Solar Solution Overview
Solar Solution is the largest residential solar developer and installer in Washington DC. Originally established in 2008 in Virginia, it was moved to Washington in 2018 by a previous employee (JD Elkurd) where it was renamed Solar Solution DC LLC. They have recently began servicing the state of Texas. The original Solar Solution LLC (Virginia) no longer installs solar panels, instead it only maintains existing sites, and focuses financing and developing local solar projects.
Solar Solution is a large, expanding company. They acquired LVL2 Charging LLC, an EV charging installation business in 2021, and now also offer this service. Solar Solution completes residential installations as well as commercial. They are also very active in the non-profit and church market, where it does some installations for free.
Solar Solution Services and Specifics
Solar Panel and Services Offered
Solar Panels:
Solar Solution offer a range of panels including Boviet Solar, which are a Tier 1 solar panel manufacturer. Boviet Solar have also been crowned a PVEL Top Performer for three consecutive years. Their efficiency rating is between 18.8 – 19.4%, and they come with a 12 year warranty. They are known as a good quality, but basic panel.
Types of Solar offered:
Solar Solution install residential, commercial and non-profit.
They also install Electric Vehicle LVL2 charging ports through their business LVL2 Charging LLC.
Installation Costs and Processes
Solar Solution Costs
Solar Solution pride themselves on being able to provide solar panels to the homes and businesses in the DC area with no upfront costs.
They do this by harnessing their DC Solar Solutions program. The solar panels are installed with no upfront costs, and a 15 year lease is provided. During this time, the customers will have a fixed, locked-in electric rate at 7.5¢ per kWh. After the end of the 15 year term, customers will receive full ownership of the system.
Solar Solution is also an authorized contractor by the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) and the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU). Through this program they can install free solar systems on low-income households in Washington DC.
If choosing to pay upfront with Solar Solutions, their pricing is very competitive and in line with other providers in the Washington DC area. The quoted price, and the price paid by customers after installation is complete, are generally the same.
Solar Solution offers a good price point, and can assist with tax credits and government rebates where eligible, because of this we believe that Solar Solution is a good value company.
Solar Solution Legitimacy
Solar Solution was established in 2008, and has been growing ever since. It has installed over 4700 systems, with a high customer satisfaction level.
The company is NABCEP Certified, which is considered the most prestigious accreditation that a PV installation company can earn in the renewable energy industry.
They are an authorised contractor by the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) and are members of the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) – for the SolarforAll Program. They also have CBE Certification from the DC Government, and are Enphase Platinum Installers.
They are easily accessible through many channels, including telephone, social media, and directly through their website.
Solar Solution seems like a legitimate company, with a large well respected presence in Washington.
Solar Solution Maintenance
Solar Solution is a large business with many customers. Although the majority of customers are very happy with their service, a few have had issues around communication and scheduling appointments. Solar Solution are a proactive company, and have attempted to fix all communication issues, generally leaving customers happy with their service.
Solar Solution have a large internet presence, and most reviews for the company are positive. One one review sight, they have a 5 star rating out of 27, and on another they have 4.7 stars from 30 reviews.
Solar Solution have a single complaint on the BBB website, which was filed by a neighbor of someone who had panels installed through them. Although Solar Solution has addressed the issue, the neighbor is not happy with the outcome. As far as we can tell, the owner of the solar panels themselves have no complaints.
Solar Solution seem like a reasonably easy company to deal with. Like many large businesses, they have a clear, streamlined way to interact with customers. Occasionally things may fall through the cracks and they may need a small amount of prodding to get things back on track.
The SolarEmpower view
Solar Solution offer many different pathways to make installing solar in your home, quick, easy and cheap. They seem to be a professional and pro-active business that is a leader in their field. Solar Solution has a strong online reputation, and many happy customers. We believe that they are a reliable and effective solar installer in the DC area.
