Stellar Solar
4.6
6.6
Overall Score
Author: Kaitlyn Short
San Diego-based Stellar Solar was founded in 1998. With almost two decades of roof- and ground-mount residential and commercial installation experience, the company holds a longstanding reputation in the solar industry.
Highlights for this company include solar energy storage, maintenance services, and EV charging station installation.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Solar Battery Storage
- Maintenance Services
- EV Charging Stations
- Warranties
Solar Battery Storage
Stellar Solar offers options for energy storage via the Tesla Powerall and the SolarEdge Energy Hub with LG ES batteries and microgrids.
Where net metering policies have recently changed, Stellar Solar offers a solar battery combination that it claims will enable customers to offset their electric bill while providing home backup during outages. More details are needed, but this sounds like a promising option for customers.
Maintenance Services
In addition to solar system installation, the company also offers diagnostic and maintenance services for solar regardless of your installer, including the following:
- Monitoring
- Troubleshooting
- Panel inspection
- Inverter servicing
- Solar system repair
EV Charging Stations
Stellar Solar has an electric vehicle-specific team dedicated to installing, servicing, upgrading, and connecting residential and commercial EV charging systems. Not all solar companies offer EV charging installs, so this is a great benefit for homeowners looking to bundle a home solar installation and EV charging station installation.
Warranties
Stellar Solar offers a 25-year warranty that covers both power and product and a 10-year workmanship warranty.
SunPower panels are highly efficient compared to other brands. However, if something does go wrong and the panels malfunction, they will be taken care of according to SunPower’s manufacturer warranty terms.
SunPower solar panels also have a 95 percent power guarantee for the first five years. Panels should only see a rate of 0.4 percent decrease in power each year afterward, so panels should still have an 87 percent power output by the end of the 25-year warranty.
The Bad
- Limited Service Area
Limited Service Area
While Stellar Solar is a long-established company, its reach is limited to Southern California.
That being said, there are benefits to being a local-only company vs. a national one, such as local utility and market expertise. Some specific service areas in addition to San Diego include the following:
- Vista
- Oceanside
- Carlsbad
- Fallbrook
- Solana Beach
- Rancho Santa Fe
- Poway
- Escondido
- Ramona
- Encinitas
- Chula Vista
The Bottom Line
Stellar Solar stands behind its panels for longevity and performance. You really can’t go wrong with its equipment partnerships.
We are also impressed with Stellar Solar’s commitment to do right by customers. The company website says that its team of solar energy consultants uses an education-focused, no-pressure approach and that when mistakes are made, the company will acknowledge them and do its best to correct them.
While more customer reviews are needed to definitively corroborate these claims, it seems that Stellar Solar customers are in good hands.
