Active national residential solar installers (2026)
The following national / multi-state installers are still actively taking residential customers in 2026 as of this page's last review. Verify directly with the company that they currently serve your zip code before relying on the list.
Sunrun Active
The largest residential solar installer in the U.S. by installation volume. Strong brand and a deep lease/PPA financing book. Best fit for homeowners who want a $0-down lease with a long-term performance guarantee. Trade-offs: leases mean you don't own the system, and home sale negotiations require lease assumption. Verify lease and PPA pass-through math against the loan vs lease vs PPA framework before signing.
Tesla Energy Active
Tesla's energy products include the new Tesla Solar Panels (TSP-415/420, U.S.-assembled at Buffalo Gigafactory since January 2026), the Powerwall 3 and Powerwall 3P, and integrated solar+storage as a complete ecosystem. Strong choice if you already own a Tesla EV and value the integrated app + Charge on Solar + Storm Watch features. New 2026 lease offering with five-year buyout option. Trade-offs: closed ecosystem (Tesla batteries and inverters only), and Tesla's installer network has tightened over the past few years.
Trinity Solar Active
Family-owned regional-large installer that has stayed financially conservative through the 2024-2026 industry turmoil. Strong reputation in the Northeast. Reasonable fit for homeowners in the 10-state footprint who want a multi-state-scale company without the pure-financial-engineering model that pushed others into bankruptcy.
Momentum Solar Active
Mid-tier national installer with a vertically integrated in-house model (in-house sales, design, install, service). Strong customer service operations. Trade-offs: high-pressure sales tactics have been a complaint vector; verify all promised dollar figures in writing before signing.
Palmetto Solar Active
Multi-state installer with a tech-forward customer experience (online quote, app-based monitoring) and a partner / dealer network in many markets. Good fit for tech-comfortable homeowners. Trade-offs: like other multi-state nationals, install quality can vary by local subcontractor — ask whether the install crew is in-house Palmetto employees or a local sub.
Elevation Solar Active
Combined residential solar + energy efficiency + storage. Strong in the Southwest. Differentiates with bundled home energy efficiency services (insulation, smart-home electrification audits). Reasonable fit if you want a single contractor for a holistic home electrification project.
SunPower (post-restructuring) Active
The original SunPower Corporation filed Chapter 11 in 2024. The brand and assets continued operations after restructuring through dealer relationships. The Maxeon brand (which makes the actual high-efficiency panels formerly sold under "SunPower") is the surviving manufacturing entity for those modules. Verify the operating status of any company calling itself "SunPower" before signing — the brand name has been used in different ways post-restructuring. See best solar panels guide for the Maxeon panel discussion.
National installers in caution / restructuring (verify before signing)
These companies are technically still operational but have been through significant disruption. Get extra-strong written assurances about workmanship warranty backing (third-party insurance like SolarInsure SI-30 helps), and verify operating status before signing.
Blue Raven Solar Caution
Was a full-service mid-tier installer with in-house crews. Sold to SunPower in September 2024; SunPower's subsequent Chapter 11 created uncertainty about ongoing operations and warranty backing. Homeowners considering Blue Raven should ask explicitly whose workmanship warranty backs the install, and consider a third-party insurance-backed warranty like SolarInsure SI-30 as a hedge.
National installers that recently exited or failed (avoid)
The following companies have either filed for bankruptcy, exited the residential solar market, or wound down operations between 2024 and April 2026. Homeowners should be cautious about signing new contracts with them — existing customers should verify warranty backstops.
ADT Solar Exited 2024
ADT bought Sunpro Solar in 2021 and rebranded to ADT Solar. After $89M in adjusted EBITDA losses in 2023, ADT exited the residential solar business. Existing ADT-installed systems are still under their 25-year workmanship warranty (committed by ADT) but new contracts with ADT Solar should not be signed in 2026.
Sunnova Bankruptcy June 2025
Was a major lease/PPA-focused dealer-network solar company. Existing Sunnova customers should verify how their lease or PPA is being serviced post-bankruptcy and whether a successor entity is honoring warranty obligations.
Freedom Forever Bankruptcy April 2026
A dealer-network installer that grew rapidly during the 2022-2024 boom. Texas Attorney General investigation reported alongside the bankruptcy filing. Existing customers should verify warranty servicing.
Lumio Bankruptcy
Mid-sized residential dealer that did not survive its Chapter 11. Existing customers should pursue warranty claims through any insurance backstops or successor servicer; new contracts should not be signed.
PosiGen Exited residential
Specialized in solar lease products for low-and-moderate-income homeowners. Existing customers should verify lease servicing arrangements through any successor.
Why local-installer-first matters in 2026
The 2024-2026 wave of national-installer bankruptcies and exits illustrates a structural problem with the dealer-financing model that drove much of the 2020-2023 residential solar boom. Many of the failed nationals operated as "sales and finance origination" front-ends with the actual install work subcontracted to whoever the local market would yield. When financing margins collapsed (2023-2024 interest-rate increases), the front-end companies couldn't cover their obligations and the local subs were left holding the workmanship warranty.
Locally-owned installers tend to be more financially conservative, do their own install work, and have community-level reputational stakes in honoring warranty claims years later. They're also less exposed to the dealer-financing margin collapse that took down the dealer-model nationals.
That doesn't mean every local installer is great or every national is bad — the active nationals listed above are real companies serving real customers. But it does mean that for most homeowners in most states, getting at least one bid from a state-HQ'd local installer is part of doing the job right.
How to verify any installer's operating status
- State contractor license lookup: Every state has an electrical contractor license database. Verify the company holds a current (not expired) license in your state.
- BBB profile: Look at recent complaint volume and resolution patterns — not just star rating.
- Bankruptcy court records: PACER (federal) and state-level records show recent filings. Cross-reference with the SolarInsure list of solar bankruptcies and closures: solarinsure.com/the-complete-list-of-solar-bankruptcies-and-business-closures.
- NABCEP certification: Optional but reputational signal. nabcep.org has a certificant directory.
- Third-party warranty backstop: If the installer offers a SolarInsure SI-30 or equivalent insurance-backed warranty, the warranty itself survives installer or manufacturer default. Especially valuable in a churning industry. See battery storage guide for SI-30 details.
Got bids from a national installer? Validate the math.
Upload up to four solar proposals — the analyzer flags lease/PPA pass-through math, dealer-fee financing, and equipment quality across any installer national or local.
Analyze My Bid →Frequently asked questions about national installers
Should I use a national or a local installer?
For most homeowners, a local installer with HQ in your state is the better default. National installers can make sense if you want lease/PPA financing options or you're in a state without strong local-installer choices. Get bids from both and compare objectively.
What happens to my system if my installer goes out of business?
Manufacturer warranties (panel, inverter, battery) stay valid — you can claim against the manufacturer directly. The installer's workmanship warranty is the part that disappears. Mitigate with a third-party insurance-backed warranty like SolarInsure SI-30 that survives installer default.
Why did so many nationals fail in 2024-2026?
Combination of factors: 2023 interest rate spikes collapsed dealer-financing margins; the IRA's domestic content and FEOC rules introduced compliance costs; the residential 25D credit expiration at end of 2025 reduced demand and homeowner appetite for cash purchases. Dealer-model companies with thin balance sheets were hit hardest.
Is "Sunrun" the same company as "SunPower"?
No. Sunrun (HQ San Francisco, founded 2007) and the original SunPower Corporation (HQ San Jose, filed Chapter 11 in 2024) are unrelated companies despite similar names. Sunrun is still operating; "SunPower" the brand was restructured and now operates differently. Maxeon is the surviving manufacturer of the high-efficiency panels formerly sold under SunPower branding.
Are dealer-model installers always bad?
No, but the model concentrates risk. A dealer-model installer makes its money on origination and assigns the install to a local subcontractor. That works fine when both parties are stable; it falls apart when the dealer's finances do. Ask any installer whether they install in-house or use subs, and verify the sub's licensing and reputation if applicable.