremely generous, which is a huge benefit to customers.
| 10 Year Limited Warranty (Generac’s PWRcell) |
| 20-year product warranty (REC) |
| 25-year product warranty (Silfab Solar) |
| 30-year linear power, labor and workmanship warranty (Solaria) |
| 20-year inverter warranty, extendable to 25 years (SolarEdge) |
| 10-year performance warranty (LG Chem) |
| 25-year Cause and Effect Workmanship Warranty |
That’s an impressive array of cover and it should be noted that these are among the highest levels of cover across the entire solar industry.
Customer service
While the company does offer excellent products and industry-leading maintenance cover, we did find around eight reviews that were given a rating of less than three stars from over 60 reviews in total. Most of these customers mentioned the company:
- Used pushy sales tactics
- Poor scheduling of repairs and maintenance
However, the overwhelming majority of customers commended Simply Solar and its services, with many positive reviews being provided.
In the reviews, customers commended the company particularly for their:
- Professionalism
- Transparency
- Helpfulness
- Product and installations quality
- Clear and polite communication
The SolarEmpower View
Simply Solar has taken great strides toward becoming an industry leader for solar installation in California. From our findings, the company seems relatively-organized and its structure has been made transparent and public for all to see. All of their projects are handled in-house, this alone boosts their accountability score in our analysis; however, we suggest that potential customers have a look at the company’s negative reviews beforehand and address any concerns with the company directly during the consultation.
Aside from that, Simply Solar is a worthy contender for your solar needs in California.
| 💲Cost: 9/10 | ✅Legitimacy: 9/10 |
| ⭐️Quality: 7/10 | 📞Customer Service: 7/10 |
