Momentum stands out in the realm of solar panel installation, particularly in the area of system customization. Their distinct advantage lies in their diversified offerings: they source equipment from as many as seven renowned solar manufacturers, ensuring their customers have an array of options to tailor their solar solutions. While their operational footprint covers only 11 states currently, this is by design. Momentum's strategic expansion has been focused on states with robust net metering programs, ensuring optimal returns for their clients.
Moreover, not only does Momentum facilitate solar installations, but they also guide their customers through the intricate web of solar incentives and rebates available in their respective regions. This ensures that clients can capitalize on local benefits, further enhancing the viability of their solar investments.
Continue delving into this review to uncover a deeper understanding of Momentum’s diverse service offerings, their innovative financing options, their track record in customer satisfaction, and an unbiased evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses.
An Overview of Momentum Solar
Overall Rating: (4.2 out of 5 stars)
Establishment: Founded in the year 2009, Momentum Solar has been illuminating the solar industry for over a decade, championing sustainable energy solutions.
Accreditation: Momentum Solar boasts a commendable A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), reflecting its consistent commitment to superior service and customer satisfaction.
Operational Footprint: While their services are accessible in 11 states, it's noteworthy that they have deliberately chosen regions with a favorable solar landscape and net metering policies.
Warranty Details: Customers can have peace of mind with Momentum Solar’s comprehensive 25-year equipment and workmanship warranty. This is a testament to the quality of their installations and the durability of the equipment they employ.
Service Spectrum: Momentum Solar is adept not only in solar panel installations but also offers backup battery installations. This ensures that their clients can harness solar energy efficiently and have power backup solutions when they need it most.
Strengths and Areas for Improvement
Momentum Solar has established its reputation in the renewable energy sector, offering commendable services with a few areas that might need further expansion. Let’s delve deeper into what sets them apart and where they might enhance their offerings:
Strengths of Momentum Solar:
Diverse Equipment Selection: Momentum Solar takes pride in offering installations from a choice of seven distinguished solar panel brands. This versatility ensures that customers can select panels that best suit their specific needs and preferences.
Incentive Enrollment Assistance: The company not only provides solar solutions but also aids its clients in enrolling in solar incentive programs. This support extends to guiding customers through the nuances of net metering programs, ensuring they benefit maximally from their solar investments.
Technological Integration: With the integration of a smartphone application, customers can actively monitor their system's performance in real-time. This tech-forward approach empowers users with instant insights and data regarding their energy consumption and savings.
Areas for Improvement:
Absence of System Output Guarantee: One potential downside is that Momentum Solar does not guarantee the output of their installed systems. For some customers, an output guarantee can be a reassurance of the system's efficacy and return on investment.
Limited EV Infrastructure Support: In an era where electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining traction, the company currently does not offer EV charger installations. This is a service enhancement potential, especially considering the increasing adoption rate of EVs in today's market.
State Availability
Momentum Solar has made significant inroads in the renewable energy market, focusing its expertise on a selection of states across the U.S. Here's a breakdown of where they currently offer their services:
Solar Installations: Momentum Solar provides solar panel installations in the following 11 states, catering to a diverse clientele with varying energy needs and environmental conditions:
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Massachusetts
Nevada
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Texas
Solar Battery Installations: When it comes to the provision of solar battery installations, which ensures that homes and businesses can store excess solar power for later use, Momentum Solar has selectively expanded its operations to the following 5 states:
California
Florida
New Jersey
New York
Texas
It's noteworthy to mention that while their footprint in the solar battery installation market is limited, it covers some of the most populous and solar-active regions in the U.S.
Installation Process
Momentum Solar takes a methodical and tailored approach when it comes to solar panel installation, ensuring that every step is meticulously executed to achieve optimal energy output and align with the customer's financial objectives.
Initial Inspection: The process kickstarts with a thorough site assessment. Momentum Solar’s experts visit your property to ascertain its suitability for solar energy. Important factors taken into consideration include:
Your home's average energy consumption.
The slope, age, and overall condition of your roof.
Proximity to shading or any potential obstructions that might impact solar energy absorption.
Design and Permitting: Post-assessment, a dedicated Momentum solar specialist crafts a bespoke design for your system. This design doesn’t just focus on maximizing solar energy yield but also ensures that it's harmonized with your home's structural and energy requirements. Concurrently, the team works diligently to secure the essential permits. They also liaise with local authorities to make sure the solar installation aligns seamlessly with municipal codes and stipulations.
Installation: With the design blueprint in place and all paperwork squared away, the next step involves setting the wheels in motion. Momentum collaborates with you to decide on a suitable date, post which their certified installation crew will be dispatched to your location to set up your solar photovoltaic (PV) system.
Final Inspection: Quality control is paramount. After the installation, a comprehensive inspection is undertaken to certify that every component adheres to stipulated codes and quality benchmarks. Momentum shoulders the responsibility of organizing this inspection, ensuring a hassle-free experience for you.
Activation: The penultimate step is the activation of your solar system. Momentum orchestrates this in tandem with your electricity provider. Once activated, your utility company facilitates net metering. This allows you to immediately begin reaping the benefits of Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) for any surplus energy your system generates.
Services Offered
Services at a Glance: Momentum Solar has earned its reputation in the solar sector by offering top-tier solar panel installations. Furthermore, they have formed a strategic partnership with industry leader Enphase for solar battery installations. To provide a holistic experience, customers can keep track of their system's energy output in real-time using the exclusive Momentum Solar App.
Diving Deeper into Solar Panel Options:
Commitment to Quality: Momentum Solar is selective in its partnerships, ensuring that clients receive the highest quality. They work exclusively with Tier 1 solar panels, a classification backed by the renowned Bloomberg New Energy Finance Corporation (BNEF). According to BNEF standards, Tier 1 panels need to be implemented in at least six distinct projects, each financed by different banks. This criterion underlines the trustworthiness and performance reliability of the panels in question.
Efficiency and Longevity: The meticulous selection process ensures Momentum chiefly offers monocrystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, colloquially known as Mono solar panels. These panels stand out in the market for their unparalleled efficiency. Furthermore, they promise a lasting solar panel lifespan, with an average durability ranging between 25 to 40 years.
Enphase Battery Integration:
Power Storage Solutions: Augmenting their services, Momentum Solar now incorporates battery products from Enphase. A prime offering is the Enphase Encharge, a cutting-edge battery backup system designed to store surplus electricity. This ensures uninterrupted power access during intervals when solar panels aren't actively generating electricity. The device is particularly invaluable during power outages. By harnessing the Enpower Smart Switch's capabilities, users can experience seamless transitions between the power grid and their stored solar battery, optimizing savings.
Inverter Technology: Momentum Solar’s alliance with Enphase extends beyond battery products. The company predominantly employs microinverters provided by Enphase Energy for their solar installations. Contrary to traditional systems, these microinverters operate at the individual panel level, eliminating the need for multiple junction boxes and centralized inverters. Such a configuration not only streamlines the solar system's design but also results in tangible labor cost savings for customers.
Warranties Offered
Robust 25-Year Warranty: Momentum Solar demonstrates its commitment to excellence through its extensive 25-year workmanship and equipment warranty. This implies that should there be any issues arising from faulty equipment or an installation oversight, Momentum Solar pledges to rectify these concerns without any additional charge to the client.
Power Performance Clarity: It's worth noting that while their dedication to quality is evident, Momentum Solar does not currently provide a power performance guarantee. Consequently, if the solar panels underperform concerning energy production expectations, there is no provision for financial reimbursement.
Cost & Payment Insights
Average Costs: As per our 2023 poll surveying 1,000 homeowners equipped with solar installations, the average expenditure for Momentum Solar's power systems ranged between $20,000 and $25,000. It's important to understand that this figure can vary significantly depending on various factors such as geographical location, individual energy consumption, and available solar incentives or rebates in the respective state. Additionally, all U.S. homeowners investing in solar should be aware of their eligibility for the 30% federal solar tax credit, which can further offset the investment costs.
Diverse Payment Avenues: To cater to diverse financial capacities and preferences, Momentum Solar extends several payment modalities to its clientele:
Upfront Cash Purchase: This allows you to own your solar system outright from the outset.
Solar Loan: Another avenue to own the solar system, wherein you can finance the panels and repay the amount over time.
Solar Lease or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): In this setup, homeowners essentially "rent" the solar panels, enjoying the benefits of solar energy at a fixed monthly rate throughout the stipulated agreement tenure.
The Bottom Line
Momentum Solar stands out for its unwavering commitment to quality, evident in its comprehensive 25-year workmanship and equipment warranty. However, it's crucial to note the absence of a power performance guarantee. Investment-wise, homeowners can expect costs between $20,000 to $25,000 for their solar systems, influenced by various factors like location and energy needs. Fortunately, Momentum offers a range of payment options, from outright purchases to leases, catering to diverse financial preferences. For a tailored experience and quote, reaching out directly to Momentum Solar via their website is highly recommended.
Our Methodology: Selecting Top Solar Companies
Ensuring an unbiased approach is paramount to us. To determine our top solar companies, our solar industry experts thoroughly assessed and evaluated numerous solar providers based on a standardized set of criteria. Every company was scored in each category, which facilitated our ranking process. For a detailed insight into our evaluation methodology, we encourage you to explore our dedicated 'solar rankings methodology' page.
Here's a breakdown of the pivotal factors that underpin our rankings:
Experience (15%): Longevity in the solar business often translates to proficiency. Companies with a tenure less than 10 years faced deductions in this category, and those below five years were typically considered ineligible for our ranking system.
Availability (15%): Geographic reach matters. Providers servicing expansive regions received higher scores, recognizing their capacity to cater to a broader clientele.
Reputation (15%): Reputation is a mirror to service quality. Our team delved deep into feedback on platforms such as Google reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other reputable review websites. Scores were then assigned based on the consistency and quality of the reviews.
Warranty Coverage (15%): A warranty is a testament to product and service reliability. Firms presenting longer and more all-encompassing warranties garnered more points in this segment.
Ease of Purchase (20%): Navigating solar financing can be complex. We, therefore, prized companies that simplified this process for customers. Those presenting clear, cost-effective, and accessible financing options received the highest accolades.
Solar Services (20%): Diversity and quality in service provision are crucial. Providers boasting a broader spectrum of services, complemented by top-tier product installations, were scored favorably.
Disclosure: Our team's primary goal is to provide consumers with accurate, up-to-date, and unbiased information to help them make informed decisions. While our evaluations are based on extensive research and data-driven factors, we recommend readers consult multiple sources and personally assess companies before making a decision. Additionally, our reviews and rankings may be sponsored or influenced by partnerships, advertising, or affiliate relationships. Always read the terms and conditions related to any product or service you're considering.
