How residential solar equipment gets to your roof
Manufacturer → distributor → installer → homeowner. Most installers don't buy direct from the panel/inverter/battery manufacturers — they buy through a regional or national solar distributor. Distributors stock dozens of brands, offer financing terms, handle freight, train installers on new products, and provide first-line technical support during installs.
The implication for homeowners: an installer's preferred-brand list often reflects which manufacturer relationships their distributor is pushing this quarter. Bonus rebates, preferred-installer status, and inventory promos all influence what shows up on your bid. That's why two installers in the same city quoting the same scope might offer wildly different equipment combinations.
Major B2B solar distributors (sell to installers)
CED Greentech
One of the largest US residential solar distributors. Owned by Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED). Stocks Qcells, Silfab, REC, SEG, Enphase, SolarEdge, Tesla Powerwall (limited), IronRidge, Unirac, EcoFasten, and more. Strong installer training programs.
Soligent
Long-running residential and commercial solar distributor. Stocks all major brands. Software platform for installers.
Krannich Solar
German-parent global distributor with strong East Coast presence. Stocks Q.PEAK, REC, SolarEdge, Enphase, IronRidge.
BayWa r.e. Solar Systems
Major commercial + utility-scale distributor; some residential. Stocks JinkoSolar, Trina, Qcells, REC, SMA, Fronius.
Renvu
Residential focus; B2B portal. Strong inverter and microinverter selection.
BRENRGY (formerly Brentwood / GreenLancer related)
Smaller B2B platforms exist for boutique installers and DIY-friendly contractors. Worth knowing they exist if your installer is unusually nimble on equipment selection.
B2B + DIY-friendly hybrids (also sell direct to homeowners)
Wholesale Solar / unbound Solar
Long-running DIY-friendly solar vendor. Sells complete kits (panels + inverter + racking) plus battery/off-grid setups. Strong technical-support team for owner-installers.
altE (Alternative Energy Store)
One of the oldest US online solar/off-grid retailers. Sells to installers and DIY homeowners. Strong educational content.
Signature Solar
Texas-based DIY-friendly distributor focused on EG4 inverter and battery systems. Affordable mid-tier kits for off-grid + grid-tied applications.
Solaris
Residential-friendly online solar shop with strong customer support. Sells installer-grade equipment to consumers.
GoGreenSolar
DIY kits with permit-design service included. Targeted at owner-installers who want a turnkey design + parts package without the cost of a full installer.
Wholesale Solar (Watts247, ShopSolar, etc.)
Various consumer-facing solar retailers. Quality varies — verify the specific equipment they're shipping is FEOC compliant if it matters to you.
Web Solar Power / Big Battery
Specialty battery + inverter retailer; many products are repackaged Chinese-OEM hardware. Verify FEOC and warranty terms carefully.
Direct-from-manufacturer (limited)
A handful of brands sell residential systems direct to homeowners through their own installer network or D2C channels:
- Tesla Energy — design + financing + installation directly through Tesla. Limited equipment selection (Tesla panels + Powerwall). tesla.com/energy
- SunPower (legacy) — pre-bankruptcy used a direct-installer model. Maxeon panels are now distributed through dealer networks.
- Sunrun — vertically integrated installer + lessor. Their dealer network sells to homeowners; the equipment is sourced through Sunrun's central procurement. sunrun.com
Side-by-side comparison
| Distributor | HQ | Sells to | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CED Greentech | Irving, TX | Installers | Most-stocked national distributor |
| Soligent | Petaluma, CA | Installers | Long-running national; software platform |
| Krannich Solar | Glen Mills, PA | Installers | East Coast strength; German parent |
| BayWa r.e. | Sacramento, CA | Installers | Commercial + utility-scale |
| Renvu | Diamond Bar, CA | Installers | Residential focus |
| Wholesale Solar / unboundsolar | Mt. Shasta, CA | Installers + DIY | DIY-friendly; off-grid |
| altE | Hudson, MA | Installers + DIY | Old-school online retailer; educational content |
| Signature Solar | Sulphur Springs, TX | DIY-leaning | EG4-focused mid-tier kits |
| Solaris | Houston, TX | Consumers | Residential online shop |
| GoGreenSolar | Anaheim, CA | DIY consumers | Kits with permit design |
What this means for homeowners
- Why your installer is pushing brand X: their distributor is running a promo on it, or they get installer-rebates for moving volume.
- Why your installer can't get brand Y: small installers often have credit lines with one or two distributors only; if the distributor doesn't stock that brand, the installer can't quote it.
- If you want a specific brand: ask your installer to source it. Most can — they may need to add another distributor to their account, which adds 1–2 weeks. Don't accept "we don't carry that" as a final answer for a Tier-1 brand.
- For DIY: the consumer-facing retailers (Wholesale Solar, altE, Signature Solar, GoGreenSolar) sell complete kits with permit-design support. Reasonable path if your local installer market is uncompetitive and you have electrical experience.
Frequently asked questions
Are these distributors FEOC-compliant?
Distributors are pass-through vendors — FEOC compliance attaches to the equipment, not the distributor. A US-based distributor can stock both FEOC-compliant (Qcells, REC, Silfab, Maxeon, SEG, Mission Solar) and non-FEOC (Trina, JA Solar, LONGi, Canadian Solar) panels. Verify FEOC at the equipment level on your bid; see FEOC compliant parts list.
Is buying through a distributor cheaper than buying direct?
For homeowners, almost never. Distributors sell at wholesale to installers; consumer prices on the same gear (when available D2C) are often the same or higher than what your installer pays. The savings come from the installer's labor markup, not the equipment markup.
Should I buy a DIY kit and hire an installer for the labor?
Some homeowners do this in markets where labor is the dominant cost. Pros: control over equipment selection, potentially lower total cost. Cons: many installers won't install equipment they didn't source (warranty + responsibility issues), interconnection paperwork is harder, and the installer's workmanship warranty may not extend to BYO equipment. Tread carefully.