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7 Best Solar Companies in Elma, NY

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Written By David Cusick

Last Updated February 2024

Year after year, more Elma homeowners install rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and add value to their property. Solar power can cut your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to choose a trustworthy solar installer. That’s why we’ve analyzed the options and assembled a guide to the most dependable solar providers in Elma. These top companies offer high-quality and dependable services.

Our Recommended Providers

Best Overall
4.7/5
  • High-quality Maxeon solar panels
  • Nearly 30 years in business
  • Great customer service
Best Solar Panel Leasing
4.2/5
  • Long warranty options
  • Insurance available on panels
  • Free Tesla Power Wall maintenance
Best Customer Service
3.9/5
  • Great customer service
  • Good warranty options
  • Excellent industry reputation

Top 7 Best Solar Companies in Elma

Solar By CIR Buffalo

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2517 Long Rd, Grand Island, NY 14072 (716) 362-5000 solarbycir.com

Clear pricing policy

Reliable customer support

Free quotes

Informative resources

Services Offered

Battery storage
Residential panels
Community solar projects
Skilled repairs
Financing assistance
Commercial panels

Go Solar WNY

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301 Walnut St, Lockport, NY 14094 (716) 880-6000 gosolarwny.com

Free quotes

Informative resources

Clear pricing policy

Reliable customer support

Services Offered

Financing assistance
Solar roof assessment
Residential panels
Battery storage

Geotherm, Inc: Geothermal & Solar Experts

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2226 N Rd, Scottsville, NY 14546 (585) 305-2574 geothermhvac.com

Free quotes

Informative resources

Clear pricing policy

Reliable customer support

Services Offered

Maintenance
Residential panels
Permit assistance
Financing assistance
Commercial panels

Fusion Energy Services

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278 Lima Rd, Geneseo, NY 14454 (585) 243-8212 fe-s.com

Free quotes

Informative resources

Services Offered

Commercial panels
Permit assistance
Residential panels
Financing assistance
Ev charger

Solar by CIR Rochester

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4050 W Ridge Rd Suite 131, Rochester, NY 14626 (585) 667-5000 solarbycir.com

Reliable customer support

Informative resources

Free quotes

Clear pricing policy

Services Offered

Financing assistance
Commercial panels
Skilled repairs
Community solar projects
Battery storage
Residential panels

Greentech Renewables Rochester

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465 Paul Rd, Rochester, NY 14624 (585) 486-4900 cedgreentechus.com

Reliable customer support

Informative resources

Clear pricing policy

Services Offered

Residential panels
Commercial panels

Tess/Soleil

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22 Chambers St, Jamestown, NY 14701 (716) 490-1410 apricotsolar.com

Services Offered

Residential panels
Today's Homeowner Ranking Methodology

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:

  • Company Experience
  • Real User Reviews
  • Company Reputation
  • Accreditations and Licenses
  • Service Area
  • Customer Service
Have questions about our methodology or company ratings? Reach out to FindAPro@TodaysHomeowner.com.

How To Choose a Solar Company

Adopting solar power lets homeowners reduce utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re evaluating if you want to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.

Check Licensing

Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. New York state does not issue licenses to contractors, so you should check with your city or county government for its specific regulations and requirements.

Read Customer Reviews

Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar companies. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Avoid providers with few or mainly poor reviews.

Compare Multiple Quotes

Call 3–5 solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should describe all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the option that aligns with your budget.

Ask About the Warranty

Quality solar installations should come with comprehensive workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship warranty covers any installation problems such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. The performance guarantee promises a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer trusts its installations.

Evaluate Financing and Incentives

Solar energy can help reduce your electricity costs long-term. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to weigh these considerations.

  • Look into utility rebates: Local power companies may have extra financial benefits to motivate homeowners to go solar. Review the requirements to qualify and the rebate amounts with your local provider to calculate your potential savings.
  • Compare system purchase options: Homeowners can pay for solar panels outright or spread out payments over time with a loan or lease. Be sure to verify key details like fees, annual percentage rate (APR), payment schedule, and what ownership means when financing solar panels.
  • Research federal and state tax credits: A 26% federal tax credit on total solar system costs is available through 2032. Many states offer incentives, too. The credits can lead to substantial savings for solar buyers.

Cost of Solar Installation in Elma

Elma homeowners typically spend about $11,696 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Elma cost roughly $3,650 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 4.6 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for preliminary work, permit fees, and labor, and will account for your system's size, capacity, and panel type. Some homeowners prefer to lease their solar panels in order to reduce upfront costs.

Elma Solar Incentives Guide

Incentive Type: Loan Program

Website: nyserda.ny.gov

Incentive Type: Sales Tax Incentive

Incentive Amount:

100% exemption

Incentive Type: Rebate Program

Website: nyserda.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

Tier I: 10,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $3.50/annual kWh
Tier II: 10,000 kWh - 125,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $1.00/annual kWh
Tier III: 125,000 kWh - 1,000,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $0.30/ annual kWh
Tier IV: Greater than 1,000,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $0.15/ annual kWh
These incentives are additive.

Incentive Type: Personal Tax Credit

Website: tax.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

25% for solar-electric (PV) and solar-thermal systems; for third-party owned systems this is in reference to the aggregate amount owed under the contract rather than the amount owed in any single year

Incentive Type: Loan Program

Website: ny-sun.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

Residential Customers: $1,500 - $25,000

Small Business and Not-for-Profit Organizations:
Participation Loans: up to $100,000 (at low interest rate)
On-Bill Recovery loans: $50,000 at 2%

Incentive Type: Other Incentive

Website: greenbank.ny.gov

Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive

Website: tax.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

Upon local adoption, 20% - 100% of real property taxes owed; varies by year and certification level

Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive

Website: tax.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

100% of the value added to the residence by the improvements

Incentive Type: Sales Tax Incentive

Incentive Amount:

Upon local authorization, 100% exemption from local sales tax

Incentive Type: PACE Financing

Website: nyserda.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

Locally determined

Incentive Type: Sales Tax Incentive

Website: tax.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

100% exemption from state sales tax

Incentive Type: Rebate Program

Website: nyserda.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

Small Systems (≤ 10 cooling tons): $1,500/cooling ton
Large Systems (> 10 cooling tons): $1,200/cooling ton

Incentive Type: Corporate Tax Credit

Incentive Amount:

$0.01/gallon for each percent of biodiesel

Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive

Website: tax.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

100% exemption for 15 years (unless local jurisdiction has opted out)

Incentive Type: Rebate Program

Website: ny-sun.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

Incentive rates step down over time as MW goals are met. Incentive rates as of 11/27/2019 are:

Residential:
Long Island Region: $0.00/W (MW blocks have been fully subscribed)
Con Edison Region: $0.30/W
Upstate Region: $0.35/W
Low-to-Moderate income customers: $0.80/W (up to 10 kW)

Small Commercial (Non-Residential): Long Island Region: $0.00/W (MW blocks have been fully subscribed)
Con Edison Region: $0.60/W
Up State Region: $0.45/W

Multifamily Affordable Housing Adder: additional $0.40/W (up to 50 kW)

Incentive Type: Personal Tax Credit

Website: tax.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

$0.01/gallon for each percent of biodiesel

Incentive Type: Performance-Based Incentive

Website: nyserda.ny.gov

Incentive Amount:

  • Capacity Incentive: Varies on the construction and design of the system
  • Performance Incentive: $0.025/kWh production payment for new systems for up to 10 years (estimated using a capacity factor of 75%)
  • Interconnection Incentive: up to 75% of the costs exceeding $5,000
  • Project Enhancement Incentives: Available for Black Start Capability, Hydrogen Sulfide reduction, design for accepting food waste and others

Incentive Type: Personal Tax Credit

Website: ecowatch.com

Incentive Amount:

30% federal tax credit for systems placed in service after 12/31/2021 and before 01/01/2033. Good for: solar water heat, solar photovoltaics, biomass, geothermal heat pumps, wind (small), fuel cells using renewable fuels.

Frequently Asked Questions About Solar in Elma, NY

Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heater.

With home solar PV, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.

Of course. The grid in Elma already uses a large share of renewable energy sources, and you may be able to sell your excess generated energy to your utility for additional cost savings.

Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from your solar panels. It will vary based on the average sunlight in your area, their rated capacity, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Elma gets a moderate amount of sunlight each day, so you could expect a maximum payback period of 19.4 years per 5 kW of power depending on other factors.

Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your utility or state offers net metering, you can return the solar energy you don't use to your provider. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.

Solar panels are becoming more popular for their high efficiency and low maintenance costs. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.

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