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Last Updated: February 25, 2025
Year after year, more Carlsbad residents install rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and add value to their property. Adopting solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. That’s why, after conducting thorough research on installers, we put together a guide to the most trusted solar companies in Carlsbad. These installers consistently deliver high-quality service.
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on solar companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners lower utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re determining whether to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five distinct classifications of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, a contractor must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar installer that works with your budget, get free, detailed quotes from 3–5 providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues such as poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels. The performance warranty promises a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer trusts its installations.
Installing solar panels can help lower your electric bills over time. When evaluating the total price and value of solar panels, make sure to consider these factors.
In Carlsbad, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 2.8 kilowatts. The typical Carlsbad homeowner spends $6,837 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will take into account additional information based on your desired system's capacity, size, panel type, and required preliminary work. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Amount:
Eligible products can be financed for up to 25 years, depending on the useful life of the eligible product.
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Incentive Type: PACE Financing
Incentive Amount:
Locally determined
Incentive Amount:
For projects 30 kW or larger, 50% of incentive will be received up-front; 50% will be received based on actual kWh production over the first 5 years. For projects under 30kW, 100% of the incentive will be paid up front.
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Incentive Amount:
Step 1 Incentive Rates (contact utility to determine current incentive levels):
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can reduce emissions, save money, and raise your property values. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, so you can reap the environmental benefits and savings that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Your installer can give you an estimate of what your energy bills will look like after you install solar panels. Generally, your energy bills will decrease significantly because you'll be using energy from the sun for free, instead of buying energy from the utility company. The average annual savings in Carlsbad amount to $922.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. A majority of solar contractors in the Carlsbad area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
Net metering is a power purchasing policy that allows solar energy system owners to be compensated for the amount of energy they put back into the grid. It's available in most states and is a great way to reduce energy costs.
The most common types of home solar panels in Carlsbad include polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Talk with your local provider about what kinds of solar panels they work with.
