SolarCity

• Financing Option for Every Customer's Needs
• Quality Residential Solar Panels
• Monitoring Capabilities
• Contract Transparency
• State Availability
• Tesla Solar Roof
• Battery Backup
• Opportunity to Invest in Solar Bonds
• Referral Program
• Time in Business

Financing Option for Every Customer's Needs

SolarCity offers a variety of financing options to help homeowners take advantage of solar energy in a way that fits their unique needs and budget. To help customers save on their electric bill, SolarCity provides solar leases, power purchase agreements (PPA), outright purchases, and loans.

The SolarCity lease program, SolarLease, allows customers to rent their rooftop solar panel system from SolarCity and make fixed monthly payments. Solar leasing provides customers with access to net metering (where available) and free system maintenance for the entire length of their solar lease.

SolarCity's power purchase agreement program, SolarPPA, gives customers the opportunity to lock in a fixed monthly rate per kilowatt hour for the term of the agreement without any price hikes. One advantage of choosing SolarPPA is that SolarCity will install the system at no upfront cost to the homeowner. However, keep in mind that with this payment option, SolarCity owns and maintains the system, which prevents the customer from claiming the federal investment tax credit and any other state tax credit or other incentives that may be available.

Customers who decide to purchase their solar PV system outright or with a loan will most likely receive long-term savings, as well as any available tax credits, net metering, and 20 years of monitoring and maintenance for their system.

Quality Residential Solar Panels

SolarCity solar panels outperform some others by 10 years due to rigorous testing beyond industry standards. The company's solar system features integrated front skirts, redirected plumbing vents, and hidden clamps and rail-ends for a polished, aesthetically pleasing look.

Additionally, with SolarCity solar panels, all roofing work and system repairs are covered by the company at no extra cost.

Monitoring Capabilities

SolarCity customers can access real-time insights and historical data about their solar production and home energy use from anywhere in the world through the Tesla app. This allows customers to check in on system performance and ensure that everything is working as it should be.

Contract Transparency

SolarCity has an open book philosophy in regards to contracts, which is helpful for customers who would like to have all the information before they consider working with SolarCity. Similar to many other solar installers, SolarCity's contract terms include locked-in rates once the agreement is signed, roof repair in the event of damage while the equipment is being installed or removed, and moving options if a customer decides to sell their home before the contract expires.

State Availability

SolarCity is considered one of the largest solar companies in the country and currently offers residential solar systems to customers in 20 states, making it possible for consumers across the nation to enjoy the benefits of solar energy through SolarCity.

Operational states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.

Tesla Solar Roof

As mentioned above, because the solar installer merged with Elon Musk and Tesla in 2016, the company has the ability to sell and install Tesla's Solar Roof, which helps to set it apart from other solar installers in the industry.

The Solar Roof product, which is a good alternative for solar panel installation consumers who would like to take advantage of renewable energy but do not like the look of traditional solar panels, is comprised of smaller solar cells designed to look like roof tiles and complement a home's architecture, all while turning sunlight into electricity. 

Battery Backup

For consumers interested in battery backup, SolarCity sells Tesla Powerwall batteries, which provide backup power so that homeowners can still have electricity during utility outages and natural disasters. The Powerwall is compact, stackable, has a built-in inverter, and comes ready to integrate seamlessly with SolarCity solar power equipment.

Opportunity to Invest in Solar Bonds

SolarCity provides individuals with the ability to support a cleaner, brighter energy future by investing in solar bonds, which are designed to offer interest rates higher than typical savings accounts, CDs, money market funds, and other comparable investments.

The company's solar bonds program is open to anyone, including both individual and institutional investors, who meets the basic qualifications.

Referral Program

SolarCity allows its customers to give five of their friends a 5-year extended limited warranty on a new solar energy system installation, as well as earn referral rewards.

For up to five qualifying referrals, the referrer will receive $250 cash or credit. Credits are valid for 12 months from the referral installation date and can be used toward new Tesla products or accessories.

Time in Business

SolarCity has been providing rooftop  solar power systems to home and business owners for more than a decade, which is a relatively long time in the solar industry. This has allowed SolarCity to gain valuable experience and establish a foothold in the market.

• Solar Installation Issues
• Customer Service Complaints

Solar Installation Issues

Many of the SolarCity reviews left on our site by customers of the company have expressed dissatisfaction with their system installations. The problem seems to deal more with delayed and incorrect installations rather than issues with the product itself.

Check out the user reviews below for more information.

Customer Service Complaints

Customer service is another area where SolarCity has received several customer complaints.  Many reviewers claim that they have had trouble trying to get email and phone responses from SolarCity, which can be frustrating for those who need assistance and answers to questions.

Please see the user reviews below for more information.