Quick answer: The best solar companies in California in 2026 are NRG Clean Power, Ameco Solar, Baker Home Energy, Semper Solaris and Sun Light & Power among full-service installers, with Sunrun for leases and Tesla for the lowest hardware price. We pulled every company’s state contractor license record on September 23, 2026. Every company on this list is active. Two that appeared on last year’s lists are not: one is suspended and one has a pending state accusation.
Most “best solar companies” lists are copied from each other and never checked. That is how Freedom Forever, ranked #1 on Solar Power World’s 2025 list of U.S. residential contractors, stayed on California roundups right up to its Chapter 11 filing on April 15, 2026. Its California license had been on state probation since October 4, 2024. The warning was public for 18 months.
So this year we did what nobody else does. We looked up every installer at the Contractors State License Board, recorded the license status, classifications, bond and workers’ comp, and checked the state’s own complaint disclosure. Then we added the one thing a review score can’t tell you: who is still standing after the worst three years the industry has ever had.
How we ranked these companies
We ranked on five factors, in this order: a clean, active state license; years operating under that license; verified installation volume; battery and NEM 3.0 design capability; and who handles service after installation.
- License health. Every license was pulled from CSLB on September 23, 2026: status, classifications, contractor’s bond, workers’ comp and whether the state lists a complaint disclosure. An active license with a current bond is the minimum to appear here.
- Survival. The license issue date is hard evidence of how long a company has been accountable in California. Marketing “since” dates are not.
- Volume. Where a company reported its 2025 California installations to Solar Power World’s Top Contractors ranking, we list the kW. Not every company submits, so a missing number is not a red flag.
- Storage. Under NEM 3.0, exported solar earns about 5 to 8 cents per kWh, so an installer that cannot design around a battery and your 4-9 pm load leaves most of the savings on the table.
- Service model. In-house crews and a service department that outlives the sale, versus a sales company that subcontracts the install.
Yes, we rank ourselves first; the license data below lets you check that claim like any other.
Top 10 solar companies in California: comparison table
| Rank | Company | CSLB license # | Licensed since | Based in | Service area | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NRG Clean Power | 1026168 | 2017 (company operating since 1988) | Canoga Park | Statewide | Best overall: price guarantee, in-house crews, solar + battery + roofing |
| 2 | Ameco Solar | 1053172 | 2019 (Ameco name since 1974) | Valley Village | Greater LA, Orange County | Oldest solar name in LA |
| 3 | Baker Home Energy | 858088 | 2005 (Baker founded 1938) | Escondido | San Diego County, south OC, Riverside | Longevity in San Diego |
| 4 | Semper Solaris | 978152 | 2012 | El Cajon | Statewide, SoCal focus | Roof and solar in one contract |
| 5 | Sun Light & Power | 326203 | 1976 | Berkeley | Bay Area, Northern California | Employee-owned Bay Area veteran |
| 6 | Stellar Solar | 749095 | 1998 | Oceanside | San Diego and Orange counties | High-volume San Diego local |
| 7 | SolarCraft | 497797 | 1986 | Novato | Marin, Sonoma, Napa | North Bay specialist |
| 8 | Sunrun | 750184 | 1998 | Lehi, Utah (CA operations statewide) | Statewide | Leases and PPAs |
| 9 | Tesla Energy | 888104 | 2006 | Fremont | Statewide | Lowest hardware price, Powerwall |
| 10 | SunLux | 1008374 | 2015 | Corona | Corona, OC, LA | Hands-on project management |
License numbers, issue dates and cities from each company’s CSLB license record, pulled September 23, 2026.
License health check: what the state record shows
All 10 companies hold an active California license with a contractor’s bond on file. Three carry a complaint disclosure on the public record, which is common for high-volume companies and worth reading before you sign.
| Company | Status | Classifications | Workers’ comp | Public complaint disclosure | 2025 California installs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRG Clean Power | Active | B, C-10, C-20 | Active | None | Not reported |
| Ameco Solar | Active | B, C-10 | Active | None shown | 4,480 kW (#49) |
| Baker Home Energy | Active | C-10, C-46, C-39, C-20, C-36 | Active | None | 8,135 kW (#41) |
| Semper Solaris | Active; renewal due Oct 31, 2026 | See CSLB record | Active | None shown | 12,630 kW (#34) |
| Sun Light & Power | Active | B, C-10, C-46 | See CSLB record | None shown | 5,956 kW (#46) |
| Stellar Solar | Active | C-10 | See CSLB record | None shown | 12,162 kW (#35) |
| SolarCraft | Active | B, C-10, C-46, D-35 | See CSLB record | None shown | Not reported |
| Sunrun | Active | B, C-10, C-46, C-39, C-47 | Active | Yes | Not reported |
| Tesla Energy | Active | B, C-10, C-46, C-39 | See CSLB record | Yes | Not reported |
| SunLux | Active | C-10 | See CSLB record | Yes | Not reported |
Sources: CSLB license records, September 23, 2026. Installs and California rank from Solar Power World 2026 Top California Solar Contractors, which ranks self-reported 2025 kW across all markets (Stellar Solar and Sun Light & Power include commercial work); companies that did not submit show “Not reported.”
How to read it: C-46 is California’s solar classification and C-10 is electrical; either is legal for solar work. A complaint disclosure means the state has a complaint or action it is allowed to publish; click through on CSLB and read what it is and whether it was resolved.
1. NRG Clean Power: best overall
This is our site, so weigh this entry however you like, and check it against the license table above. NRG has operated in California since 1988, holds CSLB license #1026168 (B, C-10 and C-20, no disclosable actions) and installs solar, batteries, roofing and EV charging with in-house crews from San Diego to Sacramento. We are a Tesla Certified Installer, EnergySage Elite, a CNN Underscored Editors’ Pick and a CALSSA member, with a 4.5-star Google rating across 225+ reviews.
Two things separate us. The best price guarantee: bring a competing itemized quote for the same equipment and we beat it, in a market where identical hardware gets quoted thousands of dollars apart. And the sales model: no door knocking and no dealer network. You get a virtual consultation or an instant online quote, and the people who design your system work for the company that installs it. Honest caveat: we are not always the lowest bid.
2. Ameco Solar: LA’s oldest solar name
Ameco’s lineage runs to 1974, one of the oldest solar names in the country, and it now operates as Ameco Solar LLC (CSLB #1053172, licensed 2019) from Valley Village. It pairs solar with roofing across greater LA and Orange County, is Tesla Powerwall certified, and reported 4,480 kW of California installs in 2025. The caveat is recent project management: recent BBB reviews mention delays and communication gaps after signing. Put milestone dates in the contract.
3. Baker Home Energy: the San Diego longevity pick
Baker Electric was founded in 1938 and is family-run in Escondido; its home energy business holds CSLB #858088 with an unusually broad set of classifications, including solar, roofing, HVAC and plumbing, and no disclosable actions. It reported 8,135 kW of California installs in 2025. If your biggest fear is your installer disappearing, Baker is the safest bet in San Diego County. The tradeoff is price, typically in the upper third of the market, and a service area that stops around south Orange County and western Riverside.
4. Semper Solaris: roof and solar in one contract
Veteran-owned Semper Solaris (CSLB #978152, El Cajon) is built around the fact that many California roofs need work before panels go on. It re-roofs and installs the array under one contract, which avoids the worst sequencing mistake in solar: paying to pull and reinstall panels when the roof fails a few years later. It was the largest installer on this list by reported volume, 12,630 kW in California in 2025. Its license renewal is due October 31, 2026. As a high-volume operation, service response can slow in peak season, so get timelines in writing.
5. Sun Light & Power: the Bay Area veteran
Berkeley’s Sun Light & Power has held the same California license, #326203, since October 1976, which makes it one of the longest continuously licensed solar contractors in the state. It is 100% employee-owned since 2018, a certified B Corp, and reported 5,956 kW installed in California in 2025 across homes and businesses. It is the pick for Bay Area buyers who want a local company with a 50-year record. The soft spot: a thin review footprint on the big solar review sites, so ask for references in your city.
6. Stellar Solar: San Diego’s high-volume local
Stellar Solar (TMAG Industries, CSLB #749095, licensed since 1998) is based in Oceanside and says it has completed more than 17,000 installations. It reported 12,162 kW installed in California in 2025 across homes and businesses, close to Semper Solaris among companies on this list that report. It serves San Diego and Orange counties. Its license is electrical (C-10) only, which is legal for solar; if you also need a roof, you will need a separate roofer.
7. SolarCraft: the North Bay specialist
Novato-based SolarCraft (CSLB #497797, licensed 1986) has installed in Marin, Sonoma and Napa for four decades and says it has completed more than 9,000 systems. It has been 100% employee-owned since 2016 and holds solar, electrical and general building classifications. North Bay homes bring wildfire-season outages and older roofs, and a local crew that has been doing this since the 1980s is hard to replace. Outside the North Bay, look elsewhere.
8. Sunrun: the lease giant
Sunrun (CSLB #750184) is the largest residential solar company in the country, with a 12.7% national share in 2025 according to Wood Mackenzie. Its relevance in 2026 is structural: because the Section 48E credit survived for third-party-owned systems while the homeowner credit ended, a Sunrun lease or PPA is one of the few ways federal incentive value still reaches a California roof, if Sunrun prices it in. Its license carries a public complaint disclosure; read it. Before signing, compare the 25-year total cost against buying, and read the escalator and home-sale transfer terms.
9. Tesla Energy: cheapest hardware, thinnest service
Tesla Energy Operations (CSLB #888104, licensed 2006) typically publishes the lowest per-watt pricing in California and is the direct path to a Powerwall 3 system. What you give up is local service: surveys are largely remote and support is ticket-based. Its license also carries a public complaint disclosure. Many buyers get a better experience having a Tesla Certified Installer put in the same equipment.
10. SunLux: hands-on project management
Corona-based SunLux (CSLB #1008374, licensed 2015, electrical classification) built its name on communication: dedicated project managers and clear timelines across Orange County, Corona and LA, with a SolarReviews rating around 4.7 stars. Quotes typically land at the higher end. Its license shows a public complaint disclosure, so read it on CSLB, and as a 2015 company it has not been through a full equipment life cycle yet.
Who actually installs California’s solar in 2026?
The market has shrunk and reshuffled fast. The installer that ranked #1 in the U.S. for 2024 residential volume is gone, and the #1 company in 2025 installed about a third as much.
| Data point | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrun’s share of U.S. residential solar, 2025 | 12.7% (13.6% in 2024) | Wood Mackenzie |
| Freedom Forever’s U.S. share, 2025 | 6.1% for the year, 3.9% in Q4 | Wood Mackenzie |
| Freedom Forever residential installs, 2024 | 400,514 kW, #1 nationally | Solar Power World 2025 |
| Freedom Forever California installs, 2024 | 59,801 kW, #11 in the state | Solar Power World 2025 California list |
| #1 U.S. residential contractor, 2025 installs | 137,530 kW (Trinity Solar, New Jersey) | Solar Power World 2026 |
| Largest residential-serving California contractor, 2025 | 58,392 kW (Citadel Roofing & Solar) | Solar Power World 2026 California list |
| U.S. residential solar installed, Q2 2026 | 995 MWdc, down 12% year over year; 2026 forecast down 23% | SEIA/Wood Mackenzie Q3 2026 |
The lesson for a buyer: size and marketing are not safety. The company with the most installs in the country two years ago no longer exists, while small local firms with 30 to 50 years on the same license are still answering the phone.
Check how many systems an installer actually connected near you
California publishes this, and almost nobody uses it. The state’s California Distributed Generation Statistics “Find an Installer” tool shows which companies interconnected solar in your ZIP code or county over the last 24 months, from PG&E, SCE and SDG&E records. An installer claiming to be “the top company in your area” should show up there, near the top. If it barely appears, ask why.
Which solar companies went out of business, and what happened to their customers?
Nine installers and solar lenders that sold in California have failed or exited since late 2023. In every case, manufacturer warranties on panels and inverters survived, but the installer’s own workmanship warranty did not.
| Date | Company | What happened | Who services the systems now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2026 | Freedom Forever | Chapter 11 (Apr 15, 2026) converted to Chapter 7 liquidation; CSLB license #1029644 now suspended | Stranded installs being finished by lenders including GoodLeap, EverBright and Sunrun; claims due Oct 16, 2026 |
| June 8, 2025 | Sunnova | Chapter 11 in Texas; about 441,000 customers | SunStrong Management took over servicing on Sept 4, 2025 |
| June 6, 2025 | Mosaic (solar lender) | Chapter 11 in Texas | Solar Servicing LLC (Forbright Bank) bought the loans; terms unchanged |
| Sept 3, 2024 | Lumio | Chapter 11 | Zeo Energy bought the assets on Nov 1, 2024 |
| Aug 5, 2024 | SunPower | Chapter 11; brand sold to Complete Solar for $45 million | The new SunPower did not take on warranties for systems installed before Sept 30, 2024; leases and PPAs went to SunStrong |
| June 20, 2024 | Titan Solar Power | Stopped operating June 13, filed Chapter 7 | No successor; manufacturer warranties only |
| Feb 8, 2024 | Sunworks (and Solcius) | Chapter 7 | EnergyAid took over customer data and monitoring |
| Jan 24, 2024 | ADT Solar | Exited residential solar | Not stated |
| Oct 31, 2023 | Sunlight Financial (lender) | Chapter 11; sold to an industry consortium | Loans continue under new owners |
Sources: Freedom Forever claims agent (Kroll), CSLB order N2022-286, Sunnova, SunPower acquisition notice, ADT, and trade coverage in Solar Power World and pv magazine.
The pattern is worth knowing before you sign anything. Freedom Forever’s license went on three years of state probation effective October 4, 2024, with a $100,000 disciplinary bond and about 45 open complaints to resolve, according to the CSLB order. It filed for bankruptcy 18 months later. The license record told the story first.
If your installer is on this list, see our guide to what to do when your solar company goes out of business and our Freedom Forever bankruptcy guide.
Two companies we did not include this year
We checked the licenses of every installer that commonly appears on California lists. Two did not make ours:
- Renova Energy (Palm Desert, CSLB #910836): the CSLB record shows the license under suspension for a contractor’s bond suspension and lack of a qualifier, after its bond was cancelled April 19, 2026.
- LA Solar Group (CSLB #974115): the license is active, but CSLB lists a pending accusation, referred to the Attorney General, and a $50,000 disciplinary bond posted in July 2024.
Both companies may resolve these issues, and we will re-check. Until then, we would not recommend signing with a company whose license record shows either one.
How do you vet a California solar installer in 15 minutes?
Five checks catch nearly every bad deal, and all of them use free public records or documents the installer is legally required to give you.
- Pull the license (2 minutes). Search the exact business name on your contract at CSLB. You want: status active, a C-46 or C-10 classification, a current bond, workers’ comp for a company with crews, and no pending accusation or probation. Click any complaint disclosure and read it.
- Check real local volume (3 minutes). Put your ZIP code into the state’s Find an Installer tool and see how many systems the company actually interconnected near you in the last 24 months.
- Read the two state documents (5 minutes). Every residential solar contract must open with the CSLB Solar Energy System Disclosure Document, and PG&E, SCE and SDG&E will not connect your system until you have initialed and signed the CPUC’s California Solar Consumer Protection Guide. If a salesperson rushes you past either, stop.
- Test the savings estimate (3 minutes). Since November 1, 2025, the state’s Solar Energy System Supporting Information form must be typed and must estimate bill savings for the first 12 months only, at today’s rates with 0% rate escalation. A pitch built on 25 years of 6% annual rate increases is not the number the state requires. And any 2026 quote that subtracts a 30% federal credit from a purchase is simply wrong.
- Ask who installs and who services (2 minutes). “Do your own employees install, or do you subcontract?” and “Who answers my service call in year 8?” A dealer that sells and subcontracts carries the same structure that failed at Freedom Forever and Sunnova.
You also have a 3-day right to cancel a home solicitation contract, printed on the CSLB disclosure form. Use it if you signed under pressure.
How common are solar complaints in California?
CSLB received 2,263 solar complaints in fiscal year 2022-23. Of those, 1,232 were about workmanship or abandoned projects and 323 alleged misrepresentation or fraud, leading to 34 criminal referrals, according to the board’s solar page. Most complaints are about unfinished or poorly finished work, which is why who installs matters more than who sells.
What does solar cost from these companies in 2026?
Cash prices across California run about $2.50 to $3.50 per watt installed in 2026, with no federal credit on purchased systems.
| System size | Solar only | Solar + one 13.5 kWh battery | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $15,000 to $21,000 | $28,000 to $37,500 | Condo or small home, $150 to $200 bills |
| 8 kW | $20,000 to $28,000 | $33,000 to $44,500 | Typical 3-bedroom, $250 to $350 bills |
| 10 kW | $25,000 to $35,000 | $38,000 to $51,500 | Larger home with AC or EV, $400+ bills |
Under NEM 3.0, exports from PG&E, SCE and SDG&E customers earn about 5 to 8 cents per kWh while evening power costs 40 cents or more, so the battery is usually central to the savings. LADWP and SMUD customers are on different rules, and solar-only can still make sense there. See how much solar panels cost in California for regional prices and the payback math.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best solar company in California?
NRG Clean Power is our top overall pick for 2026, for its statewide in-house crews, price guarantee and full solar, battery, roofing and EV scope. For San Diego County, Baker Home Energy is the strongest longevity pick; in the Bay Area, Sun Light & Power has held the same license since 1976. The right answer depends on your county, your roof and whether you buy or lease.
How do I check a solar company’s license in California?
Use the CSLB Check a License tool at cslb.ca.gov and search the exact business name or license number on your contract. Confirm the license is active, has a C-46 or C-10 classification, has a current bond, and shows no pending accusation, suspension or probation.
What happened to Freedom Forever?
It filed Chapter 11 on April 15, 2026, and the case was converted to Chapter 7 liquidation on August 7, 2026. Its CSLB license is suspended. Manufacturer warranties on your equipment still apply; its workmanship warranty is effectively gone. Claims are due October 16, 2026.
What happened to SunPower customers?
The original SunPower filed Chapter 11 on August 5, 2024 and sold its brand to Complete Solar. The new SunPower did not take on warranties for systems installed before September 30, 2024. Leases and PPAs moved to SunStrong Management.
Is solar still worth it in California without the federal tax credit?
For most PG&E, SCE and SDG&E customers, yes, because those utilities average 34 to 46 cents per kWh, about double the national average. Payback got two to three years longer when the credit ended, so an honest estimate and a well-designed battery matter more than ever.
Should I lease or buy in 2026?
Buying usually wins on 25-year cost for homeowners who can pay cash or finance. A lease or PPA is now the only route to federal incentive value, because the system owner can still claim Section 48E. Compare lifetime cost, the annual escalator and the home-sale transfer terms. See our solar incentives guide.
Get three quotes, verify three licenses
The company you choose matters more than the panel brand. Pull the license, check local volume, read the state disclosure documents, and compare at least three quotes. If you want one of them to be ours, get an instant quote in 2 minutes or browse our California service area. For your city, start with our San Diego installer roundup.