Overview
Spark Solar was founded in 2018 and is based in Willow Park, Texas. This small company specializes in installing solar panels. In addition to commercial solar systems, it installs battery storage systems and EV charging stations.
Solar Panels and Services
Specific Solar Panels Offered
Trina Solar: Trina Solar panels vary, ranging from polycrystalline to monocrystalline to EVA panels. This means that there’ll be a lot of options for customers to choose from, which means they won’t be restricted within a tight budget. The panels have efficiency ratings as high as 20.6%, which is a pretty high mark, and a low temperature coefficient of just -0.36%. Unfortunately, they lose 16.9% of their production capacity over 25 years.
LG: LG panels are widely known for their remarkable efficiency ratings, surpassing the 22% mark. They’re made of full solar cells that are more susceptible to micro-cracks and greater mechanical stress. That said, their temperature coefficients are surprisingly low, as low as -0.24%. Besides, their production capacity soars high at a rate of 90.08% at the end of 25 years.
Panasonic: These have high efficiency ceilings, with the highest being 22.2%. They can also produce more electricity when the temperature rises above optimal, as their temperature coefficient is -0.26%. Some Panasonic modules with higher wattages can produce up to 92% of their initial production capacity after 25 years, while some with lower wattages still retain 86% of their initial capacity after a similar period.
Mission Solar: Modules from this brand are much cheaper than panels from other brands with similar specifications. While they lose almost 20% of their initial power capacity over 25 years, they have efficiency ratings of up to 19.9%.
Tesla: Tesla panels are among the cheapest, despite their quality solar cell composition and low temperature coefficient of -0.31%.
Specific Types of Solar Offered
Commercial solar: Following a change in focus, Spark Solar now primarily deals with installing roof-mounted and ground-mounted solar systems for commercial clients. The company is also capable of building solar carports. Since this shift towards serving commercial customers, Spark Solar has not yet completed any commercial solar installations.
Installation Costs and Processes
The customer first consults with a Spark Solar consultant to determine which solar system is ideal for their business’s energy needs. The information gathered during this consultation includes the energy usage of the business, its location, and the incentives available to it.
Once all minds are in agreement concerning the solar project, the solar system is designed. The design of the solar system is presented to the client, and if they’re at peace with it, they enter into a contract with Spark Solar. Then, Spark’s install team sets up the various components of the solar array on the project site. When the system is inspected and approved to operate, it’s turned on. The customer can monitor each stage of the installation process post-contract-signing via their customer portal.
Costs
Spark Solar estimates the cost of solar installation on a project-by-project basis. While the company tries to make the process of going solar financially easy for clients, some have complained about how expensive the financing options they were offered turned out to be.
Legitimacy
Spark Solar, while being a registered entity in Texas, is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau. It also lacks any endorsement from professional solar governing bodies, which can be a crucial factor in assessing trustworthiness. The company has received positive reviews from its past residential customers, but its move into the commercial solar arena is yet to yield any publicly available feedback. Still, it’s a member of the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association, which does lend some weight to its professional standing.
Maintenance
Spark Solar offers solar system maintenance as an independent service. This may be why it does not respond quickly to customer complaints regarding its solar systems. When the company does address these complaints, it makes its best efforts to fix them. Unfortunately, this firm offers no workmanship warranty on its services.
The SolarEmpower View
Spark Solar is trustworthy, but not with respect to commercial solar installation. The company only began to focus on installing commercial systems in 2022, and it’s had almost nothing to prove its worth. However, since it’s successfully rendered residential services, clients could consider taking a chance on it for commercial solar projects.
| 💲Cost: 5/10 | ✅Legitimacy: 4/10 |
| ⭐️Quality: 6/10 | 📞Customer Service: 5/10 |
