Solar Wave
5.0
5.0
Author: Kaitlyn Short
Solar Wave provides residential solar installation services so homeowners save money on utility bills while also increasing the value of their home. Instead of utilizing traditional aggressive sales tactics, Solar Wave has opted for a more transparent process which includes upfront pricing models and a clear breakdown of how costs are allocated throughout the duration of the solar project.
With Solar Wave, homeowners maintain control throughout the entire process. Each client will receive a customized proposal, will have access to review it entirely online from the comfort of their home, can choose from a number of budget-friendly financing options, and then schedule the installation. This process Solar Wave believes helps clients meet both their financial and renewable energy standards.
The company is an authorized dealer of several tier-1 solar manufacturers.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Equipment Available
- Flat Rate Pricing
- Licensed and Insured Installations
- Solar Monitoring App
Equipment Available
Having access to tier-1 equipment is one of the first things many prospective solar clients are interested in when investigating a solar installation provider. With Solar Wave, clients can rest assured that they will have access to a number of options as well as some of the best technology on the market.
For solar panels, clients will get to choose from the following manufacturers:
- CanadianSolar
- Q Cells
- Silfab Solar
As for inverter options, clients can choose Enphase microinverters or SolarEdge inverters; both work seamlessly with all offered solar panels.
Clients that decide to also have a solar battery or storage system installed can also utilize Solar Wave for this service as the company offers Enphase battery backup systems. It is not common for solar dealers to offer varying options when it comes to panels and inverters, but Solar Wave does.
Flat Rate Pricing
With Solar Wave, clients are saving up to 35 percent on total costs as the company has eliminated traditional overhead and sales commissions typically associated with traditional solar installation providers. Most solar installation companies will base pricing structures on the existing utility bill. This can leave solar customers in the dark and result in them overpaying for a solar system.
Solar Wave has eliminated this confusion by offering simple and straightforward pricing structures. The total cost of the project will be entirely based on the wattage of the solar system and the installed price per watt. As an example, a client that has a 7kW system installed with a price per watt of $3 will pay $21,000 (before eligible incentives kick in). This completely eliminates the pricing guessing game and allows clients an in-depth and clear picture of what the final costs will be.
Licensed and Insured Installations
The North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals is widely considered to be the gold standard of certifications within the renewable energy field. Not all companies or energy technicians go through the rigorous certification process to demonstrate knowledge and skill, but the in-house team at Solar Wave has.
All installations conducted through Solar Wave are backed by insurance guarantees and each project is overseen by a NABCEP-certified professional. Most solar projects are covered under some type of insurance, but not all projects are headed up by NABCEP-certified energy professionals.
Solar Monitoring App
While solar systems in general are low maintenance, things can go wrong. Solar clients often don't realize when their installed system is underperforming. Solar Wave has addressed this issue by providing its clients with monitoring technology in the form of a mobile app.
Following the installation of each Solar Wave system, clients will be able to download the monitoring app and track how much energy is being produced, how much energy is being stored (if a battery/storage system is installed), and view how much energy is then being used or consumed. This allows Solar Wave clients to immediately recognize if there is an issue with the system and alert Solar Wave.
The Bad
- Unknown Financing Options
- Service Area and Client Types
Unknown Financing Options
Despite offering more transparency when it comes to pricing breakdowns and allocations, the financing options available through Solar Wave remain unknown. The company publicly states that clients will have access to zero-down and low interest rate options, but it is unclear what solutions are explicitly available. For example, most solar installation companies will disclose what financing options are available to clients including but not limited to solar loans, leases, and power purchase agreements.
Additionally, it is unclear whether or not Solar Wave has a financing partner backing financed systems or the company itself provides this service.
Service Area and Client Types
Currently, Solar Wave remains a localized service helping clients throughout the state of Colorado. This is not uncommon within the solar installation industry as most providers solely provide services within a single state or select few cities in the more populated areas.
However, some dealers have found ways to expand operations to include larger service areas, meaning those companies can assist more homeowners in their efforts to make a solar-powered home a reality.
It should also be noted that Solar Wave only offers residential solutions. Many solar installation providers also offer commercial services with a select few providing agricultural or solar farm options. Unfortunately, Solar Wave only takes on residential projects at this time.
The Bottom Line
Solar Wave prides itself on being more transparent than the rest of the industry. The company has disclosed all available equipment including its partnerships with manufacturers. Instead of basing pricing on utility bills and commission rates, Solar Wave utilizes a flat rate pricing approach which is essentially unheard of in solar installation operations. All projects are done by licensed and insured solar professionals. Each client that goes through Solar Wave will have access to its monitoring technology to ensure that the equipment is efficiently producing energy and meeting production rates.
Despite offering a number of proprietary services to clients, there are limitations to what Solar Wave offers its clients. For instance, there is no information regarding specific financing options available to clients even though the company touts zero down solutions. The service area is restricted to the state of Colorado, and Solar Wave only services residential clients.
Homeowners looking for a transparent solar installation provider to install tier-1 solar equipment in an effort to drastically reduce utility bills will likely benefit from what Solar Wave offers to its clients.
