Choosing the right solar installer in New Jersey can feel overwhelming. There are so many questions to answer before making the decision you can spend hours researching. That’s why we’ve simplified it for you.
Our guide highlights New Jersey’s top-rated solar companies, combining Resident Solar Power expert insights with feedback from locals who’ve made the switch.
No need to surf the web looking for information crumbs to have the big picture. Years in business, reviews from real customers, online reputation, panel brands, warranty, social media overview, and more – we have it all. The hard work is done to help you make the right decision.
We prioritize companies committed to long-term service and reliability. Here’s our list of New Jersey’s most trusted solar installers:
Public Service Solar review 1631 South Olden Avenue Hamilton Twp, NJ 08610
Public Service Solar review 1631 S Olden Ave, Trenton NJ, 08610
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Public Service read more…
My Solar Partner review 3525 Quaker Brg Rd Suite 4250, Hamilton Township, NJ 08619, United States
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, My Solar read more…
ExactSolar review 82 Walker Lane Newtown, PA 18940
Our Expert Choice badge goes to Exact Solar, which concentrates on serving fewer than 2 states. With a foundation dating read more…
NJ Renewable Energy review West Windsor, 8550, NJ, US
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, NJ Renewable read more…
My Solar Home review 7 Pond View Dr, Plainsboro Township, NJ 08536, United States
My Solar Home is rewarded with our Expert Choice badge, serving an exclusive area of fewer than 1 state. With read more…
Savkat Solar review Eastampton Township, NJ, 08060
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Savkat Solar read more…
Arsenal Solar review 516 Lindenhurst St, Philadelphia, PA 19116, United States
Arsenal Solar is rewarded with our Expert Choice badge, serving an exclusive area of fewer than 1 state. With a read more…
Moore Energy LLC review 505 Keystone Rd, Southampton PA, 18966
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Moore Energy read more…
Raynor Services review 401 Pine Street Mount Holly, NJ 08060
Raynor Services is rewarded with our Expert Choice badge, serving an exclusive area of fewer than 1 state. With a read more…
Ray Energy Solar review PO BOX 836, Mount Laurel NJ, 08054
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Ray Energy read more…
Solar Energy World review 100 Twinbridge Dr, Pennsauken Township NJ, 08110
Our Expert Choice badge goes to Solar Energy World, which concentrates on serving fewer than 6 states. With a foundation read more…
Geoscape Solar review 520 Fellowship Rd, Mt Laurel Township NJ, 08054
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Geoscape Solar read more…
Nu Look Home Design review 100 Century Pkwy #150, Mt Laurel Township, NJ 08054, United States
Nu Look Home Design is rewarded with our Expert Choice badge, serving an exclusive area of fewer than 6 states. read more…
Voltaic Solaire review 120 Old Camplain Rd, Hillsborough Township NJ, 08844
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Voltaic Solaire read more…
KC Green Energy review 811 Church Road Suite 234, Cherry Hill NJ, 08002
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, KC Green read more…
Panda Exteriors review 1 Holtec Dr Suite 200, Marlton, NJ 08053, United States
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Panda Exteriors read more…
Sunwise Energy review 1401 Chapel Avenue West, Cherry Hill Township, NJ 08002, United States of America
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Sunwise Energy read more…
EMT Solar & Roofing review 523 Hollywood Ave, Cherry Hill NJ, 08002
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, EMT Solar read more…
Solar Experts review 420 Chandler Rd, Jackson Township, NJ 08527, United States
With an overall third-party rating of 4+ and positive feedback across more than 10 reviews from different platforms, Solar Experts read more…
Solar Panel Costs in New Jersey
If you’re looking into solar panels in New Jersey right now, here’s what you need to know about pricing. As of 2025, you’re looking at about $2.63 per watt on average before any incentives kick in. For a typical 5 kW residential solar panel system, that works out to roughly $13,154 upfront, though solar panel prices can range anywhere from $11,181 to $15,127 depending on what equipment you choose and how complex your installation is.
Most New Jersey homeowners actually need a bigger system—around 12.67 kW—to cover all their electricity needs. That’ll run you about $34,302 before incentives. But here’s the good news: when you add in the 30% federal solar tax credit, the cost of installing solar panels goes down a lot, to around $24,011.
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in New Jersey?
Homeowners who are thinking about buying solar panels in New Jersey need to know how much they will cost. In New Jersey, the cost of solar panels depends on the size of the system, the quality of the equipment, and how hard it is to install. This is how much you may anticipate paying:
| System Size | Cost Before ITC | Cost After 30% ITC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kW | $13,154 | $9,208 | ||
| 8 kW | $21,047 | $14,733 | ||
| 10 kW | $26,309 | $18,416 | ||
| 12.67 kW | $34,302 | $24,011 | ||
| Pricing Disclaimer: The solar panel prices shown are estimates based on data collected from online sources as of October 2025. Actual costs may vary based on your location, system specifications, and installer. | ||||
New Jersey Solar Incentives and Rebates
New Jersey has put together some pretty solid solar incentives that really help with the overall cost of solar panel installation. Let’s break down what’s available to you:
Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
This is the big one. You can deduct 30% of your entire solar installation cost from your federal taxes. For an average-sized residential solar panel system in New Jersey, we’re talking about $10,291 in savings.
But there’s a catch you absolutely need to know about—this credit is set to expire on December 31, 2025. That means if you’re reading this in October 2025, you’ve only got a couple of months left to take advantage of it. After that? It’s gone.
Successor Solar Incentive (SuSI) Program
Think of this as New Jersey’s version of solar credits, sometimes called SREC-II. Here’s how it works: you earn $85 for every megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity your panels produce. These payments continue for 15 years from when you install your system.
Let’s say your system generates 10 MWh each year (pretty typical for a residential setup). That’s $850 annually, which adds up to $12,750 over those 15 years. Not too shabby for just having panels on your roof.
Sales Tax Exemption
New Jersey doesn’t charge you the state’s 6.625% sales tax on solar equipment. This applies to everything—panels, inverters, batteries, installation labor, the works. Might not sound like much, but it adds up to hundreds of dollars you get to keep in your pocket.
Property Tax Exemption
Here’s something that really sets New Jersey apart. Even though solar panels will increase your home’s value (we’ll talk more about that later), you won’t pay a penny more in property taxes because of them. With New Jersey’s property tax rates averaging around 2.23%, this exemption saves you real money year after year.
Net Metering
All the major utilities in New Jersey participate in net metering, which is basically a fancy way of saying they’ll credit you for the extra power you don’t use. When your panels produce more electricity than you’re using—maybe on a sunny Saturday when you’re out—that excess power goes to the grid and you get credited at the full retail rate, up to 100% of what you use annually.
PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric, and Rockland Electric Company all offer this program.
Electricity Rates in New Jersey
New Jersey’s electricity rates run higher than the national average, and honestly, that’s one of the main reasons solar makes so much financial sense here. When you’re paying more for grid electricity, every kilowatt-hour your panels generate saves you more money. Combined with the strong solar incentives we just covered, you’re looking at a pretty compelling investment.
Specific Considerations for New Jersey Solar
Solar Irradiance and Climate
You might think New Jersey’s location up north would be a problem for solar, but it’s actually pretty decent. The state gets about 4.0 to 4.5 peak sun hours daily on average. With roughly 200-220 sunny days each year, residential solar panels in New Jersey produce consistent power throughout the year.
If you’re near the coast, you might see slightly better performance than in inland areas due to clearer atmospheric conditions. Winter snow? Usually, it’s not a big deal—it slides right off tilted panels, and the cold actually helps panels run more efficiently. Unlike those scorching southwestern states where extreme heat can hurt panel performance, New Jersey’s moderate climate is pretty ideal.
Permitting and Interconnection Process
New Jersey recently made things a lot easier on the permitting front. Back in July 2025, the state passed automated solar permitting legislation that genuinely streamlined the whole process. For eligible residential projects, you can now get permits in just days instead of the old 2-4 week wait.
The state has also standardized how interconnection works across all the major utilities. Most home installations go through a simplified process that doesn’t require extensive utility studies, which keeps things moving faster. Your installer will handle the paperwork, which includes:
- Local building permits
- Electrical permits
- Utility interconnection agreements
- Net metering applications
- SREC registration
One important note: don’t try to skip the permitting process. New Jersey takes unpermitted solar installations seriously, with penalties up to $1,000 or more, and they can even make you remove the system.
Timeline Expectations
Typical Installation Timeline
From the day you sign a contract to when your system is up and running, you’re typically looking at 1-3 months. Here’s how it usually breaks down:
- Weeks 1-2: Design and Permitting
Your installer will assess your property and design your system, then submit all the permit applications. If your project qualifies for the new automated permitting (and many do as of 2025), this phase might wrap up in just a few days. - Weeks 2-4: Permit Approval
Traditional permitting still takes 2-4 weeks in some cases, but automated permitting gets you approved in 2-5 business days. If you’ve got an HOA, their approval process runs during this time too. - Weeks 4-6: Installation
The actual physical installation is surprisingly quick—usually just 1-3 days. How fast it goes depends on your installer’s schedule, the weather, and whether you’re doing a roof mount (faster) or ground mount (takes a bit longer). - Weeks 6-12: Inspection and Interconnection
Local building inspections take 1-2 weeks, typically. The utility interconnection and getting permission to operate can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, depending on how backed up your utility is. Your SREC registration and your account activation occur during this step as well.
Factors Impacting Timeline
More things are capable of hastening our schedule or delaying it:
- Automated permitting eligibility: It’s days, not weeks, for approval if your work is qualified
- Utility load: Interconnection waiting times vary greatly. It’s peak summer, so it’s peak solar season, so longer lines are typical then for utilities
- System complexity: Ground mounting systems, a battery store integration, or a challenging roof all involve increased time for planning and the approval process
- Weather: Winter installations can get delayed by bad weather, while summer’s busy season might mean waiting longer to get on your installer’s schedule
Good New Jersey installers should also have a realistic prediction of downtime based on their current work schedule and current timelines of permits.
Are Solar Panels Really That Valuable in New Jersey?
Short answer? For typical New Jersey homeowners, yes. The combination of high electricity prices, good state solar incentives, and the expiring federal tax credit makes the economics quite tough to beat. If you stack how much solar panels cost against how much they’ll save you long-term, the math adds up nicely.
Financial Returns
If you pay cash for a home solar panel system, you’re saving around $85,862 during a period of 25 years (as long as most panel warranties remain valid). Payback periods for New Jersey come to a mere average of 5.32 years. Just consider it – you pay for yourself in a little less than five years, and then benefit for practically nineteen years of virtually free electricity.
With a standard system of $24,011 off the federal tax credit, your ROI is impressive. Throw on those SREC-II payments of about $850 per year for a period of 15 years, and your returns are even better. This demonstrates how even though installing your solar panels may cost a lot of money upfront, your long-term ROI truly is huge.
System Lifespan
Good quality panels also come with 25-year warranties, but they rarely stop giving electricity for less than 30-40 years. Panel efficiency does slow down progressively by age—typically by about 0.5% per annum—the new panels available now, even after a quarter of a century, still maintain about 85-90% of original efficiency. Your inverter (inverter, for converting DC power of panels to your home’s usable AC power) usually needs to be replaced after 10-15 years. Plan for that expense, even if many installers also provide longer warranties for replacing your inverter.
Home Value Impact
Several studies have verified that home installation of solar systems increases home resale value. In New Jersey’s competitive real estate market, solar-equipped homes sell for higher prices and spend fewer days on the market. And as a benefit of New Jersey’s property tax exemption, you enjoy that entire increased value of your property without your tax bill going up.
Ecosystem Services
Average New Jersey residential system offsets about 5-7 tons of carbon dioxide per year. That’s like planting about 150 trees or taking a car off the roads. An average home solar system saves about 150 tons of CO2 emissions for a lifespan of about 25 years.
Funding Sources
Non-payment of cash at closing? You have choices:
Solar Loans: Allow you to own the system while stretching payments into the future. Begin by looking for subsidized clean energy loans offered by local programs—these tend to have better conditions compared to private solar loans.
Home Equity Loans: Have average interest rates, and interest may be tax-deductible (recommended to discuss it with a tax practitioner).
Solar Leases and PPAs: They are third-party ownership programs that require little to no money down, but your total savings per year will be less. They are a good choice if your tax load isn’t large enough for you to benefit from a federal ITC, or if you simply prefer a zero-maintenance solution.
Are Solar Panels Worth It in New Jersey?
This is real life: the federal solar tax credit is set to expire on December 31, 2025. If you go solar in 2025, you’ll be one of the final-ever homeowners to benefit by 30%. For an average New Jersey system, that’s over $10,000 in savings that simply won’t exist in 2026.
Given that installation timelines run 1-3 months, if you’re reading this in October 2025, you need to start the process soon to ensure your system is installed and operational before the deadline. Between this expiring incentive, New Jersey’s strong SREC-II program, high electricity rates, and excellent net metering policies, right now is genuinely one of the best times for New Jersey residents to go solar.
How Much Can Solar Panels Save Me in New Jersey?
Finding out how much you can save on solar in New Jersey is not a straightforward answer. It depends on several factors, including the solar billing of your utility company, the size of a potential solar system on your roof, and your household’s energy consumption. While most solar installers will try to cover all your electricity needs, the actual savings will depend on your home’s unique conditions. To get a personal estimate of how much you could potentially save by going solar, fill out a simple form on our website, use Google’s Project Sunroof solar savings calculator, or consult with a couple of local solar installation companies for a personalized savings calculation.
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Solar Financing Explained
You can pay for solar panels in a couple of ways:
- Cash
- Installer solar loans
- Personal loans
- Cash-out refinance or HELOC
- Solar Leases or Power Purchase Agreements (PPA)
First, there is a cash purchase, which in most cases provides the best price and long-term savings, but the upfront payment is not always what you can afford. If you want to own your solar panels and don’t have about $15,000 to $20,000 in the bank, you’ll have to choose solar panel financing.
You can consider a personal loan, a home equity line of credit, or a solar loan offered by the solar company. However, keep in mind that these loans come with interest and additional fees. Solar loans often are tied to dealer fees, which can increase the total cost of your solar system by 20% or more in exchange for a lower interest rate. To ensure you get the best possible deal, it is wise to compare the dealer fees and interest rates offered by different installers. This way, you can make an informed decision based on the most favorable terms available.
Some companies offer solar leases or PPAs that require zero upfront cost. But in such cases, you don’t own solar panels, and you are not eligible for any solar rebates or federal tax credit. And, because you have to pay the solar company monthly, your total solar savings will be lower. Ask for detailed savings calculations from a solar installer to decide on the best option. In most cases, you will still be paying less for electricity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How We Rank Solar Installers
Our main goal is to provide homeowners like you with top-rated solar companies you can trust. Our solar experts analyzed thousands of local and nationwide installers to get to the bottom of who is best in a specific location. The solar company ranking methodology is based on gathering input from homeowner surveys, consulting with industry experts, and extensive research into the solar energy market. Here are the things we believe are the most important to consider when choosing a solar company.
In short, here’s how we pick top installers:
– Company that has been in business for over five years as it indicates stability, reliability, and successful installations.
– Local solar companies over big national ones covering multiple areas as they can provide better personal attention and know more about the solar needs and regulations in their area.
– Companies with hands-on experience and a wealth of projects under their belt are more likely to deliver efficient and timely installations that cater to specific customer needs.
– Companies that handle their own installations instead of outsourcing to subcontractors ensure a higher caliber of work and nurture a culture of excellence and accountability in service.
– Select a company that has a good overall reputation and reviews on sites like SolarReviews, BBB, Google Maps, and Yelp.
– The company is licensed and insured and holds relevant certifications such as NABCEP certification.
– Companies that offer a wide selection of high-quality solar panels and related products and work with reputable brands.
– Companies that provide flexible financing options such as solar loans, leases, or power purchase agreements.
– Installers that provide substantial workmanship warranties and system performance guarantees.
Read more:
Our Methodology
What Made Us Choose Sources for Expert Score?
How We Classify Solar Installers: What Matters Most?
What to Look for In a Solar Company
To ensure that you partner with a great provider that can meet your needs of going solar, look for the following:
– Make sure the solar installer has industry-standard certifications, such as those from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), indicating that they meet the gold standard in renewable energy installations. Also, verify if they are licensed, bonded, and insured for residential solar projects in your area. If subcontractors are involved, check their credentials as well.
– Prioritize installers with a proven track record in solar installations, ideally with at least 5+ years of experience. Ask about the number of systems they’ve installed and their project portfolio. A competent installer should openly discuss the solar panels, inverters, and batteries they use if they help to take advantage of local solar incentives and rebates, and warranty coverage specifics.
– Your installer should be forthcoming about the installation process and answer any questions you might have, like “How many solar panels will I need? Why?”, “Can you give me a detailed cost breakdown based on my energy consumption?”, “What solar panel brands do you install? Why?”, etc.. They should also be transparent about their use of subcontractors, detailing their roles and how their work will be supervised.
– A preliminary evaluation of your roof’s condition is the groundwork. The installer should advise on necessary repairs to ensure it’s ready for solar panel installation and clarify responsibilities for any potential roof damage during the process. Discuss aesthetic concerns, such as the placement of solar panels around roof vents or the possibility of relocating vents for a more visually appealing setup.
– Check the installer’s reputation through online reviews and testimonials. They should be able to connect you with past customers willing to share their experiences. Personal recommendations from friends or neighbors who’ve gone solar can also be invaluable.
– Solar installation costs can vary widely, so obtaining multiple quotes is advisable. Experienced installers will adjust their offers to your home’s specifics—size, energy needs, etc. For an objective cost comparison, calculate the price per watt of the proposed system, giving you a standardized basis to evaluate different quotes.
Should You Choose a Local Solar Installer or a Big National Company?
Always choose a local solar company over a big national corporation. Small local companies that operate in a distinct local area are better than multi-state and national solar companies and large corporations. It’s the small local companies who get the best reviews on our website, and it’s the national multistate companies who get very poor reviews. Why so, you may ask?
Solar is a local service business, for the most part, and it is extremely difficult to run a solar company and offer good customer service to many locations from a central office.
Local ones have a community connection, they know the incentives and regulations in the area better, and they simply care more about you than large businesses trying to get into your pocket and overprice you. While multi-state solar companies might try to convince you by financial stability and “quality of installations across different locations”, try to choose a local company that meets all your criteria.
What Does a Solar Installation Look Like?
Here’s how a solar system installation will look like once the design for your solar system is approved:
– First, a solar installer should estimate your energy needs, and analyze your annual and monthly electricity consumption, which you can find on utility bills measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Such calculations will help to understand potential savings, payback period, and the system size you need.
– A home energy audit is something every experienced solar company would do to understand the size and output needed.
– Next question on the list: are your house’s roof conditions good enough for installation? A solar installer should carefully inspect the roof and ensure its conditions and orientation are good to go, how and where to better place solar panels and wire the system.
– Next, they will design the system and show you how it’s going to look.
You will usually need a permit to install solar panels from your local authorities, and the solar provider should handle all the paperwork.
– The entire process might take up to 3 months depending on the state and local regulations, while the system installation is usually up to 3 days (might take longer depending on roof conditions and system complexity).
– The installation crew should always clean up and remove any debris, leaving your house in good condition.
– When the system is installed, it should be checked and approved by local municipality inspection.
– If you’re connecting your system to the grid, it has to be wired to your local utility system. You’ll apply for connection through your utility company, which will also want to inspect your system to ensure it’s following utility guidelines. Some installers may help you with this step, so always ask. Once you have all the permits, your system will be up and running, powering your home with solar.
Find the Best Solar Installers Near You
