Blue Raven Solar is a relatively new company with six years of business in the solar space. However, Blue Raven solar has expanded to 22 states and more than 1,000 employees during those six years. Solar panels from Blue Raven have very fair pricing, and the sales representatives and installers are careful in the way that they handle the entire process. If you have been thinking that solar installation is for you, Blue Raven Solar is a good company to consider.
Our Blue Raven Solar Review
Blue Raven Solar offers solar panel installation for homeowners in 22 states. Each of the solar panels comes with a 25-year warranty. However, the thing that helps Blue Raven Solar stand out from other providers in this industry is the BluePower Plus plan. This is a savings upfront on the financing of your solar panels that can help you quickly see a return on your investment.
With the BluePower Plus plan, you won’t put any money down for 18 months, and you can see the immediate impact of your solar energy investment and a reduction or disappearance of your utility bills by becoming a zero net energy household. Solar power can save a lot of money, but you must first pay for the panels, and Blue Raven Solar allows customers to see this more clearly.
In addition to the BluePower Plus plan, there is another excellent feature in the Production Guarantee. In the first two years of your system, if the solar panels do not produce the amount of energy that Blue Raven solar said they would, you will get an upgrade to your system at no cost to you. This is a pretty incredible benefit and certainly helped lead us to our rating of 4.5/5 stars for Blue Raven Solar.
Blue Raven Solar Company Profile
Blue Raven Solar is located in Orem, Utah, and the company was founded just six years ago. However, this is a very fast-growing solar panel installation company and will likely continue to get bigger as long as incentives from state and local governments can stay active.
Blue Raven Solar Summary
| Company name | Blue Raven Solar |
| Year founded | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Orem, UT |
| Services | Solar Energy Contractors |
| Certifications | – |
| # of Employees | 1000+ |
| BBB rating: | A+ |
| Our Rating: | 4.5/5 |
| Average Cost: | $15,000 |
Pros & Cons of Blue Raven Solar
Pros
- Great financing options
- Quick to offer service
- Low down payments
- Rapidly expanding company
Cons
- Only available in 22 states
Solar Services & Cost
The biggest thing that holds customers back from a residential solar system is the fact that the upfront payment for the system is so high. It’s not hard to see that the long-term benefits of the solar system are great for your electric bill and the environment, but it may be hard to get over that initial out-of-pocket expense.
With Blue Raven Solar, you can get a free quote from the sales representative, who will also help you understand exactly what goes into the cost of your system. Keep in mind that there are many factors that will impact the total cost of your solar panel system.
At the current time, Blue Raven Solar is a solar provider that offers one service, including solar panel installation and purchase. They do not have a solar lease program, and there are currently no battery backups or storage options for homeowners. However, Blue Raven Solar says that electric storage is coming soon.
How Much Does Blue Raven Solar Cost?
Blue Raven Solar will typically cost between $11,000 and $25,000; for a solar panel system. However, these costs will vary depending on a few key factors. Blue Raven explains on their website that the costs are impacted by:
- Location
- Current Utility Consumption
- Size of the house and system installed
- Solar panel types
One of the most important reasons to choose Blue Raven Solar is the fact that they offer impressive financing to help keep the total costs of your system down. When deciding which solar panel provider and installer are for you, try to consider more than just the upfront cost and look at the long-term benefits, how much a solar panel system can save, and a way to work out a fair monthly payment.
Warranty
After spending tens of thousands of dollars on a solar panel installation process, it makes sense to be sure that the system is going to hold up over time. With Blue Raven solar, there are two warranty/guarantee policies that homeowners will benefit from. Always ensure with your sales rep that these are still active and included with the purchase of your solar panel system.
25-Year Manufacturer Warranty
The Blue Raven Solar panels come with a 25-year manufacturer warranty. This warranty will help you handle issues with things like a faulty panel or ineffective solar energy production. However, if you have basic maintenance-type issues with your solar panels, expect to handle that on your own. The 25-year warranty is fairly standard across the solar industry.
Productivity Guarantee
When your installation team finishes putting the finishing touches on your solar system, you may think that you are all ready to start producing your energy. Although this is the way it should be, sometimes a system does not work quite like the sales team, and install crew said it would. If your system doesn’t end up producing to the same level you were promised, Blue Raven Solar will come out and switch some things up for you to make sure that you get the energy you need with the system you paid for.
Remote System Monitoring
One of the best ways to be able to check on the health and productivity of your new home energy system is with remote system monitoring. This monitoring system allows you access to the Blue Raven Solar app, where you can show yourself and Blue Raven Solar the effectiveness of the design.
Financing Plans & Options
Solar financing is a huge part of the industry. As more and more homeowners want to go solar, they realize that upfront costs are the main deterrent. With the BluePower Plus+, you will feel as though you are leasing your system for the first 18 months, even though Blue Raven solar does not offer lease options. With BluePower Plus, you get 18 months of free solar power. This is done through PPA agreements they have in place that all homeowners are able to take advantage of.
This 18-month savings gives you a large chunk of money that you can then use to pay the loan that you will start with Blue Raven Solar at the end of the 18-month financing. Customers can save thousands of dollars that can be used to pay down the loan when the loan period begins.
Think about your current electricity bill. If it averages around 250 per month, you could have a total of $4,500 to put down on your solar panel system by the time the loan starts. This is much better than a lease option as you will be the owners of this system, helping to save you money over the course of the installation.
Specials or Incentives Offered
We know that Blue Raven Solar has one of the best financing plans in the industry, but that can be combined with local, state, or federal level incentives.
The most important rebate currently on the market is the federal tax credit. This will help all homeowners save 26% on the purchase of their solar power system. With the federal incentive, you will pay upfront for your home solar system, and then 26% will come back to you as a return on your next tax bill. The problem with this program is that it is set to expire at the end of 2023.
For a homeowner that invests in an $18,000 system, the return on the tax bill could be as much as $4,500. If you combine that with not having to pay out of pocket for your first 18 months towards your loan, you could have close to $7,000 or more to put towards your solar panels. With fair rates and financing after that, this system may be paid off before you know it.
Blue Raven Solar also offers a referral program to help you save money if your friends are all thinking about going solar as well.
Blue Raven is now offering a new SmartStart program that will take that 18-month pass on the solar payment and move it to 42 months. The way this work is that you will get a low promotional offer, and because of the energy you are producing, it will pay off your solar loan for you. This is a five-year offer that is well worth taking advantage of, especially when the federal rebate is still in place. The first step is ensuring that Blue Raven is offered in your area. Once you confirm this, you can reach out about your interest in the program, and the rest will be easy.
In-House or Contracted Installations
Blue Raven Solar is a growing business with more than 100 employees. With 22 states in their coverage area, this is a lot of ground to cover. The in-house installation team will inspect your roof and ensure there is nothing that can be damaged and that your roof strength is good enough to hold up over time with the panels in place.
Most of the Better Business Bureau reviews regarding installations were quite positive.
What Solar Panels Does Blue Raven Solar Use?
The panels that Blue Raven Solar uses are monocrystalline solar panels and are considered the most efficient type of panel that the current solar market has. There are a few options for homeowners to choose from, and these will mostly be slight variations in output or the look of the panel. Some areas of the country have strict guidelines for how the panels look so that the HOA does not become a problem when you are determining the best solar panels for your home.
When you meet with your Blue Raven Solar representative, they will help you understand the solar energy system that will work best for your needs and which solar panels you should be using. For the most part, many of these solar panel companies use the same type of panel from a reputable manufacturer. At the current time, Blue Raven Solar does not manufacture its solar panels in-house. Homeowners have been happy with the look and overall aesthetics of the solar panels from Blue Raven.
Partnerships
Blue Raven Solar does not currently have partnerships in play with utility companies or other energy providers. Instead, they handle most of this process on their own. They do worth with Enphase on the inverters they use to ensure the highest level of effectiveness of your home solar system.
Service Area & Availability
There are currently twenty-two states with the Blue Raven Solar installation services available. Each state has its unique incentives that are worth looking into before you decide on the perfect solar panel system for your needs. Some states have an additional tax savings rate, and others will have other loan rate incentives that keep the total costs of switching to renewable energy down. View a list of these states below:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
Blue Raven Solar Reviews From Actual Customers
Blue Raven Solar has an A+ rating with the BBB making it one of the better options on the market for homeowners. However, there are always things that a company can do to get better, and you can usually find these things out by reading reviews from actual customers. Blue Raven Solar is known for its quick installation process, and this certainly has to do with the way they are spreading at such a quick rate across the country. Here are a few reviews on Blue Raven Solar that we found to be some of the most helpful.
“Great customer service, great communication, and very informative through the whole process. The installation was smooth and fairly quiet. Will definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a great solar company.”
– Angel O.
“Extremely friendly. Extremely honest. They did everything they could to make the process as easy and painless as possible. They did what they said they were going to do and cleaned up after themselves. The panels look amazing, and I’m hoping for big returns on investment ??”
– Jim M
“Blue Raven Solar has been so easy to work with. Starting from sales to design, to permits and installation. Everyone has been so nice and always willing to answer our many questions. We are so excited to now have Solar energy and would trust blue raven Solar to anyone that wants Solar.”
– Ellen R.
“We’ve had a purely positive experience with Blue Raven along each step of getting solar panels for our home. *****, our sales rep, was extremely responsive, informative, and friendly. The time between signing up and actual installation was very, very fast, literally a few weeks. The installation crew was professional and efficient. ***** was very easy to work with and gave me a sense of confidence that the job would be done correctly. Getting permits and inspections has gone seamlessly with very little effort from myself – just signing things that show ** in my email inbox a few times. All this said the next step is for PGE to swap our meter before we can start enjoying our new solar panels. Hopefully, that will go equally as well (knock on wood).”
– Tim S.
Bottom Line: Is Blue Raven Solar a Good Company?
Blue Raven Solar is one of our favorite companies when it comes to affordability. This solar provider took the problem at hand, which is initial affordability, and created a unique solution that works for most homeowners. By combining their initial savings plan with the net metering options and the federal incentives, your pathway to getting off the grid could be much more attainable. From the salesperson to the installer, Blue Raven Solar has strong reviews. Even though the company is only 6 years old, it seems as though they are spreading the right way and with the proper goals in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Raven Solar
How long has Blue Raven Solar been in business?
Blue Raven Solar has been in business since 2016. They are BBB accredited with an A+ rating. Blue Raven Solar currently does installations in 22 states, but it seems they are spreading quickly.
Where is the Blue Raven Solar headquarters?
Blue Raven Solar is located in Utah; this is also where the company was started, but they have since expanded to other areas.
What inverter does Blue Raven Solar use?
Blue Rave Solar uses Enphase Microinverters. Although they have changed which inverter they have used through the years, the Enphase continually comes up as one of the highest performers and the best choices for homeowners. This inverter is known for being safe, having very few points of failure, and can be scalable if you need to expand your solar power system.
Who owns Blue Raven Solar?
In October of 2021, SunPower purchased Blue Raven Solar to make it an even larger solar power contractor with a stronger presence across the United States.
How long will it take for Blue Raven Solar to install my solar panels?
One of the great things about Blue Raven Solar is that they will install your solar panels within about a day. It may take a few weeks to get permits and approvals in place, but once they’re there, you can expect your system installation to take about a day. Sometimes this can be a little longer if you have a very large home with a big solar grid.
Will Blue Raven Solar design my solar panel system?
Blue Raven Solar has a very specific purchase process that involves meeting with you to discuss your energy needs, going through their workmanship and quality, and how you will live with your system once it is in place. The Blue Raven Solar team checks your roof to ensure that it has the capability to handle a full solar panel system.
Today's Homeowner’s Solar Companies Rating Methodology
At Today's Homeowner, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each solar energy company/service according to our methodology.
Our research team dug deep into the fine print of contracts, combed through more than one hundred customer reviews, and thoroughly investigated all of each solar energy company’s services, costs, and products. We’ve done the homework for you by researching nearly all of the solar energy companies on the market so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home.
We developed a formula to objectively determine the top solar energy companies and give each a score out of 100 based on the following criteria:
- Plan Options (30): Do they provide a variety of plan options? We looked at the number of plans each solar energy company offered and the flexibility of adjusting the plan.
- Services offered (20): How many services are offered in each plan? We looked at whether the company manufactures its own solar panels, whether it contracts out installation, and what additional products each company offers.
- Trust (10): What do customers say after their solar panels are installed? Does this company offer a guarantee? We considered how satisfied customers are post-service if the company does what it says it will, BBB accreditation, and service guarantees.
- Prices (10): How reasonable are the costs of the plan or service in comparison to the industry average? We compared the costs of each company to competitors that offer the same solar energy services.
- Unique perks (10): Does the company offer discounts or special services such as financial incentives, rebates, or a useful mobile app? We looked for extras each company offers that set them apart from the competition.
- Customer Service (10): How is the customer experience when contacting the company? We considered the speed of response, weekend/holiday availability, and ease of communication through phone calls, email, and online chat functions.
- Nationwide availability (10): How many states does the company offer its services? Companies that operate nationally and in all zip codes are favored over those with limited availability.
More on Solar from Today's Homeowner
